Mame pots on a mini pottery wheel

[penumbra]

I wish we had discussed this earlier. I would have made them and bisque fired them with the pots so they would be ready. I'm debating to visit a local glaze and fire studio nearby to see if they have any bisque tiles. I could buy a couple of those and cut them down on my wet saw.

I just have no clue how these glazes will behave....that's what is worrying me. I'm hopeful that they won't run as the glaze coat is not as thick as dipping.

Yes my friend, I wish I had known it was a concern for you. Know your glazes is an adage that doesn't always work. I have ruined a good number of pots with a glaze I didn't fully understand. Clay body makes a big difference too. This is particularly true of porcelains and very fine porcelain like clays. The glazes really run on these.
What glazes are you using?

 

[Pitoon]

Yes my friend, I wish I had known it was a concern for you. Know your glazes is an adage that doesn't always work. I have ruined a good number of pots with a glaze I didn't fully understand. Clay body makes a big difference too. This is particularly true of porcelains and very fine porcelain like clays. The glazes really run on these.
What glazes are you using?

The glazes I have are Mayco 'Stoneware' and AMACO 'Potters Choice' a lot of their glazes look like they are stable when using just one glaze on the pot. But all hell breaks loose when you start layering, they look like they run a lot based on their pics. But then again I do not know how thick of a glaze they are using, for these pots I'm only doing 3 coats with a brush at Cone 6 and no hold.

Mayco has a light and dark flux that makes some spectacular results, but they in turn make really runny combos.

 

[penumbra]

The glazes I have are Mayco 'Stoneware' and AMACO 'Potters Choice' a lot of their glazes look like they are stable when using just one glaze on the pot. But all hell breaks loose when you start layering, they look like they run a lot based on their pics. But then again I do not know how thick of a glaze they are using, for these pots I'm only doing 3 coats with a brush at Cone 6 and no hold.

Mayco has a light and dark flux that makes some spectacular results, but they in turn make really runny combos.

Other than a few 'signature' glazes that I use, Mayco and Amaco PC are my go to glazes as well. Amaco is pretty good about describing the effects and how best to use the glazes. I really love some of the Mayco glazes. The fluxes are pretty predictable and I have used both of them. I use them only on the top edges to allow for dripping effects.
Three coats is a pretty safe bet but some actually work best at 4 or even 5 coats, especially those that move very little. You are so right about layering glazes, yet my best pots are layered.
If you have some glazes in question I can tell you what experience if any that I have had with those glazes.
My best advice by far, at least from my standpoint, is not to put all your fish into one kettle. Do 2 or 3 firings and save you favorites for last. You have done such an exquisite job of crafting these pots, don't rush to the finish line.
Gotta go finish moving my tropicals but I will check back.

 

[Pitoon]

Other than a few 'signature' glazes that I use, Mayco and Amaco PC are my go to glazes as well. Amaco is pretty good about describing the effects and how best to use the glazes. I really love some of the Mayco glazes. The fluxes are pretty predictable and I have used both of them. I use them only on the top edges to allow for dripping effects.
Three coats is a pretty safe bet but some actually work best at 4 or even 5 coats, especially those that move very little. You are so right about layering glazes, yet my best pots are layered.
If you have some glazes in question I can tell you what experience if any that I have had with those glazes.
My best advice by far, at least from my standpoint, is not to put all your fish into one kettle. Do 2 or 3 firings and save you favorites for last. You have done such an exquisite job of crafting these pots, don't rush to the finish line.
Gotta go finish moving my tropicals but I will check back.

These are the glazes I will be using on these pots, have you used any?

Mayco
SW-101 Stoned Denim
SW-108 Green Tea
SW-112 Tiger's eye
SW-119 Cinnabar
SW-121 Smoke
SW-127 Olivine
SW-149 Crackle White
SW-166 Norse Blue
SW-401 Light Flux
SW-402 Dark Flux

Should have these by next week:
SW-185 Rainforest
SW-186 Azurite
SW-188 Landslide
SW-189 Cenote

AMACO
PC-10 June Bug
PC-11 Blue spark
PC-12 Blue Midnight
PC-15 Satin Oribe
PC-20 Blue Rutile
PC-21 Artic Blue
PC-26 Blue Lagoon
PC-28 Frosted Turquoise
PC-43 Toasted Sage
PC-44 Sage
PC-45 Dark Green
PC-53 Ancient Jasper
PC-56 Ancient Copper
PC-57 Smokey Merlot

 

[penumbra]

These are the glazes I will be using on these pots, have you used any?

Mayco
SW-101 Stoned Denim
SW-108 Green Tea
SW-112 Tiger's eye
SW-119 Cinnabar
SW-121 Smoke
SW-127 Olivine
SW-149 Crackle White
SW-166 Norse Blue
SW-401 Light Flux
SW-402 Dark Flux

Should have these by next week:
SW-185 Rainforest
SW-186 Azurite
SW-188 Landslide
SW-189 Cenote

AMACO
PC-10 June Bug
PC-11 Blue spark
PC-12 Blue Midnight
PC-15 Satin Oribe
PC-20 Blue Rutile
PC-21 Artic Blue
PC-26 Blue Lagoon
PC-28 Frosted Turquoise
PC-43 Toasted Sage
PC-44 Sage
PC-45 Dark Green
PC-53 Ancient Jasper
PC-56 Ancient Copper
PC-57 Smokey Merlot

Actually I have used a number of them. I will only address the ones I have experience with. The others I have not used or not used enough to comment on. Doesn't mean they aren't good glazes, just don't have enough on them.
Mayco:
Green Tea is very nice, slightly translucent but not as much as a celadon. Has pretty high flux so use lighter on bottom heavier on top.
Tiger Eye is great when it works but has hi flux. No two pieces are ever the same in my experience.
Cinnabar is fantastic and stays in place. Good as a base coat or by itself.
Light and Dark Flux are fantastic but results depend a lot on the base coat. More subtle if used under main glaze. Use on taller pots on rim.
Rain forest is one of my favorite either by itself or over a red or deep blue. Does run.
On the Amaco:
June Bug and Blue Spark I need to work more with. I was not happy with early results and had a lot of pin-holing.
Blue Midnight is one of the best and is great with a lighter blue on top.
Blue Rutile is a stunning vibrant blue, looks good on midnight. Flux rate is pretty high so be cautious.
Arctic Blue is a wonderful icy blue that looks great on midnight and other glazes.
Frosted Turquoise I use kinda like I use Arctic Blue, though it breaks over surfaces which is really nice.
Toasted Sage I use in combinations and though I have not used it a lot I really like it.
Sage and Dark Green worked for me but I have not used then enough to really comment.
Ancient Jasper is a fabulous glaze but its results are a bit unpredictable. Great with layering. Needs to be thick if you want the red to show up well but caution because it can run.
Ancient Copper has recently become one of my favorites. Need to use like Ancient Jasper. Looks great as a base with green glaze, or blue, on top portion.
Smokey Merlot has given me a lot of pleasure as a base coat. If you put a blue like Indigo Float or Blue Rutile on top of it you get different shades of red purple. A recent and favorite of mine.

I would suggest you get some Obsidian Black Celadon from Amaco. It needs 3 coats but it is a very nice black, the best I've used. It is phenomenal as a base coat.

Would love to show you some examples but I have a ton of stuff to do right now and will be away tomorrow. I may be able to get you some pictures late today or late tomorrow.

 

[Pitoon]

Actually I have used a number of them. I will only address the ones I have experience with. The others I have not used or not used enough to comment on. Doesn't mean they aren't good glazes, just don't have enough on them.
Mayco:
Green Tea is very nice, slightly translucent but not as much as a celadon. Has pretty high flux so use lighter on bottom heavier on top.
Tiger Eye is great when it works but has hi flux. No two pieces are ever the same in my experience.
Cinnabar is fantastic and stays in place. Good as a base coat or by itself.
Light and Dark Flux are fantastic but results depend a lot on the base coat. More subtle if used under main glaze. Use on taller pots on rim.
Rain forest is one of my favorite either by itself or over a red or deep blue. Does run.
On the Amaco:
June Bug and Blue Spark I need to work more with. I was not happy with early results and had a lot of pin-holing.
Blue Midnight is one of the best and is great with a lighter blue on top.
Blue Rutile is a stunning vibrant blue, looks good on midnight. Flux rate is pretty high so be cautious.
Arctic Blue is a wonderful icy blue that looks great on midnight and other glazes.
Frosted Turquoise I use kinda like I use Arctic Blue, though it breaks over surfaces which is really nice.
Toasted Sage I use in combinations and though I have not used it a lot I really like it.
Sage and Dark Green worked for me but I have not used then enough to really comment.
Ancient Jasper is a fabulous glaze but its results are a bit unpredictable. Great with layering. Needs to be thick if you want the red to show up well but caution because it can run.
Ancient Copper has recently become one of my favorites. Need to use like Ancient Jasper. Looks great as a base with green glaze, or blue, on top portion.
Smokey Merlot has given me a lot of pleasure as a base coat. If you put a blue like Indigo Float or Blue Rutile on top of it you get different shades of red purple. A recent and favorite of mine.

I would suggest you get some Obsidian Black Celadon from Amaco. It needs 3 coats but it is a very nice black, the best I've used. It is phenomenal as a base coat.

Would love to show you some examples but I have a ton of stuff to do right now and will be away tomorrow. I may be able to get you some pictures late today or late tomorrow.

@penumbra thanks so much for providing that helpful info, I really appreciate it! I would love to see some of your glaze examples when you have time. I will get a pint of Obsidian Black Celadon to experiment with as well on my next order.

I plan to do a cascade pot with crackle white as the base, then cinnabar on top 1/3 of the pot and dark flux on top of cinnabar......mentally I think that will be a killer combo.

 

[penumbra]

I am happy to share. It can get confusing juggling around dozens of bottles of different glazes.
It looks like you are more organized than I will ever be. I have learned some good combos but most of what I do is happenstance.
I am looking forward to seeing the pot glazed as described.
You will be happy with the black glaze. I consider it more than a glaze. I consider it a tool.

 

[badatusernames]

Will you be selling these / putting up a website? Did I already ask this question? I've been meaning to.

 

[Pitoon]

Will you be selling these / putting up a website? Did I already ask this question? I've been meaning to.

Yes, I will be selling some. Once I have a decent amount of pots I will then start on my website. I don't want to publish my site with no pots, so I've been holding off on that.

 

[badatusernames]

Yes, I will be selling some. Once I have a decent amount of pots I will then start on my website. I don't want to publish my site with no pots, so I've been holding off on that.

Cool cool, just wanted to be sure it was in the works

 

[sorce]

just have no clue how these glazes will behave

Which glazes?

Most glaze and fire joints do earthenware, so be careful not to buy tiles that will melt!

I think you're better off putting a hockey puck of clay under the flat bottom, so if the glaze does hit the foot, it doesn't fuse to the cookie.

You could use shells too, it may be the safest option.

Or fire an unglazed one upside down with a glazed one on top of it.

Sorce

 

[sorce]

Which glazes?

Oh those glazes! I think I missed a whole page!

Sorce

 

[sorce]

of pin-holing

I have become convinced that this pinholing of Amaco glazes stems from a bisque that doesn't burn out all the organics.
Further and because, I think manual kilns without a vent lack the ability to bisque consistently evenly.

So if these are pinholing, I think the only way to solve the problem is by putting that piece in the "correct" spot in the bisque kiln. Finding "correct" is near impossible, so I'd just omit that glaze from use. Or omit that clay body from use with that glaze....blah blah.

That and I believe the "window" of "good" with Amaco glazes is dollhouse sized, and few are the same. Like, put 6 in and maybe 2 will agree with your firing schedule. Too damn picky.

Love Mayco.
They're rated 6-10 so most will work better.
All that hoopla Amaco does....
Mayco doesn't have to!

IMO Amaco is run by a business man.
Mayco is run by a Ceramist.

.....

Of brushing.

You can use a brush and a technique where one coat is enough.
Different brush and technique where 10 coats is enough.

Without knowing these, "coats" don't matter at all.

Better to keep an eye on actual thickness.

Speaking of thickness....

I was having mad success and consistency glazing pots with a squeeze bottle and a thin needle. It's tedious but with tiny pots it's worth it.

Sorce

 

[Pitoon]

Which glazes?

Most glaze and fire joints do earthenware, so be careful not to buy tiles that will melt!

I think you're better off putting a hockey puck of clay under the flat bottom, so if the glaze does hit the foot, it doesn't fuse to the cookie.

You could use shells too, it may be the safest option.

Or fire an unglazed one upside down with a glazed one on top of it.

Sorce

Good point on the earthenware tiles at the glaze and fire shops, that completely slipped my mind. Yesterday I ordered a set of circle cookie cutters. Planning to cut out a couple hundred assorted sizes of clay biscuits of the same clay for the next bisque firing.

 

[Pitoon]

I was having mad success and consistency glazing pots with a squeeze bottle and a thin needle. It's tedious but with tiny pots it's worth it.

Sorce

I waxed some on my pots to help with clean up and to keep crisp lines. I also thought about waxing and dipping, but using the wax is risky on these small pots. I was waxing a pot and accidently touch the rim while trying to get more wax on the brush.....now I have to re-bisque that one pot to burn off the wax.......pros and cons......pros and cons.

 

[sorce]

I waxed some on my pots to help with clean up and to keep crisp lines. I also thought about waxing and dipping, but using the wax is risky on these small pots. I was waxing a pot and accidently touch the rim while trying to get more wax on the brush.....now I have to re-bisque that one pot to burn off the wax.......pros and cons......pros and cons.

I'd leave that resist as an accent!

Once you get your wax to the right viscosity, you can pour it in a lid and just dip the pots in it. Perfect line no BS.

Or use the, "rub em on a thin wet carpet" trick to clean the foot of glaze and skip wax.

Oh and...+1 for Obsidian and any celadon to hold glaze up from running.
The Satin Mattes are good for that as well.

Sorce

 

[Pitoon]

An example of a pot that was waxed......with only millimeters to work with.

 

[sorce]

Obsidian Black Celadon

Sorce

 

[Pitoon]

Sorce

Donte!

I already ordered and paid, pick up tomorrow!

 

[TinyArt]

a couple hundred assorted sizes of clay biscuits

Maybe you already have this in mind, but — If you pierce them, you can string them on twine or wire, to keep handy — and if you want to get really crazy, mark the fresh biscuits with the names of glazes/combos you already have & use, so the samples are their own tags.

(Idea swiped from watercolor & enamel artists)