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Mason Stains


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i think that is called a wash.  have heard the term "stain" applied to several not really stains lately.  is the language changing again?

 

a wash is just color and water in various amounts from very pale to more intense.  you can apply it with an airbrush.  do you know what you are trying to accomplish?  are you putting color into textures and wiping it off, kind of like staining woodwork?

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Thanks! My intent was simply to experiment with painting on bisque pots. I have tried a blue stain with paintbrushes and the consistency is nicer than the underglazes in my opinion. Just thought it would be thin enough to go into an airbrush for cool painting :-)

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Yes you can water down mason stains and sponge them or brush them or airbrush them I have done all of that with my ceramic fish with fine results.

I usually put a clear thin glaze over them but you can leave them dry as well.

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I love the look of stains/ oxides.  If you put clear over the top, test first, as I've had some change color, due to the interaction with the clear glaze.  For instance, I had black iron oxide turn green, under Amaco Clear Transparent.  Luckily, I tested it first.  Because it was for a student's project, and it would have dramatically taken away from its appearance.

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Stains are very versatile I've added them to transparent glazes with great success, but haven't airbrushed them. I do airbrush oxide washes, and will try the stains in this way now as well.

Someone reading this thread may also be able to answer my related query ...

I've recently added a lime green stain to my throwing slip and brushed it on over a stencil. It was a semi-porcelain earthenware, very smooth and looked great after bisque firing to 1100oC. I poured a transparent glaze and fired to 1200o (cone 51/2). On the underside of the bowl (no slip) the transparent was fine, but over the stained slip it crawled terribly. The same did not happen with a black stain - same clay, same firings.

I know it might have been thicker on the inside, but not overly thick by any means. I lightly sponged the bowls before glazing, so no dust etc. could it be something to do with the incompatibility of the green stain and the glaze? Or what else?post-13648-0-33684600-1456938042_thumb.jpgpost-13648-0-24959100-1456938059_thumb.jpg

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More and more complicated Marcia, but thank you for the reference anyhow. Not sure if there are any generalisations to draw from this, as it's Mason stains? Especially as my stains are supplied without branding, in the suppliers' bags. I presume they buy in bulk and decant. And I need to look at the clay ingredients too? It sometimes seems like there's a great conspiracy going on somewhere out there, to deter hobby potters! I've tried not to go completely down the 'premixed branded glaze' route as it feels a bit formulaic (but with more predictable results!), I've done test tiles, adding stains to transparent glaze, mixed coloured slips etc. but testing for every possible combination of materials sounds like months of work.

 

I think I need a bit of space to think it all through before going any further.

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