Would Low Firing Give Me Much Better Colors?

[nancylee]

Hi,

I have been trying to get really vivid colors like Michael Kifer does or a woman on Instagram Charity Hofert does for a few years now. I can get kind of vivid colors, sometimes,  using underglazes with a clear glaze over, but since I'm firing to Cone  5, they aren't reliable - sometimes the colors are faded. 

 

Would using low fire clay give me considerably better colors? And if so, why? Why do colors "burn" out at higher cones? Thanks in advance,

nancy

[Benzine]

I can't comment as to the "why", because I am not a glaze wizard.

 

I do believe bright colors are easier to achieve with low fire.  I have heard others comment, that Amaco underglazes do well at cone 5-6.  What brand are you using?

 

I regards to glazes, I have quite a few bright glaze colors in my classroom.  Those are very popular with the average student.

 

If you aren't making wares that are meant to be functional, low fire might be the way to go.  It saves on time and extends element life.

[bciskepottery]

Kifer states he learned from Steve Howell who is well known for his majolica work. http://ceramicartdaily.net/booksales/ExtMoldTileHowell.pdf

 

My guess is Kifer is using underglazes (sprayed) on a majolica glaze; he also uses just the underglazes on clay. I don't think he is using low fire glazes for his colors.

 

Underglazes are getting better results at high fire temps, but still are most vibrant at low fire. Why? Combination of temperature, the composition of the underglaze/colorants, and how the underglaze/colorants, glaze, and clay body interact and melt together -- that eutectics thing the gurus talk about but have a hard time really explaining.

[Chris Campbell]

In my experience two things influence final color results.

One is the color of the fired clay body ... you want it to be white, no matter what temp. Cream colored clays tend to make colors less vibrant.

Your clear glaze matters a lot ... some of them actually leach out the colors or change them totally. Try to stick with zinc free glazes and avoid gerstley borate.

I get good color results at low, mid and high firing by paying attention to these two things.

[MatthewV]

It is easiest to get sharp, vibrant colors at lower temperatures. It is possible to get them at ∆6 and a few colorants will burn out by ∆10. The red/orange/yellow range is the most sensitive.

 

The real trick is taking sharp, clean photos :-)

[GiselleNo5]

I use ^5/6 and vibrant colors are a must for me. PM me, Nancylee, any time and I will happily tell you any and all of the commercial glazes I use. 

[Marcia Selsor]

It looks like both Kifer and Howell are doing low fire majolica on earthenware with commercial Amaco GDC Majolica glazes.

You can get brighter colors in oxidation with stains, but those two examples you like are using low fire.

 

Marcia

[nancylee]

Kifer states he learned from Steve Howell who is well known for his majolica work. http://ceramicartdaily.net/booksales/ExtMoldTileHowell.pdf

 

My guess is Kifer is using underglazes (sprayed) on a majolica glaze; he also uses just the underglazes on clay. I don't think he is using low fire glazes for his colors.

 

Underglazes are getting better results at high fire temps, but still are most vibrant at low fire. Why? Combination of temperature, the composition of the underglaze/colorants, and how the underglaze/colorants, glaze, and clay body interact and melt together -- that eutectics thing the gurus talk about but have a hard time really explaining.

HI,

Yes, Kifer told me he uses underglazes and fires at cones 03 and 04, I believe he told me. I don't get majolica. You put the majolica on first, even on white clay? And then put underglazes on that, and then a clear glaze? I'm so confused. 

Thanks! 

[nancylee]

In my experience two things influence final color results.

One is the color of the fired clay body ... you want it to be white, no matter what temp. Cream colored clays tend to make colors less vibrant.

Your clear glaze matters a lot ... some of them actually leach out the colors or change them totally. Try to stick with zinc free glazes and avoid gerstley borate.

I get good color results at low, mid and high firing by paying attention to these two things.

Chris, I am mostly using B Mix and just got some porcelain that fires at cone 5 or 6.

[nancylee]

It looks like both Kifer and Howell are doing low fire majolica on earthenware with commercial Amaco GDC Majolica glazes.

You can get brighter colors in oxidation with stains, but those two examples you like are using low fire.

 

Marcia

Thanks, Marcia. Does that mean the are putting the majolica glaze on first? On greenware or bisque?

[Chris Campbell]

You can get fabulous color at all temperatures by controlling clay body, colorant choice and glaze.

The place setting dishes are Cone 10 ox. ... the quilt dish is Cone 6.

[nancylee]

You can get fabulous color at all temperatures by controlling clay body, colorant choice and glaze.

The place setting dishes are Cone 10 ox. ... the quilt dish is Cone 6.

Chris, are those colored clays? How do you get that at cone 10???

[Chris Campbell]

Stains get darker the higher you fire them ... So a pale pink at 04 is a brilliant pink at 10.

[oldlady]

with years of testing,  hard work and lots of stain experience. 

 

great stuff, chris.

[Marcia Selsor]

 

It looks like both Kifer and Howell are doing low fire majolica on earthenware with commercial Amaco GDC Majolica glazes.

You can get brighter colors in oxidation with stains, but those two examples you like are using low fire.

 

Marcia

Thanks, Marcia. Does that mean the are putting the majolica glaze on first? On greenware or bisque?

 

Nancy lee,

Colorants on majolica are usually put on top of the unfired tin-glaze. The ware is bisqued fired sometimes to ^03 or 02 and  often blemishes are sanded, washed with a diluted vinegar solution, then dipped into the majolica. Sometimes the glaze has starch added to it or hair spray sprayed onto the glaze to make the glaze surface harder as one paints.Go to Linda Arbuckle's handouts on majolica for good step by step methods and recipes.You can mix stains and Gerstley borate of the overglazes.

Marcia

[nancylee]

 

 

It looks like both Kifer and Howell are doing low fire majolica on earthenware with commercial Amaco GDC Majolica glazes.

You can get brighter colors in oxidation with stains, but those two examples you like are using low fire.

 

Marcia

 

Thanks, Marcia. Does that mean the are putting the majolica glaze on first? On greenware or bisque?

 

Nancy lee,

Colorants on majolica are usually put on top of the unfired tin-glaze. The ware is bisqued fired sometimes to ^03 or 02 and  often blemishes are sanded, washed with a diluted vinegar solution, then dipped into the majolica. Sometimes the glaze has starch added to it or hair spray sprayed onto the glaze to make the glaze surface harder as one paints.Go to Linda Arbuckle's handouts on majolica for good step by step methods and recipes.You can mix stains and Gerstley borate of the overglazes.

Marcia

Thanks Marcia, I'm off to check them out!

Nancy

[Marcia Selsor]

Today's CAD freebie is about underglazes. You should get it. Sign up and get all types of helpful information.

http://ceramicartsdaily.org

on this page upper left corner link.

 

Marcia