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Decorating Fine Relief


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Hi.

I have been trying a new technique for laser cutting stamps and molds.  The stamps and molds work quite well and come out nice and sharp. I can get extremely fine detail of the most complex picture onto the clay  but this is where I get stuck, what do I do next? What's the best way to decorate without swamping the detail. Some pics attached to show what I mean, I'm sure there are correct technical terms

When I say I'm a newbie,  I mean half a dozen night classes.

Any tips gratefully accepted

Thanks in advance

Darran

post-76862-0-66697200-1468328977_thumb.jpg

post-76862-0-66697200-1468328977_thumb.jpg

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Do you mean so you can still see the detail in the clay?  If that is the question, you can use a clear or transparent glaze over it.  Or highlight the stamped area with underglaze or stain and then put a clear glaze over it.  Or you can put stain/underglaze on the stamped design and wax over the design. Then glaze the rest of your piece.  Just some ideas.

 

Roberta

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I agree with Roberta.  A stain is probably your best bet at  highlighting the detail(s) of the impression, without the worry of them being covered.

 

So get some oxides or Mason stains, mix with water, and a  bit of frit, and brush on/ sponge the excess off post-bisque.

 

You could also use glaze or underglaze to do the same basic thing.  But to keep the details, I'd recommend applying any of them, after the bisque firing.  Otherwise, you could lose the crisp, detailed edges when sponging off the excess colorant.

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I have used combinations of the following when I want to show the details of the fired surface: NB my work is fired to cone 10 in a gas kiln usually with some reduction. Some limited positive experience at cone 5 and cone 3 also in gas kiln.

1. Rub colorant oxides into the surface either at green ware  or bisque ware stage.  The difference is subtle but real. The idea is to leave traces of oxide colorant in the depressions only.

2. Ditto, but only on the high spots.

3. Apply a thin coat of low fire commercial clear glaze (cone ~04)

4. Apply regular glaze to an area and then wipe most of it off.

5. Thin a glaze with water about 1 cup regular glaze and 3 or 4 cups of water.  Stir vigorously and apply to the piece with brush or dipping. 

6. spray bisqued ware with a soda ash (or baking soda) water solution.  (Saturated but with out solids).

7. spray with tri-sodium-phosphate solution.  produces a reddish semi shiny finish.

8. Spray with borax solution.

9. Apply water color underglaze to green ware and then treat bisque ware with soda ash wash.

10. fire without any glaze and then finish with acrylic or water color washes.

11. Fire to bisque stage and then apply water color, ink, or other stains and not fire to higher temperature. 

LT

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Had to google some of the reply to fully understand, but what you are all saying makes a lot of sense.

If anyone would like to try one of the molds I'm happy to send some out. It would be interesting to see other people's results.

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that is a really good thing to have, i envy you.  but, if you are brand new, you might want to learn a few terms so we all understand each other.  googling info isn't fast, getting a good basic book with a glossary is faster.  maybe your local library has something in the thicker almost textbook size that will help.

 

try not to mess up the raised lines by adding color just after making the impressions.  you are learning a skill, not making a product yet.  try adding color carefully into the deep parts and removing excess gently because the clay is very impressionable at this stage.  if you fire the item to a bisque temperature, it will become solid enough for rougher handling, then you can wipe color into all of it and wipe it off or add more or even wash the whole thing and try another color.  it will be fired to a higher temperature later to finish it.

 

let us know what facilities you have to fire, your studio setup, etc. 

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Hello

I never thought ceramics would be so addictive.

I'm luky enough to have access to a fully equipped professional studio that does some classes. It has a vast array of glazes and clays and the work gets fired for you. I would say I'm more of a maker than a potter. Potters have far more artistic capability than I have.

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