Reduce Drip Marks

[imagodei]

Hi all,

 

I always get mixed up when I think about when to floculate and when to defloculate.

 

I have a lovely satin glaze that doesn't move much, and it dries so quickly when dipping that the drip marks are visible after firing. I do try to scrape down any thicker bits, but I'd like to add something to the glaze to make it dry less quickly to reduce the drip marks I need to clean-up.

 

What should I add?

 

Thanks!

Vanessa

[jrgpots]

Try wetting your bisque pieces just before glazing. The glaze will dry more slowly allowing you time to even things out

 

Jed

[tinbucket]

Epsom salts and most likely water, you will be flocculating. John Britt has a few great videos on the topic on YouTube

[imagodei]

I'll try those, and look at his videos. Thanks!

[alabama]

We might need a photo or two... I add dripmarks to many of my vessels... I like the way they look! I accept every mistake and flaw on my stuff now a days... But there was a time when I'd freak out over drips, finger prints, runs, bare spots, etc. But I no longer do... What I tell the students who bump and cause fresh glaze to flake off is there's a 50/50 chance that mark will improve the surface. It's hard to convince them!! I'm not sure what would set me off...but rest assure it's not anything near a drip!

[Marcia Selsor]

I always dampen or mash bisque ware before glazing. It helps with the ability to control the thickness of the glaze.

Marcia

[GEP]

My main glaze is a semi-matte that will also show drips. Here's my strategy, at least when dealing with the rim end of the pot. I dip the rim end upside down into the glaze. Then I hold the pot upside down over the bucket so the excess glaze drips into the bucket. When there is only one drop remaining that won't fall into the bucket, I tilt and roll the pot in a way that makes the last drop roll around the top of the rim. Once the drop stops moving, you can put the pot down. It's a little tme consuming but well worth it. When the glaze is fired, the drip disappears into the rim.

[Callie Beller Diesel]

I used to work with a lot of celadons, and they're unforgiving in the application. Every drip or variation in thickness shows. So plus one for flocculating with Epsom salt soloution. But do note that your pots will take much longer to dry, so you have to work out a way to glaze things, and be able to set them down without disturbing the wet glaze layer without getting hand cramps. It's best to try and work that out a moment or two ahead of time.

[Magnolia Mud Research]

The time to figure out how to handle the pot when glazing is when you are designing the pot.