learning to use underglaze

[andros]

I have underglazes. At a first I got confused because of the deeply different approach to undergalzes between Italy and US. I never thought that they could be used in any other way but as watercolors, and seeing how it was used many times in the US I thought that they must be two different things, but actually they are not! The only difference is that italian uderglazes are not intended to be used in "the pure form" but only  very thinned, as watercolors, so they are in the form of powder (and therefore it does not have any type of thickener or suspending agent) or in the liquid form, but with the wording : "concentrated color, to be thinned with water before use", so they probably have only suspending agent, but nothing that helps brushability or to harden the surface. The main Italian supplier is Colorobbia: http://www.colorobbiart.it/catalogue/?lang=en

[Min]

Thanks for the clarification Andros, perhaps it was just me who was confused. Like Neil said CMC solution would work or a brushing medium using that plus propylene-glycol. Recipe for underglaze brushing medium here using CMC plus propylene-glycol, don't know if that is readily available in Italy though.

[andros]

58 minutes ago, Min said:

, don't know if that is readily available in Italy though

If, as I belive, CMC is the acronym of Carboxymethyl cellulose, then it is available in any... shop specialized in supplies for pastry! I have already used it for some glazes, but the first time I bought it  to make sugar paste icing for a cake...

If I have understood something I'm going to add both CMC and a little bit of bentonite (no way to get VeeGum-T ) as a surface  hardener (to allow to put more layers without the one below is spoiled).

Thank for the tips!