The lid is now closed

[Nelly]

Dear All,

 

I have just closed the lid of my kiln to start glaze firing a batch of red ware I have been working on for about 2 months (i.e., on and off). I have glazed it with the Arbuckle Majolica Glaze and commercial colors.

 

As I closed the lid, I thought to myself, what have I just invested of myself in this load?? Please know this is the first time I have done this glaze technique independently.

 

1. Reworked some hardened majolica clay to get it ready for throwing.

2. Made the vessels on and off for the last few months (i.e., paying really close attention to drying times for optimum trimming, crack prevention etc.).

3. Purchased and sieved a large batch of glaze.

4. Purchased the commercial colors.

5. Dipped the work to prevent drips and waited overnight for the glaze to dry before painting.

6. Wiped off the bottoms etc., etc., etc.

 

Every single step takes time and knowledge of how to proceed.

 

I cannot even begin to calculate the number of hours my body and mind have put into this project. To learn a new technique takes time.

 

I remember learning to pit fire. This too, took time and great energy to get everything together to attempt this firing safely.

 

So what am I rambling about???

 

Maybe it is a delayed post to really say, pottery does take time and it is WORK. While my kiln lid is closed and I could have done everything correct today over the past few months, ultimately the load will be what it is. It is clay. All I can do is wait.

 

I don't mean to sound whiny but when I closed the lid it just made me think how much time this took to put together...the steps, the learning, the anticipation, the planning etc.

 

Ironically, despite all the planning, the one area that surprised me was during my process, I never gave much thought to decoration. THIS is what majolica is all about. All I could think about was vivid color. Thus, over the weekend, I struggled to decorate when it should have been a main focus of my planning. Unlike cone 6 where you never know what will happen with the glaze, majolica, I think if done right should be fairly exact.

 

Anyway, I am rambling.

 

Have you ever gone through a type of consideration of your effort or investment (in all senses of the word) in learning a new technique??

 

Nelly

[OffCenter]

Dear All,

 

I have just closed the lid of my kiln to start glaze firing a batch of red ware I have been working on for about 2 months (i.e., on and off). I have glazed it with the Arbuckle Majolica Glaze and commercial colors.

 

As I closed the lid, I thought to myself, what have I just invested of myself in this load?? Please know this is the first time I have done this glaze technique independently.

 

1. Reworked some hardened majolica clay to get it ready for throwing.

2. Made the vessels on and off for the last few months (i.e., paying really close attention to drying times for optimum trimming, crack prevention etc.).

3. Purchased and sieved a large batch of glaze.

4. Purchased the commercial colors.

5. Dipped the work to prevent drips and waited overnight for the glaze to dry before painting.

6. Wiped off the bottoms etc., etc., etc.

 

Every single step takes time and knowledge of how to proceed.

 

I cannot even begin to calculate the number of hours my body and mind have put into this project. To learn a new technique takes time.

 

I remember learning to pit fire. This too, took time and great energy to get everything together to attempt this firing safely.

 

So what am I rambling about???

 

Maybe it is a delayed post to really say, pottery does take time and it is WORK. While my kiln lid is closed and I could have done everything correct today over the past few months, ultimately the load will be what it is. It is clay. All I can do is wait.

 

I don't mean to sound whiny but when I closed the lid it just made me think how much time this took to put together...the steps, the learning, the anticipation, the planning etc.

 

Ironically, despite all the planning, the one area that surprised me was during my process, I never gave much thought to decoration. THIS is what majolica is all about. All I could think about was vivid color. Thus, over the weekend, I struggled to decorate when it should have been a main focus of my planning. Unlike cone 6 where you never know what will happen with the glaze, majolica, I think if done right should be fairly exact.

 

Anyway, I am rambling.

 

Have you ever gone through a type of consideration of your effort or investment (in all senses of the word) in learning a new technique??

 

Nelly

 

 

Hope it comes out great. I love majolica. A big show is coming up and in the gallery part of it you display two of your own pieces plus a pot from your collection. A friend in Colorado does incredible majolica and she is shipping me her most treasured piece so I can use it for the guest piece in the show. I've never done majolica. Finally getting around to my question: Do you make majolica mugs? Is there a problem with leaking--even if it is a very slow leak?

 

Jim

[Marcia Selsor]

I experiment a lot. I can empathize with what you say.

Currently taking a break from airbrushing terra sig onto pieces and burnishing them.

I am hoping to get some fired before Thurs. when I have to present a nice piece to a

speaker of a Civic organization as a present.

New techniques can take years to figure out to finally reach your pre-conceived idea.

But..after a few dead ends sometimes things improve quickly and progress.

Post pictures or let us know how it all came out.

 

Marcia

[TJR]

Nelley;

You are hitting the nail on the head with your technical search. This to me is what ceramics is all about. There are potters who make the same thing over and over. Then there are artists who are searching for that elusive something. Sometimes we plateau in our search, and sometimes we fail, but what keeps ME in the game is the pursuit of always improving my work and trying new things.

I have a pile of terra -cotta clay which I want to re-process this summer for Majolica, but my stoneware glazes are coming out so great at the moment, that I don't want to stop. So many choices!

TJR.

[Mossyrock]

The majority of my ceramic pieces are majolica and when I finally close the lid to begin a glaze firing, I often reflect on the number of hours it took to get from a bag of clay to this point. I make pottery for the enjoyment of creating and sell my pieces in a few shows and a gallery. Majolica decorating is very time consuming and I take my time (in other words, I'm slow ). When I'm ready to price my pieces, no way can I go by the time it took to create the piece. I have had students who usually dip their pieces in a glaze and call it done ask to learn the majolica process only to decide that it takes too much time to decorate a piece by this method.

 

I easily become bored with doing the same thing over and over so not long ago I decided I wanted a faster turnaround and I purchased cone 6 clay, mixed up cone 6 glazes, and began the journey of working in mid-range. Now I can rotate back and forth, whatever mood strikes when I enter my studio.

 

 

A few years ago I took a workshop on creating concrete sculptures (the same method used to create rock-scaping in zoo environments) and began to use this method to 'frame' my ceramic tiles. Yet another facet to keep boredom at bay. I needed glass beads for a piece I was creating so I took a class, bought the glass bead making equipment and supplies and can now make my own beads. I need a larger studio! Pottery is an ongoing investment in time and money, but mostly it satisfies my need to create in a variety of ways.

[Nelly]

Dear All,

 

I have just closed the lid of my kiln to start glaze firing a batch of red ware I have been working on for about 2 months (i.e., on and off). I have glazed it with the Arbuckle Majolica Glaze and commercial colors.

 

As I closed the lid, I thought to myself, what have I just invested of myself in this load?? Please know this is the first time I have done this glaze technique independently.

 

1. Reworked some hardened majolica clay to get it ready for throwing.

2. Made the vessels on and off for the last few months (i.e., paying really close attention to drying times for optimum trimming, crack prevention etc.).

3. Purchased and sieved a large batch of glaze.

4. Purchased the commercial colors.

5. Dipped the work to prevent drips and waited overnight for the glaze to dry before painting.

6. Wiped off the bottoms etc., etc., etc.

 

Every single step takes time and knowledge of how to proceed.

 

I cannot even begin to calculate the number of hours my body and mind have put into this project. To learn a new technique takes time.

 

I remember learning to pit fire. This too, took time and great energy to get everything together to attempt this firing safely.

 

So what am I rambling about???

 

Maybe it is a delayed post to really say, pottery does take time and it is WORK. While my kiln lid is closed and I could have done everything correct today over the past few months, ultimately the load will be what it is. It is clay. All I can do is wait.

 

I don't mean to sound whiny but when I closed the lid it just made me think how much time this took to put together...the steps, the learning, the anticipation, the planning etc.

 

Ironically, despite all the planning, the one area that surprised me was during my process, I never gave much thought to decoration. THIS is what majolica is all about. All I could think about was vivid color. Thus, over the weekend, I struggled to decorate when it should have been a main focus of my planning. Unlike cone 6 where you never know what will happen with the glaze, majolica, I think if done right should be fairly exact.

 

Anyway, I am rambling.

 

Have you ever gone through a type of consideration of your effort or investment (in all senses of the word) in learning a new technique??

 

Nelly

 

 

Hope it comes out great. I love majolica. A big show is coming up and in the gallery part of it you display two of your own pieces plus a pot from your collection. A friend in Colorado does incredible majolica and she is shipping me her most treasured piece so I can use it for the guest piece in the show. I've never done majolica. Finally getting around to my question: Do you make majolica mugs? Is there a problem with leaking--even if it is a very slow leak?

 

Jim

 

 

Dear Jim,

 

I have only one mug in this load. I will let you know. As I recall, in working with this technique many years ago, they can retain water and as you say have a slowish type drip. They also respond unfavorably to acid type foods. So for example, you cannot put a bowl with say an acid based food in it for long periods or it can leach the glaze...I think.

 

Will let you all know how it turns out.

 

Did blow me away though this weekend as I was working on the decoration to realize I had spent so much time in figuring out the technique that my plans did not include what I was going to do in terms of adorning the bowls??

 

What's that about??? :rolleyes:src="http://ceramicartsdaily.org/community/public/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif"> I hope you are all smiling. I mean, how can you go through the entire process of figuring out such a complex process and forget to think about how you are going to decorate the darn things you are making??

 

Nelly

[Mossyrock]

Dear All,

 

I have just closed the lid of my kiln to start glaze firing a batch of red ware I have been working on for about 2 months (i.e., on and off). I have glazed it with the Arbuckle Majolica Glaze and commercial colors.

 

As I closed the lid, I thought to myself, what have I just invested of myself in this load?? Please know this is the first time I have done this glaze technique independently.

 

1. Reworked some hardened majolica clay to get it ready for throwing.

2. Made the vessels on and off for the last few months (i.e., paying really close attention to drying times for optimum trimming, crack prevention etc.).

3. Purchased and sieved a large batch of glaze.

4. Purchased the commercial colors.

5. Dipped the work to prevent drips and waited overnight for the glaze to dry before painting.

6. Wiped off the bottoms etc., etc., etc.

 

Every single step takes time and knowledge of how to proceed.

 

I cannot even begin to calculate the number of hours my body and mind have put into this project. To learn a new technique takes time.

 

I remember learning to pit fire. This too, took time and great energy to get everything together to attempt this firing safely.

 

So what am I rambling about???

 

Maybe it is a delayed post to really say, pottery does take time and it is WORK. While my kiln lid is closed and I could have done everything correct today over the past few months, ultimately the load will be what it is. It is clay. All I can do is wait.

 

I don't mean to sound whiny but when I closed the lid it just made me think how much time this took to put together...the steps, the learning, the anticipation, the planning etc.

 

Ironically, despite all the planning, the one area that surprised me was during my process, I never gave much thought to decoration. THIS is what majolica is all about. All I could think about was vivid color. Thus, over the weekend, I struggled to decorate when it should have been a main focus of my planning. Unlike cone 6 where you never know what will happen with the glaze, majolica, I think if done right should be fairly exact.

 

Anyway, I am rambling.

 

Have you ever gone through a type of consideration of your effort or investment (in all senses of the word) in learning a new technique??

 

Nelly

 

 

Hope it comes out great. I love majolica. A big show is coming up and in the gallery part of it you display two of your own pieces plus a pot from your collection. A friend in Colorado does incredible majolica and she is shipping me her most treasured piece so I can use it for the guest piece in the show. I've never done majolica. Finally getting around to my question: Do you make majolica mugs? Is there a problem with leaking--even if it is a very slow leak?

 

Jim

 

 

Jim......I have made/used majolica mugs and vases for years and have never had a problem with leakage. Maybe it's the clay I'm using (Highwater's Stans Red ^06-^02) which is what Linda Arbuckle uses. I use Amaco LG-11 as my base glaze.

[OffCenter]

Dear All,

 

I have just closed the lid of my kiln to start glaze firing a batch of red ware I have been working on for about 2 months (i.e., on and off). I have glazed it with the Arbuckle Majolica Glaze and commercial colors.

 

As I closed the lid, I thought to myself, what have I just invested of myself in this load?? Please know this is the first time I have done this glaze technique independently.

 

1. Reworked some hardened majolica clay to get it ready for throwing.

2. Made the vessels on and off for the last few months (i.e., paying really close attention to drying times for optimum trimming, crack prevention etc.).

3. Purchased and sieved a large batch of glaze.

4. Purchased the commercial colors.

5. Dipped the work to prevent drips and waited overnight for the glaze to dry before painting.

6. Wiped off the bottoms etc., etc., etc.

 

Every single step takes time and knowledge of how to proceed.

 

I cannot even begin to calculate the number of hours my body and mind have put into this project. To learn a new technique takes time.

 

I remember learning to pit fire. This too, took time and great energy to get everything together to attempt this firing safely.

 

So what am I rambling about???

 

Maybe it is a delayed post to really say, pottery does take time and it is WORK. While my kiln lid is closed and I could have done everything correct today over the past few months, ultimately the load will be what it is. It is clay. All I can do is wait.

 

I don't mean to sound whiny but when I closed the lid it just made me think how much time this took to put together...the steps, the learning, the anticipation, the planning etc.

 

Ironically, despite all the planning, the one area that surprised me was during my process, I never gave much thought to decoration. THIS is what majolica is all about. All I could think about was vivid color. Thus, over the weekend, I struggled to decorate when it should have been a main focus of my planning. Unlike cone 6 where you never know what will happen with the glaze, majolica, I think if done right should be fairly exact.

 

Anyway, I am rambling.

 

Have you ever gone through a type of consideration of your effort or investment (in all senses of the word) in learning a new technique??

 

Nelly

 

 

Hope it comes out great. I love majolica. A big show is coming up and in the gallery part of it you display two of your own pieces plus a pot from your collection. A friend in Colorado does incredible majolica and she is shipping me her most treasured piece so I can use it for the guest piece in the show. I've never done majolica. Finally getting around to my question: Do you make majolica mugs? Is there a problem with leaking--even if it is a very slow leak?

 

Jim

 

 

Jim......I have made/used majolica mugs and vases for years and have never had a problem with leakage. Maybe it's the clay I'm using (Highwater's Stans Red ^06-^02) which is what Linda Arbuckle uses. I use Amaco LG-11 as my base glaze.

 

 

Brenda, that is what I assumed since Arbuckle makes cups and mugs. In some of the threads about cone 6 clays, I get pretty redundant saying you should test any new clay before using it for leakage without a glaze or you may find yourself paying for somebody's grand piano and then I started wondering about majolica. Surely clays fired to those temps should leak. Maybe at those temps the glazes fit so much better that, unlike at higher cones, you can depend on the glaze to seal the piece or do you think that Highwater's Stans Red fired to cone 02 is vitrified? Anyway, thanks for the info. Would love to see a picture of a mug.

 

Jim

[OffCenter]

 

I have only one mug in this load. I will let you know. As I recall, in working with this technique many years ago, they can retain water and as you say have a slowish type drip. They also respond unfavorably to acid type foods. So for example, you cannot put a bowl with say an acid based food in it for long periods or it can leach the glaze...I think.

 

 

 

Interesting. I guess you read what Mossyrock wrote. Have you tried the clay she uses?

 

Jim

[Guest JBaymore]

Jim,

 

I don't know if any of the earthenware suppliers for handcraft type potters are doing this, but an industrial trick to get the glaze on earthenware to go into slight compression (to prevent any crazing) is to deliberately add some of the cristoboalite form of silica into the body formulation. Because it has a very high COE... it helps the body shrink slightly MORE than the glaze (which without lead is typically dominated by hiogh COE alkaline fluxes) and keeps it from crazing. So if the glazing application is uniform and covers all of the clay........ no leaks.

 

This does not stop the absorbtion of moisture through unglazed areas like the rings of feet. Ot into things like pinholes and other such glaze defects. So microwave use after getting them wet is still potentially an issue.

 

best,

 

 

....................john

[Nelly]

Jim,

 

I don't know if any of the earthenware suppliers for handcraft type potters are doing this, but an industrial trick to get the glaze on earthenware to go into slight compression (to prevent any crazing) is to deliberately add some of the cristoboalite form of silica into the body formulation. Because it has a very high COE... it helps the body shrink slightly MORE than the glaze (which without lead is typically dominated by hiogh COE alkaline fluxes) and keeps it from crazing. So if the glazing application is uniform and covers all of the clay........ no leaks.

 

This does not stop the absorbtion of moisture through unglazed areas like the rings of feet. Ot into things like pinholes and other such glaze defects. So microwave use after getting them wet is still potentially an issue.

 

best,

 

 

....................john

 

 

Dear John,

 

This is really important information. I didn't realize this. While I am partial to a deep foot ring, I also like to put terra sig on the bottom ring. Thus, while my bowls will be fine for everyday use, they likely may not be as waterproof as if the whole vessel had been glazed.

 

Thank you for posting this.

 

Nelly

[oldlady]

nelly,

 

every year our guild provides a few hundred bowls for the local Empty Bowl Supper and i make 20 of them. that is my "what if i try this" moment so i have a good time imagining what i can do each time. this is the really experimental stuff since it is all on just a bowl. i have so many ideas i won't live long enough to do everyting i have already thought of.

 

after working for weeks and three firings, last year it took making sixty of them to get my twenty good enough for the event. but i now have a lot of water bowls for my dog. i will never have to make him another one.

[Mossyrock]

Jim....here is a picture of three of my handbuilt mugs. I have terra sig on the bare clay.

[OffCenter]

Jim....here is a picture of three of my mugs. I have terra sig on the bare clay.

 

 

Those are nice. The terra sig seals the clay, too, doesn't it?

 

Jim

[Mossyrock]

Jim....here is a picture of three of my mugs. I have terra sig on the bare clay.

 

 

Those are nice. The terra sig seals the clay, too, doesn't it?

 

Jim

 

 

It does, but I've only used it here around the 'feet' of the mug to give it a smoother surface to sit on a table and a bit of sheen so it's not really sealing the clay against leakage of whatever is in the mug.

[OffCenter]

Jim,

 

I don't know if any of the earthenware suppliers for handcraft type potters are doing this, but an industrial trick to get the glaze on earthenware to go into slight compression (to prevent any crazing) is to deliberately add some of the cristoboalite form of silica into the body formulation. Because it has a very high COE... it helps the body shrink slightly MORE than the glaze (which without lead is typically dominated by hiogh COE alkaline fluxes) and keeps it from crazing. So if the glazing application is uniform and covers all of the clay........ no leaks.

 

This does not stop the absorbtion of moisture through unglazed areas like the rings of feet. Ot into things like pinholes and other such glaze defects. So microwave use after getting them wet is still potentially an issue.

 

best,

 

 

....................john

 

 

That's very interesting. I was guessing that at lower temps it is much easier to get a glaze to fit the clay well enough to stop leaks. I've been around long enough to know stuff like this, but I don't: does terra sig stop leaks? That would solve the problem of the raw areas absorbing water.

 

Jim

[Chantay]

the reason I switched from low fire to midfire: I had left a bowl (earthen ware) in the sink over night. My kid washed it and put it in the cabinet. A couple of days later when I took it out to use it a nice green fuzz was covering the unglazed bottom. Yuck!

 

 

[oldlady]

nelly,

 

you haven't told us how it came out.

[Benzine]

Jim....here is a picture of three of my handbuilt mugs. I have terra sig on the bare clay.

 

Those are nice. I like the design for the bottom. Is that just a really deep foot, that you cut the half-circles out of?

[Nelly]

nelly,

 

you haven't told us how it came out.

 

Dear All,

 

My first batch came out without any big problems.

 

Please know I have a new camera. I am trying to figure out how to connect it to my computer. Once I get this done, I will send an e-mail to show you my specific learning in majolica.

 

I am putting one more batch into the kiln this week. Thus, I should have some images from last weeks firing and this weeks to show the forum or discussion group.

 

I am going to experiment with spray starch on the outside before decorating some new bowls and see how redipping an already fired piece works.

 

My main learning from last week is that it is "all in the dip." If you start off with a poorly dipped vessel it will carry through in the firing. You need a good solid coating of the glaze for optimum coverage.

 

Just give me one more week and I will send you some images to pour over. Sorry but when it comes to technology, I am not the brightest. But I will figure it out. You will see my bowls once I figure out how to put them on the computer and then transfer them to the forum.

 

Thank you so much for asking.

 

Nelly

[Mossyrock]

Jim....here is a picture of three of my handbuilt mugs. I have terra sig on the bare clay.

 

 

Those are nice. I like the design for the bottom. Is that just a really deep foot, that you cut the half-circles out of?

 

 

Benzine.....Yes, more or less. After I form the cylinder for the mug body, I insert the bottom about 3/4 inch up inside the cylinder and coil it in, top and bottom. Then I cut out the 'feet' using a small biscuit cutter. When I glaze, I can glaze everything except the slight edge going around the feet. By cutting the circles out to form the feet even with the bottom insert, if the mug is washed in a dishwasher, it drains well....no puddles in the base. Does that even make sense? Hope so.

[Benzine]

Jim....here is a picture of three of my handbuilt mugs. I have terra sig on the bare clay.

 

 

Those are nice. I like the design for the bottom. Is that just a really deep foot, that you cut the half-circles out of?

 

 

Benzine.....Yes, more or less. After I form the cylinder for the mug body, I insert the bottom about 3/4 inch up inside the cylinder and coil it in, top and bottom. Then I cut out the 'feet' using a small biscuit cutter. When I glaze, I can glaze everything except the slight edge going around the feet. By cutting the circles out to form the feet even with the bottom insert, if the mug is washed in a dishwasher, it drains well....no puddles in the base. Does that even make sense? Hope so.

 

 

I'm slowly wrapping my head around it. Thanks for the explanation. I really do like the mugs.