Brittany Posted June 19, 2013 Report Share Posted June 19, 2013 Is there any other way to dye clay without using colorants? Like natural things or household things that won't alter the way the clay fires? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted June 19, 2013 Report Share Posted June 19, 2013 why are you asking this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brittany Posted June 19, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2013 why are you asking this? I don't have any colorants and was just curious if there were other ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted June 19, 2013 Report Share Posted June 19, 2013 coloring clay is done with oxides like iron or ochre. Rust is iron, but it is better to use processed materials or you could get a puncture from a sharp piece. Maybe you are lucky to have an iron bearing clay nearby that your could use to deepen the color. It really depends on what you're trying to do. Brighter colors are commercially made with rarer metals. If you are pit firing, yellow ochre can give you a red earthen color if you oxidize the firing. So, you really need to be more specific with what you are trying to do. Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brittany Posted June 19, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2013 I was looking for ways to make a blue colored clay, but since the processed way is safer what would be a good recipe for a deep blue clay with colorants? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted June 19, 2013 Report Share Posted June 19, 2013 what clay are you starting with? What is the firing temperature? Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brittany Posted June 19, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2013 what clay are you starting with? What is the firing temperature? Marcia It's white low-fire clay with grog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted June 20, 2013 Report Share Posted June 20, 2013 And why do you want to dye it? Are you needing a solid blue clay? Could you use an Amaco Underglaze? Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted June 20, 2013 Report Share Posted June 20, 2013 Natural dyes like you would use on fabric will just burn out during firing. Metallic oxides are necessary to create color in ceramics. You are welcome to scrape as much rust off my car as you want. Blue can be created in glazes with iron, copper or cobalt, depending on the glaze formula and firing method. For coloring clay however, cobalt is necessary to make blue. I prefer adding it into a slip and then letting the slip dry out to a workable consistency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brittany Posted June 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2013 And why do you want to dye it? Are you needing a solid blue clay? Could you use an Amaco Underglaze? Marcia I want to make a solid blue clay for multiple projects, then also make a marbled appearance by wedging the blue clay with with the normal white clay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OffCenter Posted June 21, 2013 Report Share Posted June 21, 2013 And why do you want to dye it? Are you needing a solid blue clay? Could you use an Amaco Underglaze? Marcia I want to make a solid blue clay for multiple projects, then also make a marbled appearance by wedging the blue clay with with the normal white clay. You need to order a half pound (more or less depending on how much clay you plan to color and how dark you want the blue) of cobalt carbonate at close to $30 a pound. Cobalt carb is weaker than cobalt oxide but it is less likely to speckle and more likely to give you a smooth, even blue and much better light blues. It's strong so you will not need much. A half pound would probably color 25 lbs of clay a medium light blue. If I'm wrong here, Chris will probably correct me. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spwhalen123 Posted July 3, 2016 Report Share Posted July 3, 2016 Say you added stains like cocoa powder/cinnamon or even boiled down hedge apple wood for a yellow to slip. I'm assuming it would have the same effect and burn out during the firing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted July 4, 2016 Report Share Posted July 4, 2016 Say you added stains like cocoa powder/cinnamon or even boiled down hedge apple wood for a yellow to slip. I'm assuming it would have the same effect and burn out during the firing? Yes. Anything that comes from an organic source like this will combust in the kiln. You need pigments that came out of the ground at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.