docweathers Posted August 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2013 Some parts of ceramics are science, particularly glaze chemistry. I am just looking to bring some parts of this art within the procedures of science. I've spent far more my life in science than the arts. There is quite a bit from that world that could make the creative process more controllable and less random. I'm in the water up to my neck and paddling hard. I just don't want to paddle in circles just hoping to reach shore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evelyne Schoenmann Posted August 26, 2013 Report Share Posted August 26, 2013 I just wanted to second Jim's advise: buy yourself the "Surface Techniques of Steven Hill"! That video will answer a few of your questions all right. I can also (in addition to Steven's) recommend "Understanding Glazes" by John Britt for glaze testing. You can download both videos via the Ceramic Arts Daily bookstore here - no waiting for the video to arrive via snail mail... http://ceramicartsdaily.org/bookstore/browse-downloadable-videos/ Happy potting! Evelyne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docweathers Posted August 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2013 Hi Eve The Surface Techniques of Stephen Hill has been promised me by Ceramics Arts Monthly in exchange for an article I wrote for them. I had seen the ads for Understanding Glazes by Jon Britt. What unique does he offer for explanation of glazes that goes beyond what comes with Insight software? The Insight stuff is pretty thorough. Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Min Posted August 27, 2013 Report Share Posted August 27, 2013 Hi Larry, When I first started spraying glazes I often put them on to thinly. I came across the site linked below; they take a different approach to determining how much glaze to put on a pot. They use volume of glaze per surface area of pot. I tried this for the first few kiln loads I sprayed glazes on to get a proper feel for what the glaze should look like to get the correct coverage. http://www.luepottery.hwy.com.au/PDF/glaze%20spray.pdf Min Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docweathers Posted August 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2013 Min that's a great PDF on spraying glazes. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evelyne Schoenmann Posted August 28, 2013 Report Share Posted August 28, 2013 Hi Larry I have heard of Insight, but never looked into the programm properly. What I like about the John Britt video (there are 2 CD's actually) is (and I don't know if Insight is covering that too): Color Blend; Progression Blend; Line Blend and Triaxial Blend. On CD #2 is "Understanding Materials" (Oxides, Opacifiers and Colorants). For a make-your-own-glaze-without-being-a-chemist beginner like I'am (I usually do pit- and drum firings, without glazes) there is a lot to get out of John's CD's. And there is pdf Bonus material like Color Blend Assignment cone6, Progression Assignment cone6, Triaxial Diagram, Triaxial with stains, recipes etc. too. So this CD is not about spraying in particular but more about the glazes themselves. If you know already a lot about doing your own glazes, this video was maybe not such a good recommendation to you. I hope you will get the Steven Hill video soonest. Enjoy. Min: what a great pdf file about spraying. Thank you muches for sharing. Evelyne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michelkuipers Posted August 30, 2013 Report Share Posted August 30, 2013 In our studio in the Netherlands the work of my wife, Ines de Booij, concentrates on slipcast design vases. In spaaying glazes we apply a similar approach in controlling the thickness of the glaze layer as in dipping glazes. The glazes are prepared in a fixed thickness, similar to lowfat yoghurt. When we spray the glazes we let the spray surface just become shiny from the wet surface. This way the glazemix reacts to the level of absorption of the bisque ware. Beware of not changing the bisque firing temperature; the thickness of the glaze batches may differ with different glazes. I hope I am clear with my explanation. www.michelkuipers.nl www.inesdebooij.nl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yedrow Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 I just watch to see how wet the surface gets and judge my thickness from that. Joel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denice Posted August 31, 2013 Report Share Posted August 31, 2013 Michelkuipers, Welcome to the forum you explanation was easily understood and keeping your bisque firing the same temperature hasn't been mentioned yet. I don't do that much spraying but your mention of the bisque firing gave me a reason for sticking to the same temp when bisque firing. Sometimes I'll go up or down in temp when I'm out of Cone 04, now I'll make a trip to the ceramic supply house. Denice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docweathers Posted September 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2013 though I agree with all of you who have suggested that you have to develop an eye I to judge the thickness of glaze as it is applied, for me the feedback loop of a minimum of several weeks between spraying and getting something out of the kiln is too long to learn very much. After that length of the time I cannot remember exactly what the surface of the glazed look like as I was spraying it to compare that with my outcome. So I have made another revision of my glaze thickness testing tool that seems to work quite well to both measure my glaze thickness and to train my eye to make that judgment without it. It is made from six X-Acto knife blades, five little washers and a cable clamp. Though you can make scratches in the glaze with it, you really only need to poke straight in and then you can count the number of dots the blades make to determine the thickness. A flashlight oblique to the surface of the glaze makes it easier to see the dots. The whole thing cost about five dollars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldlady Posted September 30, 2013 Report Share Posted September 30, 2013 whatever gets you through the night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docweathers Posted September 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2013 though I agree with all of you who have suggested that you have to develop an eye I to judge the thickness of glaze as it is applied, for me the feedback loop of a minimum of several weeks between spraying and getting something out of the kiln is too long to learn very much. After that length of the time I cannot remember exactly what the surface of the glazed look like as I was spraying it to compare that with my outcome. So I have made another revision of my glaze thickness testing tool that seems to work quite well to both measure my glaze thickness and to train my eye to make that judgment without it. It is made from six X-Acto knife blades, five little washers and a cable clamp. Though you can make scratches in the glaze with it, you really only need to poke straight in and then you can count the number of dots the blades make to determine the thickness. A flashlight oblique to the surface of the glaze makes it easier to see the dots. The whole thing cost about five dollars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docweathers Posted September 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2013 though I agree with all of you who have suggested that you have to develop an eye I to judge the thickness of glaze as it is applied, for me the feedback loop of a minimum of several weeks between spraying and getting something out of the kiln is too long to learn very much. After that length of the time I cannot remember exactly what the surface of the glazed look like as I was spraying it to compare that with my outcome. So I have made another revision of my glaze thickness testing tool that seems to work quite well to both measure my glaze thickness and to train my eye to make that judgment without it. It is made from six X-Acto knife blades, five little washers and a cable clamp. Though you can make scratches in the glaze with it, you really only need to poke straight in and then you can count the number of dots the blades make to determine the thickness. A flashlight oblique to the surface of the glaze makes it easier to see the dots. The whole thing cost about five dollars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrgpots Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 Do you take the measurement at just one site or do you take readings from multiple site and average the thickness + standard deviation............just having fun with you. I like your idea. I'm glad to see you were able to come up with a devise that get you your quantitative answers. It's good to have OCD somrtimes. Most of us are OCD in something within our art, if we are honest enough to admit it. Jed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docweathers Posted October 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 OCD works when the devil is in the details. I started quite late in this race, so I need to leverage whatever gizmos I can come up with to catch up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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