Decorating Slips

[wiesel]

Hi

 

New to forum and very novice potter.

 

I was wondering if I can make my own decorating slips? I have 2 x 5L of casting slip - could these be used? I have some oxides.

 

I have never made any glazes either so I would appreciate simple instructions 

 

Thank you in advance 

[Chris Campbell]

Welcome to the forum wiesel ... and to pottery.

 

Since you are new to this forum, you might not know that there is a link to the Ceramic Arts Daily site at the top of this page.

There you will find free articles, videos and publications that will answer a lot of your questions. I am not saying that no one here will answer you personally ... just giving you a heads up on a ton of free, accurate information that will enhance your learning curve. Enjoy!!

[wiesel]

Thanks

[Marcia Selsor]

Back to yor question. yes he slip will work. Add the oxides.

Do you have a scale? if no try using a few different measures with teaspoons nd take one.

Marcia

important o know, is he slip he same temperature as o lay?

[wiesel]

ye both earthenware

 

I have a scale.

 

this may sound a very simple and stupid question in glaze recipes it refers to quantities as %

 

if I'm using 100 ml of slip and it tells me 3% oxide is that 3 grams?

 

sorry feel stupid but prefer to ask now rather than be completely wrong about the concept.

[minspargal]

3 grams is for 100 grams of slip. It's 3% of dry weight. You might do as Arnold suggested. Try mixing different size tsps of oxide/stains and test on tiles.

[perkolator]

sure you could tint your casting slip, but if you want replicable results then you should really start with a dry recipe.  also because it's a casting slip full of deflocculants it can sometimes act weird when used as a surface/decorating slip.  colorants are almost always added as percentage of dry weight, since your slip is already wet, you have no idea how much water content is inside and you will not be able to get the same colors if you were to mix up a second batch due to this unknown variable.

 

best thing to do is take a white slip recipe (non-casting slip) or engobe or whatever you want to call it, then tint it the same way you would a glaze.  oxides usually maxing somewhere around 5-6% depending on color you want, mason stains need to be up around 10% to get the intended color.

 

basic white slip (pretty much full firing range):

25 Silica

25 Ball (OM-4)

25 Kaolin (EPK)

25 Feldspar (Custer)

 

colored slips, like underglazes, will always look best when used with a glaze over it

[JustPeachy]

sure you could tint your casting slip, but if you want replicable results then you should really start with a dry recipe.  also because it's a casting slip full of deflocculants it can sometimes act weird when used as a surface/decorating slip.  colorants are almost always added as percentage of dry weight, since your slip is already wet, you have no idea how much water content is inside and you will not be able to get the same colors if you were to mix up a second batch due to this unknown variable.

 

best thing to do is take a white slip recipe (non-casting slip) or engobe or whatever you want to call it, then tint it the same way you would a glaze.  oxides usually maxing somewhere around 5-6% depending on color you want, mason stains need to be up around 10% to get the intended color.

 

basic white slip (pretty much full firing range):

25 Silica

25 Ball (OM-4)

25 Kaolin (EPK)

25 Feldspar (Custer)

 

colored slips, like underglazes, will always look best when used with a glaze over it

So, what percentage of distilled (I presume) water would hydrate this dry slip base? Or am I missing something?

[JustPeachy]

Thanks Norm! That's what I was wondering. I don't know why sometimes it so difficult for me to find key pieces of information.

[Brian Reed]

I found this article that John Britt made showing how to create a good slip. I know it looks like you are starting from a casting slip, not clay scraps, but thought this may explain how to get a lower water content.

 

[clay lover]

Quick and dirty slip recipe .

 

Slake down white clay of your firing range, cube it up into a bucket cover with water, wait a day. Use blender, sieve it to 80 mesh. Get to the consistency that when you stir it with a whisk , I settles flat as soon as you stop stirring. That gives you a sort of consistency measure.

Pour off 1 quart of this liquid slip into a container with a lid and room to use the blender stick. Add 1 teaspoon of your chosen color oxide. Stir and enjoy. Thin more now if you want looser. The stirring and going flat is to give you some way of getting the same amount of clay in each quart.

 

For less slip, use less. Make up the quart of liquid slip, then divide and color. . 2 cups slip+ 1/2 tsp oxide. Reduce proportionally to a smaller amount to test. This recipe give medium color strength using copper for green, cobalt for blue, rutile for yellow,

[JustPeachy]

Quick and dirty slip recipe .

 

Slake down white clay of your firing range, cube it up into a bucket cover with water, wait a day. Use blender, sieve it to 80 mesh. Get to the consistency that when you stir it with a whisk , I settles flat as soon as you stop stirring. That gives you a sort of consistency measure.

Pour off 1 quart of this liquid slip into a container with a lid and room to use the blender stick. Add 1 teaspoon of your chosen color oxide. Stir and enjoy. Thin more now if you want looser. The stirring and going flat is to give you some way of getting the same amount of clay in each quart.

 

For less slip, use less. Make up the quart of liquid slip, then divide and color. . 2 cups slip+ 1/2 tsp oxide. Reduce proportionally to a smaller amount to test. This recipe give medium color strength using copper for green, cobalt for blue, rutile for yellow,

Thank you. This was more like what I was looking for. I saw a youtube video from Dan at Ingleton Pottery making his slip from scraps and knew it couldn't be that difficult!

[clay lover]

Turned up this old class note on coloring slips

 

 

Dark Green 1/2% cobalt oxide

3/4% chrome oxide

 

Light Green (mint) 3% copper oxide

 

Blue (robin's egg) 1% cobalt Oxide

 

Slate Blue ( sort of confederate) 1% cobalt Oxide

2% R.I.O.

 

Yellow/ Tan 6% rutile

 

 

Hope this is useful

[JustPeachy]

Turned up this old class note on coloring slips

 

 

Dark Green 1/2% cobalt oxide

3/4% chrome oxide

 

Light Green (mint) 3% copper oxide

 

Blue (robin's egg) 1% cobalt Oxide

 

Slate Blue ( sort of confederate) 1% cobalt Oxide

2% R.I.O.

 

Yellow/ Tan 6% rutile

 

 

Hope this is useful

Tremendously! Thank you! I noticed we are in the same area of the country. Where do you purchase your oxides/rutile?

[clay lover]

Highwater. But I hear U.S, pigments, maybe in Atlanta, might have better prices. I have a friend that comes and and goes from near Highwater regularly, so I don't have delivery fees.