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Lettering Techniques - Which Is Best?


missnina84

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Hi all! I have a new type of project that I'm not too sure how to execute. I have a client that wants lettering on a mug and I have a few ideas on how to do it - but need some expert advice!

I'm going for a knock-out kind of text, similar to what is show in my attached image.

 

I couldn't link the image correctly, but here it is shared on my Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9KmXACqrOVwUXJsMmN1NjVqRDg/view?usp=sharing
 

1. My first thought was to stamp letters into the semi-leather hard clay and carefully fill the grooves in with dark-colored slip. Bisque, then cover the text area with wax resist and finish glazing the rest of the mug.

 

2. Dipping the stamps in dark colored slip and stamping with color directly onto semi-leather hard clay.

Bisque, then cover the text area with wax resist and finish glazing the rest of the mug.

 

3. My final thought was to skip dealing with the tedious slip application and just stamp the lettering into the mug, then bisque. Paint glaze onto the text area only, to fill in the grooves - then wipe off the excess. Apply a wax resist OVER the lettered section and then glaze the entire mug.

 

I am really leaning toward the third method because it seems the most straigh-forward and easiest, but I've never applied wax resist OVER glaze and not sure how it will turn out. I wanted to see if anyone on here has ever used this method before with fine detail.

 

Thank you so much fo your help!

 

- Nina

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Go with method #3. Just allow the glaze to dry and the wax will cover it with no problem. However don't allow the glaze to completely dry out and become powdery. The wax may have trouble adhering to a powdery surface. It takes about a day for the glaze to dry out this much, so as long as you get through these steps in one day, it will work fine.

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I have been doing #3 as well.  On either letters/design stamped into the clay or on a sprig sort of thing attached to the outside of the mug.  Depending on the color of the clay.....if it is lighter colored clay, I use Jill's Brown Patina and put it in the letters and then sponge off excess and wax over that.  If it is dark clay, I use a lighter colored glaze and do the same thing. 

 

Jill's Brown Patina

2 tblspoon Red Iron Oxide

1 Tblspoon yellow ochre

1 tablespoon rutile

1 teaspoon cobalt carb

4 1/3 Tablespoons Gerstely borate

 

Mix with water to the consistency of skim milk. Brush into the cracks and details of bisque fired clay.  Wipe off excess with damp sponge. Fire to cone 5.  May be used under transparent glaze. 

 

 

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If you have a trophy/engraver nearby that has a laser engraver, they can make a deep cut rubber stamp with out a backing that has worked well for me. I roll out a thin slab and dust it with cornstarch "Ala Mea's idea" and press it in trim and apply with a bit of slip.

Wyndham

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