How Do You Apply Rio?

[synj00]

I'm still experimenting myself but do you find yourself applying RIO (Red Iron Oxide) or BIO for that matter UNDER the glaze or over the glaze? Transparent glaze would IMO be applied Under the glaze 90% of the time unless you were going for something offthe wall. Even with a non transparent glaze the RIO would bleed through the glaze while firing and mix a bit. You may even get bleedthrough while applying the glaze and rio to greenware. To get very straight lines and decoration how are YOU applying RIO? Fire first with one and then refire perhaps?

[TJR]

I use Rio all the time. I brush onto an unfired opaque glaze. If it doesn't flow, I add more water with my throwing sponge. For crisp lines you want the pigment on top of the glaze.

See my gallery.

TJR.

[neilestrick]

You can do it either way. I find that on top of the glaze it's easy to get it on too thick, in which case you get a dry metallic surface because there's too much iron for the glaze to take in. Under the glaze I prefer to use it in a slip, since I can control the concentration of iron more easily.

[synj00]

You can do it either way. I find that on top of the glaze it's easy to get it on too thick, in which case you get a dry metallic surface because there's too much iron for the glaze to take in. Under the glaze I prefer to use it in a slip, since I can control the concentration of iron more easily.

 

I've experienced exactly this! When applied thickly it leaves a dry, and if thick enough, a literal slop of metal, where applied. When applied thinly I've gotten everything from a beautiful wash of the lightest brown to the metalic slop and everything in between. Takes a lot of practice to make it do what you want.

 

TJR I understand the concept. Your gallery and especially your avatar lets me know you've had a lot of practice with this. Beautiful decoration!

 

Thanks for all the ideas guys!