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Using Underglaze For Slip Trailing


fruch

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I have some students in my high school class that want to try slip trailing. I do not have any oxides or stains but I do have underglazes. Can I mix slip and underglaze to get the same effect? I also have some students that want to try colored clay. Can they mix the underglaze in to the clay and get a colored result. Thank you in advance.

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Vince Pitelka -- a pretty good authority -- says no to mixing underglazes with slip for slip trailing: "Like commercial underglazes, it is not appropriate for trailing or other thick-application techniques." http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/syllabi-handouts/handouts/mason%20base.htm

 

If they are not good for slip trailing, likely not good for mixing for colored clay. His web site is a good source for information.

 

That said, nothing precludes you from giving it a try . . . that is part of the classroom experience.

 

I use mason stains for coloring slip and making colored clay.

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Underglazes have ingredients added to them to make them work well as .... Under glazes. Perfect for painting, marking, brushing.

They do not work well for slip trailing as they stay wet a long time when applied that thickly and do not dry in the nice smooth raised lines you want.

They are also a very expensive way to color clay as you are paying for added water and clay rather than just paying for stain.

Use stains. Some colors are not expensive and will give your students better results ... Side benefit is teaching them to use the right tool for the job.

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how are your students working with clay?  whatever their method, you can experiment by using the slurry formed by what is left in throwing water or breaking tiny pieces of dried clay into water, adding some underglaze and blending the result.  after evaporating most of the water off you will have some slip.  use a stick blender and a hair dryer to get the consistency you want and try it.  cannot hurt anything by trying it.  it might even work, and if you use a dark blue underglaze and a white clay, you may get pale blue results.

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