Babs

Perhaps the monkey tail could just be decorative and a separate metal piece used for a banana hook. Some forms just aren't suitable to be made from clay. 

The clay will shrink so better make allowance when carving the grooves to attach to metal handle. Do you know the shrinkage rate of your clay body?
Can't advise on best way to fire, a lot hanging on that tail!!!!:-))

If the pieces you are going to try on are absolutely dry, the u.g. may not adhere to it, may look ok after bisque, then bloat off when glaze fired.
This may not be the case with paperclay. I suggest spraying the pieces with water, then applying the u.g.
@neilestrick would know about this.

Paper clay would not be as strong imo as the paper burns out in the firing process, don't know if this makes it more brittle, someone will chime in 
https://community.ceramicartsdaily.org/topic/27135-working-with-paper-clay-questions/.

The clay will shrink so better make allowance when carving the grooves to attach to metal handle. Do you know the shrinkage rate of your clay body?
Can't advise on best way to fire, a lot hanging on that tail!!!!:-))

Here's the little tray. I chickend out & didn't do much w/the manganese-I did wipe on then off, but very lightly & used it for the outlining. I'm happy-he's cute!

I agree, the underglaze looks kinda thick. What brand of underglazes are you using? Most will give you a good solid color of you thin them down a little bit and apply 3-4 thin coats, brushing each coat in the opposite direction of the previous coat.
I find that clear glaze covers better when dipping if you apply the underglaze before bisque firing, so that the binders burn out in the bisque, leaving the surface more porous for the glaze application.

Well, can you show the interior? Looks like a Min glazing technique.:-)))

I've done the math on the cost of Thermal-Lite and CoreLite shelves for my 28" wide kiln, and it will take almost 875 firings before I break even with the more expensive shelves, and that's with buying two sets of the CoreLite because they won't last as long. Because I would only save 1 7/8" of height per firing in a glaze firing with the thinner shelves, and half that in a bisque, it's like getting a free firing every 19 loads. That averages out to $1.11 savings per load, which isn't much.
This is also assuming I never accidentally break any of the Thermal-Lite shelves, and that I actually fire the kiln 876 times over the life of the shelves. For me that's not a problem, but for the average hobbyist who does 2 firings a month, that means it'll take 36 years for the more expensive shelves to pay off. However, for a production potter the extra 2 inches of space means 5% fewer kiln loads, which can really add up if you're firing a lot. And if you have a larger kiln than a typical 27" tall electric kiln, like a large gas kiln, then the payoff will come much faster.
As for the weight of the more expensive shelves being so much better, they're really not. The 26" half round Thermal-Lite and CoreLite I used in my calculations have a weight difference of only 1 pound, so it's really not enough to make a significant difference in wear and tear on your body or the cost of firing.

Hi and welcome!
Stains are fun to work with, especially for us dark clay users. And the reference chart you’ve already found is a very good reference is this section of Digitalfire. Tony identifies the stain by number, which is a good practice as there are 3 different numbered stains with the name “dark red” and they all have slightly different chemistry.Tony’s got examples of the Canary Yellow and Turquoise in a magnesium matte glaze base, so you can see how those 2 respond, at least.
Speaking of recipes: the second  link you’ve shared comes back as a “does not exist” error. If this is a recipe on your own page, make sure it’s published so we can see it. 
Zircopax won’t make the colours pastel: glaze colour theory doesn’t work the same as paint. If anything, it’ll make it brighter and more saturated, because more of the colour is reflected back to your eyes. 
 

Pinched your fingers yet? (yup, I've done that a few times )

Well, can you show the interior? Looks like a Min glazing technique.:-)))

Morgan
Post placement still needs to be about the same. Its not about warping but the thermo load.When loading the bottom the stilts need to be lined up as the thermo load is great with all that weight at bottom, as you get to the top of the kiln it is not  as critical. Its always best to line them up when you can. Even advancers cannot take huge offsets due to weight at high temps. They can break from that stress of uneven thermo loading.You have been lucky so far would be my guess.I have had corners crack odd from uneven sharp posts even thougfh they are lined up underneath. Of course my cone 11 load is often 5+ feet tall so the weight is great .
In terms of more wares from this shelves you now know they pay for themselves pretty fast with extra space. And your back is better from less weight loading. Its amazing really as they are all upside other than the cost which is recouped the more you fire.

Something a little different just finished up in my studio this week!  'Smitten' medallion (small plaque) , sculpted by Rebecca Turner, produced in earthenware ceramic by Marge Para, and custom glazed by myself as a show donation for Clinky Mania Live 2024 in Titusville, FL this May.  All work done in the kiln using underglazes, then satin clear, followed by some overglazes to punch up the colors in the cat.  This ceramic medallion measures 3.5 by 5 inches and is going to public auction to benefit the show.    Photo displayed is MUCH larger than the actual piece!
I don't do many donation pieces anymore as I am just too busy but this is to help support a good friend's last year of hosting this show series for equine ceramics.  With all the heavy storms up here we've had in these mountains the past week it's been hard to fire either of my kilns with so many power outages and all the lightning.   But I finally got it done!  

The posts must align vertically all the way from the top of the kiln to the floor. The shelf may warp or crack if a post is sitting on the shelf but is not supported in the same spot below the shelf. You can usually get away with it if there's only one shelf above, or if you're putting in a quarter shelf, but I would not expect a shelf at the very bottom to carry the weight of multiple shelves above it without a post aligning underneath. You can't tripod the full shelf and then have 4 posts sitting on top of it, because only 1 post would align and the unsupported areas would carry most of the weight.

You have to use 4 posts under the full shelf so they line up with the half shelf posts. This is the problem. With 4 posts there's a good chance the shelf will rock, leaving one post not making contact and putting a lot of stress on the shelf there, resulting in cracking or warping. I really don't understand using a full shelf on the bottom and the rest half, but it's the way many people think it should be done. There's no benefit to having a full shelf on the bottom.

How are you stilting the full bottom ahelf given the half shelves will need different positioning?

I have fired many large pots and sculptures that filled the kiln.  Taking the kiln apart and candling over night is the way to go,   I also use a shelf to  build  and fire it on,  I pick one that is not in the greatest shape.  I am getting ready to work on new sculpture,  I have already figured out a way to make it in two pieces so I don't have to take my new kiln apart.    It only has 16 firings on it and it is bigger around than my old skutt but shorter.    The rings are harder to manage,  I am not ready to bump, scuff and chip the edges yet.   Denice

Definitely build it right on a kiln shelf. I'd also put it on a waster slab. It's okay if the waster breaks, it'll still work. Keep the kiln shelf up on bricks or something that will allow you to get your fingers under the edge to pick it up without having to tip it.

Yes, you just have to make sure they're sitting evenly. A waster slab across the joint is also helpful.

I Have only been in An Olympic gas kiln for the past 30 years. We installed a tankless H2O system, and our pressure is now been upgraded to commercial levels. I can easily overfire the Little Beast. I've had a couple of cone 11 cones puddles. I’m Doing a bisque Fire Now with a full load of heavy and big fermentation crocks. I started at noon yesterday  and Will finish up at about 03:30. At 1800 Now.
William
The Kracked Pot,
Washington NC

You can get small digital pyrometers, hand held devices, not very expensive in the scheme of things.
I would install a timer set at about 1/2 hr post target cone drop. This is a backup, essentialimo, inxase the sitter bar doesn't drop for some reason.  Long time potters, eg @Pres can guage the temp according to colour if kiln interior but until colour shows you're in the dark. :-))

Search Joseph Fireborn on these forums , Gallery and elsewhere, he posted some great pots using an electric kiln as have many, many  others. I suggest getting to know a potter who uses gas and spend time in their studio.
John Britt has extensive material online showing and teaching the effects possible in an electric kiln at C6
Still missing my gas kiln here after many years though....

No permit and easy for gas then I suggest gas but I am a cone 10 gas potter myself so I am a bit bias. Learning with gas and cone 10 is a big learning curve but very doable.

Are you brushing, spraying or dipping your glazes?
Are you waxing the bottom?
Damp piece of short pile carpet is effective to rotate the pot on, or used as a batt.