Bauhaus

@Callie Beller Diesel thanks for that long response and your research into the clay I used. I wouldn’t have known it’s possibly not suitable for functional ware at the temperature I am firing to. It certainly is a steep learning curve. I just bought 2 more bags of the stuff, because the kiln was only half full. Looks like I’ll have to try some ornaments, tiles, and maybe musical instruments instead of the plates and mugs I was designing and dreaming of. This is more interesting perhaps. @Babsthanks too, what do you mean heating prior to glazing? Stick it in the oven for a few minutes? I had half a kiln, it was my first firing on my own outside of any educational establishment. One bag of clay, many experimental pieces. I generally only learn through doing, it’s expensive but I won’t make the same mistake again. It’s less expensive than doing more college courses which seem to mainly teach the easy stuff about construction and concept.

I just got back from picking up my “bisque fired” stoneware. Another person who worked there informed me their colleague had made a mistake and the kiln was set too high, however to save it they said I should paint 3 layers of underglaze with a hairdryer drying each layer, then paint transparent glaze over immediately. Apparently this will help the glaze to adhere. Next time, they said I should fire bisc stoneware to 1040 max.

My clay is white. I have had stains suggested to me by the shop, but they were in powder form and I’m doing this in a multi purpose desk in the corner of my dining room, so I prefer the simplicity and ease of a brush on glaze from a jar. It’s the cleanest, least risky way for me to do things right now without a proper dedicated space for ceramic work. I don’t mind the cost of the brush on underglazes. I have a certain amount of money I’m happy to spend on materials, and I think I can make it back with sales eventually. I do appreciate all of the suggestions though! They will be helpful for the future when I get more space.

I was considering getting what Scarva recommend as what would be compatible with their clay. That sort of small jar stuff is definitely the kind of thing I am comfortable working with for now. I’m a painter, first. Ceramics is like my new canvas!

Hi @Babs it’s this https://www.scarva.com/Mobile/en/Scarva-Earthstone-ES40-Handbuilding-White-Clay/m-m-6.aspx the shop I’m getting it from are doing the firing and gave me specific temperatures very confidently (1100 bisc, 2130 glaze) so if this is wrong I am wondering whether their kiln is particular in that it somehow works in their kiln (maybe doesn’t get up to temperature?) or they know from others that these are the temperatures? After speaking to a friend who thinks there are all sorts of variables for why they did this. difficulties like this are learning experiences for me, for sure. I note everything down, I walk around with a note book and quote people as they talk so I can be sure they definitely say exact things, and I double check with people that they said what I noted down.

Hi @Chilly I’m in Bournemouth, Dorset. Thank you for the link, I don’t understand it at all. I’ve contacted the clay manufacturer and asked them for firing information. I think I need to get exact instructions like that in future because that seems to be the safest way to work things out. I’ve also asked what glazes are suitable because they sell those too.

Do you have any recommendations for underglaze and clear glaze? Due to lack of a dedicated studio and space I’m sticking to brush on readymade stuff. When I get a studio (when I start selling) I’ll probably get more experimental with powders and so on.

Thanks for this glaze link, I am beginning to understand that what I learned from a course at a community college is so basic it’s almost criminal the way we’ve been dumbed down about this stuff. I was taught ceramics to pre-degree level, and did an adult education course. I’m guessing degree level ceramics is where you learn the technical side, or at least I hope they do. If they don’t teach it there and everyone is relying on commercial supplied brush on glazes then that’s a significant gap in knowledge in the community.

I think the bisque firing is not cone 6. 1100 Celsius, is that cone 4? The shop has kiln rental and an engineer who works there. I was asking him for advice on how to fire in the process I wanted: bisque then decorate/glaze. He seemed to think this would work, then a higher temperature for glazing. He told me to leave 3mm of space in case the glaze runs. I’m wondering if I can use a paint on underglaze like this https://www.potclays.co.uk/ready-mixed-glazes-colours-pencils-crayons-mayco-underglazes if it’s bisque fired to 1100 Celsius. It says to apply to cone 4 bisque, I’m guessing because of optimum porosity.

Hi there, I’m a fine artist who has recently got into ceramics, stoneware to be specific. Unfortunately I’m not tutored in it to any technical level and I’m having to pick up information as I go. Where I live it’s very expensive to buy that kind of education, so I’m trying my best to wing it. I’m confused about glazes. I’m firing to cone 6, 1100 bisc, then 1230 for glazing. I’ve not started glazing but I’ve bought some glazes from the local shop. I’ve been trying to get advice from them but I think they don’t know a lot about ceramic production and are more specialists in kiln technology. They accidentally sold me some cone 4 glazes which they’ve agreed to exchange. They also sold me some cone 6 glazes made by various different manufacturing companies. I’ve now realised perhaps I should be using glazes just by one manufacturer? Will it be a problem to paint different glazes side by side in an image? Say, a flower with pink petals made by one company and the pollen centre of the flower by another? Then there is the question of the transparent over glaze. Do I need to use the same company manufacturer for that? Is there one which works well covering a range of different colour glazes from different companies? Is it suitable for functional ware? I’m thinking I may have to just return all the glazes I bought and buy some online, or if they only allow me to exchange, buy something I know I can get the rest of the range from online. They’re limited in stock in this shop, hence the picking different things from different companies. I’m also thinking what if I just paint a load of things and I get a really great effect which is a result of the mixture? This is my first post here, but I’ve been reading for a while. Thanks.