Judith B.

Thank you.

Thanks Kelly! So far, adding 10-20% ratio of satin matte glaze to test mixtures does indeed retard crystal formation...the more diluted the Dynasty glaze the less crystal formation. Cd inclusion stains sound like the way to go. I am getting a bit ahead of myself, but if they work out with Tangerine Ice and and I want to add them to the blue shades of Dynasty matte glazes I don't think they come in blues?

T Thank you Harold, Min, and Bill. Much appreciate all your information and guidance. Good to be learning more about microcrystals. My aim with Tangerine Ice is to modestly strengthen the color w/o losing the dappling or satin finish. My experiments with Ruby Dust are to see if I can create some subtle shades (more orange, more pink, etc.), again w/o decreasing dappling. For Milky Way and Antique Turquoise, which have been totally matte in test tiles to date, I plan to try and create a satin finish w/o, again, decreasing the dappling too much. I have just acquired some other matte Dynasty colors to see what they look like on the Little Loafers clay I am using. Now I am also curious to know if I can create dappling by using an additive to the Amaco Satin Mattes. I have been experimenting with The Amaco SMs quite a bit to create a much greater range of colors, in part to emulate the color palette of the best 1900s-1920's Dutch Gouda Pottery chargers (not the later years, or the Japanese imitations). My recent art tile used predominantly Amaco Satin Matte glazes with the petals of the central red flower and bud glazed with Ruby Dust. The Ruby Dust glaze looked great amidst, and visually blended in perfectly with, the Amaco Satin Mattes (five of my custom shades)... not too matte, and the subtle dappling was perfect. Hence my interest in using more of the Dynasty series glazes in a similar fashion. This said, and knowing that I am using commercial glazes, have no ability to change the firing, and don't want to decrease the dappling/microcrystals too much, I think next steps for me are to: 1) test adding Cd inclusion stain(s) to Tangerine Ice to increase the orange a bit (as adding flux will decrease the dappling/microcrystals). (Thanks for that idea!) 2) test adding 10% Amaco satin matte blue glazes to Milky Way and Antique Turquoise to see if I can get a more satiny finish w/o loss of too much dappling. 3) test adding a too-be-determined additive (versus Amaco SM) to Milky Way, Antique Turquoise, and any of the other Dynasty matte glazes that test too matte for the same results I want with test #2. 3) test adding something to to the Amaco Satin Mattes to create a dappled look, just to see if it is possible at this point. Try Wolastonite (which may agglomerate but maybe be ok for my purposes), or Whiting, or Flint. OR, a different ingredient if you have another suggestion (especially if I can get it in a small amount)? Speaking to Bill's comment, I have not wanted to order any of the Dynasty Matte glazes in glossy formulation, as they all look entirely too glossy in photos to look right/blend in visually with my Amaco Satin Matte palette. And, as I just now purchased some more Dynasty Mattes glazes to experiment with, I hesitate to buy any more glazes (though the idea of mixing a Dynasty Matte and it's glossy version is intriguing). However, as the glazes have been formulated both ways, maybe I can add a touch of something to the too-matte blues to satin-ize them? I am unfamiliar with the protocols of this website, and hope I have not imposed too much with such a long post. Too much time sitting on the couch nursing my first cold in 5 years (at least it’s not Covid). Speaking to Bill's comment, I have not wanted to order any of the Dynasty Matte glazes in glossy formulation, as they all look entirely too glossy in photos to look right/blend in visually with my Amaco Satin Matte palette. And, as I just now purchased some more Dynasty Mattes glazes to experiment with, I hesitate to buy any more glazes (though the idea of mixing a Dynasty Matte and it's glossy version is intriguing). However, as the glazes have been formulated both ways, maybe I can add a touch of something to the too-matte blues to satin-ize them?

Not the best photo...

Thank you for your replies. Unfortunately, I cannot answer: "Is this glaze glossy if fast cooled and more opaque and dappled/mottled when slow cooled? " I am firing test tiles and art tile pieces in ceramic department kilns, so cannot change the kiln settings. I confess that I am not educated re. the chemical compositions of glazes, and my husband, who has a dusty ceramics degree, apparently did not get into glaze composition beyond the basics taught in college. That said, adding a single ingredient to recreate the dappled coloration is not to much of a stretch for me. I don't know if this is a useful clue, but Ruby Dust and Tangerine Ice both have distinctly more satiny finishes than Milky Way and Antique Turquoise (the only four glazes I have tested thus far). I plan to test mixing the blue Dynasty glazes with the blue Amaco Satin Matte glazes to see if that results in a more satin finish. When I tested mixing Ruby Dust with a little orange or pink (a red/white mix) Amaco Satin Matte glaze (testing both 90/10 ratio, then 80/20), it decreased the dappled two/tone look each time, more so with 80/20 ratio. Decreasing the ratio of the Dynasty glaze any further and the dappling pretty much disappeared. I ran the test using Tangerine Ice, mixing 80% Tangerine Ice with 20% Amaco SM Orange, with same result (which increased the orange color perhaps too much for my purpose). I am going to try a 90/10 ratio to strengthen the dappling while keeping some increase in orange. My one test of layering one coat of Tangerine Ice over two layers Amaco SM Orange yielded minimal dappling (less than when mixing the two glazes) as well as even stronger orange color.

I have recently started experimenting with some of the Laguna Dynasty glazes (having fallen in love with Ruby Dust and thus turning my attention to that line of glazes). I am wondering if anyone knows or has an idea of what the ingredient is that gives Tangerine Ice and Ruby Dust (among other glazes in that group) that dappled lighter coloring?

Hi everyone, My husband and I are actively planning to move to either the Columbus area or Athens, Ohio, from Greenbelt Md. Not leaving for a couple of years, but buying a house out in Ohio very, very soon if all goes as planned. I am part of a very vibrant ceramics community here in Greenbelt, and hate the idea of leaving it, but we have family reasons to move to Columbus area or Athens. There is a recreation center here in Greenbelt with a great ceramics set-up: very inexpensive quarterly "open studio" time with access to a space, supplies, and low and mid-range firings (three kilns) three times a week! Lots of classes, including my area of interest, ceramic art tiles, with a healthy, friendly exchange of techniques, ideas, etc. within the ceramics community and not just w/in classes. The Greenbelt Pottery Group puts on an annual holiday show/mart, sends out links to local and regional opportunities for showing one's work, exchanges info on selling/buying equipment/supplies, etc. Basically, I am looking for a similar environment in Ohio, which will inform our decision on where to live. My husband and I will set up a studio for me, including, if necessary, a kiln (we have his old kiln in storage), though I may prefer to share kiln space and not need to fire at home (I am spoiled by the above-described firing schedule). I figure it is safe to assume there are lots of opportunities for shop-talk and advanced classes/workshops in Athens, but would love confirmation about opportunities if not enrolled in the university degree program. I also would love to know what is going on in the Columbus area. I found one arts center with some classes but would like to know what else is out there in terms of advanced classes/workshops, kiln use rental at an arts center/other, and if there is a group of ceramicist that share a space, or kilns, "shop talk," etc. Appreciate whatever you can share with me! Let me know if there is a better place to post this.>>>Judith