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I have made my own black stains with the same bodies of porcelain I’m using ( Audrey Blackman & Parien )They fire up to 1240 degs ( one fire ) My problem is the stained surface ALL have blisters Any suggestions on how I can resolve this issue ? Is there mayb something else I should be adding aside from porcelain body stain and water ( which I then pass through a mesh sieve) Commercial stains seem fine Would appreciate input Kind regards Nicky

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I am on a residency in Japan and a lovely artist here gave me a catalogue for ordering supplies. I ordered what I assumed to be underglaze, but since it came in powdered form, I asked the artist whether I can buy 'frit' to add to it (as maybe it is really a stain ?) but she says she usually mixes the powder with 'steeped green tea'. I mixed the underglaze powder and green tea with mortar and pestle and applied it on my greenware using a spatter brush (really fine spatters, light layers). It dried quickly, but like my previous experience with stains, it comes off or smudges with even the most gentle touch. I read somewhere that I can perhaps seal it off with an artist fixative to prevent smudging before a firing, but am afraid that it won't burn out completely in the bisque firing. Any body have experience with 'fixing' stains / powdered underglazes with an artist fixative ? I have a feeling it might come off even after the first firing anyway but since it's already on my wares, I want to safely transport (without smudging) them to the kiln and give it a try. Thanks !

Greetings all, I am trying to create work with a surface quality similar to these tiles by Natalie Blake, http://natalieblakestudios.com/tiles/botanical/ Its sgraffito work in cone 6 oxidation. I am currently using thirds of Frit 3124, EPK, and Iron Oxide for my sgraffito stain on greenware. I could change this although I have already bisqued many pieces with this and it seems like a good recipe that will darken washes/stains that get applied over it. I want to come up with a base recipe or two that will work with as many Mason Stains as possible. I understand that some base recipes do not work with purples but don't know what ingredients to avoid. I've done some testing but would very much appreciate any advice to help me narrow down my testing, or broaden it, I've found information suggesting 1/2 Mason Stain 1/2 Frit 3124, or 1/2 Gerstley Borate works well. Perhaps stained engobes covered in a very thin coating of a Mason stain compatible clear glaze would work well? I saw a video with Natalie spraying the glaze, which makes me wonder if she is using such a 50/50 wash/stain. Although, I was reading that frit 3124 is kinda like its own glaze, so maybe it can appear similar to a typical glaze in the bucket. Do you all have any other ideas of how to get a similar surface quality with as many Mason Stain as possible? What testing would you do if you were trying to get similar results? Thanks anyone for any advice!

I'm using mason stain for the first time to create a black slip. Currently I'm at 5% with 6600 black Mason stain, and my casting body is barely gray after testing. I'm doubtful that another 5% will do the trick. A friend recently suggested that Ferro stains have a higher saturation, that they seem to be more concentrated, and that a person generally has to use less for the desired result. Does anyone know if there's any truth to this? And what stains do you prefer and why?

Hi, I have been advised that a bodystain is no different as a glazestain and a bodystain can be used as a glazestain and vice versa. I have fired a batch of testtiles with a pink Al-Mn bodystain mixed with 3 tipes of baseglazes I usually use for stains, and the result has been disappointing, with almost no coloration, and not a good melt. I have been trying to find out what went wrong, and found on digital fire a sentence that sais that bodystains normally do not melt appropriately when used as glazestains. I have also found in Matthes that if you use a Al-Mn pink stain you have to use a High viscosity glaze with a lot of Al2O3 and little ZnO and or B2O3. One of the glazes has ZnO so that is logical. The other glazes have no ZnO and B2O3 of highest 0.33, lowest 0.20. What do you think went wrong? Is there anybody who has experience in using bodystains as glazestains? gr. Lies