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Best Glazes For Novice To Paint On Pottery Starter Kit


Viddy

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Dear esteemed Ceramic Artists,


I am a novice potter with a history in painting.  I live in Brazil where supplies are very expensive and I am operating on a budget.  I have a friend visiting from the States and I would like her to bring me some glazes.  My question is this:  I will be using a low fire kiln and want to get a good range of glazes to make foodsafe pieces.  I want to be able to mix colours and paint images with glaze -(it has been suggested I get majolica style glazes to be able to paint on the pieces and see the results).  I have been trying to understand the terms and the huge variety of products out there and that brings me to you...  for example, AMACO has a series of glazes called Teacher's Pallet which suggests that you could mix their red with yellow and achieve an orange.  I want to be able to see what I am painting and I want the colour on the unfired piece to look the same when I fire it.  I would appreciate any advice that would help me put together a "beginner's kit" that would allow me to mix and create a full spectrum of colours.  What products or manufacturers could you suggest for me?  Thank you VERY much for your time.


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Since you are a painter you might want to start out with a low fire majolica glaze and then paint your design in underglazes on top of your majolica glaze. You could make a batch of majolica glaze easily  and the chemicals for it are inexpensive.  Your friend could bring you a kit of underglazes that you could work with, glazes do not look exactly like the material in jar the manufactures try to come close.  You need to make some test tiles in order to see what colors you are working with.  Underglazes  can go over the white Majolica glaze or under a clear glaze and can have a wide range of color.  You might be able to buy some dry mix majolica glaze where you live from a ceramic supplier.  Clear glazes can be bought dry also,  buying premixed glazes is a expensive way to go and heavy to ship.  When it comes to a manufacture of underglazes there are other potters who work with it more than I do and can recommend a brand to you.   Denice

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If you want the colors on your bisque to be the same as the finished product, you might try mason stains on a white clay body or choose another medium. Its chemicals that make up colors and there isn't a primary and secondary color chart for glazes. This is more in line of Grypes field and others, not mine!! Good luck.

Alabama

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Nothing. Nothing at all looks the same unfired and fired. Some systems have blues being blue before and after... but the vibrancy is completely different. Also a thin coat (which looks the same as a proper coat) of something may turn to an invisible coat after firing.

 

That said, majolica will bring out the best of a painters work. Especially if you have a loose style that works with brush strokes.

If you are more into realistic, careful with the details type of work, I would say underglazes. They work sort of like acrylics.

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post-2190-0-07139000-1457898017_thumb.jpgpost-2190-0-36407100-1457898049_thumb.jpgpost-2190-0-02615100-1457898064_thumb.jpg

 

These were done using Amaco Velvet underglazes and Amaco clear glaze on a low-fire white clay body, fired to cone 05.  The first picture is of the work pre-fired; the second and third are after glaze firing.  The artwork was done by a very experienced Chinese brush artist.  My job was to no screw up the firings.  We have also used the Velvets on a white stoneware at cone 6.  Better color at lower temperatures, though. 

post-2190-0-07139000-1457898017_thumb.jpg

post-2190-0-36407100-1457898049_thumb.jpg

post-2190-0-02615100-1457898064_thumb.jpg

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When I started out in low fire I used Duncan Concepts underglazes. You can mix them to achieve colors and get quite a range. The color of the glaze is a muted version of the final color. Their yellows are yellow, their greens are green. If you do a lot of mixing you'll get to the point where you can "see" when the color is mixed the way you want it. They do not fire as well at Cone 5/6, they're prone to bubbling at those temps. 

 

Bciske those plates are stunning!! I have some Velvets but I haven't tried them yet. 

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Thank you so much everyone for all your helpful replies.  I looked into the subject further and am pretty sure I'm going to ask my friend to bring me Amaco's Teacher's Palette...just red, blue, yellow, black and white.  From there I can mix whatever colour I choose and all the work will be food safe! I am super excited to expand into the ceramic medium for both useful and infinitely creative work! I know these are not underglazes, but I do believe I will be able to do some sgrafitto type work as well as painting with these.  Can't wait!!! And yes, Bciske those plates really are stunning. Kudos to the artist who did them!

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