blue wash

[jo Basnett]

Hi, I am looking to put a blue wash over my bisque wear and I need to be fairly safe with this, i am then going to put a transparent glaze over the top. I was thinking of a cobalt oxide wash but I'm not sure how safe this is as it really needs to come out blue. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[curt]

Edit: Assuming by safe you mean dependable colour?  

Yep cobalt will get you blue alright, and a little goes a long way.  Just make sure your clear glaze is the stable, non-runny kind, particularly if you are making designs.

[jo Basnett]

Thank you. Really appreciate and yes, I did mean the colour and yes the Glaze is stable. Many thanks

 

[neilestrick]

If you're looking for total coverage with the blue, I would use a blue underglaze, assuming you'll be firing cone 6 or less. With that you'll be able to see just how much color you're applying and how evenly it's being applied. If you want more of a watercolor wash effect, you can water down the underglaze. With a cobalt wash, it's really difficult to tell just how much you're putting on. Plus you don't necessarily want to use straight cobalt. It'll be way too strong and a big waste of an expensive ingredient. Could you tell us more about how you want it to look, and how you're firing?

[Benzine]

Ditto to what Neil said.  I'm a big fan of using underglazes to create watercolor-ish effects.  I mean, some even come in watercolor-like sets, basically telling you to use them in such a fashion.