How do I get a matte finish in vibrant colours for dinnerware?

[Iren]

I tried using Mayco underglaze with matte clear on top but it was milky. 

[liambesaw]

When you figure it out let me know.  There's no such thing as a transparent matte that I know of, they are translucent, but as you found out... They look like they're frosted.

You can make non foodsafe vibrant ones pretty easily!  

 

https://digitalfire.com/4sight/glossary/glossary_transparent_glazes.html 

Here is an article on transparent glazes, you'll note in the beginning about how matting mutes colors.

[neilestrick]

Matte and vibrant don't really go together with durable, food safe glazes. What colors are you hoping for?

[Mark C.]

Matts do not clean  as well as shiny glazes-so not as good for food.

Satin Matts clean rather well but are much harder to dial in.

I use a cone 10 satin matte-thats butter smooth and easy to clean.

Its not vibrant-thats another issue.

good luck on this unicorn chase. 

[Min]

If you do a line blend with a matte with a gloss there will be a sweet spot where the glaze will be a satin matte and won't cutlery mark. Adding stains or colouring oxides will get you the colour. Base glaze needs to be compatible with stains used, ie high calcium for chrome/tin pinks and reds, no zinc for chrome greens etc.

[Gabby]

I have used Amaco Velvet underglaze with their Sahara clear over it, and while it isn't matte it isn't shiny either. Somewhere between. I have done this when I  am painting an image in color on the plate or bowl.

If the coat of clear is applied too thickly, it is milky, so I would try a few times before rejecting that sort of option.

Another thing you might like, again not matte but somewhere in between, are some of the Laguna glazes. There are strong colors that are not glossy. I love my Forest Green.

Another thing I have done is used one of the Amaco "shino" glazes on the outside of a bowl, completely matte- coarse even- and claims to be food-safe, with something less matte on the eating surface. The Amaco "shino" glazes say they are food-safe, though when I have used them on an eating surface, I have not been confident, so now I use them only on the outsides. I don't know whether you would consider these vibrant, though.  I have used the Matcha, the Hibiscus, and the Acai.

[Mark C.]

Satin mattes are one of my favorites -they feel buttery smooth in your hands but are not shiny and clean up easy with food and are very strong.

[Bill Kielb]

A thought would be to find or mix up a satin matte (Durable RO preferably) and dial in the correct amount of preferred gloss. Matte is so subjective it can run from dry through nearly gloss for many so best to dial in what you prefer. Next suggestion would then be to blend mason stains and see if this will get the vibrancy you desire. Since the matte structure will cause refraction and diffusion or attenuation of the reflected light you may not be satisfied with its vibrancy. Thin is generally better than thick for most mattes.

Zircon stains, lattice or encapsulated tend to cutlery mark more so.  Spinel stains are based on the MgO Al203 molecule which is strong and stabile at high temperatures. Spinel stains may offer you a variety of color and vibrancy that you desire, so there is that testing thing. These glazes that develop color using stains are often thought of when you look at some fiesta ware. Fairly vibrant stuff, sort of …… depends upon what vibrancy means to you.

All that said, testing to taste is essential. In the end if the Matte is excessive you can increase the gloss and melt. Quite often folks prefer a low gloss, non matte and just simply call it matte or satin or eggshell, or who knows. To me its simply a level of gloss. 

It sounds a bunch harder than it is but the testing until you get near your desired look is usually the hardest time consuming part but often rewarding.

A note

Recent research on durability of true mattes has been favorable for use in food service.  Additionally there is research showing mattes have exceeded the durability of glosses given a durable flux ratio.  I don't want to rule anything in or out,  just that there are a lot of opinions out there and then there is reasonable research. If ever in doubt, when you create your perfect look it can be sent for testing if you so desire.

In our studio I created a durable matte that fires well from cone 4.5 to 7.  Along the way everyone voted on the level of gloss they preferred as matte. Since chemically it was a true matte, I simply adjusted the silica concentration upward until the majority liked the look. Its actually fairly easy to do.