Using Red Iron Oxide with Regular Glaze

[cstovin]

Hi there

I have no idea if this is the right place for this, OR if these questions have already been answered - I searched, but couldn't find what I was looking for

I wanted to know how to use Red Iron Oxide in sections of a regularly glazed piece (see attachments), such as a coffee cup with a red iron oxide section....

1) How/what is the suggested ration for mixing up red iron oxide to be used as a glaze?

2)  Do I do the red iron oxide part of the glazing first, then add the rest of the glaze?  (see picture for better idea of what I am trying to explain)

3)  There are also pieces that appear to be raw clay in parts of the piece, and then regular glaze?  (see white and red tree photo and green coffee cup with faint tree lines) - are these types of works still covered in some sort of oxide?  Or is it really just un-glazed areas of the work?

[Min]

1) I use a couple recipes to do an iron wash. Simplest is just red iron oxide and gerstley borate mixed 50:50. Mixed up fairly thick then brushed on bisque then wiped off with a damp sponge, works from ^04 - ^6. It does flux so don't use it on the bottoms of pieces. Second recipe I use is good from ^04 - ^10 and doesn't flux much, same method of application.

Blackbird Slip 27.4 

Red Iron Oxide 37

Rutile 8.2

Alberta Slip 27.4

Round pot is the first recipe and tiny succulent planters the second.

2) For the mug in your set of pictures I would do the iron wash first then dip the top in glaze. Just wipe off any glaze that gets on the iron part.

3) The trees just look like raw clay to me that has had wax resist applied then the pots dipped in glaze.

 

[Benzine]

The very bottom picture, just looks like they used resist to block off the tree section, exposing the raw, brown clay body. 

 

Love the work Min!

[cstovin]

Thank you so much, and thank you for giving me the recipe on how to mix it; I was especially lacking on that!!

Appreciate the time and help

C.

[cstovin]

One more question though - if a wax resist is used, say on the mugs that are red and have the bottoms un-glazed....is that food safe?  Are there any worries about getting someone sick?

What about if that was done on a plate?

[Min]

1 hour ago, cstovin said:

One more question though - if a wax resist is used, say on the mugs that are red and have the bottoms un-glazed....is that food safe?  Are there any worries about getting someone sick?

What about if that was done on a plate?

I wouldn't recommend doing this on surfaces that come in contact with food. Not because of food safe issues but because using cutlery on an unglazed surface is going to be unpleasant. The washes I posted leave a deposit in the nooks and crannies but they are not a glaze. The clay itself will show where the wash is wiped off. I would suggest using as clay that is as vitrified as possible so over time it doesn't stain from coffee dribbles etc. ie, use a body that has as close to zero absorption as you can find.