Red Clay ingredient

[Sara J.]

I'm really new to glaze mixing and I've seen a bunch of glaze recipes that include Red Clay. Does this mean that I look for dry terra cotta to add to a glaze? 

[neilestrick]

3 minutes ago, Sara J. said:

I'm really new to glaze mixing and I've seen a bunch of glaze recipes that include Red Clay. Does this mean that I look for dry terra cotta to add to a glaze? 

Terra cotta is a clay body made primarily of red clay. It usually has some ball clay blended with it (10-20%), and also some barium to prevent scumming. So for you glazes you just want the red clay, not a dry terra cotta body. Redart will work well, and most suppliers carry it.

[Sara J.]

8 hours ago, neilestrick said:

Terra cotta is a clay body made primarily of red clay. It usually has some ball clay blended with it (10-20%), and also some barium to prevent scumming. So for you glazes you just want the red clay, not a dry terra cotta body. Redart will work well, and most suppliers carry it.

Thanks, this is really helpful. 

[oldlady]

sara,  what is the source of your glaze recipe?   i have never seen any recipe calling for red clay.  

[neilestrick]

3 hours ago, oldlady said:

sara,  what is the source of your glaze recipe?   i have never seen any recipe calling for red clay.  

Many glazes that use red clay are similar to Albany slip glazes. I've used several glazes over the years that call for it.

[Min]

4 hours ago, oldlady said:

i have never seen any recipe calling for red clay.  

I've mostly seen Redart used in midrange fake ash glaze recipes. Alberta slip is a good sub for Albany.

[oldlady]

oh.   the only use for Redart that i know of is to make clay.   my friend, Robin Teas, developed a clay for her students who could not afford the clay needed for practicing throwing.  it was a good clay, strong and pretty.   half redart and half xxsaggar.   i used it for awhile until i realized that my hands stayed dirty looking too often.   maybe i just am not interested in the color as a glaze.

[Callie Beller Diesel]

I’ve used redart in some cone 10 American shino’s. It works similarly to ball clay in the bucket, and it gives the resulting glaze a toasty colour.