Stencil on bisque wear

[Lynyfred]

I'm wondering is there any clever ways of stencilling bique wear?

Ideally something I can make myself or would have about. As I don't have time to wait to order something, also something that will remove and I can work over.

I'm new to this and probably should have done this at green stage,  where I could have used paper. It's not a pattern more a picture I'm doing. So all pieces would be different. I'm mainly trying to cut down actually painting it on and getting cleaner lines...

Thanks 

[Hyn Patty]

Depending on how 'clean' you need your edges, or how much time you are willing to put into clean up, and what kind of bisque - some being more slick and others more porous, there are lots of options. 

I mask a lot of my patterns using liquid latex so that I may airbrush on my underglazes, then remove the latex and tidy up edges using an exacto knife.  Or you may want to print up a vinyl adhesive 'sticker' using a Cricut machine so you may reproduce the same pattern over and over and try to press it down to get the crispest possible edges.  That's liable to only work well on vitrified ware that's slick and not porous - but still worth trying on earthenware, etc.   Or you can do as you say and just use paper, cut our your pattern and use spray adhesive or tape to secure it into position and dab your pattern into place using a sponge.  Lots of options but each one is going to give you different results.  Or you can dab on wax, remove the stencil and /then/ apply your glaze or underglaze.  So many options.

Do you have a photo of the sort of effect you are aiming for specifically?  If you can share an image we might be able to make better, more specific suggestions.

Edited May 1, 2022 by Hyn Patty

[Hyn Patty]

You mention a 'picture' image.  Yet another method is to make a silk screen with emulsion to block application areas.  Lay it against your bisqueware and then dab your glaze or underglaze through the cloth 'grid' pattern.  Remove it and simply wash it off, then you can use it over and over just like silk screening T-shirts.  This also allows you the benefit of actually using photo images where you want more 'grey' tone transitions for different values.  Obviously that'll work best with non-flowing underglazes than say with glazes.

Edited May 1, 2022 by Hyn Patty

[Hyn Patty]

Oh, and yet /another/ way is to cut a piece of foam sheet (like neoprene) to shape and use it to 'stamp'  your designs.  WAY back decades ago in Girl Scouts we even sliced up potatoes of all things.  You can cut them like a stencil, then use it like a rubber stamp.  Press it into your pigment and you can use it over and over again to 'stamp' your image onto your ware.  You can leave it rough and primitive or you can go back and clean it up in creative ways afterwards.  So yeah, many, many different options depending on the end result you are shooting for.

[Lynyfred]

Thanks Patty for your replys..

I got it drawn on, 

I was gonna use masking fluid but it isn't giving a smooth line. Mostly I'll just have to paint it on but just thought I could speed some of the process up if I could mask of bits.. tried to attach phot there bit file is too big...

Thanks for your help

[JasmineIC]

I was wondering, as I am new to glazing, if anyone has a white glaze recipe which works well on cricut cut stencils - something with no run in it. 

Edited March 2, 2023 by JasmineIC
Spelling

[Ben xyz]

If working onto a flat clay surface with a plastic stencil, I'm guessing a smaller foam roller could possibly work with an Underglaze (or a non-flowing glaze). That process could also work on dry greenware w/ an Underglaze, thus setting the design after the bisque firing and the ability to work on top without the chance of smearing taking place.

I also thought of spraying the surface over the stencil. With spray leaking under the stencil from air pressure, this method may be trickier. Will try both methods on a flat clay surface and report back. Thanks for the topic!

[Babs]

On 3/3/2023 at 6:09 AM, JasmineIC said:

I was wondering, as I am new to glazing, if anyone has a white glaze recipe which works well on cricut cut stencils - something with no run in it. 

Research majolica glazes and Linda Arbuckle, she is the best.

[Hyn Patty]

If you use masking fluid or a stencil and do NOT get a nice clean edge, just remember that you can go back in with a craft knife and clean off the underglaze to achieve that crispness and level of detail you want before firing.  You can also re-edge it with a fine brush in the same or another color.  Also with using liquid latex masking you can 'roll' the edges with a fingertip to help shape it after it dries.  

Some people also use painter's or masking tape which they then cut so I see no reason why you can't also use Cricket vinyl, with either a sponge application or airbrushing.  Just be sure to lightly burnish all of your edges of the vinyl against the bisque with your fingernail or bone folder, something, to press it down for a crisp adhesion edge.  That way you could mass produce the same design stencil over and over to fit your needs and clean up any rough edges after it's dry and the stencil has been removed.

Good luck with it!

Edited August 12, 2023 by Hyn Patty

[Ben xyz]

Wondering now if liquid latex (or wax) could be rolled over a plastic stencil with a small disposable paint roller as a resist layer. Need to do some tests. 

[Hyn Patty]

17 hours ago, Ben xyz said:

Wondering now if liquid latex (or wax) could be rolled over a plastic stencil with a small disposable paint roller as a resist layer. Need to do some tests. 

Liquid latex does not behave like latex paint.  You could try but I doubt it would work too well.  You will likely only get a one time use of the roller and have to throw it away - unless you are an amazing and super fast scrubber and can get the latex back out of it before it is a  mess.  Soaking it in soap and water afterwards is of limited benefit.  Latex masking fluid, thick or thinned,  is hell to get out of paint brushes unless you soap up the brush bristles first so the latex can't get up into it.   I'm not sure how that would work with a roller but maybe someone else here has experience with that to share.

Also with a plastic stencil, one that can't adhere to the bisque in a thin snug layer, will allow the latex to seep under the edges readily.  Doing some tests is a very good idea.

What you can do is use a wide brush to blot it on or use a sponge you don't mind throwing away after.  Either way you may need to apply multiple layers of latex.  A soaped up brush works well for this and is easy to clean between layers.  I put a heater fan on the masked area to dry it rapidly.  Thin layers don't cover well and are very difficult to find and remove once covered up with underglaze, tinted slip, or glaze.  Thicker, globby built up layers of latex are much easier to find and remove it all afterwards.  Any latex left behind by accident can ruin your final finish in firing depending on what you are masking so you need to find and remove it all.  I tint my own latex with a few drops of food coloring to help me see exactly where I am applying it so it's easier to build up layers without missing spots I already applied in the first layer. 

Keep in mind that the final difficulty of using liquid latex with a stencil is that when you go to peel the stencil off, it will also pull off the latex if it's had any chance to start drying.   You have to work fast and remove any stencil right away after applying that first layer.   Any additional layers of latex would then have to be applied by hand without the stencil still in place.  Generally you use either latex  a or a stencil but not both together.   It definitely complicates things, IMO.  Others here may have more helpful input.

Alternatively, applying wax with a stencil is much easier - again you need the stencil to adhere snugly against the bisque or liquified wax may seep under the edges.  Problem is that you can't remove the wax before firing.  You'll have to burn it off in the kiln.  That works well for some people because the wax itself makes it difficult to adhere layers of tinted slip, underglaze, or glaze over it - it acts as a resist where as latex doesn't.  In my rather precise work it's not good enough and doesn't fire off cleanly.  If you aren't too picky though and do not require precision it can work well,  less troublesome than using latex, but harder to keep everything crisp, clean and sharp in the final fired product.  With wax you'll have no pre-firing control to clean up and fine tune your edges.  So you need that wax application to be as precise as possible from the start.

If you are going for a rustic, variable end result then wax is the way to go. Faster and easier.

Again, others here may have a wider experience in using wax as a masking product and have useful suggestions to help you.

Edited August 13, 2023 by Hyn Patty

[Pres]

I have used stencils, and weeds, flowers, branches, artificial plastic greens and stems for spraying with the atomizer in the beginning and then the air gun. I don't worry about over spray as it is about building an image slowly. then I use the same stains and glazes with a brush to bring in more detail to select areas to bring up images that were not there before. Then I use the same to add movement lines and such on the pieces.

 

best,

Pres

[Pres]

Lately I have been using the stencils, stamps and branches etc directly on the slab after rolling, actually embedding into the slab a design. In the slab piece here, I used a large slab, decorated completely then cut to slabs for use so the design went around the piece. After bisque, cobalt and iron stains were used under the glaze,  

Glazing was completed using dipping, pouring and atomizing layers of opaque, and transparent glazes to build up the surface.

best,

Pres

[Ben xyz]

Great piece - thanks for posting, Pres. I understand now what you were talking about in building up the surface visually. Really nice!

Also appreciate the info about the useage of latex, Patty. Will avoid it w/ stencils (hadn't considered the possibility/probability of the stencil actually pulling off the drying latex.)
1. I have small disposable foam rollers that should work okay w/ wax on the stencil. Also have a handheld (non-electric) metal spray device to try, though may be problematic to clean. 2. Amaco Underglaze requires less coats than other underglazes, and will likely be my first choice. Since I'm working on fairly flat planes of clay, I think it'll work well enough for stenciling (occasional leakage I can live with).
3. There's always screening too and making my own Underglaze transfer sheets onto rice paper and go from there.
Had read in a post here about spray starch protecting underglaze designs to avoid smudging until object is fired, which has worked for me in some instances.

[PeterH]

On 8/12/2023 at 10:55 PM, Ben xyz said:

Wondering now if liquid latex (or wax) could be rolled over a plastic stencil with a small disposable paint roller as a resist layer. Need to do some tests. 

Would it be worth trying acrylic medium as the resist (sometimes used as an alternative to shellac resist in water-etching)?

[Marcia Selsor]

On 8/12/2023 at 3:55 PM, Ben xyz said:

Wondering now if liquid latex (or wax) could be rolled over a plastic stencil with a small disposable paint roller as a resist layer. Need to do some tests. 

I use liquid latex resist. I don't think what you are suggesting would work, but I could be wrong. Try it and see what happens..

Marcia

[Marcia Selsor]

I use stencil paper, what I would call a thin cardboard like binder dividers. I cut the image or pattern with exact knife

[Ben xyz]

Thanks Marcia for sharing w/ beautiful results! Enjoyed seeing all the variations. One thing I'm not clear on is the product name you use on your brushes before using latex? Sounded like a good tip.

[Marcia Selsor]

23 hours ago, Ben xyz said:

Thanks Marcia for sharing w/ beautiful results! Enjoyed seeing all the variations. One thing I'm not clear on is the product name you use on your brushes before using latex? Sounded like a good tip.

 

23 hours ago, Ben xyz said:

Thanks Marcia for sharing w/ beautiful results! Enjoyed seeing all the variations. One thing I'm not clear on is the product name you use on your brushes before using latex? Sounded like a good tip.

 

[Marcia Selsor]

Just a few drops of dish detergent worked into brush bristles.