Mg versus Ilmenite granules in clay

[Kathryn Howlett]

I have been successfully adding granulated manganese to white clay to add speckles. Would adding Ilmenite granules have the effect?

 

[fergusonjeff]

Excellent question, and I am looking forward to responses.

I think it depends on the temp you are firing to.  My understanding is the granular manganese is better at cone 6 (melts and of-gasses too much at cone 10) and granular illmenite (or magnetite) work better at cone 10.

 

[Kathryn Howlett]

I work in a shared studio and all firing is done at cone 6. The manganese gives nice spots and does not cause any pitting.  It definitely melts at cone 6. I did a dumb experiment adding it to a glaze and I got grey runny streaks.  

[Kathryn Howlett]

I would love to replicate the look of Plainsman dragon fruit clay as it is not available here in Ontario, Canada. 

[Callie Beller Diesel]

Dragon Fruit is an IMCO product that can be purchased at the Plainsman outlet in Victoria. I can’t get it in Calgary either, sadly. (I only mention it in case anyone else goes looking for the SDS). 

Granular Illmenite tends to fire a more tan/light beige brown colour in cone 6 ox  glazes, not the darker brown of manganese. It does tend to show better in reduction. I have no idea how it would turn out in a clay body. It’s a titanium mineral that has more iron than rutile does, so I don’t know if the chemical decomposition is going to be less than the Mn. I don’t think it would show well if you’re adding it to a darker clay body, but it might on a lighter one. You’d really have to do a small test to find out. 

 

[Min]

Greenbarn in Surrey BC carries it also. $79.73 / 50lb box. 

It might not be either ilmenite or granular manganese in IMCO's Dragon Fruit, could be a black fritted material like Georgie's uses in their Pioneer Dark with speckles.