Studio Time - Glazing Away

Welp, the last batch that came out was very disheartening. Haven't really felt like going to the ceramics studio on account of just how ugly those pieces turned out. But! Lesson learned: don't rush glazing day. Just don't even bother. Go eat a slice of pizza instead of trying to rush the glazing process. 

That's the thing about glazing. It's easily my least favorite part of the whole process. I find it tedious and yet, so risky. I mean, after wedging, centering, throwing, pulling, wiring, drying, trimming, and firing the greenware... here you are with these gorgeous snow-white bisque pieces, and one wrong move can throw out all that hard work out the window. Thrilling.

So today, I decided to be super slow about. Step by step, just like I learned in high school. 

Step 1: Clean pieces off with damp sponge.

Step 2: Paint wax resist on the base, so that it doesn't stick to the kiln. I've been playing around with this foot–where it tucks in underneath–so I plan on just keeping the entire foot unglazed.

Step 3: Dip it in the first glaze. I chose glossy white for the bottom layer. Then, clean off the base with a sponge, so that none of that is on the bottom. 

Step 4: Then, I dipped the pieces in seaworld, on top of the glossy white. Saw a finished piece with this combo, and the variation in the color was stunning. Hoping it turns out the same.

Side note: I'm working on embracing the imperfection. The drippy glaze is actually making me so happy these days.

Step 5: Send it out for firing! And cross your fingers!

And look at all the other fun pieces ready for the kiln.

The seaworld glaze is a nice aqua / seafoam color when it's used by itself on the clay. However, when it's on glossy white, the color is much deeper and nuanced: more like a navy blue / black with borders of bright cobalt blue... and lots of fun texture when the glazes run together. I am hopeful for this batch.