search  current discussion  categories  glazes - misc 

glaze opacity, surface questions

updated sun 28 mar 99

 

Chris Schafale on fri 26 mar 99

A couple of glaze development questions:

I have a couple of glazes that are very nice but are a bit too
transparent. What does one do to a glaze to get it to be more opaque
without being lighter in color as seems to happen with opacifiers
like Zircopax? The glazes in question are a deep green and a
root-beer brown, both of which I like, but would like better
coverage. Also, drips and overlaps are very obvious with these
glazes. I'd appreciate any ideas about avenues to explore.

Second question: I have a matt glaze that I'd like to push toward
a more satin surface. Do I just add more silica, or would I also
need to add more flux?

Thanks in advance.

Chris


Light One Candle Pottery
Fuquay-Varina, NC
candle@intrex.net

The Buchanans on sat 27 mar 99

Chris, Try 5% or more rutile or titianium dioxide . Rutile might yellow or
mottle the glaze a little and the titanium some times lightens the color
especially if you are getting some of the color from the clay but they are
your best bet for an easy fix.

Judi B.
-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Schafale
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Friday, March 26, 1999 1:57 PM
Subject: Glaze opacity, surface questions


----------------------------Original message----------------------------
A couple of glaze development questions:

I have a couple of glazes that are very nice but are a bit too
transparent. What does one do to a glaze to get it to be more opaque
without being lighter in color as seems to happen with opacifiers
like Zircopax? The glazes in question are a deep green and a
root-beer brown, both of which I like, but would like better
coverage. Also, drips and overlaps are very obvious with these
glazes. I'd appreciate any ideas about avenues to explore.

Second question: I have a matt glaze that I'd like to push toward
a more satin surface. Do I just add more silica, or would I also
need to add more flux?

Thanks in advance.

Chris


Light One Candle Pottery
Fuquay-Varina, NC
candle@intrex.net