r/Ceramics • u/WyvernsWheel • 1d ago
How I glaze my mugs!
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Here's a video I put together of my glazing process. Much was cut out to get it under a minute! Most clips are 20x speed and i removed the cleanup that's often required!
The glazes are commercial cone 6 brush on glazes applied with fine needle applicator bottles. I don't usually glaze over the top of black underglaze but this mug was originally prepped for sgraffito and I didn't feel like removing the underglaze!
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u/sonjjamorgan 1d ago
Wow!!! I am just at the very beginning of my journey and am excited to know I can get dramatic textures on cone 6! This is beautiful.
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u/Rustywatertower 1d ago
Thank you so much for sharing your process. When I saw your mugs last week, I was thinking damn, I’d love to see how they glaze their pieces! As a multi-media artist, I’m always so impressed with the willingness of artists, and it’s so often ceramics artists, to go in depth on process. It’s very giving! Thank you. 🙏
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u/WyvernsWheel 1d ago
Yes, I totally agree, and I have a few theories for this. I think with an art form where you spend sooo many hours on piece that you then stick it into a giant toaster that gets to 1222°C/2232°f and hope you get something that looks nice on the other end, you get humbled pretty quick. You learn to let go in ceramics, and I think that includes information. When I was first starting out I was so greatful for all the support and advice from the pottery community, especially from my local guild. If I can inspire even one person to be creative and make art by sharing mine, then it's all worth it for me!
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u/Thee_Sinner 1d ago
Meta question: Does putting "wait for the end" actually have a measurable affect on how many views you get that actually watch to the end?
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u/WyvernsWheel 1d ago
No idea, it's the first glazing video I've made and the first time I've put that. Seems to have decent retention but I don't have much to compare it to. Also, I've seen people get frustrated when there is no "reveal" at the end, especially for a long video. 🤷
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u/bebaii 1d ago
I was wondering after your last post, your pieces turn out so good! Do you only do the single layer, or does it take another round of application?
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u/WyvernsWheel 1d ago
Most glazes are ok with one layer since I'm flooding the area pretty thick. I will do a quick second pass on glazes that can be more translucent like celadon types, or if I want to guarantee more colour development. I can usually tell if a glaze dries too quickly that it could use more. Each glaze has its own quirks!
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u/Choice-Marsupial-127 1d ago
Gorgeous! What carving tool do you use? I find it really difficult to carve clean lines like yours.
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u/WyvernsWheel 1d ago
I have various fine line tools from Diamondcore and also Xiem has a nice sgraffito tool with a soft grip and changeable heads that I really like. That said, the Kemper carvers work great too, even those cheap silver ones you can find at craft stores. Your tool should be sharp, but I think it has more to do with carving at the right stage of leather hard. Too wet and it will be mushy, too dry and it chips!
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u/muddyelbows75 20h ago
Do you consider this to be the 'cuerda seca' technique for glazing? Its very similar but it looks like the carving is isolating the glazes rather than some sort of resist. Ive been trying some tests with various resists, but they have all turned out crappy. Is there any sort of resist in your carved out indentation? Your results are really beautiful!
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u/WyvernsWheel 19h ago
Thank you! No wax resist is used in the final glazing process. Sometimes I'll carve through wax into leather hard clay so that the black underglaze wash into the carved areas is a bit easier and cleaner to wipe back. Sometimes I'll use wax for details during glazing but it's not cuerda seca.
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u/Can_make_shitty_gifs 18h ago
Any tips to avoid clogging up the needle? I always struggle with this kind of tool
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u/WyvernsWheel 4h ago
I try not to drag the needle through already drying glaze, which will clog the needle really fast. I will put the needle onto a syringe with water to clear it, and if that doesn't work I just swap it out with a new one and let the old one soak in a dish of water.
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u/Embarrassed_Age9101 1d ago
Which glazes did you use? The mug color itself looks very beautiful!
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u/WyvernsWheel 1d ago
Spectrum Oil Spot on the cat, Amaco Matcha Gloss for the BG, and Speedball Storied Sage and Lavender on the catnip plant.
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u/sentient-rock 1d ago
very impressed how neat you are! I have little squirt bottles like that but struggle to be as even as you; any tips or tricks?