"Ceramic glaze, or simply glaze, is a glassy coating on ceramics."
Overview of the various types of glazes and surface decoration techniques, including underglazing, overglazing, and other methods used to give ceramics their final appearance.
Understanding clay: This involves knowing the physical and chemical properties of clay and how it affects the glazing and surface decoration process.
Glaze chemistry: This involves learning how to mix and formulate glazes, and the chemistry involved in bonding with the clay body.
Glaze application techniques: This involves learning different methods of applying glazes, such as brushing, spraying, dipping, or pouring.
Firing techniques: This involves understanding how the firing process can affect the final outcome of the glaze and surface decorations, including the temperature, atmosphere, and duration of firing.
Basic surface decoration techniques: This involves learning basic techniques such as carving, etching, and sgraffito.
Painting techniques: This involves learning different techniques for applying color and design to the surface of clay, such as underglaze or overglaze painting.
Stamping and incising techniques: This involves learning how to create texture and patterns on the surface of the clay using stamps or incising tools.
Slip application techniques: This involves learning how to apply slips, which are liquid clay solutions used for decoration and add texture to a surface.
Stenciling techniques: This involves learning how to apply stencils to the surface of clay to create shapes and patterns.
Decal and transfer techniques: This involves learning how to apply pre-made designs onto the surface of clay using decals or transfers.
Molding and casting techniques: This involves learning how to make molds and casts to create unique shapes and designs.
Kiln maintenance: This involves learning how to properly maintain and operate a kiln to ensure consistent results and prolong its lifespan.
Safety precautions: This involves understanding the safety hazards associated with working with clay and glazes, and learning best practices to minimize risk.
Analyzing glazes and surface decorations: This involves learning how to analyze finished products to better understand how changes in the glazing and surface decoration process can affect the final outcome.
Clear Glaze: A transparent glaze that does not alter the color of the clay body beneath it.
Opalescent Glaze: A semi-transparent glaze that has a pearly, iridescent quality.
Matte Glaze: A non-glossy glaze that usually has a slightly rough or textured surface.
Gloss Glaze: A shiny glaze that creates a smooth, reflective surface.
Satin Glaze: A glaze that has a slightly less glossy finish than a gloss glaze, usually with a velvety smooth surface.
Crystalline Glaze: A glaze that produces crystals within the glaze during firing, creating a unique and intricate surface.
Celadon Glaze: A translucent green glaze that was originally developed in China.
Shino Glaze: A glaze that was developed in Japan and produces a range of orange and brown colors, often with small cracks or imperfections.
Tenmoku Glaze: A glossy black glaze that was originally developed in China.
Crawl Glaze: A glaze that intentionally "crawls" or pulls away from certain areas of the clay, creating a unique and distinctive surface.
Sgraffito: A technique that involves scratching or carving designs into the surface of the clay before glazing or firing.
Mishima: A technique that involves carving or incising designs into the surface of the clay and then filling the grooves with a contrasting slip or glaze.
Stenciling: A technique that involves using a stencil or template to apply a design onto the surface of the clay.
Sprigging: A technique that involves attaching small three-dimensional decorative elements, called sprigs, to the surface of the clay.
Incising: A technique that involves scratching or carving designs into the surface of the clay.
Relief: A technique that involves creating a raised design or pattern on the surface of the clay by adding or removing clay.
Underglaze Painting: A technique that involves painting designs onto the surface of the clay with underglaze colors before glazing or firing.
Overglaze Painting: A technique that involves painting designs onto the surface of the glazed and fired clay with overglaze colors.
Wax Resist: A technique that involves coating the surface of the clay with wax before applying glaze, creating a resist that prevents the glaze from adhering to certain areas of the clay.
Decals: A technique that involves applying pre-made ceramic transfers, called decals, to the surface of the glazed and fired clay.
"It is used for decoration, to ensure the item is impermeable to liquids and to minimize the adherence of pollutants."
"Glazing renders earthenware impermeable to water, sealing the inherent porosity of biscuit earthenware. It also gives a tougher surface."
"Glaze is also used on stoneware and porcelain."
"Glazes can form a variety of surface finishes, including degrees of glossy or matte finish and color."
"Glazes may also enhance the underlying design or texture either unmodified or inscribed, carved or painted."
"Most pottery produced in recent centuries has been glazed unless made from biscuit porcelain, terracotta, or other specific types."
"Tiles are often glazed on the surface face, and modern architectural terracotta is often glazed. Glazed brick is also common. Sanitaryware is invariably glazed, as are many ceramics used in industry."
"The most important groups of traditional glazes, each named after its main ceramic fluxing agent, are Ash glaze, Feldspathic glazes of porcelain, Lead glazes, Salt-glaze, and Tin-glaze."
"Ash glaze, traditionally important in East Asia, is simply made from wood or plant ash, which contains potash and lime."
"Lead glazes, plain or colored, are glossy and transparent after firing, which need only about 800 °C (1,470 °F)."
"Salt-glaze is mostly European stoneware and uses ordinary salt."
"Tin-glaze coats the ware with lead glaze, made opaque white by the addition of tin."
"Tin-glaze was known in the Ancient Near East and then important in Islamic pottery, from which it passed to Europe."
"Glaze may be applied by spraying, dipping, trailing or brushing on an aqueous suspension of the unfired glaze."
"The color of a glaze after it has been fired may be significantly different from before firing."
"To prevent glazed wares sticking to kiln furniture during firing, either a small part of the object being fired is left unglazed or, alternatively, special refractory 'spurs' are used as supports."
"These [refractory 'spurs'] are removed and discarded after firing."
"Modern materials technology has invented new glazes that do not necessarily conform to these traditional categories."