glazing

...always takes longer than planned, always difficult to transition from having my hands in clay.  I was thinking about this because, hey, I'm glazing.  I think the difficult transition has to do with the fact that I'm still experimenting quite a bit, working the bugs out of a few glazes, learning their peculiarities. And, glaze is not paint- what you see is not what you get and there are so many variables affecting the outcome:  A little too thick or too thin and this glaze won't work. Another glaze needs a long soak at the end of firing, this one a slow cool-down cycle. This glaze used to work but now it blisters???  And, oh, guess what- that glaze material has been mined out of existence so come up with a new plan.

On the other hand, experimentation sometimes leads to some pretty neat discoveries which can be very rewarding.  So stop complaining and get back to work.

Above mugs with engobes applied.

 

 Here are the same mugs, freshly glazed (glaze applied over engobes) next to a finished mug with the same glaze.

Bisque ware is like the plain white undies of pottery, and I mean those big high waist ones.  I think it is the least attractive step in the pottery making process and screams to be dressed up. Especially this tan stoneware that ends up pink at the bisque stage. I thought this bowl looked great when is was still green ware (raw clay), but I'm not so fond of it as bisque ware. It works best for me to think ahead about glaze when I'm forming the pot, and I had one in mind for this one.  So maybe the glaze will dress it up as I envisioned while I was making this bowl.  Still a little skeptical.