Glaze Group Meeting

10th July 2007

Di opened the meeting with a problem she had found with a glaze from the Mike Bailey book- JB2 Jun glaze. It was shown as a blue glaze in the book but had turned out green on her pots, two quite different greens and colours she was quite happy with but that weren’t what she’d expected. 

Mike had brought along a bowl on which he had used the same glaze and had achieved a lovely pale blue colour and the differing results were thought to be due to the iron,( or lack of it) in the body used ,Di had used ES5 which has very little or no iron hence the green results instead of blue.

Another problem discussed was that of an aluminium matt glaze Di had been experimenting with (ASM2 Mike Bailey book). She had applied the same glaze to two dishes only to obtain a lovely yellow colour on one and a brown-buff colour on the other. It was discussed and decided that the glaze thickness was to blame and that the thicker the glaze was applied the more of the yellow was lost.

Mike brought in a sample of a tin based glaze which he had used on a shallow dish to produce a creamy/white opaque glaze inside and on the outside, where he’d applied it more sparingly a warm rusty orange colour was obtained where the iron from the body had reacted with the glaze. The recipe is:-

 Feldspar   28, China clay   19, Dolomite    17, Whiting    3, Flint / Quartz   36, Yellow Ochre   2, Tin Oxide   9.

Mike brought some books to show the group.” The Potters Book of Glaze Recipes” by Emmanuel Cooper-an obvious must for the glaze group ,” Sources of Inspiration”, ( for ceramics and applied arts),by Carolyn Genders, a superb book, great for dipping into during those times when ideas just won’t come and “ Ceramics Technical”, an Australian bi yearly  publication which is crammed with information on all aspects of ceramic production.

The meeting ended with the group deciding to have an outing to the Roche Sculpture Park at East Winterslow, Nr Salisbury for the next meeting on August 14^th 2007.

The next Glaze Group Meeting will be at Diana Carter's home:  "Dellcroft", Hensting Lane, Owlesbury, Nr Winchester at 12 noon on Tuesday 9th October 2007.  Everyone is welcome.  A contribution towards a light lunch will  be appreciated.  Let Diana Carter (01962 777297) know if you plan to attend.