Colour and Glaze
Statement
Country Love Ceramics specialises in supplying to Clay Cafes, studios, mobile party plan businesses and hobbyists. Hence, we do not stock specialist under and over glazes nor pretend to be experts in the advanced field of ceramic artistry. We know our own speciality well and can offer newcomers to world of "Paint Your Own Pottery" down to earth advice about all the products available to them. We hope the synopsis that follows will assist you in your decision making processes. We stress that the definitions used are our own and reflect our own speciality.
Colour
By "colour" we mean any product that can be painted onto bisque, glazed with a transparent over glaze and then fired to give a permanent ceramic finish. We include in this definition coloured and speciality glazes that can be painted onto bisque and fired in their own right to give a permanent ceramic finish.
Colour Selection
There are many different brands of colour available in the market place and it is very difficult for the newcomer to determine which brand to use. The following considerations should be made.
Colour Strength Does the fired result have strength and depth of colour ?
User Friendly Can the colour be applied easily by children and adults?
Cost Is the cost across the range of colours uniform and reasonable? Discounts What discounts are available? Are they consistent? Range Is there a good selection of bright contemporary colours? Lead Free Are the products lead free and do the labels state this? Names Do the colour names reflect the image you wish to portray? Packaging Are the products available in the sizes you need? Dispensing Do the colours dispense easily? Supplier Quantities Can you purchase in small quantities and retain
Colour Tiles Are tiles available, if so at what cost?
Over the years we have undertaken this research for you and our results are reflected in the colour product range we sell.
Bisque Under Glaze Only one colour product achieves positive results on all the considerations above. And it is not surprising that it is our own branded product "Studio Strokes". This is because we set the criteria when selecting the product to brand with our name. "Studio Strokes" are a non-leaded bisque under glaze in 50+ colours with English names that reflect their colour and shade. They have a high pigment and frit powdered glass content to give colour strength and unusually good blending properties. They are easy to apply and dry quickly. Supplied in 2oz and 1 pint (US) plastic bottles with a flip top self-sealing dispenser cap, they are easy to dispense and resistant to drying out. Competitively priced, the cost for every colour in the range is uniform against size and they can be purchased in any quantity. Trade discounts are second to none. "Fun Strokes" by Gare are a reliable and consistent product used extensively in this country. They are priced higher than "Studio Strokes", particularly some of the blue, orange and red colours. They tend not to blend as easily as “Studio Strokes”. We stock the more popular range and supply in single units. Red Under Glaze Much is written about red under glazes, each manufacturer and supplier claiming they have the superior product. The reds in our "Studio Stroke" range are quite adequate for children and general studio needs and are good value. However, there is always a requirement for a vibrant red with high quality pigment. Although they are more expensive they are worth investing in. Following many tests we confidently recommend two reds manufactured by Spectrum as the most successful for studio use. The codes are SP367 (Fire Engine) and SP368 (Christmas) and they are supplied in 2oz and I pint containers. Best alternatives at lower prices are the Duncan CN073 (Dark Scarlet). Coloured Glaze We supply a small range of the most popular crystal, pottery and velvet glazes but these are of limited appeal in a contemporary studio and we strongly advise against investing heavily into these products. We supply all in single units. Through our “Training and Development” programme you will be able to learn how to use these more specialist products and will then be better placed to make your colour selections. One Stroke Under Glaze One stroke under glazes were used in the traditional hobby studios of yesteryear. The better products were high in pigment and were stroked directly onto clay or greenware pieces and then fired in before an application of glaze and a further firing. The detail obtained was phenomenal and the colour striking. We have found that certain one strokes can be applied successfully onto bisque and can be treated in the same way as a bisque under glaze provided heavy applications are not made. We therefore use "one stroke underglazes" to enhance work with "bisque under glazes" and they feature prominently in our adult training workshops. We do not recommend them for everyday use in your contemporary studio; however, they are eminently suitable for the advanced design work that could feature in your advanced training programme for adults. We stock the primary and most popular colours of the Duncan EZ range. 3 Dimensional Under Glaze We supply a range of 3 dimensional under glazes for adding depth to designs. Children in particular like to create spots, enlarged eyes, buttons etc using such products. We recommend “Bumpy Doodles” for use by children and “French Dimensions” for more refined dimensional work by adults. Transparent Over Glaze Selection
As with colour there are many brands of clear transparent over glaze available in the market. Your choice of brand here is even more vital to you! If you or your customers spend hours painting a masterpiece, just imagine your horror when you remove an item from the kiln to find that the glazing and firing process has ruined the piece. There are other important factors to consider too!
Brush or Dipping Glaze Glaze can be applied by brush (two or three coats) or the item can be dipped into a bucket of glaze for 2-5 seconds to achieve the same result. Dye Most glazes contain a coloured dye that burns out in the firing process. This is so that you can see where the glaze has covered. A non coloured glaze is more difficult to use. Lead Free Glazes containing a small amount of lead are slightly easier to use but they are more expensive. “Lead Free” studios are the most popular. Grit A number of dipping glazes are manufactured without sufficient refining of the end product. If the glaze contains tiny particles of grit, the glaze on your fired piece can look as though it has chicken pox! Drying Time Some popular glazes are manufactured and marketed solely for hobby and contemporary businesses. They contain a product that makes the glaze thicker and is supposedly easier to use for the amateur. It is our experience that these glazes take a long time to dry, delaying the point at which they can be loaded into the kiln and fired. Industrial glaze dries quickly and is much cheaper than glaze designed for the amateur. Ease of Use It is our opinion that given the correct training and a degree of on-the-job experience, any one can move from amateur status to professional glazer! After all, if you are serious about your business or hobby you will not wish to be thought of as an amateur! Delayed Crazing Crazing of the glaze surface after firing can take place immediately on unloading the kiln or weeks or months later. You will not wish to have your customers returning to you with complaints about crazed glaze on their masterpiece! Delayed crazing can be caused by a number of problems,not least by the quality of bisque you use or the temperature at which you open the kiln. A more fundamental problem concerns the glaze. In our experience, some glaze in the market place is prone to delayed crazing and we will advise you of this before you purchase those brands. Glazed Form Glaze can be supplied in crystals, ready to be mixed with water. It is cheap and freight costs are low. However, mixing is critical, takes time and requires specialist equipment and space. Concentrate glaze is ready mixed and simply reqiures the addition of an equal amount of water and some gentle stirring. It is economically priced and freight costs only marginally higher than crystal. Ready to use glaze is generally more expensive and freight costs are high because you are shipping water content. Cost There are wide differences in the cost of glaze while there is very little difference in the end results. You will use large quantities of glaze so it makes sense to choose wisely. Consider the discounts available to you.
Final Selection We supply a wide range of glaze from different manufacturers. Glaze selection is a matter of personal choice depending on your environmental views, your practical awareness, the working space available to you and the distance you are from your supplier. For account holders we offer a combined discount on all colour, glaze and bisque up to 48%. This helps enormously when planning your orders to spread your freight charges and maximise your discount on key products. In our opinion, the best and most economical glaze in the market is our own branded glaze CLC000. Supplied in a pale aqua concentrate form in containers making 2 or 5 gallons of glaze, it is lead free, grit free, dries quickly, and is guaranteed against delayed crazing on quality bisque if applied and fired correctly. It is in use in the largest and most successful studios in the UK. Visit our on line shopping NOW! |