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Català- TIPS & INFORMATION
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Pottery is an ancient and exciting art that allows creative expression. The choice of glaze is essential to determine the appearance and durability of your ceramic piece. Our "Quick Guide to Selecting Ceramic Glazes" simplifies this process, offering tips for beginners and experts. We explore factors such as compatibility with clay, desired effects and safety, especially in food-grade ceramics.
Your choice of glaze affects both the aesthetics and functionality of your work, so take a moment to explore this guide before you start. With information and experimentation, you will stand out and your creations will last over time. Let's get started!
1. Clay compatibility:
When choosing a ceramic glaze, clay compatibility is extremely important to prevent common problems such as chipping or cracking after firing. You should consider that some glazes are more suitable for red clays, while others are for white clays.
In addition, there are glazes with special characteristics, such as those with a low coefficient of expansion, ideal for clays with thermal shock resistance. This choice is important to guarantee a good result.
2. Firing temperature:
Firing temperature is a critical factor when selecting a ceramic glaze. To guarantee the success of your project, it is essential that the recommended firing temperature for the glaze is compatible with the clay you have chosen. In general, it is essential to use low temperature glazes with low temperature clays and high temperature glazes with high temperature clays.
Currently, there are wide firing range glazes that can be used in both high and low temperature, which provides great flexibility to ceramists.
3. Use and function:
It is essential to consider the use and function of the ceramic piece. If the piece must be in contact with food or liquids, we must prioritize glazes suitable for this purpose, normally free of lead or other metals that could be toxic or harmful during use. For decorative purposes, you can focus on aesthetics. If the piece is utilitarian, resistant glazes are key to guarantee its functionality and durability.
4. Desired effect:
Clearly establish the visual and tactile result that you aspire to obtain in your ceramic project, whether it is a glossy, matte, translucent, opaque finish, specific colors, textures or other particular characteristics. This will guide you in choosing the right glaze to capture your creative vision.
5. Application:
Before applying the glaze, it is essential to ensure that the surface of the clay is completely clean and free of any dust or impurities that may affect the final result.
In addition, you will need to select the technique to apply the glaze, whether by dipping, brushing or spraying. With glazes that adjust to the specific characteristics of each technique, such as viscosity and fluidity, you can easily achieve the desired effect on your ceramic piece.
Useful tips:
1. The glazes can be applied to the already fired piece (biscuit) or to the raw piece. The most advisable thing to avoid interactions between clay and glaze is to use them on a previously fired piece.
2. If possible, always try to do a small preliminary test of the glaze you have selected.
3. Apply the glaze evenly and in thin layers to avoid drips and excessive buildup that could affect the final quality of the piece.
4. Allow the glaze coats to dry properly between applications to avoid problems such as bubbles or cracks.
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