Paint for Ceramics Underglaze!

Underglaze underglazes can encompass slips and stains, as well as products that are marketed as underglazes.

Slips Slips are a clay body, a colored clay body, or a clay body mixed with stain. Slips can be made thick or thin. They must be applied while the ceramic piece is wet, so that the slip and the piece dry and shrink at the same rate. This technique for decorating is most effective when the slip is made of the same clay as the piece itself.

Underglaze and Stains Underglaze is a stain made for ceramics or masonry (concrete). Underglaze is the stain mixed with a binder (similar to watercolor paint). It can be applied to greenware (because it does not seal the piece), or to bisqueware (because it is still porous). Underglaze is designed to not shrink and come off the piece, and yet it is not rigid, so it will move with the piece if there is a little shrinking in the kiln.

Surface quality Underglazes, slips and stains do not fire shiny, and they do not seal the piece.

Clear Glaze To finish and seal the piece, you must apply a clear glaze and fire to maturity. This will intensify the colors of the stains and slips, and it will leave the piece shiny and waterproof.

Why use underglaze? Underglazes are great for painting detail! They also can be watered down like watercolor or acrylic paint, for a painterly effect. They can be mixed like paint to create new colors, and blend colors. Underglazes will stay put and not run. They do not have much thickness so they will be smooth when finished.

Your Assignment Design a piece in your sketchbook that has at least one large flat area for painting an image in underglaze. Using watercolor or other paint, paint an image for your piece in you sketchbook. Decide whether to slab build or use a mold. Build your piece. Be sure to use the skills and craftsmanship you have developed over your last several projects! Allow piece to dry, and fire to bisqueware. Using underglazes, paint your image onto your piece. Fire once more to cone 05. Apply zinc-free clear glaze to the piece, 1-3 coats. Fire to cone 4-5.