2. But first… what is clay?  Decomposing igneous rock.

3. What is slip?  Clay particles suspended in water.  Colored slip has colorants and minerals in it as well.

4. GLAZE IS…  A liquid suspension of finely ground minerals which is applied on the surface of bisque fired clay.  The glaze ingredients will melt together when fired to form a glossy glass-like surface.

5. Therefore we need to go to the next level of our relationship with clay.  The theoretical chemical breakdown of clay is as followed: AI203-2SiO2-2H20  Aluminum Oxide  Silica  Water

6. Every glaze is made of the following 3 materials:  Silica – Creates glass. Examples: quartz, flint, pure silica  Alumina – Stiffens the glaze so it doesn’t slide off the clay. Examples: clay (kaolin, ball clay, or fire clay), alumina hydrate  Flux – Causes the glaze to melt at a low enough temperature to be used in ceramics. Examples: feldspar, whiting Glace Composition

7. GLAZE  The purpose of a glaze is to: 1. Decorate or add color to a ceramic piece. 2. Waterproof a ceramic object. A clay body should be glazed in order to seal pores and make it water-tight.  Glazing is generally done by brushing, pouring, dipping.

8. GLAZE Many different colors are possible using minerals and elements as a basis for colorant. The color of the liquid glaze IS NOT necessarily the color it will be when fired.

9. Here is the most important part… BE CLEAN!!!!!!

10. Here are the steps!! Grab your bisque ceramic piece, wipe it off with a damp sponge.

11. WAX RESIST

12. Next wax your foot: Go up your cup/ piece a quarter to half an inch. Glaze moves, it melts

13. Place waxed piece upside down on wax resist table.

14. 4. Get glaze ready: Use clean whisk!

15. Now dip!

17. Set cup on side table on top of the stack of paper. Let it dry before you touch it again.

18. Set your glaze piece on this table!

19. Now clean your tools!

20. BUT WAIT before you do that… make sure the lid is on the glaze bucket!! This keeps from it getting contaminated and destroying the $50 worth of glaze we have.

21. Return tools to proper place:

22. Now clean your foot!

23. TADA!!!

24. Now fill out a Glaze ticket!

25. Set it on the self, do a happy dance

26. Throw away used paper

27. Ms. Green will come around and stamp the tickets that ceramic pieces are good to be fired. If yours doesn’t get a stamp within a day or two… you need to fix something.

28. If you don’t clean off the the bottom of your foot. Your piece is going to get stuck to the shelf and I am going to have to take a hammer to your piece to break it off. Therefore: a)Your piece gets broken. b)The kiln shelf has to be repaired. c)You are upset, sad, and angry. d)Ms. Green is upset, sad, and angry.

29. Do all this hard work, keep it clean, (cross your fingers the kiln does what it suppose to, the glaze isn’t tampered with) and… You’ll have a piece of art you are proud of!