Ghost leaves
The pursuit of designs from leaves.
The desire for a more subtle result went too far.
These two leaf print designs utilize the same leaf wash, containing mostly
phosphorus and a teensy bit of Mica.
The leaf wash reacts strongly with two different matrix glazes, with the
effect that the leaf is seen as though
Note that because the leaf wash is comprised almost entirely of sodium and
phosphorous, the result is not surprising.
As a result of containing high alkali metals, the background glazes are fluid.
The leaf wash adds to the picture
plate is ~ 8 inches in diameter.
plate is ~ 8 inches in diameter.
150 deg F an hour to 250 deg F
400 deg F an hour to 1800 deg F
300 deg F an hour to 2170 deg F with a hold of 1 hour at 2170 deg F
120 deg F an hour to 2250 deg F
60 deg F an hour to 2270 deg F with a hold of 30 minutes at 2270 deg F
60 deg F an hour to 2310 deg F with a hold of 20 minutes at 2310 deg F
300 deg F an hour to 1750 deg F then a 4 hour hold at 1750 deg F
25 deg F an hour to 1650 deg F then a one hour hold at 1650 deg F
K2O 0.17
Al2O3 0.63
SiO2 3.58
molecular percent Silica 64.4%
K2O 0.12
Al2O3 0.64
SiO2 3.23
molecular percent Silica 62.2%
K2O 0.03
Al2O3 0.09
SiO2 0.22
molecular percent Silica 13.3%
A leaf is softened by soaking in water laced with water softener. After
the pot is glazed, the leaf is pressed
through a glass darkly. The only
contrast is that provided by the difference in thickness of the glaze
beneath the leaves. This is more clearly seen in the second example, in
which the matrix (background)
glaze has substantially more alkali metals than
the first.
mostly alkali metals and phosphorus, already
in plentiful supply. After the fact, this result is the consequence of
the lack of a stiffener, e.g. alumina to localize the effect of the wash to
the design.
Image of the plate with glaze alex_mashiko_Imerys_Z3J and leaf wash leaf_Z3J.
Image of the plate with glaze satIron_ZG_0_PK_MLi and leaf wash leaf_Z3J.
oxidation firing to cone 10 in an electric kiln
Firing profiles
Up Fire profile
Down Fire Profile
Clay body is a crystal springs porcelain from Georgies in Portland.
glaze compositions
Empirical Formula alex_mashiko_Imerys_Z3J:
Na2O 0.37
CaO 0.39
MgO 0.07
Fe2O3 0.24
P2O5 0.11
Empirical Formula satIron_ZG_0_PK_MLi :
Na2O 0.69
CaO 0.18
MgO 0.01
Fe2O3 0.22
P2O5 0.1
Empirical Formulae of leaf wash glaze leaf_Z3J:
Na2O 0.97
P2O5 0.32
into the glaze. When the glaze
dries, a swatch of plate including the leaf is coated with wax. When the wax
is dry, the leaf is removed and the indentations in the glaze are coated
with a very thin layer of an
underfired glaze.