The Two modes of a Gaze

This glaze can appear as a micro-crystalline matte glaze, or a variegated glossy iron red with
multitudinous crystals, depending on its mood.

There may be two factors (or more) that contribute to the variation in the appearance of this glaze:
the application thickness, and the clay base to which it adheres.

A porcelain mug, which is not shown, has the glossy variegated version of this glaze on the exterior,
but has almost the micro-crystalline matte version on its inside bottom where the glaze pooled. That mug is
the same clay as the bowl that is displayed below, and from which I conclude that the dense crystals of
the micro-crystalline matte version are primarily the result of a heavy glaze application.

The vase shown here was thrown from stoneware and the toothy surface of the clay may have also contributed
to the formation of the micro-crystalline matte finish.

The vase has an inlay of the glaze satIron_mashiko_neph_Imerys, which displays a golden frame at the boundary.

The design is created by adhering a mask and then applying the main glaze. After drying, the mask is removed
and the open area filled in with a second glaze, using a bulb syringe with a needle applicator.



Image of the micro-crystalline matte version of the glaze iron_Alex_0_Z38

full view

vase is ~ 8 inches high

Clay body is cone 10 BMix



Image of the variegated glossy version of the glaze iron_Alex_0_Z38

full view

inside

full view

outside

bowl ~ 4 inches in diameter

Clay body is cone 10 grolleg porcelain from Tacoma Clay Art Center



oxidation firing to cone 10 in an electric kiln

Firing profiles

Up Fire profile

150 deg F an hour to 250 deg F

400 deg F an hour to 1800 deg F

200 deg F an hour to 2050 deg F

120 deg F an hour to 2310 deg F with a hold of 20 minutes at 2310 deg F

Down Fire Profile

300 deg F an hour to 1750 deg F then a 50 minute hold at 1750 deg F

300 deg F an hour to 1700 deg F then a three hour hold at 1700 deg F

25 deg F an hour to 1650 deg F then a one hour hold at 1650 deg F



glaze composition

Empirical Formula iron_Alex_0_Z38 :

K2O        0.09
Na2O       0.42
Li2O       0.15
CaO        0.32
MgO        0.02

Al2O3      0.57
Fe2O3      0.16

SiO2       3.34
P2O5       0.03

molecular percent Silica 65%



Inlay Glaze Composition

Empirical Formula satIron_mashiko_neph_Imerys :

K2O        0.08
Na2O       0.11
Li2O       0.28
CaO        0.51
MgO        0.02

Al2O3      0.61
Fe2O3      0.25

SiO2       4.0
P2O5       0.15

molecular percent Silica 66.7%



Remarks

The mug refered to is the same clay as the bowl, from which I conclude that the dense crystals of the
micro-crystalline matte version are primarily the result of a heavy glaze application.

The toothy surface of the stoneware may be a contributor to the crystallization on the vase.

Carol's Home Page