[lindafws]

i have never used mason stains, but need to find a yellow stain, so i bought a small amt of a yellow mason stain. i can find nothing specific about how to mix it...some articles say mix it with slip, mix it with a frit or into a white matte glaze. any suggestions would be helpful. thanks

[TJR]

lindafws, on 29 February 2012 - 03:30 PM, said:

i have never used mason stains, but need to find a yellow stain, so i bought a small amt of a yellow mason stain. i can find nothing specific about how to mix it...some articles say mix it with slip, mix it with a frit or into a white matte glaze. any suggestions would be helpful. thanks

You can actually do all three depending on the result. You could mix a percentage into a white slip, but your colour won't be that bright. You would need to test percentages as in;
Add 1% to the slip, paint on a tile.
Add another 1% to the same cup. This gives you 2% to paint on tile. Mark it
Add another 1% to the same cup of slip. Then you have 3%.
You can also add Fritt and stain together. I am going to say 75% Fritt, 25% stain. Try with Gerstly Borate instead of Fritt.Paint over a white matt glaze. Now you are doing a Majolica technique.
Or you can add stain to the glaze in a percentage as you did with the line blend I described above.
It helps to know at what temperature you are firing to. Lots of bright stains burn out at higher temperatures.
These are just general guidlines of course. Test before you comit to a large batch of glaze.
TJR.

[lindafws]

thanks for your suggestions--i fire to cone 6.. mix my own glazes, but have never made anything yellow....like they say, if you love blues, browns, greens and white--the colors are endless for potters!!!i will just do several tests and see what i come up with. appreciate your suggestions.

[Chris Campbell]

Mason Stains do not burn out at high temperatures ... if anything they get darker and brighter. ( See images below of work fired to Cone 10 )
When colors burn out or bleed it is usually the fault of the clear glaze, not the stain. I have done many tests on this ... the same pattern of colored clay with five different glazes and it is amazing the difference a glaze makes! Lavenders and pinks disappear only because of the glaze.

If you go to the "clay lessons" area of my website you can get a lot of information on mixing and using Mason Stains.
http://www.ccpottery.com/murrinis.html

Praesedeum Yellow is a gorgeous bright yellow ... I use it in concentrations from 15 to 25% ... if you go much lower it gets lost. The third image below shows it from dark to light.

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[JBaymore]

When it comes to Mason stains.... pay attention to Chris. She knoweth of what she speaks. And then some......eth.

best,

.......................john

[lindafws]

Chris Campbell, on 29 February 2012 - 05:50 PM, said:

Mason Stains do not burn out at high temperatures ... if anything they get darker and brighter. ( See images below of work fired to Cone 10 )
When colors burn out or bleed it is usually the fault of the clear glaze, not the stain. I have done many tests on this ... the same pattern of colored clay with five different glazes and it is amazing the difference a glaze makes! Lavenders and pinks disappear only because of the glaze.

If you go to the "clay lessons" area of my website you can get a lot of information on mixing and using Mason Stains.
http://www.ccpottery.com/murrinis.html

Praesedeum Yellow is a gorgeous bright yellow ... I use it in concentrations from 15 to 25% ... if you go much lower it gets lost. The third image below shows it from dark to light.

[lindafws]

chris, i love your work and your website will keep me busy reading for the evening! i am nearby in montreat nc--close to asheville--small world. thanks for responding....next time i'm in raleigh, i may look up your studio!