[confused_yet_curious]

Morning everyone,
I'm using the method of sgraffito to design my doodles into my clay tiles as part of my senior BA thesis. I've been using glazes which are think to thin and both glazes have been put through an fine shifter. As an result, my sgraffito designs arent showing as much! They either melt together the glaze that is, or the designs are fuzzy and hard to make out! Should I be using slip instead of glaze? I'm not sure what to do for now and your commits would very much be welcomed! Thank you all in advance!

P.s. I've been firing at cone 6
P.s.s. I couldn't upload my imges, with my iPad sorry :0(

[LawPots]

I am but a lowly beginner, but you should probabbly consider switching to engobe, "stiff" matt glazes, underglaze, terra siglia, or slip decoration ,to make your marks. Probabbly over a leatherhard clay. Most ordinary glazes I've seen and read about simply flow too much for the scratches/carving to stay put. I've used underglaze, and that has worked for me. I've seen a matt glaze used over leather hard clay, and that was also vey nice. I've read about the other techniques here on this forum and elsewhere.

Good luck!

[TJR]

Slips are the way to go. I am not familiar with cone 6, but have worked at low fire[cone 04] and at stoneware[cone9,10].
If your clay body is white, use a contrasting black slip. If your clay is brown, you can use white or black. Slips go on leather hard clay. When the sheen goes off, you can carve. I use a dull pencil for my marks.
Check out slipware potter Douglas Fitch on youtube. Some great work.
TJR.

[Marla - Estudio M]

confused_yet_curious, on 15 March 2012 - 04:20 AM, said:

Morning everyone,
I'm using the method of sgraffito to design my doodles into my clay tiles as part of my senior BA thesis. I've been using glazes which are think to thin and both glazes have been put through an fine shifter. As an result, my sgraffito designs arent showing as much! They either melt together the glaze that is, or the designs are fuzzy and hard to make out! Should I be using slip instead of glaze? I'm not sure what to do for now and your commits would very much be welcomed! Thank you all in advance!

P.s. I've been firing at cone 6
P.s.s. I couldn't upload my imges, with my iPad sorry :0(

I have done a lot of art work using sgraffito designs. I love it; however, I use underglaze and greenware pieces. The first fire after applying the underglaze is at 019. Then I do the design and fire the piece at 03. Of course, because you used an underglaze, you most now use a clear glaze after that second fire and fire it again. To fire follow the cone instructions for that last coat of glaze. Try it, and let me know. I have pictures to share if you want me to send it to you, please write to me at raymar05@bellsouth.net, and I will provide my final results. Hope this helps.!! I am trying to send you a picture of one of my final products. All my sgraffittos are my own designs.

Attached File(s)

•  Sgraffito art works 2012 1090.JPG (1.98MB)
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•  Sgraffito art works 2012 1087.JPG (1.4MB)
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•  Sgraffito art works 2012 1091.JPG (1.5MB)
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