[nancylee]

Good morning,
I love old spongeware, and would like to know how it was made - the glazes or paints used, how it was fired, etc. Also, I made some in my pottery class, with white liner and blue sponged on, and the colors came out great, but the texture was very smooth not "gritty" like the original spongeware. I have been searching online and I can't find any instructions on how to duplicate the look and feel of old spongeware, so if anyone can enlighten me, it would be much appreciated!
Thank you,
Nancy

[Denice]

Nancy you might have trouble duplicating that finish. a glaze that old was probably lead based but maybe someone has managed to duplicating that glaze without the lead. Denice

[Chris Campbell]

I've made this finish using natural sponges.
I use underglazes ... three shades of one color ( lighten with white ) and sponge it on bisqued pots using the same basic method of color layering painters do to get the sponge look on walls. There are tutorials on the net. If you mess up just wash the pot, let it dry and start over. Then low fire it to set the underglaze colors and make sure you like it. Then apply a clear glaze over the finished look and refire.

[nancylee]

Thank you for your suggestions. Chris, do you mean you put colored underglaze right on the bisque, without a white underglaze under the colored areas applied by sponge? And how did they get that gritty/rough surface? Thanks much,
Nancy