View Larger Image Bottle, 7 inches in height, white stoneware, fired to cone 6 oxidation.

January 21, 2008

Technique of the Week: The Direct Approach for Glazing Patterns

by Frank James Fisher | Read Comments (3)

Glaze application methods are as infinite as our imagination. Nearly every item around my studio or house has the potential to be a glaze applicator. It just takes a little imagination to see the potential, and experimenting is key to discovering new ideas. For every new idea, there is a pile of attempts. But don’t be too quick to discard the failures. Hidden in almost every failure is the beginnings of a new success, you just need to look at it in the right context.

Applying Glazes Using the Direct Approach
One method of applying glaze, the direct approach, involves dipping an object into glaze (in this case a sponge roller) and pressing the object against the surface. The shape of the object and the action used to apply the glaze determines the type of mark it leaves. The object can be soft and absorbent like a sponge roller or it can be rigid like a kitchen spatula—any object can leave a unique mark.

Step 1
Wipe the bisque surface with a damp sponge, then pour the glaze over the surface while slowly rotating the bottle (see figure 1, below). Next, shake the bottle downward to remove drops from the base. Wipe the foot clean with a sponge and glaze the recessed base with a brush.

Step 2
Dip the bottle top quickly into the second glaze color, overlapping the glazes (figure 2).

Step 3
Brush the glaze on the bare bisque of the bottle opening (figure 3). Next, after absorbing glaze into a sponge roller, dab the glaze in a pattern onto the bottle (figure 4). By using everyday objects for the direct approach and other glazing techniques, an entire new world of glaze marks and patterns awaits discovery.