Author : terrajade

Here are a few pieces with this "Litchi" enamel:

To obtain this "Litchi" glaze, I followed the same methodology as for my Vert d'eau glaze. Namely, I had my Tressaillé transparent glaze based on oak ash. I then added various oxides in different concentrations.

Below, we can see the addition of rutile at different concentrations:

A white appears! And at high concentration, we even observe small crystals! These first tests suggest interesting effects...

I then proceed to add silica with the high concentration of rutile (sample with the red dot):

Following this test, we find our small crystals. We can also observe that the more silica is added, the less the enamel flows. Thus, the white is tinted with small red-brown touches. I select the middle sample to proceed to a thickness test (You have a small description of the tool making here):

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Here are some examples of achievements with this larch green enamel:

It was while researching the " Lichen Green " glaze that I developed this "Larch Green" glaze. In fact, during the development of the " Forest Green " glaze, I decided to reduce the concentration of copper oxide and obtained this:

Following a failure during the test on a large piece of Forest Green glaze, I decided to lower the kaolin content and tested with the 2 copper concentrations (the left column will provide the Larch Green and the right column the Forest Green):

The result of the left column shows a satin enamel showing darker crystals.
I select sample 3 of the first column and perform a thickness test(link to build a small tool to measure enamel thickness):

A notable result is obtained from sample 3.

I decide to test on large pieces trying to apply a thickness higher than 3. Moreover, we can observe a non flowing glaze even for a thickness of 5. This will help us for its application and limit the risks during the firings:

The test is conclusive! The enamel joins my collection!

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Here are some examples of achievements with this Forest Green glaze:

This "Forest Green" glaze was discovered during the development of the Lichen Green glaze. I also tried to vary the alumina content by adding kaolin:

The result is just as unexpected as with the addition of silica(link). Even more unexpected! That's what's so exciting about this research: you expect something, or you don't, and then you're surprised by the appearance of a color or texture!
Close-up on "Forest Green":

It's pretty crazy how a glaze can change so much by adding a few grams of this! This type of enamel a little metallic matte with glittery highlights are the ones I like best I think.

The failure of the appearance of the Forest Green

I decided to test it right away on a small room:

In parallel to the test on a larger piece, and finding the enamel dark enough I decided to decrease the concentration of copper oxide, you can follow the continuation of this research here:

Then, big disappointment: the test on a large piece is a complete failure! As if the enamel had not melted enough. The test with less copper (just above) also shows a less melted enamel.

I assume that the kaolin was incorrectly weighed during the first test. So I decide to lower the kaolin level to try to find the initial aspect and I take the opportunity to do the test with the 2 copper concentrations.

More and more interesting and complex at the same time! The sample at the bottom right is the same as the initial test and I find the same result. So maybe the problem on the big pieces came from the weighing for the big piece test and not from the previous test!

Understanding failure

In view of the above results, I decide to select the 2nd sample in the right column (which corresponds to a concentration of 2% Copper) thus with a little less kaolin than the initial test and, rather than trying on a large piece, I proceed to a thickness test:

Once again, it is thanks to the thickness test(link to build a small tool to measure the thickness of the enamel) that we solve the enigma encountered during the tests on large parts. Indeed, we notice a great similarity between the results obtained on the large parts and the sample with thickness n°2. The problem comes therefore from the thickness of enamel applied and not from an error in weighing the kaolin.

In order to confirm the previous test, we proceed to a new test on a large piece. However, we apply a thickness of at least 3 or 4:

Bingo!

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Here are some pieces with this Beige enamel:

To make this "Beige" glaze, my starting point was my White glaze, to which I added manganese in different proportions:

Samples 3 and 4 (red dot) catch my attention, so I keep these manganese concentrations.

Tin oxide, as part of my White glaze, is a rather expensive raw material. According to the literature, it is possible to use zirconium silicate as a substitute. So I replace the tin oxide with zirconium silicate. I use the 2 concentrations of manganese selected above and vary the zirconium silicate in two different concentrations:

On the top is the low concentration of manganese and on the bottom the slightly higher concentration. On the left, the concentration of Zirconium silicate is lower than on the right. I select 2 trials (red dot).

However, the glaze seems very runny. I know that, for this enamel base (I specify this enamel base, because it is not a general truth!), adding kaolin allows, in principle, to make it less fusible. So I proceeded to a test by progressively adding kaolin:

We observe that sample n°4 is less flowing.

I decided to test this formula on larger pieces:

The result is good! I then proceed to a thickness test(link to build a small tool to measure the thickness of the enamel):

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Here are a few examples of projects using this "Chair" enamel:

To make this "Chair" glaze, my starting point was my White glaze, to which I added nickel in different proportions:

Samples 1 and 2 (red dot) hold my attention, I keep these nickel concentrations. In this article, we will follow the progress of the tests on sample n°1.

Tin oxide, as part of my White glaze, is a rather expensive raw material. According to the literature, it is possible to use zirconium silicate as a substitute. So I replace the tin oxide with zirconium silicate. I use the 2 nickel concentrations selected above and vary the zirconium silicate in two different concentrations:

At the top, we find the low concentration of nickel. We have the impression that the beginning of a pink tint appears. I do some research on the net and, indeed, nickel can bring this pink tint! So we continue with this. In the previous recipes, zinc was omnipresent to obtain a pink nickel glaze. So, I'm doing a progression test with the addition of zinc, as well as with titanium. We'll see!

The above test with zinc does not lead to anything very interesting. I give up on that.

On the other hand, with titanium, the first sample with 1% titanium removes the speckled side of the enamel but provides a beautiful flesh-colored nappé enamel:

I'll do a test on larger pieces to see the result:

As we can see, the result is as expected!

I proceed to a thickness test(link to build a small tool to measure the thickness of the enamel) to finish validating this enamel:

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Here are a few pieces with this "Vert de gris" enamel:

To make this "Vert de gris" glaze, my starting point was my White glaze, to which I added green chromium oxide in various proportions:

Sample 1 and 3 (red dot) hold my interest, I keep these chromium concentrations.

Tin oxide (part of my White glaze) is a rather expensive raw material. According to the literature, it is possible to use zirconium silicate as a substitute. So I replace the tin oxide by zirconium silicate. I use the 2 chromium concentrations selected above and vary the zirconium silicate in two different concentrations:

The top shows the low chromium concentration and the bottom the slightly higher concentration. The lower tests are too close to my " Natural Green" glaze. I therefore abandon the tests with the higher chromium concentration and concentrate on the sample (with the red dot), the one with the highest zirconium silicate content.

I decided to test on larger pieces to see the result:

The enamel is not very covering because of the brush application. I do a thickness test(link to build a tool to measure the thickness of the enamel):

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Here are a few pieces with this "periwinkle blue" enamel:

To create this "periwinkle blue" glaze, I started with my white glaze, to which I added cobalt in various proportions:

Previously, I had selected the fourth sample to make my Majorelle blue glaze (link). Today, I decided to use the second sample (red dot) to try to develop a lighter glaze.

The interest of research from the same base of glazes, in this case my Majorelle blue and my periwinkle blue (only the proportions of metal oxides change), is to be able to take advantage of the tests previously made to accelerate the development of a new color!

Here, the test performed for the Majorelle blue with different proportions of tin:

allows me to pass this step, as well as that of a large variation of zirconium silicate.

I therefore decided to directly test two proportions of zirconium silicate that were interesting during the development of Majorelle blue.

I decide to select the sample on the right, the one with the most zirconium silicate which gives me a lighter glaze.

We pass on the test on slightly larger pieces:

The enamel is not very covering, probably due to the brush application.

I then decided to do a thickness test(link to build a small tool to measure the thickness of the enamel) :

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Here are a few pieces with this "elephant skin" glaze:

To create this "elephant skin" enamel, I started with my white enamel, to which I added nickel in various proportions:

Samples 1 and 2 (red dot) caught my attention, so I kept these nickel concentrations. In this article, we'll follow the progress of the tests starting with sample #2. You can follow the progress of another glaze, which I've named "flesh", by following this link: (make link)

Tin oxide, as part of my white glaze, is a rather expensive raw material. According to the literature, it is possible to use zirconium silicate as a substitute. So I replace the tin oxide with zirconium silicate. I use the 2 nickel concentrations selected above and vary the zirconium silicate in two different concentrations:

At the bottom, we find the concentration a little more important. We get our slightly speckled look!

I continue the research with the bottom sample and proceed to a test on larger pieces to see the result:

Very interesting result!

I then perform a thickness test (To perform thickness tests, you will find an article here).

We confirm the results obtained previously! Thickness n°3 is the one that seems to me the most adapted to my future pieces.

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Here are a few pieces with this "cork" enamel:

To make this "cork" glaze, my starting point was my white glaze, to which I added iron in various proportions:

Samples 3 and 4 (red dot) catch my attention, so I keep these iron concentrations.

Tin oxide (part of my white glaze) is a rather expensive raw material. According to the literature, it is possible to use zirconium silicate as a substitute. So I replace the tin oxide by zirconium silicate. I use the 2 concentrations of iron selected above and vary the zirconium silicate in two different concentrations:

At the top, we find the low concentration of iron and at the bottom a slightly higher concentration. The lower tests give a brown color that I think is not very good, so I give up on that. On the other hand, the sample with less iron and more zirconium silicate gives me an interesting mottled glaze. I continue the tests from this sample (with the red dot).

I then proceed to a test on larger pieces to observe the rendering:

Here, I like the result! I decided to do a thickness test before adding it to my collection:

(link to build a small tool to measure the thickness of the enamel) :

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Here are some pieces with this enamel:

To achieve this "iron yellow" glaze, I actually wanted to obtain an "iron blue" (you can read the article here, iron blue link). I did a triangle search in diagram 25 :

I take the sample 2nd line, first on the left (red dot), to do a search around an iron yellow :

I vary the iron oxide:

Taking the rightmost sample, I perform a search with the cross method:

I then select the sample on the left to perform a test on a larger piece:

Starting from the sample on the left, I try to add silica because the enamel is very runny:

The samples are then less flowing but not really usable, because the enamel is no longer fusible either.

I also test the thickness of the enamel, and it is, finally, this parameter that will solve the problems:

We notice that sample n° 2 does not sink and develops a nice yellow tressaillé.

I then carry out a test on a larger piece with a larger quantity of enamel preparation:

I find the results interesting, although I have yet to understand why the blue and crystallization do not appear everywhere or in every test. As with the "iron blue", I decided to carry out another test with sieving and another without, to see if this parameter could have an effect:

In view of the result obtained, which can be considered as identical on the three samples, I decide to redo a thickness test:

(link to build a small tool to measure enamel thickness)

The test is more or less conclusive. We notice that the enamel must not be thick, otherwise it's a disaster!

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