Colorants and glaze testing

  1. Red Iron Oxide
    • Red Iron Oxide is the most versatile colorant. You should do a longer line blend series with iron oxide.
    • Iron Oxide is most commonly used anywhere from 1/2-12%
  2. Rutile
    • Rutile is made up of titanium & iron
    • It produces many different colors and textures
    • It will cause glazes to be more satin, matt and dry
    • When doing line blends or glaze tests use Rutile in percentages from 1-14%
  3. Copper Carbonate
    • Above 3% many glazes will produce a dark green metallic color
    • may make interesting red/green/blue in others
    • It is a strong flux
    • When doing line blends or glaze tests use copper carbonate in increments from 1/2-9%
  4. Cobalt Carbonate
    • Very expensive and very potent (a little goes a LONG way)
    • 3% concentration of cobalt will give a black (bluish) metallic and very intense
    • 1% is the most you will use in most glazes as it will produce a strong dark blue in most scenarios
    • When doing line blends or glaze tests use cobalt carbonate in increments from 1/4-3%
    • Cobalt Carbonate is a very strong flux
  5. Manganese Dioxide
    • Strong flux that volatilizes actively
    • Goes very dark to black/brown at around 4%
    • may give purples, burgundy, violet pinks in low percentages
    • When doing line blends or glaze tests use Manganese in increments ranging from 1/4-4%
  6. Chrome Oxide
    • Very refractory
    • Dries up glazes
    • Very volatile
    • very stong greens
    • When zinc is present the glaze goes towards tans and browns
    • When doing line blends or glaze tests use chrome oxide in increments between 1/4-1%
  7. Illmenite Milled
    • Produces very interesting earthy textures — tan/brown orangish
    • Another form of titanium, iron and manganese
    • When doing line blends or glaze tests use illmenite in increments between 2-12%
  8. Nickel Carbonate
    • Very refractory
    • Dries up glazes
    • Gives subtle greens, greys, blues, smoky blues
    • Good modifier of cobalt
    • When doing line blends or glaze tests use nickel carbonate in increments between 1/4-1% Don’t go over 1%

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