Cone 6 Triaxial Glaze Test
While it may look like I’m getting ready to bowl with my ceramic materials, I haven’t quite lost my mind yet! With the help from my friend and ceramic’s mentor, Mary Cay, I performed a more complicated glaze test this past week. It’s called a “Triaxial Blend” and I used Robin Hopper’s text, The Ceramic Spectrum (page 96) as a guide.
The idea behind the testing is that you get 21 different variations on 3 base glazes which opens up quite a new world of color development to the ceramic artist. It was a pretty cool experiment. For base glaze “A” I used a Val Cushing cone 6 glaze, VC Satin White Liner, pg. 130. For base glaze “B” I used another Val Cushing cone 6 glaze, D base pg. 123 and added copper carb at 3% and cobalt carb at 1%. For base glaze “C” I used Denton 6, pg. 282 from the Electric Kiln Ceramics Book and added copper carb at 2.5%. There’s a few keepers, but I’ll need to look at them a little more closely in the next week.
Meanwhile back in the real world, my Epson printer died! BooHoo. It’s been acting funny for the past month and last night when I went to print an invoice for someone, just blank pages. I tried cleaning the print heads and all the other maintenance tasks and all I get is yellow ink. Not very practical. BTW, I also replaced all the ink cartridges so it’s not low ink levels. This printer has lasted 2 1/2 years and I’m convinced that unfortunately they’re made to be disposable! Off to Costco this afternoon to replace it with another. Sigh…
Have a good week everyone!
Angela
April 15, 2007 at 7:09 pm //
That’s tooo kewl Cynthia! I bet having doing that is sooo much fun!
Thanks for sharing these with us!
*HUGS*
andrea
April 16, 2007 at 12:07 am //
Get me a printer while you’re there. I need one!
Pinky
April 16, 2007 at 2:49 am //
I love the slides! You did one a while back for your pendants and it’s really cool watching the process. I wish I knew more about ceramics!! I can’t wait to see what all cool things you are going to make! YAY!!
Cynthia
April 16, 2007 at 2:59 am //
Thanks Angela – it was sort of fun in an odd geeky kind of way.
Andrea, didn’t get your message in time, but I did pick up a $50.00 HP Deskjet printer. I figure over the 2 year life span of the printer, I’ll spend way more in ink, so I went cheap this time.
Thanks Pinky. Glaze testing probably isn’t terribly interesting to most people. The making part is more fun if you ask me.
HMBT
April 16, 2007 at 11:08 am //
Cool test…I really liked seeing the in process pictures, very neat-o. Sorry about your printer troubles…I have been going cheap in the past years for the same reason…disposable turds…pisses me off really when you have to spend so much to get high quality and then they only last a few years at best. HP will last longer, but the inks are expensive and run out faster than any other printer I have ever had…I hope you do more of these pictures for your work, this is too much fun.
I loved the blues that turned out!
Lisa
April 16, 2007 at 3:53 pm //
Great slides – thanks for sharing – fascinating process.
I have a 5.5 year old HP printer that still seems to work fine. Watch – it’ll break next week. Good luck with your new one!
jafabrit
April 16, 2007 at 4:08 pm //
the glazing is a science in itself and quite a process to test. I liked the slide show because it helps showcase what sort of process a ceramicist has to go through besides just making it and firing it.
Cynthia
April 16, 2007 at 5:01 pm //
Thanks Heather for the comments on my glaze tests. My first printer to die was an HP too, but it had bells and whistles. This time I decided to purchase a plain jane printer. Just the prints.
You realize you might just have jinxed yourself, Lisa? Fingers crossed your’s will keep working just fine for another 5 1/2 years. My mom has had her HP forever too.
I’m so glad you wrote what you did, Jafabrit. I use to just make work and then I would have a gazillion bisqued pots with no glaze. I’ve made the committment this year to really learn and delve deeper into the process.
Cindy Buehler
April 16, 2007 at 7:09 pm //
Nice glaze testing. Very scientific. Thanks for sharing. I found you on the etsybloggers webring. Cindy
Jaya Purrs
April 17, 2007 at 1:52 am //
Hey Cynthia-
This glaze test
was fun to watch!
Thanks for posting
it for us.
Janvangogh
April 17, 2007 at 1:55 pm //
The test tiles look like peaks of seven minute frosting, or pieces of seafoam (divinity) or dipped cones at Dairy Queen. Hmmmm. Think I need to go eat something!
Cynthia
April 17, 2007 at 3:38 pm //
Welcome Cindy and Jaya! I went to leave comments, and it didn’t look like comments are enabled.
I like your frosting analogy, Janet! I haven’t had 7 minute frosting since I was a little girl. My mom used to make fancy cakes for us for all special occasions!
Thanks Mom! I know you’re reading and I’m not sure I ever told you how many good memories come back for me thinking about those cakes.