Mix a glaze and apply to test tiles
A recipe on paper means nothing until you've fired it. This exercise takes you from mixed glaze to actual results.
Steps
- Mix a 500 g dry-weight batch of glaze (using the process from the previous exercise)
- Adjust water until a dipped test tile shows the right thickness (about the thickness of a credit card when applied)
- Dip six test tiles:
- Two at normal thickness
- Two slightly thicker (longer dip)
- Two slightly thinner (shorter dip)
- Fire to the recipe's recommended cone
After firing, evaluate each tile
- Color: is it what the recipe promised?
- Surface: glossy, matte, satin?
- Fit: any crazing or shivering?
- Thickness response: how does thick vs. thin look?
- Texture interaction: how does it behave in carved areas vs. flat?
The big picture
This is how every potter develops their palette. One recipe at a time. One firing at a time. Building a personal library of tested, reliable glazes.