Where's The Lithium When You Need It?

#4 to #8 Line Test 1 Re-Test:
Top row is original test
 bottom row is new test

Alright,

        so this week feels a little packed. midterms, big projects flailing around and a little bit of emotional trauma in my personal life. I tried really hard to get in and do some more testing and was doing well until i found we had no more Lithium Carbonate...halfway through mixing a glaze. But I'm not empty handed! I did do three tests. This first test was to retest the center tiles in my previous line blend, tiles #4 through #8 to see if the colours were consistent. This time the kiln turned off! and i got a perfect cone 6 so I know if i were to fire them again at cone 6 that the colours are correct.
                

Another view of re-test, tiles on left are new test
tiles to the right are original test

 Oh and the kiln gods did say, it shall be consistent, and it was~!

Heh, but yes, the colours are pretty much the same minus some of the tiles which came out a little more blue than green in the thicker areas, but that's pretty minor. I took pictures in two different ways so it's easier to compare them, either as a line or individually side by side with their matching tile. I'm happy with the results and very impressed by this shiny clear glaze! it's being VERY versatile, i mean, it fired to cone 8, didn't run, didn't melt, didn't discolour! it's super fun to play around with as you'll see in my next couple tests..... teehee.

The next test i did was to try and make the glaze opaque since it was originally a clear glaze. When it is opaque it's easier to see the colour on the red body, because the red body is bothersome and likes to eat all the colour so you only see the red body. bugger. BUT HEY~ That's okay, because we love the red body don't we? it's so pretty all on it's own. So, continuing, i added some Tin Oxide to the recipe in increments of 2% up to 6% and tested it on both bodies. That's not all though....after a very interesting talk with Scott (Ye Technician and Ceramics Prof) he got me thinking of different surfaces, besides just a shiny glaze. With a good internet check and a quick read through Robbin Hopper's book  I added a whole lot of Magnesium Carbonate to the recipe.....and well...

Opaque and Crawling test. Left to right increased amount of Tin
Oxide by 2% to 6% on each body

 

 

You like? I like~ The crawling is very interesting on both clay bodies. I found that over 4% Tin Oxide was just over kill, it didn't make the glaze more opaque, so 4% will be what i use. Now, for the next test (I don't have pictures yet! sorry...they're in the kiln still) I'm taking the 4% Tin crawling opaque glaze and adding some colour to it! After looking over my poll it seems purple is winning so that's what it'll be!(it might be a little more mauve/pink, but that's close). The other test i was trying was a turquoise matte glaze, but it needs Lithium Carbonate..aaaaaaaand...we were all out. So i have to be patient and wait for more before i can continue making that glaze. 

I can wait, it just means the line test i wanted to do is being pushed back more. It makes me anxious since i wanted to get my triaxial blend started. It'll be a busy reading week, I'll tell ya that.

Anywho, It's time to sleep!

Cheers~!