Explorations in Glazing - January-April 2023
Explorations in Glazing - January-April 2023
Instructor: Jim Featherstone
Cost: $100.00 (plus tax) Firing is not included.
Please register online.
minimum 6 students
maximum 10 students
Course Schedule:
14 January 2023 Saturday 9 - 12
11 February 2023 Saturday 9 - 12
11 March 2023 Saturday 9 - 12
08 April 2023 Saturday 9 – 12
29 April 2023 Saturday 9-11
Course Description
The ceramic artist strives to create beautiful potter using glaze surfaces that compete form. The ceramic surface comes from the subtle nuances of chemistry. Through the intermingling of silicate bonds, crystallization and the kiln atmosphere will determine the quality of the finished glaze. This course is more than mixing glaze recipes. It is a hands-on course on glaze chemistry.
As a hands-on course, students will learn through experimentation with various glaze materials in order to understand their properties better and how material interacts with others. This is done through an experiential process, with guided in-class instruction as well as post-class study, work and firing. At each session we will review the results from the previous session.
The course will cover how glazes can be designed and adjusted. The characteristics and choice of raw materials including metallic oxides and the role each can play in the glaze. Topics covered will include material comparison tests, line blends, triaxial blends, flux variations to raise or lower melting temperature, colour possibilities with different metals, and creating shiny, satin or matte surfaces. Primary discussion will center on mid-fired glazes, however high fired glazes may also be covered to a limited extent.
Students will be expected to create their own personal pallet of glazes based on their selected firing technique and preferred clay body. They will also be expected to be able to create a new glaze or modify an old one based on the information they have learned. A presentation of the glazed work will be presented at the end of the course. If you can bake a cake from scratch, this glaze technology course is for you!
Prerequisite: One of the following WPW courses; old Glaze & Firing Course, WPW Basic Glaze Course or Introduction to Understanding Glazing & Glaze Materials
Materials Required by Student
Notebook and pen/pencil
Safety glasses, gloves and masks, apron
Brushes (1-2”, approx. 3)
Test tiles, both stoneware and porcelain. Approximately 50-75 in each clay body.
