What is a glaze?

A mature pottery student recently asked me the question 'What is a ceramic glaze?' I hesitated whilst contemplating how to answer what initially seemed a very simple question. In the end I gave him 2 answers , a non technical one and a technical one. The precise amount of information he required depended much on how he wanted to use the information.

Sometimes too much information only leads to confusion!

For example an evening class student wanting only to paint pottery and later have it glazed and fired by an established potter needs only basic information.

In contrast a student studying pottery making and ultimately wishing to make and fire his own glazes needs a much more detailed chemical approach.

The Answers

These are the answers I gave him:-

1) A pottery glaze is a glassy coating applied to the surface of a ceramic to create a smooth, impervious, and decorative finish.

2) A pottery glaze is a mixture of ceramic materials which may often include minerals such as felspar and silica, a glass like component such as frit, clay as a suspending agent, and pigment as colouration. Many other minerals or oxides may also be used. These materials are finely ground in water to produce a glaze slip. Other organic and inorganic additives may at this stage be added to aid application. The slip is then applied to the ceramic body and fired to a sufficiently high temperature for the components to physically and chemically react to form a smooth glassy coating that bonds strongly to the body. Normally a temperature in excess of 1000C is required.

Do you have any simple questions you want answering? Please let me know.

More information on pottery making can be found at my website The PottersFriend

Pottery and ceramics find so many uses in our homes!

In these days of credit crunch blues, recent events have made it clear to me that the pottery making in the UK is still alive and well and doing fine. Unique designs and small scale production and customer service seem to be order of the day as the larger producers have been hit hardest by the downturn in the hotel and gift markets.

The term 'Pottery' is uniquely used by the general public to describe anything ceramic and we should not underestimate the impact these forms of ceramic have in our daily lives. Ceramics are evident in our homes in so many areas. Drink tea made with water purified with a ceramic filter in a bone china cup. Cook your evening meal on your ceramic cooker hob. Keep warm by sitting by your gasfire with its insulating ceramic bricks, and ceramic logs or pebbles. Take a shower in your bathroom lined with decorative ceramic wall and floor tiles, and your bespoke table top washbasin. Relax and read a book under the light from a sculpted ceramic lamp. You might even want to watch your TV with its many ceramic parts!

Even outside, ceramic pots of all shapes and sizes as well as other unique ceramic animals, toadstools, fairies, wind chimes, sun dials, coloured glass gravel and BBQ chimneys add individuality to our gardens.

Clearly many of these items are still made in the UK and provide employment and job satisfaction for many.

It is comforting to know that virtually all of these items are reusable in some way and should not find their way back to landfill sites. Keep selling the message 'ceramic is green' ! (Avid potters -sorry for the pun!)

I often wonder what the most unusual or surprising use for ceramic there is out there?

Please let me know if you find something interesting! For more ceramic information visit the Potters Friend's website www.pottersfriend.co.uk

Pottery Clinic

Glaze blister at high magnification

Post your questions about any pottery or ceramic matter.

All questions are welcome regardless of how simplistic they may appear !

My commitment is to respond in a timely fashion and to provide the best advice that I am able to based on my own perspective and the information provided.

I look forward to answering your questions

Learning to pottery blog

Today I learned to blog-is that the right term? Although not a technophobe I do believe most times 'its good to talk' as a rather outdated TV commercial once said. That said I am hoping that by embracing the latest social technology I can make contact with all those like myself who enjoy or have a passion for pottery and its making. Who knows it might be the start of a wider circle of friends?

My love for pottery has lasted over 30 years ever since I was introduced to the making of pottery 30 years ago. The decline in large scale pottery making over that time in the UK has been immense but it has left us still with a very rich heritage and many smaller but specialised potteries making everything from door knobs to large garden ceramics. Clearly there is still a lot of talent in the UK both in terms of design and making! If you are one of those or just starting up in pottery I'd be interested in your thoughts on the future of UK pottery plc!

More information on ceramics can be found at my website www.pottersfriend.co.uk