SECRETS OF CERAMIC GLAZES

The types of glazes you choose in ceramic applications vary in both their properties and aesthetics. The main types of glazes you will encounter in your selection are as follows.

Transparent Glazes: These glazes clearly reveal the patterns or colors underneath the ceramic surface, while also allowing light to slightly pass through the design or color behind the glazed surface.

Mat Glazes: Matte glazes are typically non-reflective and create a smooth surface without shine. These glazes absorb light rather than reflecting it, resulting in a less reflective surface. Matte glazes usually provide a more natural and soft appearance.

Transparent Glazes: Transparent glazes clearly reveal the patterns and colors of the underlying ceramic material, while also providing a glossy surface. These glazes highlight the design or color beneath the ceramic surface while protecting it.

Opaque Glazes: Opaque glazes completely cover and conceal the patterns or colors beneath the ceramic surface, creating a non-transparent layer.

When these characteristics come together, a matte transparent glaze clearly reveals the patterns or colors underneath while providing a smooth, non-reflective surface without any shine.

1. Transparent Glazes

These glazes clearly reveal the patterns and colors of the underlying ceramic material while also providing a glossy surface. For a simple appearance, you can choose transparent ceramic glazes. Transparent ceramic glazes are further divided into two types: glossy transparent and matte transparent.

Glossy Transparent Glaze and Matte Transparent Glaze Applied to White Ceramic Clay

2. Colored Glazes

There are countless colored glazes available in the market. Color selection is entirely a matter of personal preference. Instead of choosing a single color, you can create layers in different colors to achieve a variety of effects. The only thing to keep in mind here is that all the glazes you apply should have the same firing range. If the item you are glazing will come into contact with food, make sure to choose a glaze that is food-safe.

Colored glazes are also divided into two types: glossy colored glazes and matte colored glazes.

Opaque / Colored Transparent Glazes
Another decision you need to make is whether to use opaque or colored transparent glazes. Colored transparent glazes, even though they are colored, reveal the clay surface they cover. On the other hand, opaque glazes completely block the surface underneath.

3. Highlighting Glaze

This type of glaze is designed to be applied in a way that accentuates raised areas. By using techniques such as carving, textures created can become more prominent with the use of a highlighting glaze. In English, it is described as a "breaking glaze." If there is a textured part of your piece that you particularly want to highlight, you can use a highlighting glaze in that area.

• If the clay color is different from the glaze color, for example, if you apply a dark-colored glaze to light-colored clay, the effect will be much stronger.

• Additionally, this effect can be achieved by applying a transparent colored glaze to the relevant texture using a wipe-and-drag technique, followed by a thin layer of transparent glaze.

A highlighting glaze can be used to bring out a pattern created using the carving technique.

4. Flowing Glazes

Flowing ceramic glazes are known as glazes that liquefy during firing, move across the surface, and flow downward under the influence of gravity. If too much flowing glaze is applied, it can run down to the kiln shelf and damage your pieces. For this reason, applying flowing ceramic glazes requires more skill compared to other types of ceramic glazes.

• When applying flowing ceramic glaze, be mindful of the amount you apply. Experiment with different amounts, as applying it too thickly will increase its fluidity and could damage the kiln shelf.

  
  5. Textured Glaze

Of course, textured glazes are glazes that create a distinct texture or pattern when applied to the ceramic surface. These glazes enhance the texture on the surface of the ceramic piece, providing visual and tactile diversity. Textured glazes are often used in ceramic art for aesthetic purposes, giving the pieces a unique character. There are many types of textured glazes, some of which are as follows.

1. Sandy or Gritty Surfaces: Some textured glazes create small particles or sand-like textures on the ceramic surface, resulting in a raised effect on the piece's surface.

2. Bubbly Patterns: Some textured glazes can create bubble or air bubble patterns on the ceramic surface. These patterns typically have a random and organic appearance.

3. Crystallized or Loose Structures: Some textured glazes can create crystallized or loose structures on the ceramic surface. This results in a sparkling or crystallized appearance on the piece's surface.

4. Rough Surfaces: Textured glazes can also have a rough or coarse texture on the ceramic surface. This can give the piece a more natural or organic feel.

5. Speckled Surfaces: These glazes create patterns in the form of spots or dots when applied to the ceramic surface.

The pattern visible on the object is achieved not by mixing different glazes, but by applying a single type of glaze.

Gold Leaf Glaze: It is a special type of glaze that gives ceramic pieces a shiny appearance, similar to gold leaf. This glaze typically contains gold-colored pigments or real gold particles and is applied over the surface. 

Gold leaf glazes are low-temperature glazes, so they are typically applied with a brush around the edges of the surface that has undergone bisque firing and glaze firing. They are carefully applied and then fired again at a low temperature. After firing, the gold leaf glaze hardens, creating a permanent gold coating on the surface.

Metallic Glazes: Glazes that give pieces a metallic appearance. They can contain metal colors such as gold, silver, or copper. The color of the metallic effect varies depending on the oxide it contains.

The world of glazes is full of endless possibilities, and this is just the beginning! Let your creativity flow and experiment with these magical materials to transform your ceramic pieces into works of art. The journey ahead is exciting—let's glaze the way to new artistic horizons!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Beste ALTINDAŞ