Biggest Crack Ever

Sometimes my glazing experiments turn out as I want them to. I made this porcelain bowl with a heavy texture and brushed RIO on the surface in the green state. Then I glazed it with the same glaze as the two green goblets on the right side of the blog. I got this turquoise and golden surface which I just love, like golden shimmers in the sea. I have four of these bowls and one large bowl to match. Below is what the bowl looked like with the RIO brushed on.


While I was applying the RIO I was wondering how to get consistent results on the surface. One of the small bowls is slightly darker than the rest due to a darker RIO application. How do you apply stains to your work? Do you brush it on, use a sponge, spray it on, what do you think if best. I brushed this stain on but I think a sponge might have given a more even color to each of the four plates I did.


I consider this sushi plate a success; it is really spectacular in person. The texture has little dots which are slightly darker blue. This is the plate I used painter's tape as a resist and then applied a different color glaze in the painter's tape masked section. There is pin spot on the middle left hand side of the plate which resisted the glaze. It is food save as the glaze did cover it, but the white of the clay shows through. I remember glazing this plate and having a terrible time with one spot. Every once in a while there is a little spot of clay that will not accept glaze no matter what you do to get it to adhere. I don't use wax so that can't be the problem. Must be some impurity in the clay which resists glaze. Does this ever happen to you?


Meanwhile I have been working on my photography skills with a mini tripod, and have determined I need a floor tripod because I can't get far enough away from the work. I got some brooder lamps with fluorescent bulbs and then regular bulbs and then found out I could photo my sushi plate on the kitchen floor without the cube or lighting to show the true color of the plate much better. Just know I am working improving the photos.


Here's a large platter with the biggest crack I've ever had, truly something to behold. This platter is stoneware and yet, this sailfish is porcelain, go figure. Perhaps the rim all the way around helps dissipate the heat during firing and cooling.


I may be scarce the next few days since I'm almost out of mega bites for the month. Comments and suggestions are welcome.