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Glazing Pottery 101

I’m going to show you how we glaze pottery in my hand-building classes. After the clay is bisque fired the pieces can be prepared for glazing. The first optional step is sanding. We practice wet sanding so that hazardous dust is minimized. Any rough spots can be sanded smooth, and then the pottery should be wiped clean with a damp sponge. Any dust or water remaining can inhibit glaze from adhering. Allow to dry thoroughly before glazing. Glaze will get stuck to the kiln shelf so we need to make sure there is no glaze on the bottom of pieces. It's helpful to mark a safety line with a pencil. Graphite will burn away in the kiln. Apply wax to the bottom of pieces that you plan to dip in glaze. This will stop the glaze from soaking into the clay and greatly decrease your clean up time. Apply just one thin coat and allow to dry. You’re going to select a glaze that matches your clay’s firing temperature. Most glazes will be applied either by brushing or dipping. All glazes needs to be mixed well, so shake any bottles before using. Brush on 3 even coats, allowing to dry in-between. Press and turn the piece into a damp sponge to remove any glaze from bottom. It's very important that you mix a bucket of glaze well. Plan to spend at least a couple minutes mixing. Hold the piece with tongs and dip in sideways. Don’t touch it until the glaze has had time to dry. Each glaze has a suggested dipping time and its important to time it just right. You can use a paint brush to touch up any spots that need fixing. Remove tape as a piece is dry enough to handle. Tong marks can be rubbed in once the glaze has dried. I’ll also do this with glaze drips. Wipe all bottoms with a clean damp sponge. Take your time to make sure no glaze will touch the kiln shelf. Also make sure you’re cleaning up as you go so that you’re not creating hazardous dust. Glazed pieces are transformed through the firing process. Before firing it can be hard to image the final outcome, but with some practice you’ll have a better sense of what to expect.