Q&A: Salt Firing Substitutes
by Jeff ZamekQ: Can I substitute sodium bicarbonate for sodium carbonate in my soda firing kiln?
Q&A: Glaze Bubbles
Q: Why does my fired glaze have bubbles? A: When working in ceramics long enough you will eventually encounter some technical defect based on a raw materials composition or firing cycle. Often upon in…
Q&A: Dull Glaze Colors
Q: I did not have enough pots to fill the glaze kiln. Why are my glaze colors muted and with rough surface textures? A: There happens to be more than one answer to this question. Multiple causes for c…
Controlled Cracking
by Matthew WhislerAs a potter of 30+ years, I’ve always pushed to refine my craft and strive for wheel thrown perfection. Not too unlike life, perfection is a hopeless pursuit. We all have cracks, but there is beauty i…
In-Mold Glaze and Slip Applications in Ceramics
I aimed to combine in-mold glaze and slip applications with a single firing method to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and introduce aesthetic innovation in ceramic production. By merging the tradit…
Q&A: Glaze Additives
Once the appropriate additive is chosen the critical point is to use only as much that is needed. It is often the case where too much of a good thing is bad resulting in a whole array of different gla…