This month we're taking a look at what it takes to glaze a real "show-stopping" piece, and we think we have a fool-proof formula! We use this method in our own production, saving both time and money... plus it gives amazing results! 

Getting a complex, "drippy," result can be accomplished at home without a whole lot of brainpower and heartache. Some of the most successful glaze results can happen with only a couple glazes. That's right - only 2 glazes! 

It's as simple as choosing a base glaze and an accent glaze!

Crazed Copper base + Mottled Blue

STEP 1: Choose a "stable" base glaze. 
By stable, we mean that it doesn't drip or have a tendency to run. They are often just a single colour that is unchanging, meaning it doesn't "break" or do anything fancy. Choosing a "celadon" is a safe bet.

Photo 1: Forest by Laguna
Photo 2: Lavender by Amaco
Photo 3: Sedona Sunset by Coyote

STEP 2: Make your base glaze dip-able! 
Yes, that means manually mixing up a bucket of dry glaze! We have a simple method for mixing dry glaze in our last blog post here, for anyone feeling intimidated.
Mixing up 5lbs dry is a good start. Dipping (instead of brushing) your glaze ensures you get an even base coat without running the risk of putting it on too heavy. It's also far more economical to do it this way because dry glaze is cheap - and you will need more glaze to cover a whole piece! Plus, dipping is just faster. 

STEP 3: Choose a rebellious, wild, unpredictable pint of glaze!
AKA: the most fun step. Choose your accent glaze! These are the glazes you see that have a lot of stuff going on. They break into different colours, have a tendency to run, are often metallic or are apart of a glaze family that's a little bit unpredictable. They're like the wild child of the family, or your best friend who's a bad influence. These are the glazes that are going to add life to your piece! These are best purchased in pints, as you won't be needed a whole lot of them. 

Photo 1: Gun Metal Green by Coyote
Photo 2: Ancient Jasper by Amaco
Photo 3: Red Gold by Coyote

STEP 4: Apply to the top 1/3 of your peice. 
Add your accent glaze to the top 1/3 of your piece. Works especially great on a bowl or mug because gravity is going to pull drips of glaze down to the bottom.

Using a fan brush, you can brush an entire layer of glaze right over the base glaze. As a general rule of thumb, we only add one coat of the accent glaze (so it doesn't run the risk of dripping off the piece and onto the kiln shelf). This will achieve a more uniform, but complex colour.

This was applied with a glaze bulb around the edge of the mug rim.

STEP 5 (Optional): Try a third accent 
Because, why not? Just follow the same step as above - applying a little less glaze for each layer. We LOVE to use any of Coyote's line of Archie Glazes because they're formulated to run, drip and blend with any glaze they come into contact with. It's a great way to bond everything together. 

Photo 1: Baby Blue Satin base + Ice Blue.
Photo 2: Starry Night base + Smokey Merlot + Fire Opal
Photo 3: Forest base + Gun Metal Green

 The beauty of this method is that once you have a base glaze, all you have to worry about is buying pints of glaze here and there to get countless combinations!

 

Need some inspiration? Come by our studio anytime and we can help you pick out some great combos with lots of examples! Amaco also does an EXCELLENT job of cataloguing all thier glaze combinations.

Happy glazing, folks!
- Sarah

What is Specific Gravity (sg)? 

It is a calculations of how many particles of actual glaze material exist in a standard unit, in this case, in 100ml of water. If we can find out how dense the particle count is, then we'll know how thickly the glaze will apply.

Calculating a "sweet spot" of 145-150sg ensures you've mixed the glaze properly and that you're getting the best possible outcome for your glaze. 

If you're a visual learner, this cool graphic might help put all the pieces into place!

You'll need:

• A digital scale 
• A graduated cylinder that measures up to 100ml.

Step 1: We're going to work in the unit "grams." Place your graduated cylinder on the scale and measure it's weight. This graduated cylinder is 14g.

Step 2: With your graduated cylinder still on the scale, pour your glaze into it up to the 100g mark (Remember: 100 ml = 100 g).

Step 3: Read the weight showing on the digital scale, then subtract 14g (the weight of the graduated cylinder).

Step 4: That final number is your glaze's current specific gravity!

You want to have a glaze that is within 145-150 sg. 

Learning how to mix dry glaze allows for endless possibilities! Why is mixing dry glaze the way to go?

1. You can dip it! This helps get a more even coverage.
2. It's far more economical.
3. You feel like a mad scientist!

It's easy once you get the hang of it. We'll show you how to mix dry glaze for a 1lb batch and how to check the surface gravity so that you get consistent results every time.

You'll need:

• 1lb dry glaze
• A sealable container, preferably one that can hold 2 pints
• Water
• Stir stick
• Hand-held blender (optional)
• 60 Mesh Sieve (optional)

Step 1: Add 1lb of dry glaze into a container. Add 2g Brushing Medium if you're planning on applying the glaze with a brush (not needed for Coyote Glazes).

Step 2: Begin by adding 10oz of water and mix vigorously, preferably with a hand blender. You're aiming for the consistency of heavy cream. Add the remaining 2oz of water if needed.

Step 3: Let stand for 24 hours to allow mixture to settle.

Step 4: After letting it sit for 24 hours, mix again and use a sieve to remove any particles. We recommend using the 60 Mesh Mini Sieve.

Step 5: Check your Specific Gravity! 

We're always asked "Whats the best flowers to plant for bees?" (...Because, if you haven't heard, our helpful bees are significantly declining in numbers!)

Making your garden Bee-Friendly will benefit both the bees, and the humans. 

One of the best ways to help is to plant flowers and flowering herbs in your garden that bee's LOVE. It's safe to say anything with vivid colours in purple, blue and white will do. Planning a garden that blooms through all seasons, ie. late spring to early fall, is also necessary to keep bees happy and healthy all year.

Try to choose at least one plant for each season!

• Yarrow 
• Purple Coneflower 
• Sunflower
• Blue Hyssop 
• Black-Eyed Susan 
• Daisy
• Marigold
• Cosmos
• Foxglove
• Lavender
• Chives
• Borage
• Thyme
• Bee Balm
• Goldenrod (Late Summer/Fall)
• Asters (Late Summer/Fall)

In addition to helping them out with food, you can also help them safely access water. Bees need a safe "landing pad" in order to drink water without drowning. Our Bee Waterer is perfect for attracting them and providing a safe landing.

Helping the bees helps humans! We've gotta give it to them, they help us eat (they're responsible for pollinating 70% of crops - chocolate included) so we should help them eat, too!

Now until June 30th, save 15% off our "Bee Collection"

We had the privilege to get a personal tour at the Coyote Clay and Colour warehouse in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Owner and founder Martin Butt showed us the ropes of what it looks like to make glazes on a production level - this is what we call real magic, people!

First and foremost, we just want to put it out there that we are hardcore Coyote fans. Most of our work for production incorporates Coyote glaze on Laguna clay. Did you know that B-Mix clays are based on Martin Butt's recipes? So you can image how much we nerded out when we got a behind-the-scenes look!

All their glazes are made in 50kg batches, individually tested, and hand poured into pints! HAND POURED! As wholesale production potters ourselves, we were so happy to see the handmade touch that goes into the glazes we use! We really feel like it embodies the philosophy of handmade, which makes us love it even more.

And as for testing each glaze? Yup, there's a wall for that! We felt like a kid in a candy store. And the coolest part was Coyote keeps its studio doors open for independent artists to work and have 100+ buckets of glaze at their fingertips. Imagine all the great combos that must be discovered there? 

These are the class glazes

Needless to say, we’re inspired. We’re currently working on bulking up our own wall of test tiles for Coyote samples. We’ve always got at least 50 different Coyote glazes in stock, but now its time to show ‘em off!

We wanted to personally thank Martin Butt for his time and generosity to give us a sneak peak of how our favourite glazes are made!

Thanks, Martin!

Check out our selection of Coyote glaze, that is now 10% OFF for the month of April, and let us know if there are some colours you think we should stock! 

And as for getting inspired, consider joining this Facebook Group: Coyote Glaze Information Exchange. It's a great place to share and discover new glaze combos, especially if you don't happen to live in Albuquerque!