Ingredients

Ingredient Amount
Potassium Feldspar 10.00
Ball Clay 50.00
Kaolin 40.00
Add Amount
Black Iron Oxide 7.00
Cobalt Oxide 3.00

Instructions

For this Black Engobe, I use demineralized water, so that no minerals or other substances in normal water can interfere in the mixture. I start with 80 grams water and 100 grams of the dry ingredients. 

The ingredients are carefully added to the water to avoid making dust and mix it together with a spatula. Finally, I sieve the engobe with a 100-mesh sieve, but an 80 mesh will do fine as well. The ingredients absorb a lot of water. The thickness of the engobe should resemble fresh cream. For safety reasons, I wear a mask and gloves.

I apply the engobe thoroughly with a brush all over the bisque-fired (cone 05) piece. Then, the excess is wiped off with a wet sponge, but not too wet. The sponge needs to be rinsed regularly because it absorbs the engobe, so I keep a bucket of water nearby.  

This procedure also takes some time, because each grain of texture should appear in detail. Once the piece is dry enough, it is ready for the kiln.

This recipe was shared by Hilde Boterman in the October 2024 issue of Ceramics Monthly.

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