All recipes are displayed as ratios, unless "in parts" is included in the recipe. You can adjust the recipe for larger or smaller batches by adjusting the total below the recipe. For example, for a 10,000-gram batch, put “10,000” in the box. Have more questions? View our help page here or watch a video tutorial here. 

Ingredients

Ingredient Amount
goerg-schneider-364-(in-grams) 1000.00
Water (in grams) 2000.00
deflocculant-(in-grams) 24.00

Instructions

Add the clay to the water in a transparent bucket, and then stir well until the clay is mixed. Next, you add the deflocculant and let it stand for 10 minutes—fine vertical streaks will form as the coarser clay particles settle. After 20 minutes, dip a brush half an inch into the liquid and apply three coats to a leather-hard tile. If this shines well, it is a good terra sigillata. Let it stand for 24–48 hours. If all goes well you will now see three parts in the bucket, a solid lower part, a middle part, and an almost transparent upper part. Using a flexible hose, siphon the middle part from the bucket into another bucket. Discard the other parts.

Apply with a brush, spraying, or dipping. It is important not to apply the terra sigillata too thickly, three coats is ideal. If the liquid is very thin an additional layer can be applied.

To color the terra sigillata, use a maximum of 10% pigment or oxides to keep enough shine. If the color settles too much, you can use flocculant (add a few drops, drop by drop until the color mixes better, beware it quickly turns to yogurt thickness and that is not useful for enough gloss).

 

This recipe was shared by Eveline Kieskamp in the May 2025 issue of Ceramics Monthly.

Create your own Recipes!

You can keep your recipes private or share with others.

Create a Recipe

Manage your Recipes