This technique for lining the interior or a vessel is perfect if the inside and outside of your object are glazed differently or if your pieces will be oversaturated if glazed on both sides in the same session. The motion is a calm and controlled one, and you may need some practice to find a seamless rhythm. Once found, interior glazing can be as quick as 15–30 seconds. Tip: Practice with a finished cup and some water—getting used to the motion, grip, and hand position.
To start, clean the inside of your vessel with a damp sponge, mix your glaze well, and pour 1–4 inches of glaze into your vessel (depending on the volume and proportion of your piece you will need to settle on an amount that is suitable). For example, 2 inches of glaze in the bottom of the cup shown above will be plenty, but a tall, narrow cylinder may need 3 inches, and a wide, shallow bowl may only need 1 inch.
Next, cup your dominant hand under the rim and use your non-dominant hand to hold the piece at its base. Now tilt the piece downward and allow the glaze to dam at your fingers (1). Rotate your pot 360° with your non-dominant hand to coat the interior, but work swiftly as the more time your glaze sits inside the porous bisque, the thicker the layer will be. If you would like two coats, return your piece upright for a moment to recoat the bottom, tilt again, and repeat the rotation.
Remove your fingers from the rim, flip the vessel over, and pour the remaining liquid out (2). There should only be a small amount of glaze pouring out of your piece, but if you find yourself pouring out too much, simply adjust next time to start with less. Tip: If you are struggling to find the point at which you’ve made a full rotation, you can make a pencil mark on the side facing the ceiling (when tipped over), and when the pencil mark comes back to the top you will have made a full round.
The rim should have been glazed through this process, and the exterior should be free of drips and splashes. Any small smudges can be sponged, and you can continue to glaze the rest of your batch!
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This technique for lining the interior or a vessel is perfect if the inside and outside of your object are glazed differently or if your pieces will be oversaturated if glazed on both sides in the same session. The motion is a calm and controlled one, and you may need some practice to find a seamless rhythm. Once found, interior glazing can be as quick as 15–30 seconds. Tip: Practice with a finished cup and some water—getting used to the motion, grip, and hand position.
To start, clean the inside of your vessel with a damp sponge, mix your glaze well, and pour 1–4 inches of glaze into your vessel (depending on the volume and proportion of your piece you will need to settle on an amount that is suitable). For example, 2 inches of glaze in the bottom of the cup shown above will be plenty, but a tall, narrow cylinder may need 3 inches, and a wide, shallow bowl may only need 1 inch.
Next, cup your dominant hand under the rim and use your non-dominant hand to hold the piece at its base. Now tilt the piece downward and allow the glaze to dam at your fingers (1). Rotate your pot 360° with your non-dominant hand to coat the interior, but work swiftly as the more time your glaze sits inside the porous bisque, the thicker the layer will be. If you would like two coats, return your piece upright for a moment to recoat the bottom, tilt again, and repeat the rotation.
Remove your fingers from the rim, flip the vessel over, and pour the remaining liquid out (2). There should only be a small amount of glaze pouring out of your piece, but if you find yourself pouring out too much, simply adjust next time to start with less. Tip: If you are struggling to find the point at which you’ve made a full rotation, you can make a pencil mark on the side facing the ceiling (when tipped over), and when the pencil mark comes back to the top you will have made a full round.
The rim should have been glazed through this process, and the exterior should be free of drips and splashes. Any small smudges can be sponged, and you can continue to glaze the rest of your batch!
Unfamiliar with any terms in this article? Browse our glossary of pottery terms!
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