Simple Cone 6 Ceramic Glazes Lou Roess

If you've ever wondered how potters achieve those rich, complex surfaces that seem to glow from within, the answer often lies in combining glazes. In this post, excerpted from Cone 5–6 Glazes, Lou Roess shares glaze recipes and application tips for layering in creative combinations. When layered, they open up a remarkable spectrum of color, texture, and movement.

As with all ceramic glaze recipes, we recommend making small test batches before diving in. Results can vary significantly depending on altitude, atmospheric pressure, your kiln's fuel type and condition, and differences in raw materials. Test on your specific clay body, in your specific kiln—and let the happy surprises guide you. —Jennifer Poellot Harnetty, editor

Application Tips for Lou's Cone 6 Glazes

Lou applies these glazes by either dipping or pouring. You can also brush or spray these glazes. Application thickness will affect color and surface quality. Pay attention to the thickness of your glaze (specific gravity) in the bucket. Try to keep the glaze consistent for each glazing session. Usually, most glazes should have the consistency of a medium to heavy cream. You can use a simple test of quickly dipping your hand into the stirred glaze. Examine the glaze coat as you withdraw your hand and try to maintain the same thickness each time you glaze.

Lou's Cone 6 Glaze Recipes

You also can use small, bisque test tiles dipped into the glaze. When the coating of glaze begins to dry, scratch the surface with the edge of your fingernail to check the thickness of the application.

Overlap glazes on a test tile with the combinations you like to use, fire and attach to the glaze bucket. This is a simple reminder of how to apply glazes to your pottery for the results desired.

Great Glazing Tip: Apply one, two and three layers of glaze to a test tile. Fire and attach the tile to the glaze bucket for a permanent record of application thickness.

**First published in 2012