Mixing Your Own Colored Slips, An Inexpensive Alternative To Underglazes w/ Ginny | Wednesday, October 11 | 9am - 1pm
Learn the basics of mixing your own colored slip with Ginny as she takes you step by step through the process. When the class is finished you will have 2 to 8 pints of colored slip (depending on how many colors you mix) with which to play and experiment. You will also have test tiles of each color for reference. These colored slips can be used for surface treatments such as underglaze transfers or slip trailing on leather hard clay or greenware. These colored slips can be substituted as an inexpensive alternative for underglazes.
Please note that the colored slips can only be used on leather hard or dry greenware. They can not be successfully used with bisqued pieces as the shrinkage rate is incompatible.
Pre-Registration is required.
Please review our Studio Policies
Instructor: Ginny Piech Street
Skill level: Intermediate
Cost: $45
Materials Fee: none
Class Dates: Wednesday, October 11th
Time: 9:00am - 1:00pm
Length of Class: 1 Session, 4 hours
Materials To Bring:
- One half of a 25 pound bag of clay, bone dry and broken into small pieces. This clay should be white in color and your preferred clay. Slip will work best on the same clay which has the same properties such as shrinkage. If you are firing at Indian River Clay, this bag will need to be purchased from Indian River Clay. Instructions for the drying process below.
- 2 clean 5 gallon buckets with lids
- A set of measuring spoons
- 1 Cup measuring cup
- Small spatual
- Mason stains, 2 to 4 colors of your choice, enough for 5 tablespoons of stain. Purchase from Clay King at: https://www.clay-king.com/glazes_ceramic_pottery/mason/mason_stains.html or from your preferred pottery supply source. Note: one half pound of mason stain will provide enough to make a cup each of a light and a darker version of the slip.
- 8 lidded containers to hold a little more than 1 cup each. Can be Talenti jars or clean used glaze jars. 8 jars will make 2 shades of 4 colors.
- 8 or more test tiles of the same clay as your 25 pound bag, soft to medium leather hard. (Not fired!) Suggested size is 2.5” x 4”.
- As the mixing of the slip can be “splashy” please wear old clothing that will not be ruined by the clay.
- Dust mask
If you sign up for this class, you must order your mason stains early enough so that they will arrive before the class date.
Optional but strongly recommended:
- Battery powered drill with paint mixer bit (bring drill even if you don’t have a mixing bit as there will be extra mixing bits)
- 60 or 80 mesh clay sieve
- Safety glasses
Instructions for drying clay prior to the class:
- Remove clay from bag
- Cut clay into ½” or ⅝” thick slices either lengthwise or from the short end
- Stand clay slices on end for maximum exposure to the air
- When clay is bone dry use hammer to break clay into small pieces. It is recommended placing the clay into a tyvek shopping bag to hammer. Also, because of the clay dust created by this activity, it is recommended that you wear a mask or respirator.
- Place broken pieces of clay in one of the two 5 gallon buckets, cover with lid and bring to class
Location: 1239 16th Street, Vero Beach