View Larger Image Closeup showing stencil technique used to glaze bottle, 7 inches in height, white stoneware, cone 6 oxidation.

January 28, 2008

Technique of the Week: Using Stencils to Create Glazing Patterns

by Frank James Fisher | Read Comments (1)

As detailed in the direct approach, glaze application methods are as infinite as our imagination. Nearly every item around my studio or house has the potential to be a glaze applicator. It just takes a little imagination to see the potential, and experimenting is key to discovering new ideas.

Applying Glazes Using the Stencil Approach
A second method, the stencil approach, involves applying glaze through or around another object. This mark is based on a positive versus negative image. In this example, the cheesecloth acts as a stencil and the roller is the applicator.

Step 1
Wipe the bisque surface with a damp sponge, then pour the glaze over the surface while slowly rotating the bottle (see figure 1, below). Next, shake the bottle downward to remove drops from the base. Wipe the foot clean with a sponge and glaze the recessed base with a brush.

Step 2
Dip the bottle top quickly into the second glaze color, overlapping the glazes (figure 2).

Step 3
Brush the glaze on the bare bisque of the bottle opening (figure 3). Next, after absorbing glaze into a sponge roller, dab the glaze in a pattern onto the bottle (figure 4). By using everyday objects for the direct approach and other glazing techniques, an entire new world of glaze marks and patterns awaits discovery.

Step 4
To create a stencil texture, hold a piece of cheesecloth in position on the bottle (figure 4).

Step 5
Using a sponge roller, roll the glaze over the cheesecloth, creating a unique grid of squares (figure 5).

Step 6
Peel away the cheesecloth to reveal texture (figure 6). Other materials with an open weave, for example, lace curtains, can also be used.