Ata Ceramics Courses

Start the process of understanding making ceramic glazes at Cone 6!

This is an introduction to glazing and will help start your journey towards some basic understanding of glaze materials, making, glaze chemistry, safe practice and testing. After this class, there is no reason why you can't start making a glaze of your own should you so wish.

In this course you will learn:

• how to make test tiles on a wheel
• the basics of glaze chemistry and the components of making successful glaze
• where the different ingredients come from
• glazing and food safety - a brief discussion
• how to read a glaze recipe and scale it up
• safe practice when glaze mixing and testing
• learn about both standard and natural glazes (those using purchased versus found ingredients)
• how to start by making a base glaze and learn about the effects of different oxides to give colour
• glaze result interpretation

All glaze materials, firings are provided & included in the price.

July 15 WED, 6-9pm: Class 1 - Glaze theory, recipe reading. Understanding the glaze triangle. Natural glazes v standard. How to use Glazy and glaze books. (3 hours)

July 16 THURS, 6 - 9pm: Class 2 - How to make a base glaze. Making base glazes (one glossy one matte). Adding oxides for colour. Dipping to test. (3 hours).

July 26 SUN, 5pm: Class 3 - Results interpretation and discussion with snacks! (1.5 hours)

Course time: 7.5 hours total. This class needs a minimum of 7 participants to run.

Things to bring: Note book and pen, respirators or particle masks if you have them (available for koha). If you would like to use a specific clay, please bring test tiles in that clay. Some tiles will be provided in white and speckled clay.

If you don't know what these are, look at Florian Gadsby's video here: https://www.instagram.com/reels/C2F2iettCn5/. If you want to use your own clays, please make them in good time so they can be bisqued before the glaze class. There is are bisques happening in the week of June 22-29 at Ata (week 10) of term.

Cancellation: If you cancel less than 2 days before the class, I will reserve the right to keep 50% of your fee. Thanks for your understanding.