Kiwi Underglazes
Glaze Galleria has been testing Kiwi Underglazes in the studio. The depth of colour is amazing especially at the high temperature we fire at.
So, we very proud to offer a Kiwi Underglaze Starter Kit with 6 classic colours in 100 ml bottles, for a limited time! There’s also a selection of their other colours available individually.
Stock has arrived! Get in early to get your hands on some gorgeous colours from our first shipment from New Zealand. You can pick up in the studio or we can mail them to you.
If the colour you want has sold out, we will get more stock in the next month or so - please email or call us to let us know.
Some info from Kiwi Underglazes…
UNLEASH YOUR CREATIVITY AND BREATHE LIFE INTO YOUR CREATIONS WITH A VIBRANT PALETTE OF CERAMIC UNDERGLAZES. THESE VERSATILE AND VIVID COLOURS ADD DEPTH, CHARACTER AND INDIVIDUALITY TO YOUR POTTERY PIECES. THESE UNDERGLAZES OFFER YOU THE ARTISTIC FREEDOM TO EXPRESS YOURSELF.
KIWI UNDERGLAZE OFFERS FLEXIBILTY TO BE APPLIED IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, INCLUDING:
- APPLICATION ON TO BISQUEWARE, FOLLOWED BY A COAT OF CLEAR GLAZE, THEN GLAZE FIRED.
- APPLICATION TO GREENWARE AND THEN BISQUE FIRED AT 1000 DEGREES CELSIUS PRIOR TO AN APPLICATION OF CLEAR GLAZE.
- APPLICATION TO BISQUEWARE FOLLOWED BY A SECOND OPTIONAL BISQUE FIRING AT 1000 DEGREES TO "HARDEN ON" THE COLOUR PRIOR TO GLAZING.
AFTER FIRING, THE COLOUR INTENSIFIES AND BECOMES GLOSSY. WHEN LEFT UNGLAZED AND FIRED TO AROUND 1000 DEGREES OR MORE, THE COLOURS ASSUME A VELVET MATTE APPEARANCE. THIS IS A GOOD SURFACE FOR SCULPTURAL FORMS AND AS A DECORATING EFFECT WHERE GLAZING IS NOT ESSENTIAL.
COLOUR SHOULD BE APPLIED AS THINLY AS POSSIBLE, IN LAYERS, TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED EFFECT. IF WATER HAS BEEN LOST A LITTLE MORE MAY BE ADDED BUT BE CAREFUL NOT TO DILUTE COLOUR POWER. APPLICATION GIVES A TRANSLUCENT EFFECT WITH 1 COAT, SEMI OPAQUE WITH 2 COATS AND OPAQUE WITH 3 COATS. COLOUR IS BRIGHTEST WHEN CLEAR GLAZED AND FIRED TO 1180 DEGREES, BUT FULL GLAZE FIRING RANGE IS 1050 TO 1260 DEGREES.
SAFETY: TOXIC MATERIAL OR HAZARDOUS AS AIRBORNE DUST, AND/OR AS POWDER AND/OR IN LIQUID SUSPENSION. WORK WILL BE FOOD-SAFE AFTER CLEAR GLAZING AND FIRING.
HELPFUL TIPS
- MIX YOUR UNDERGLAZE THOROUGHLY BEFORE USING IT. UNDERGLAZES CAN SETTLE OVER TIME, SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO MIX THEM WELL TO ENSURE CONSISTENT RESULTS.
- USE A CLEAN BRUSH OR SPONGE TO APPLY THE UNDERGLAZE. CONTAMINATION FROM PREVIOUS COLOURS OR PARTICLES CAN AFFECT THE FINAL OUTCOME.
- APPLY THE UNDERGLAZE IN THIN LAYERS TO AVOID CRACKING OR FLAKING. THICK LAYERS ARE MORE PRONE TO THESE ISSUES.
- ALLOW THE UNDERGLAZE TO DRY COMPLETELY BEFORE APPLYING ADDITIONAL LAYERS OR A CLEAR GLAZE.
- USE UNDERGLAZES TO CREATE DETAILED DESIGNS AND PATTERNS. THEY ARE ESPECIALLY USEFUL FOR FINE DETAILS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE WITH REGULAR GLAZES.
- USE MASKING TAPE OR WAX RESIST TO CREATE SHARP LINES AND EDGES.
- EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES, SUCH AS SGRAFFITO (SCRATCHING AWAY LAYERS OF UNDERGLAZE) OR STAMPING TO CREATE UNIQUE DESIGNS.
- USE STENCILS OR STAMPS TO CREATE CONSISTENT PATTERNS. CREATE GRADIENTS BY BLENDING DIFFERENT SHADES OF UNDERGLAZE.
- KEEP IN MIND THAT UNDERGLAZES WILL APPEAR DIFFERENT AFTER FIRING, SO ALWAYS DO TEST FIRINGS BEFORE STARTING A LARGE PROJECT.
- USE A CLEAR GLAZE OVER UNDERGLAZE TO PROTECT THE DESIGN AND MAKE IT MORE VIBRANT.
- APPLY THE CLEAR GLAZE IN THIN LAYERS TO AVOID CLOUDINESS OR BUBBLES.
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVERFIRE THE UNDERGLAZE, AS THIS CAN CAUSE IT TO LOSE ITS COLOUR.
- MIX UNDERGLAZES WITH WATER TO CREATE A WATERCOLOUR EFFECT.
- USE A SPRAY BOTTLE TO APPLY UNDERGLAZE FOR A MISTY, ATMOSPHERIC EFFECT.
- MOST IMPORTANTLY, HAVE FUN AND EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES AND DESIGNS!
Stock subject to availability. Product made in New Zealand by Kiwi Underglaze. Data Sheet available @ kiwiunderglaze.com