Getting started with stoneware glazes
Immerse yourself in the dazzling art of enamels
In the world of artisanal creation, making enamels is a true alchemy that combines patience and creativity. Whether you are a pottery enthusiast, pro or amateur, the search for the perfect colors for your creations can become a real sparkling adventure.
Enamel, what is it?
Enamels are a layer of glass or in other words, a vitreous coating applied to ceramic shards to give them an appearance (matte or shiny), a color (or just a transparent enamel) and to provide resistance. Their manufacture dates back centuries, and each culture has developed its own techniques and secret recipes for achieving vibrant colors.
My training on enamels
After a few years of buying industrially manufactured enamels, I embarked on training to learn the art of enamelling. It's a great experience that adds great value to my work. Mastery of raw materials is essential to the development of a good chemical formula which will be the basis of my artisanal enamels. Combining science and art is a great experience for me. My scientific and down-to-earth side is very stimulated, and that gives me a lot of confidence for the future.
The training I followed is as follows:
Understanding Glazes Full Course
I highly recommend it! (Only in English). Matt & Rose are great teachers, they are both passionate and attentive to each student.
The art of making
Making enamels means first of all having a good knowledge of the raw materials to be able to mix them knowingly in order to obtain a beautiful harmony of molecules to achieve the desired result. You must first carefully select quality raw materials, such as fluxes and metal oxides. Each powder plays its role, and each of them is important. Nothing is left to chance. Then, by following its recipe precisely and the manufacturing steps, we mix the powders together with patience and caution.The magic of colors
The search for colors in the manufacture of enamels is a real game of nuances. The possibilities are limitless. From deep blues to shimmering greens to flamboyant reds, each shade evokes a different emotion. When it comes to designing a recipe, what seems to us to be small details can make a very big difference in the final outcome. It's fascinating. We must therefore analyze each rendering to be able to understand what we like or dislike in order to continue to improve our recipes. You have to experiment constantly. By mixing passion and creativity we obtain unique palettes, and each oven opening is a real excitement.
Find your perfect palette
If you start creating enamels, I strongly advise you to start by learning the role of each raw material, and to understand its function. You need 4 basic ingredients for enamel to be stable and resistant. This is essential to obtain quality work.
But above all, have fun! Don't just follow trends and classic recipes. You have to dare to revisit. Instead, explore your own world of colors, let yourself be inspired by nature, cultures or emotions. Test different combinations, dare contrasts and let your imagination run wild.
Conclusion
The manufacture of enamels is a true journey to the heart of colors and creativity. This search for colored glass is a real daily stimulation. This makes sense with my work, and my questioning about the emotions that colors provide. By manufacturing colorful and functional ceramics, my goal is to bring you joy every day. So by exploring this ancestral art with passion and determination, you will discover an infinite palette of possibilities to express your unique style. So, let yourself be carried away by the magic of enamels and create works that will dazzle the world!
Thank you for reading, I would be delighted to hear your tips and inspirations on enamels, you can leave them for me in comments!