How Did We Do That??

Click for project details about Sharon's firing schedule
for this reduction look in cone 6 electric firing.

White Froth Tile @ Cone 6 Oxidation

This is one of our favorite "combination" projects using cone 6 and cone 06 products together on a cone 6 clay. It's had a high visual "wow!" factor when we display the tile in our classes or in store, and we'd like to share... how we did that! Click either thumbnail image to visit our Projects page to download the technique sheet.

Here's how we did it.

Click on any of the titles in this menu to jump directly to the instructions for the project or technique that caught your eye. We will add more project and technique sheets over time, so this list will grow! Click on the technique sheet thumbnail images to open the full-sized sheet in a new window. These technique sheets are PDF files: you will need a PDF reader program (like Adobe Reader or Foxit Reader) on your computer to read, print and save these files. Some of these files may take several minutes to download depending on the speed of your Internet connection.

(Newest project sheets are at the top of the list.)

Reach for the Stars

More fun with glaze combinations, and presented in a new format! The center pentagon of each star shows the featured glaze by itself. Each point of the star shows the center glaze combined with another glaze. The star points are textured, so you can see how the combination works with the surface of the clay.

Fire + Time = Magic

GLW34 Ohata Red... ... and GLW34... ...and GLW34 again!

So what's the difference between these three?

It's all about the FIRING SCHEDULE.

Our clays and glazes are forever changed in the heat work of the kiln. We all know that, whether we work with fossil fuels in reduction or with electric kilns in oxidation. We also know that the outcomes of our firings vary... a LOT... with subtle variations we might not even notice at first. So what happens when we deliberately change up the times and temperatures of our firings? You guessed it: A LOT! Click any of these five thumbnails to download a five-page "paper workshop" on techniques you can try in your kilns!

We're Seeing Stars!

GLAZE STARS, that is! We've come up with a great new way to show just what you can do with our most popular glazes for Combo Mambo layering! Each star focuses on one central glaze, then shows a series of combinations with different glazes around the five points. Remember that the order of application for the glazes. The results will be different for Copper Patina over Incredible Black compared to Incredible Black over Copper Patina. They could both be great additions to your color palette!

Dance with Color and Design: Combo Mambos for 2011

We learn in our classes too! Christy just completed her always-popular class in exploring cone 6 glazes. She puts a lot of work into the class, and every year it just gets better. Our students got stunning results in exploring their own "Combo Mambo" dances of fire with our glazes. We'd like to share those results with you too. Click on any of these thumbnails to download the color samples page.

Interactive Pigments: Totems, Techniques & Tiles

Interactive Pigments are versatile design elements that interact with both your clay and your glaze. These technique sheets show a wealth of information, complete with color photos, on using our new Interactive Pigments over glazes, under glazes, and every which way with sponges, stamps, and brushwork. We displayed many of these pieces in our NCECA booth in Philadelphia, so we're happy to offer this second chance if you were unable to attend the conference or wanted another look. (Click for more product information and our online shopping cart.)

(Click this image for a larger version.)

New Glazes + New Pigments = New Dimensions Would you like to learn more? Click the links below the thumbnails to download the flyer files. High Resolution (5.8 mB) High Resolution (5.6 mB) Low Resolution (745 kB) Low Resolution (729 kB)

Georgies Glazes in Cone 6 Reduction

We recently had an opportunity to get many of our cone 6 glazes fired in a reduction atmosphere. At cone 6 temperatures, the glaze fuses with and becomes part of the clay. The interactive chemistry between the clay and the glaze can radically change the color of the glaze. The firing atmosphere makes a difference too, and can change the color of the glaze AND the clay AND how they interact.

Raku Tips, Techniques & Safety

"Four elements enter into the making of Raku: the clay, the glaze, the fire, and the artist.
Of these the most fallible and least predictable is the artist. Raku is a technique,
but far more than this, it is also a philosophy." - Hal Riegger in "Raku: Art and Technique"

The Japanese word "raku" doesn't translate well into English. The closest translations we've seen are "enjoyment" or "happiness in the hazard," with strong overtones of serendipitous discovery. As artists we never know what will come out of the raku kilns and reduction chambers until we see the actual final results. Some of our pieces will break, while others will be spectacular. Here at Georgie's we've often compared raku to chess: we can teach you the moves in an afternoon, but you can spend a lifetime mastering the technique. These sheets offer decorating techniques, glaze tips, and safety notes to help you along the way toward your own personalized mastery of this unique craft.

Th-INK-ing About Crackles?

Georgies' new cone 6 Crackle Glazes are semi-transparent, designed to let the color of your clay body shine through. These glazes are especially effective on light-colored or white clay bodies like cone 6 porcelains. Now you can add a new layer of depth and detail by highlighting the crackle patterns with India Ink! Not sure how? Click on the tech sheet thumbnail on the right for more details. It gets messy, but the results are worth it! (PDF file size = 786k.)

Black + White = ...?

The quirks of glaze chemistry make working with color in ceramics different from any other artform. It's not just about the pigments that reflect the light to make the color! You also have to account for the interactions of the glaze ingredients, where sometimes black + white does not equal gray. We worked with various combinations of our black and white glazes to see what would happen. We got grey, green, brown and even blue! See for yourself by clicking on our tech sheet thumbnail on the right. (PDF file size = 2.62 mB.)

Craftsman-Style Glazing

Remember the Craftsman movement? In the late 1800s and early 1900s, skilled artisans working in this style used designs inspired by the earth and nature, embodied in warm hues, to evoke the satisfaction of a simple but refined look and feel. Georgies' glazes in the Sculptural/Textural line (GLW35 to GLW47) give you the palette to recreate the Craftsman style in your own work. Click on the tech sheet thumbnail at right to find out how. (PDF file size = 991k.)

Watercolor Glazing at Cone 6: Landscapes

This has been one of our most popular technique sheets! Watercolor glazing works on the same principles as watercolor painting: you build up layers of translucent color to create the images and subtle shadings that you want. Instead of using white paper, you're using white clay and a palette of translucent glazes. Think like a painter.... and click on the technique sheet thumbnail on the right for tips and techniques to make your thoughts real. (PDF file size = 2.7 mB.)

Watercolor Glazing: Calla Lilies

More watercolor glazing, except this time we're going with a floral design. This technique sheet will help you see more of the possibilities for cone 6 watercolor designs. (PDF file size = 2.53 mB.)

Watercolor Glazing: Lavender

This just may be the most stunning of our studies in watercolor glazing. Not only does it show the possibilities in floral designs for this style, but right down to the fine details! It's combined on the technique sheet with the calla lilies, but we thought the lavender really deserved its own chance to be seen. Click the technique sheet thumbnail on the right for more details. (PDF file size = 2.53 mB.)

Doing the Combo Mambo

We have always described our Cone 6 glazes as "interactive" and "versatile," but just what does that mean? This color glaze brochure will show you! Our glazes work together with each other, the clay color, and the surface or texture to create effects that no single glaze could offer alone. Best of all, when you find glaze combinations that you like, you can repeat them on other pieces! The color samples here will show you just a few of the possibilities: there are many more awaiting your discovery!

This is a four-page document. Click (then print or save) each of these four images to get the full document. (And check out the Crossover Plates technique sheet for a great way to test potential glaze combinations!)

(PDF file size = 561k.)	(PDF file size = 763k.)	(PDF file size = 166 kB.)	(PDF file size = 143 kB.)

Combo Madness!

Yes, we did it again! This document shows a whole new series of glaze combinations, using many of our newest Cone 6 Gloss and Sculptural/Textural glazes. The fired results are just gorgeous, especially as the glazes move, flow and combine over the textured surfaces. Click the images below to see for yourself! This is a four-page document. Click (then print or save) each of the four images to get the full document. (And check out the Crossover Plates technique sheet for a great way to test potential glaze combinations!)

(PDF file size = 726k.)	(PDF file size = 661k.)	(PDF file size = 633k.)	(PDF file size = 686k.)

Cruising the Color Wheel

Ever wondered just why some colors seem to work together and some don't? This flyer illustrates some of the basic principles of color theory as used in other visual arts ranging from painting to photography to clothing and interior design. Working with these principles can enhance your work as you choose (or broaden) consistent color schemes. Click the thumbnail at right to begin exploring this fascinating, rich new realm of ideas. (PDF file size = 1.02 mB.)

Contrast Plates

So you've been exploring the color wheel, but what's next? How about gloss and matte glazes, in complimentary or contrasting colors, side-by-side in your design work? The visual contrast between the different glaze surfaces lends a whole new dimension of depth and interest to your clay work. The plates on this flyer show some of the effects you can achieve by using Georgies' gloss and matte glazes together on one piece. And the plates show even more interesting possibilities for glaze combinations, too! Click the thumbnail at right for an eye-candy feast of inspiration. (PDF file size = 3.74k.)

Crossover Plates

So many glaze combinations, so many choices, so little time... which ones catch your eye? Here's a great way to test our most interesting glazes and combinations for your clay body and application style by applying lines (horizontal) and columns (vertical) of our glazes and firing them together to see what happens. For the example on the left, we thought the combo of GLW36 and GLW37 might be the best one, but which would you choose? Click on the tech sheet thumbnail at right for more illustrations and directions on this great testing technique. (PDF file size = 347k.)

Crazy Foamy Crystal Glazes

Duncan's lowfire Crystal Glazes (for cone 06 firing) offer cascades of magical, melting color when you open your kiln after firing. Now here's a way to add another contrasting element of breaking, flowing white to your pieces using these glazes. And you can do it with nothing more complicated than the nearest can of shaving cream!

Click on the underlined text above to visit the Crystal Glazes page, or click on the tech sheet thumbnail to try this fun technique. (PDF file size = 1.3 mB.)

GK1 Color Combinations Flyer

By combining the glazes you can reach whole new vistas of color performance. The combinations are reliable and repeatable too, just like our solid color glazes. Due to melt, texture, surface and firing variations from piece to piece, you'll see subtle differences so this new palette never gets boring -- tho you're sure to find your own favorites among the possible combinations! You may never see ALL that these colors can produce together.(PDF file size = 1.5 mB.)

(Click here for the GK1 page with larger color photos.)
(Click here for the GK2 page with larger color photos.)
(Click here for the GK3 page with larger color photos.)