Drive-by Post: A Demo in 5 Pics

Just wanted to share something fun I have been demonstrating in my classes this week: an underglaze decorating technique involving carving through a layer of wax to create an image and low relief texture at the same time.

It starts with bonedry greenware. Bone dry is better than late leather hard only because the water-based wax resist dries faster. I brush on a layer of wax; water-based wax resist is better than paraffin because it is less brittle, but either one will work. (Optionally, you could paint your intended design on the greenware with food coloring first, if you don't want to freehand it.) It needs to dry completely, which will take a little longer on greenware than it does on bisqueware. The rest goes like this:

Carve thru wax and into the clay with a sgraffito tool

Brush on underglaze

Second layer...

Wipe excess off with sponge

Do it some more...

This piece will get some more carving on the lid, then I will re-cover it with wax, allow it to dry, and then repeat the process with a different color of underglaze; I'm thinking white. It will be bisqued, which will burn away the wax, and then either glazed with a transparent stoneware glaze - maybe celadon - or I might just let the soda vapor do its thing.