Welcome
Welcome to the Kiln Goddess' Clay Pit of Mid-Range Commercial Cone 4-6 Glazes. Look in any clay supply catalog you will find an overwhelming selection of glazes to purchase with little info to go on to make your choice. This lens will hopefully help you make your choice. Here you will find reviews of some of the more popular brands of glazes by company and by individual color. I hope you find it helpful.
Please excuse the mess and incomplete lens...it was accidentally published before it was done...opps. More photos coming soon.
Please excuse the mess and incomplete lens...it was accidentally published before it was done...opps. More photos coming soon.
Standard Clay Glazes
I've used Standard Clays for years and never knew they made glazes. A local distributor of Standard Clays advertised the glazes and so I decided to give them a try since I was using Standard Clays in my classroom. Overall I have been very pleased with the results I have gotten from the glazes from Standard Clays. They are very dependable, give good coverage, blend with each other and other glazes from other manufactures nicely but don't run badly. I have introduced them to my classes and have had no problem with them being used by beginning glazers.
The glazes come in dry form so they need to be mixed with water so you will need a sieve to strain the glaze after they have been mixed. I make them in small batches and use an electric hand blender to mix them, tho a milkshake mixer would work just as well and for larger batches a stainless steel paint mixer attachment for your drill will work great.
The glazes come in dry form so they need to be mixed with water so you will need a sieve to strain the glaze after they have been mixed. I make them in small batches and use an electric hand blender to mix them, tho a milkshake mixer would work just as well and for larger batches a stainless steel paint mixer attachment for your drill will work great.
The Pefect Hand Blender from Amazon
For mixing your dry glazes
Rival IB954W Ultrablend 2-Speed Handheld Immersion Blender
Amazon Price: $39.99 (as of 12/19/2009)
List Price: $29.99
This is the perfect hand blender to mix small batches of dry glaze. Pour dry glaze in a tall plastic glass add recommended water and blend. This blender will mix your glaze fast. Remember to notate on your blender that it is not for food use, once you have used it in the glaze studio it should not come into contact with food.
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Layering Glaze
Brand: Standard ClayGlaze Name/ #: Layering #1198
Color: Opaque Yellow to Mottled Yellow/White
Texture: Gloss
Clay applied to: Standard Clay #259
Cone Range: 5-6
Cone Fired: 5
Kiln Type: Oxidation
User Likes: A nice pale yellow where thin, thicker it becomes mottled with white. This glaze is meant to be used with other Standard Clay brand glazes to blend and create an interesting family of glazes.
Walnut Brown
Brand: Standard ClayGlaze Name/ #: Walnut Brown #1110
Color: Opaque Brown w/ Speckles
Texture: Glossy
Clay applied to: Standard Brand #259
Cone Range: 5-6
Cone Fired: 5
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: I am so loving this glaze. It is a beautiful brown. It has great coverage and works well with other glazes. The color is wonderful.
Help on Firing Your Glazes on Amazon
Electric Kiln Ceramics: A Guide to Clays and Glazes
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $29.69 (as of 12/19/2009)
List Price: $44.99
Usually ships in 24 hours
The Electric Kiln (Ceramics Handbooks)
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $29.25 (as of 12/19/2009)
List Price: $32.50
Usually ships in 24 hours
Exploring Electric Kiln Techniques
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Amazon Price: (as of 12/19/2009)
List Price: $28.95
Khaki
Brand: Standard ClayGlaze Name/ #: Khaki #1215
Color: Neutral Khaki/Tan
Texture: Matt
Clay applied to: Standard Clay #259
Cone Range: 5-6
Cone Fired: 5
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes:It is a nice solid matt tending to brown where thin. Is a gloss rust color when applied over Standard's layering glaze.
White
Brand: Standard ClayGlaze Name/ #: White #1119
Color: Opaque White
Texture: Glossy
Clay applied to: Standard Clay #259
Cone Range: 5-6
Cone Fired: 5
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: A nice stable white. Has nice flow and mottle when applied over some other glazes. A keeper.
Transparent
Brand: Standard Clay
Glaze Name/ #: Transparent
Color: Translucent Cloudy
Texture: Mattish
Clay applied to: Standard Clay #259
Cone Range: 5-6
Cone Fired: 5
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: To be frank, by itself it is fairly ugly, tends to have pin holes. Is not easy to apply and tends to get thicker than needed quickly. But applied over Amaco's Turquoise it becomes lovely.
Glaze Name/ #: Transparent
Color: Translucent Cloudy
Texture: Mattish
Clay applied to: Standard Clay #259
Cone Range: 5-6
Cone Fired: 5
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: To be frank, by itself it is fairly ugly, tends to have pin holes. Is not easy to apply and tends to get thicker than needed quickly. But applied over Amaco's Turquoise it becomes lovely.
Glazing Brushes on eBay
Your glazing toolbox should include a goodly number of brushes in a variety of sizes. You can often find some excellent deals on eBay for you supplies.
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Amaco Glazes
I have only used a handful of these glazes myself so far but I like what I am seeing. They work well with each other and other brand glazes. They have excellent coverage. The come premixed and have usually a good consistency right out of the jar after a bit of shaking and stirring tho a couple of colors seem to be a little on the thick side tho the addition of a tad of water fixed that.
Glossy Burgandy
Sahara High Fire Glaze Family
Brand: AmacoGlaze Name/ #: Glossy Burgandy
Color: Burgandy
Texture:Opaque Glossy
Clay applied to: Standard Clays #259
Cone Range: 5-6
Cone Fired: 5
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: It is a lovely color. Very rich. It needed 3 painted coats for good coverage. Took to texture well, did not fill in low spots but left enough texture show. Very nice over glossy white glazes.
Turquoise
Sahara High Fire Glaze Family
Brand: AmacoGlaze Name/ #: Turquoise
Color: Turquoise
Texture: Dry Matt
Clay applied to: Standard Clay #259
Cone Range: 5-6
Cone Fired: 5
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: At first I didn't like this glaze as I am not a fan of dry matts. Then one of my students used Standard Clay's Transparent over it and I rethought my opinion. It is lovely applied over texture and then sponged off the high spots and the transparent applied over it. It makes the textural patterns soften and gives the surface a depth it didn't have before. This glaze combo is perfect for a soft feminine look.
Teal Blue
Sahara High Fire Glaze Family
Brand: AmacoGlaze Name/ #: Teal Blue
Color: Teal Blue
Texture: Opaque Semi-Gloss
Clay applied to: Standard Clay #259
Cone Range: 5-6
Cone Fired: 5
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: The jury is still out on this one. I am not fond of it by itself and only have seen student results with this glaze. Perhaps it would be a nicer shade of blue on a white clay body.
Ultramarine Blue
Sahara High Fire Glaze Family
Brand: Amaco
Glaze Name/ #: Ultramarine Blue
Color: Translucent Blue
Texture: Glossy
Clay applied to: Standard Clay #181
Cone Range: 5-6
Cone Fired: 5
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: This is a nice blue. Perfect for use in texture as it pools darker in the low spots.
Glaze Name/ #: Ultramarine Blue
Color: Translucent Blue
Texture: Glossy
Clay applied to: Standard Clay #181
Cone Range: 5-6
Cone Fired: 5
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: This is a nice blue. Perfect for use in texture as it pools darker in the low spots.
Red Gloss
Sahara High Fire Glaze Family
Brand: Amaco
Glaze Name/ #: Red Gloss
Color: Opaque Bright Red
Texture: Glossy
Clay applied to: Standard Clay #181
Cone Range: 5-6
Cone Fired: 5
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: The perfect color for Christmas or fire engines or anything you want to be the screamingest red a red could be. The glaze seemed to be a little thick out of the bottle and was hard to mix but a tiny bit of water got it flowing enough. Takes at least 3 brushed coats for solid coverage.
Glaze Name/ #: Red Gloss
Color: Opaque Bright Red
Texture: Glossy
Clay applied to: Standard Clay #181
Cone Range: 5-6
Cone Fired: 5
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: The perfect color for Christmas or fire engines or anything you want to be the screamingest red a red could be. The glaze seemed to be a little thick out of the bottle and was hard to mix but a tiny bit of water got it flowing enough. Takes at least 3 brushed coats for solid coverage.
Zinc-Free Clear
Sahara High Fire Glaze Family
Brand: Amaco
Glaze Name/ #: Zinc-Free Clear
Color: Clear
Texture: Glossy
Clay applied to: Standard Clay #259
Cone Range: 5-6
Cone Fired: 5
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: The perfect clear. Near crystal clear pooling to a blue opal where thicker. Perfect for texture. Perfect to show off finger ridges on thrown work. Works great with other glazes. Needs 3 brush coats for solid coverage.
Glaze Name/ #: Zinc-Free Clear
Color: Clear
Texture: Glossy
Clay applied to: Standard Clay #259
Cone Range: 5-6
Cone Fired: 5
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: The perfect clear. Near crystal clear pooling to a blue opal where thicker. Perfect for texture. Perfect to show off finger ridges on thrown work. Works great with other glazes. Needs 3 brush coats for solid coverage.
Textured Almond
Sahara High Fire Glaze Family
Brand: AmacoGlaze Name/ #: Textured Almond
Color: Opaque Cream
Texture: Buttery Matt
Clay applied to: Standard Clay #259
Cone Range: 5-6
Cone Fired: 5
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: This has a wonderful surface to touch. It feels lovely to the fingers. The color is a nice creamy almond. A very nice glaze to maybe glaze rims that will touch lips as in a mug. For a nice surprise combine it with Amaco's blue rutile and you get a super shiny wonderful worry stone texture greenish color.
Glaze Sponges on Amazon
Another way to apply glaze is with sponges. Paint your sponge with glaze and press to the side of your pot or creation. Then cover the whole thing with a clear glaze. This can be fun to do with kids or adults.
Hydra Tack Sponges 12 Pack
Cut your own shapes from these round sponges.
Amazon Price: (as of 12/19/2009)
Chenille Kraft 9078 60-Piece mixed sponge set, 3 high letters/numbers/shapes
Great for house plaques and the like.
Amazon Price: $17.31 (as of 12/19/2009)
SPONGE UMS 4 OF 5 PEOPLE
Maybe use this shape as a base to dress your glazes people in fun outfits.
Amazon Price: $6.06 (as of 12/19/2009)
Blue Rutile
Potter's Choice Glaze Family
Brand: AmacoGlaze Name/ #: Blue Rutile
Color: Opaque Blue breaking to brown/gold
Texture: Glossy
Clay applied to: Standard Clay #259
Cone Range: 5-6
Cone Fired: 5
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: Let me gush about a glaze...I love it...I love it...I love it...Perfect for deep texture. Wonderful flow on nontextured clay. Interesting color development when combined with other glazes. Did I mention I love this glaze?
Oil Spot
Potter's Choice Glaze Family
Brand: AmacoGlaze Name/ #: Oil Spot
Color: Translucentish brown with small spotting
Texture: Glossy
Clay applied to: Standard Clay #259
Cone Range: 5-6
Cone Fired: 5
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: This is a lovely complement glaze to the Blue Rutile Glaze listed above. The brown of this glaze is a near match to the color of the brown that Blue Rutile breaks to. They work very well together.
Temmoku
Potter's Choice Glaze Family
Brand: AmacoGlaze Name/ #: Temmoku
Color: Opaque Dark Brown with some lighter spots
Texture: Semi-gloss
Clay applied to: Standard Clay #259
Cone Range: 5-6
Cone Fired: 5
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: Its a very dark color, still considering its use. It is very stable and needs at least 3 brushed coats for complete coverage.
Orangerie
Brand: AmacoGlaze Name/ #: Orangerie
Color: Opaque light orange
Texture: glossy
Clay applied to: Standard Clay #259
Cone Range: 5-6
Cone Fired: 5
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes:It a bright color, quite brighter than colors my usual choices. Still experimenting to find how I like to use it.
Clay Body for Your Glazes
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Spectrum Glazes
I only gave spectrum glazes a short try. I was looking for glazes to use in my classroom and these were the first commercially made cone 6 glazes I tested. While I personally like the glazes they did not work well for classroom use. I got very inconsistent results. Some glaze colors ran very badly even when all precautions were taken to keep that from happening. I even had to ban one color from my classroom as it ran 2 inches down a pot to puddle on the kiln shelf and adhere one students work to the shelf.
Many of the colors were lovely and I plan to experiment with them more in the future but on my own work not in the classroom. These glazes need a more experienced glazer to work well.
Many of the colors were lovely and I plan to experiment with them more in the future but on my own work not in the classroom. These glazes need a more experienced glazer to work well.
Texture Mulberry
Brand: Spectrum
Glaze Name/ #: Texture Mulberry
Color: Translucent Berry
Texture: Glossy
Clay applied to: HighWater's Buncombe White
Cone Range: 4-6
Cone Fired: 6
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: It was a lovely color. I only saw it applied to a flat surface so I can't comment on flow. It did not match the color chip provided by the manufacturer at all, it was a much prettier color out of my kiln than theirs.
Glaze Name/ #: Texture Mulberry
Color: Translucent Berry
Texture: Glossy
Clay applied to: HighWater's Buncombe White
Cone Range: 4-6
Cone Fired: 6
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: It was a lovely color. I only saw it applied to a flat surface so I can't comment on flow. It did not match the color chip provided by the manufacturer at all, it was a much prettier color out of my kiln than theirs.
Texture Moonscape
Brand: Spectrum
Glaze Name/ #: Texture Moonscape
Color: Opaque Mottled blue breaking to tan
Texture: Glossy
Clay applied to: HighWater's Buncombe White
Cone Range:4-6
Cone Fired: 6
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: A lovely color with lots of flow. Tends to be a bit runny apply thinly towards the bottom of the pot.
Glaze Name/ #: Texture Moonscape
Color: Opaque Mottled blue breaking to tan
Texture: Glossy
Clay applied to: HighWater's Buncombe White
Cone Range:4-6
Cone Fired: 6
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: A lovely color with lots of flow. Tends to be a bit runny apply thinly towards the bottom of the pot.
Texture Navy
Brand: Spectrum
Glaze Name/ #: Texture Navy
Color: A mid-range blue with floating spots of lighter blue
Texture: Textured Gloss
Clay applied to: HighWater's Buncombe White
Cone Range: 4-6
Cone Fired: 6
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: A ok color, I wasn't wowed. Much glossier than the chip in the catalog suggested it would be, lighter in color too. Tended to run a bit so take precautions and only thinly apply toward the bottom of pot.
Glaze Name/ #: Texture Navy
Color: A mid-range blue with floating spots of lighter blue
Texture: Textured Gloss
Clay applied to: HighWater's Buncombe White
Cone Range: 4-6
Cone Fired: 6
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: A ok color, I wasn't wowed. Much glossier than the chip in the catalog suggested it would be, lighter in color too. Tended to run a bit so take precautions and only thinly apply toward the bottom of pot.
Texture Oasis
Brand: SpectrumGlaze Name/ #: Texture Oasis
Color: Opaque Tanish
Texture: Glossy
Clay applied to: HighWater's Buncombe White
Cone Range: 4-6
Cone Fired: 6
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: Warning: Glaze runs badly. This glaze ran 2 inches down the side of a pot to adhere the pot to the shelf. The color was a very glossy tan/camel color. It was a nice color but I think glaze should be contained within pots not on the outside unless you like a lot of grinding to remove excess glaze.
Glaze Removal Tool
Knife Sharpening Stone
Amazon Price: (as of 12/19/2009)
List Price:
This is the perfect tool for getting those accidental glaze melted on blobs off the bottom of your pots(well this tool and a bit of elbow grease). Use care not to scuff the glaze that you want to stay on the pot.
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Texture Chrome
Brand: Spectrum
Glaze Name/ #: Texture Chrome
Color: Opaque Green
Texture: Semi-gloss
Clay applied to:HighWater's Buncombe White
Cone Range: 4-6
Cone Fired: 6
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: Very chrome green. I was not fond of the color but the glaze seemed fairly stable and didn't run much.
Glaze Name/ #: Texture Chrome
Color: Opaque Green
Texture: Semi-gloss
Clay applied to:HighWater's Buncombe White
Cone Range: 4-6
Cone Fired: 6
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: Very chrome green. I was not fond of the color but the glaze seemed fairly stable and didn't run much.
Green Stone
Brand: Spectrum
Glaze Name/ #: Green Stone
Color: Opaque Blueish Green
Texture: Matt
Clay applied to:HighWater's Buncombe White
Cone Range: 4-6
Cone Fired: 6
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: This was a pleasant color, reminding me of spring. Seems stable without a tendency to run. Not a dry mat but not quite satin either.
Glaze Name/ #: Green Stone
Color: Opaque Blueish Green
Texture: Matt
Clay applied to:HighWater's Buncombe White
Cone Range: 4-6
Cone Fired: 6
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: This was a pleasant color, reminding me of spring. Seems stable without a tendency to run. Not a dry mat but not quite satin either.
Fire Engine Red
Brand: Spectrum
Glaze Name/ #: Fire Engine Red
Color: Opaque Red
Texture: Glossy
Clay applied to:HighWater's Buncombe White
Cone Range: 4-6
Cone Fired: 6
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: A bright color not quite as red as Amaco's Red Gloss. I thought it was a tad too light to be fire engine red. It was stable and stayed where put. It took 3 brushed coats for solid coverage.
Glaze Name/ #: Fire Engine Red
Color: Opaque Red
Texture: Glossy
Clay applied to:HighWater's Buncombe White
Cone Range: 4-6
Cone Fired: 6
Kiln Type: Electric Oxidation
User Likes: A bright color not quite as red as Amaco's Red Gloss. I thought it was a tad too light to be fire engine red. It was stable and stayed where put. It took 3 brushed coats for solid coverage.
Mid-range Glaze on eBay
Sometimes you can find a good deal on glazes on ebay.
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Have a commercial glaze you'd like to review please post it here. Here is the the info I'll need:
Brand:
Glaze Name/ #:
Color:
Texture:
Clay applied to:
Cone Range:
Cone Fired:
Kiln Type:
User Likes:
Have a photo of a test tile, a pot or sculpture featuring that glaze please post your link to the image and I'll include a link to your portfolio(please post link to portfolio if not the same) on this lens if you allow me to use that image in your glaze review.
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Some Designs by Me on CafePress
Ask Me About My Handbuilding Tote Bag
Encourage people to talk to you about your pottery with this handy dandy button on your shirt or jacket.
Tote Bag
Price: 16.99
Ask Me About My Pottery Organic Cotton Tee
Proclaim you are a potter with this fantastic shirt. Encourage people's interest to talk to about your pottery.
Organic Men's Fitted T-Shirt
Price: 22.99
by KilnGoddess
The Kiln Goddess is an artist/potter. She loves working in clay as well as metals, mosaics, and nearly all mediums she tries. She especially loves whe... (more)
