During the 1976-77 academic year at Georgian College in
Barrie, Ontario, the third year ceramic students worked
on a number of tests which were designed to fully
investigate the potential of one basic glaze (white

or clear). A portion of the investigation was designed
to discover how this one basic glaze, could be slightly
altered to produce an unlimited variety of glazes that
would meet the needs of a producing potter. If, with
slight variations in composition, a variety of glazes
could be produced with a varied palette of colours,
then the number of materials that one would have to
stock could be kept under control, conserving space in
the studio and requiring a smaller financial outlay.

If the basic structure of the glazes in use is similar,
then the glazes should be compatible with one another,
allowing layering and line blending of glazes, thus
further extending the potential combinations.

LINE BLENDING OF GLAZES A and B
A : Y z B

o0z | 758 | 50A | 25A

258 | 50B | 758 | 100%!

you could use:

100 gms. or 4 tbsp. of prepared glaze
75 gms. or 3 tbsp. of prepared glaze
50 gms. or é@ tbsp. of prepared glaze
25 gms. or | tbsp. of prepared glaze

I

I

Procecure:

From whatever source they wished, each student selected
ome besic glaze that was working for them, or was close
to what they required for their work. The selection
ranged from clear to satin to matt glazes. The formula
of each glaze was studied so that there was as under-
Standing of the kinds of materiale used and of the
proportions of the component parts.

By locking up the molecular proportions or the ultimate
per cent analysis of each ingredient, the chemical make
up of the materials was studied. (This information is
readily available from the suppliers of ceramic
materials}. Those with skills to use the unity
molecular formulas (UMF) or the ultimate per cent

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