Sample Glazed Tiles for Potober 2018

Hi, Julie here.

This is new to me. A Blog? Who would have thought!

I have recently undertaken a project for Potober, which is held at North Metropolitan Tafe at the end of September. I have produced 400 sample tiles for the delegate bags which, fortunately for me, I have access to a slab roller (the love of my life) and a tile cutter.

Two hundred tiles size 100mm x 100mm were originally made. One hundred tiles in Feeney Dark Stoneware. One hundred tiles in Feeney Dark Chocolate Earthenware.

The following day when the tiles were leather hard they were cut in half to make 100mm x 50mm tiles.

A small amount of Cesco underglaze was applied diagonally covering half the tile.They were labelled on the back with information about the clay type and firing temperature. The information was written using underglaze with a small amount of water added so it could be applied with a decorative slip trailer set or precision applicator. Both of which have a range of small nibs that can be attached for precise writing.

The stoneware clay tiles were labelled if they were fired in (ox) oxidation or (red) reduction atmosphere. All the tiles are then bisc fired to 1000 deg.

Then the glazing starts. The glaze would be applied to tile on the underglaze section and would be glossy after firing, while the other half without glaze being matt clay colour. 100 earthenware tiles are ½ glazed with Cesco EQB5381A with a temperature range (1040-1120 deg). These are fired to 1100 deg.

The other 100 earthenware tiles are similarly ½ glazed with Cesco EQB5490, range (1180-1240 deg). This glaze had a 10% addition of EQB5381A and fired to 1180 deg.
All the 200 stoneware tiles are ½ glazed in Cesco ESB5914 (1260-1320).

100 are fired in a gas kiln, reduction atmosphere to 1280 deg. The other 100 are fired in an electric kiln to 1280 deg, oxidizing atmosphere. Attached are photos of the tiles fired to stoneware temperature.

Photos of the earthenware fired tiles will be added when completed.