As you can tell from the pictures below, the color of the glaze before firing is no indication of what color it will turn out. When choosing glaze - and trust me, it can take longer to glaze than you think - we typically pick colors based on charts provided by the glaze manufacturer. The color still can vary from the intended color based on what clay was used, how many coats were applied - whether the piece was dipped in glaze or brushed with it, temperature of firing, and most of all, what different colors are applied.
Most often, we'll use custom color combinations we've tried in the past - such as the "Apple" glaze pictured in the red crab bowl below (first successful on a large Apple), or the "Santa Glaze" so named because it was first tried on a Santa goblet. But we are always looking for new combinations to add to the "custom" collection.
Most often, we'll use custom color combinations we've tried in the past - such as the "Apple" glaze pictured in the red crab bowl below (first successful on a large Apple), or the "Santa Glaze" so named because it was first tried on a Santa goblet. But we are always looking for new combinations to add to the "custom" collection.
This is also a good opportunity to compare how much the pottery shrinks during firing - even from bisque fire (half fired) stage, to final glaze fire. Total shrinkage from wet clay to final fire can be 14-16%