Ceramic Crayons

Glaze crayons are just another way of applying a colorful design to your bisque ware, and to make them there are a couple different ways of mixing them.

1. Start by combining together 50 grams of OM4 Ball clay, 25 grams of Potash Feldspar, 25 grams of silica, 5% Bentonite, and 15-20 grams of the chosen colorant stain depending on its intensity.

 
OR

Combine 15-20 grams of colorant/stain with about 40% of Gerstley Borate.
Gerstley Borate is meant to allow the colorant to stick to the bisque ware and its used in place of the above powder mixture.

 

2. heat up a in a metal container a half block of bees wax.

3. Once the wax has melted, stir in the powder mixture and 30% stand oil

 4. Prepare a straw with masking tape at one end OR use a mold to shape the crayon.



5. When the mixture has heated to a liquid consistency either pour into the straw or into the mold.

  Keep the straw upright until the crayon solidifies.


6. You could place the mold in a freezer to speed up the cooling process

7. Once cool enough carefully slice open the straw with an X-acto knife to extract the crayon

OR remove the crayon from the mold.

The crayon won't mark well if its too warm.

This is the result of the crayon marking and a clear glaze over the crayon.

There was very little difference between the Gerstley Borate and the other powder recipe, both worked well.


Post Written by Kim Davies