Foundations Q&A
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- Last Updated: Friday, 22 April 2016 12:14
Platters by Grace Markley-Reiter
Stroke & Coat® on top of Foundations®
Q. Are Foundations® glazes dinnerware safe?
A. Yes, yes and yes. Foundations® glaze is frit based; therefore, when three proper coats are applied over the entire piece of bisque the bisque has been encapsulated. Fire to cone 06/05 and it is dinnerware safe. Foundations® glazes are certified AP non-toxic and food safe.
Q. What is the difference between Foundations® and Stroke & Coat® glazes?
A. Stroke & Coat® glazes were initially designed for the unique needs of the Paint Your Own Pottery market which needed a glaze that could be applied to bisque and would be clear glaze compatible. The unfired color needed to look similar to the fired color making it user-friendly for those new to ceramics. Stroke & Coat® glazes are a hybrid of an underglaze and Foundations® glaze. Stroke & Coats are similar to underglazes in their viscosity (thickness), color in the jar and their clear glaze compatibility. However, Stroke & Coats fire glossy, even without a clear glaze, which makes them more like Foundations®.
With Stroke & Coat® what you see is very close to what you get. S&C can do it all! It provides superb design work, is certified AP non-toxic and food safe, goes from translucent to opaque with 1-3 coats and does not move when fired.
Foundations® glazes were developed to be the foundation, base coat or background to your artwork. The fact that they are easy to apply, give consistent firing performance and are budget friendly ensures that they will become an essential part of your decorating process. It’s stable, non-moving base is perfect for majolica techniques (glaze layering) with Stroke & Coat® glazes.
Foundations® gloss glazes were designed to mature at shelf cone 06/05. Apply 2-3 coats, allowing surface to dry in-between coats. When applying to a large surface, we recommend a broad, soft brush such as CB-618 #8 Soft Fan. The glaze flows on the pottery for easy coverage, is quick drying and does not pick up previous coats. Once the pottery is covered with Foundations®, create your design with Stroke & Coat®.
Q. Can I use different glazes with Foundations® glaze?
A. Yes. Stroke & Coat®, Crystalite, and Jungle Gems all work well over Foundations® glaze.
Q. Can I use Foundations® on clay / greenware?
A. Yes. Foundations® can be applied to greenware or leather-hard clay. Apply 2-3 coats of Foundations® over the entire piece, leaving an area unglazed such as a back or bottom to allow for outgassing. Clay / greenware should be totally dry before firing. Fire to shelf cone 04 (1060° C) with a slow ramp speed.
Q. Can I fire Foundations® to higher temperatures?
A. Many Foundations can be fired to higher temperatures and still maintain their color. Check the individual color label for performance at mid-range temperatures. It is always a good idea to do a test firing when going to Cone 6.
Q. Why does Foundations® have three different colored labels?
A. Foundations® glaze is available in Opaque, Sheer and Matte finishes.Opaques provide solid coverage when applied. Sheers give a translucent finish, even with three coats. In addition, the Sheers provide darker detail / accents in any crevices which gives an antique effect. Mattes have no shine, just a rich matte finish when fired to cone 06. When Mattes are fired to higher temperatures they will have a sheen or gloss finish.