Custom Glazing 'Horse Shaped Objects' - Basic Introduction
I started a group on Facebook for my upcoming custom glazing workshops. It occurred to me that since I'm not yet diving into a Patreon page or similar setup, I may as well make all of my basic starter information posts completely public here on my blog and not just restricted to a private group on Facebook. If these posts are helpful to get others set up and working in ceramics, producing their own sculpture, and trying various forms of custom glazing (for horse shaped objects or otherwise) then I'm glad if these posts might be helpful to you. Mostly however they are aimed at those involved in the Model Horse Hobby or fine art equine sculpture, but can equally apply to any animal ceramics.
What is a ceramic bisque? The word "ceramics" comes from the Greek word keramikos meaning "of pottery" or "for pottery". The term "bisque" is of French origin and actually means 'twice baked' which is interesting since in ceramics it refers to raw 'greenware' clay that has been fired for the first time to partially or fully 'vitrify' the clay particles, fusing them together enough so that the clay will no longer turn back into mud when wet.
In our case, 'bisque' is used to generally refer to once fired clay that is it's natural, raw color state and undecorated. That could be white, tan, brown, grey, black, etc depending on the clay used and also may included tinted slips. Some also use it to refer to decorated pieces that lack actual silica based glassy glazes, such as bisques that have been china painted and refired again, but don't actually have higher fired glazes applied. There is a lack of uniformity in the use of the term so you may run into some confusion. For my articles we will be using the term to indicate a completely undecorated piece of clay that has been fired at least once or more but still has the original clay color. This is the most common use of the term by most ceramists, if not also collectors.
By contrast, another term to make yourself familiar with is 'white ware'. This generally refers to any bisque that is white and has been fired with a clear glaze, glossy or matte, but is otherwise completely undecorated with color. For the purposes of under glazing we will use true 'bisques' only. However, for over glazes we usually apply these over a piece that has already been glaze fired - white ware or colored but in some cases over glazes can also be applied directly to bisques. Usually non-porous bisques such as porcelain or bone china. In my case, I use both under glaze and over glaze techniques together at various stages.
To get everyone started in learning the terminology, I highly recommend readers of this blog interested in learning custom glazing to book mark and start reading the https://digitalfire.com/ website's glossary of terms. There is a wealth of information there about the history of ceramics and all of the many terms we'll be using to discuss the materials and processes I'll be covering in my ceramics based workshops and blog posts. Or you may look up individual, unfamiliar words in general internet searches. The more you know the better you will understand these posts as I delve into the art of fine equine custom ceramics. There are also some very helpful ceramics forums out there to give you help along the way and aid with trouble shooting such as Ceramics Arts Network and their hugely helpful forum, Ceramics Arts Daily.
Below is a sample unglazed earthenware bisque 'Okie Rio' shown here with a custom mane added by myself, ready to start under glazing. This beautiful weanling stock horse was sculpted by the well known Carol Williams of Rio Rondo and produced both glazed and in bisque by Pour Horse Pottery. I'll post more about bisques soon, what you will need, where to find them, and varieties and sizes that would be ideal to locate for my workshops or to practice on at home when you first get started on your own. Save any expensive, rare pieces for later once you master a few skills!
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