Mastering Glaze Technology

Course with Wendy Yates
Price: £165 per person
Date: November 22nd
Time: 10:00am–5:00pm / Studio access: Until 6:00pm

📍 Location: Clay n Glaze Studio – Hillside Warracott, Chillaton, Devon PL16 0HE
📞 +44 79 4634 4615

A hands-on day exploring glaze chemistry, techniques and special effects with Wendy Yates

Whether you are just beginning to explore glazing or already have experience in your own studio, this hands-on workshop will give you the practical skills and scientific understanding to experiment with glazes confidently.

You’ll spend the day exploring different glazing techniques, mixing and modifying glazes, creating special effects and learning how to get more from the materials you already have.

By the end of the workshop, you’ll have your own collection of test tiles, a pot of glaze to customise and plenty of ideas to take back to your studio.

What you’ll explore

The workshop covers a wide range of glazing techniques and materials, including:

• Dipping, pouring, spraying and brushing
• Mixing commercial powdered glazes and controlling viscosity
• Making your own glaze from a base glaze
• Understanding which glazes work best with different clay bodies and surfaces
• Exploring brush-on glazes from Italian, German, British and American manufacturers
• Altering and customising brush-on glazes to create different colours and surface effects
• Creating crystals and other special effects
• Glazes that react with each other
• Crawling and foaming effects
• Understanding when and how to flux glazes for different results
• Safe handling of glaze materials and health and safety

There will be demonstrations throughout the day, followed by plenty of hands-on time to experiment for yourself.

Your day

10:00am – Arrival, coffee and welcome

We’ll begin with coffee and an introduction to the day, followed by a discussion about clay types and their suitability for different colours and special effects.

Demonstration & practical session

You’ll learn how to mix prepared powdered glazes, control viscosity and make your own glaze from a base glaze. You’ll then have the opportunity to experiment with dipping, pouring and spraying.

Exploring brush-on glazes

We’ll take an in-depth look at the huge variety of brush-on glazes available, including their strengths, challenges and transformative possibilities.

You’ll experiment with special-effect glazes, including crystals, crawling, foaming and glazes that react with one another.

You’ll also learn how to customise and modify brush-on glazes rather than simply accepting them as they come out of the pot.

Lunch

Lunch is included, along with morning coffee and croissants.

Afternoon practical session

You’ll put your new knowledge into practice, experimenting with glaze colours, surface qualities, crystals and other additions.

A small pot will be provided for you to glaze in your chosen finish, and you’ll receive a pot of glaze to customise.

You are also welcome to bring your own bisque-fired tiles made from your own clay to glaze during the session.

The day finishes at 5:00pm, with studio access available until 6:00pm.

What you’ll take away

By the end of the workshop, you’ll be able to:

• Mix a prepared glaze
• Make your own glaze from a base glaze
• Modify brush-on colours
• Adjust surface quality and effects
• Create your own crystals and additions
• Experiment with crawling and foaming effects
• Understand when to use fluxes for different outcomes
• Make better use of commercial brush-on glazes – including those that have dried out
• Continue experimenting with greater confidence in your own studio

You’ll also take home your own test tiles and a small glazed pot.

Test tiles will be fired in our electric kiln at approximately 200°C per hour to 1230°C. Photographs of the fired results will be sent to you, and your samples can either be posted to you or collected.

Alternatively, you can take your test tiles away and arrange your own firing.

Everything is provided

All raw materials, sample tiles, tools and an apron are provided.

Lunch, morning croissants and coffee are also included.

Dietary requirements must be noted at the time of booking.

Toilets are accessible on the ground level.

Booking & payment

Workshop cost: £165

A 50% deposit is required to secure your place, with the remaining balance payable in cash on the day.

If you are unable to attend due to unforeseen circumstances, your booking can be transferred to another date. Deposits are non-refundable.

Bank details

Wendy Yates
First Direct
Sort code: 40 47 60
Account number: 55816106

Payment reference: [Glaze 11.10.]

Finding the studio

Hillside Warracott
Chillaton
Devon
PL16 0HE

The studio is in the largest barn on the development of new barns on Bull Hill. The left-hand barn has a studio on the drive.

If there is no space on the drive, please park in the Biomass area adjacent to the barn on the left.

Please do not obstruct the doors.

Contact: 07946 344615

More detailed instructions will be sent to you before the course.