Monday, 19 March 2012
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT!
DRAWINGS AND PRINTMAKING ON
"CLEMATIS SERIES" GLAZE PAINTING - SINGLE FIRED ON
PC SUBSTRATE WITH MULTIPLE GLAZES,
BRUSHWORK AND GLAZE TRAILING.
FIRED IN REDUCTION AT CONE 10.
THE FIRST EVER GLAZE PAINTING USING PC SUBSTRATES.
BY ROBIN HOPPER
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THIS POST IS AN UPDATE ON AN ARTICLE THAT I WROTE FOR CERAMICS MONTHLY MAGAZINE IN JANUARY OF 2011. THE ARTICLE FOLLOWS THIS BRIEF INTRODUCTION AND EXPANDS ONTHE DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH THAT I HAVE PUT INTO AN AMAZING MATERIAL FOR THE BENEFIT OF CERAMIC ARTISTS AND POTTERS WHO, LIKE ME, HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR A SUPER-FINE, STRONG, PORCELAIN-LIKE MATERIAL SUITABLE FOR DRAWING, PAINTING AND DOING PRINTMAKING ON WITH CERAMIC MATERIALS AND GLAZES. IT INITIALLY CAME TO MY ATTENTION SOME YEARS AGO THROUGH A VERY INTERESTING STUDENT IN MY GLAZE AND COLOR DEVELOPMENT COURSE THAT I TAUGHT FOR MANY YEARS AT THE METCHOSIN INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL OF THE ARTS IN VICTORIA, B.C, CANADA. I HAVE NOW RETIRED FROM TEACHING, BUT I WANTED TO SHARE THIS AMAZING MATERIAL WITH AS MANY OF MY READERS AS POSSIBLE. IT WAS ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED FOR NASA AS SPACE AGE MATERIAL USED FOR HEAT SHIELDS AND LATER FOR COMPUTER CARDS THAT HAD TO BE PERFECT. THE CERAMIC INDUSTRY IS BESET WITH SECONDS OR FALLOUT MATERIAL.THE CUTTING OF THE SUBSTRATE IN THE MANUFACTURING STAGE IS WHAT USUALLY CAUSES FALLOUT MATERIAL. NON-FALLOUT MATERIAL WOULD BE 78% HIGHER IN COST. SLIGHT IMPERFECTIONS ARE GENERALLY NOT A PROBLEM FOR THE ARTIST. PAPER, CANVAS, CARD, WOOD AND VELLUM INVARIABLY HAVE SMALL IMPERFECTIONS.
THE STUDENT, WHO I WILL JUST REFER TO AS D.A., WAS MAKING SOME OF
HIS SUPPORT INCOME FROM PRODUCING CERAMIC BASEBALL CARDS.
PC SUBSTRATES ARE CURRENTLY ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH AN ON-LINE STORE WITH THE FOLLOWING, VERY INFORMATIVE WEBSITE: WWW.CERAMICARTCART.COM THEY WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE THROUGH SELECTED ART AND CERAMIC SUPPLY STORES. THEY WILL HAVE A PRESENCE AT THE UPCOMING NCECA CONFERENCE IN SEATTLE, USA. THE BOOTH NUMBER IN THE EXHIBITION HALL WILL BE 424 WHERE DEMONSTRATIONS WILL BE ONGOING AND QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PRODUCT WILL BE WELCOMED. I WILL BE THERE FOR SOME OF THE TIME, JUST ASK AT THE DESK. CERAMICARTCART IS ALSO THE VENDOR AND NORTH AMERICAN REPRESENTATIVE OF BOTZ GLAZES, A SUPERIOR GERMAN GLAZE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, AND OF KERAFLEX, ANOTHER VERY INTERESTING GREENWARE SUBSTRATE MATERIAL THAT ALLOWS YET ANOTHER RANGE OF POSSIBILITIES. THE WEDNESDAY, 21ST MARCH POST WILL BE MAINLY IMAGES OF WORK ON PC SUBSTRATES BY OTHER ARTISTS WHO ARE NOW WORKING WITH THIS REVOLUTIONARY NEW MATERIAL. I PLAN TO DO A POSTING ON KERAFLEX ON FRIDAY, 21ST MARCH, 2012. THE WWW.CERAMICARTCART.COM WEBSITE HAS SEPARATE GALLERIES OF KERAFLEX AND PC SUBSTRATES SHOWING IMAGES OF WORK BY MANY DIFFERENT ARTISTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY USING THE PRODUCTS.
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January 19, 2011
Ceramic Substrates as Canvas: A High-Tech Ceramic Material Gets Artsy
Prunus Triptych, three sheets of untreated substrate with bronze-black pigment brushwork, fired to cone 10 in reduction. Chrome/lead orange glaze applied with a fine trailer and refired to cone 010.
In today’s post, Robin Hopper presents a possible solution for those who want to paint, but would like to incorporate marks that can only be made by the magic of the kiln. Robin has been experimenting with painting on substrates, high-tech, porcelain-like, super-thin, pre-fired sheets of mostly alumina that we re developed for use in the automotive, electronic, avionics, medical, and military fields. Working with cast-offs from industry, Robin has found that the material is affordable and has been giving him terrific results. Plus, he is making something beautiful from would-be landfill fodder. - Jennifer Harnetty, editor. |
It is extremely rare to find anything new in a medium that has been in constant use for over 10,000 years, over most of the globe, in most cultures. It is impossible to be 100% certain that ceramic substrates have never been used before in the ways I will be describing, but I have never seen or heard of anyone using them as a basis for drawing and painting. The company that developed and manufactures them for an entirely different advanced-technology use informs me that this is new to them as well. My introduction to this material opened up the possibility of ceramic drawing and painting on a superfine surface. For the painter, graphically skilled artist, or anyone working two dimensionally, ceramic substrates offer exciting new possibilities not only because of their surface but also because of their durability and range of applications. After a lifetime spent largely informing people of what has been done before, it is really exciting to consider how these might be applied to a painterly/graphic use, in home decoration, lighting, as a translucent alternative for stained glass, for large- and small-format murals, and many other architectural possibilities. Beautiful miniatures and jewelry panels could also be possible when the substrates are cut to a very small size. |
Need more ideas for ceramic surface decoration? Check out Robin Hopper’s Making Marks in the Ceramic Arts Daily Bookstore! |
This image shows a montage of an old decal, cut-up, layered and reassembled on the untreated surface. Fired in oxidation at cone 019.
Ceramic substrates are high-tech, porcelain-like, super-thin, pre-fired sheets of mostly alumina that were developed for use in the automotive, electronic, avionics, medical, and military fields. They are primarily used for screen-printing digital circuitry diagrams for a variety of electronic applications. They are composed of 96% alumina, and are fired to over cone 10 (2372°F, 1300°C). Despite their thinness and lightness in weight, they are amazingly strong. Even when fired several times with an incomplete coat of glaze on only one side, there were no structural or glaze fit issues. They also have no shrinkage, which is a major benefit when you consider that regular porcelain bodies generally shrink between 12% and 17%. If one thinks of the ceramic substrate as just another work surface to paint and draw on like paper, vellum, card, board, or canvas, it can be approached in the same way as one would for any discipline in drawing and painting. Lightweight, break resistant, and wonderfully translucent, it is paper without all the fussy curatorial issues and ceramic without all the technical issues. The only real difference would be that the materials used on the surface are ceramic. 
Basic working set-up with warming trays, blank and fired substrates, lambswool paint roller and glaze tray, brushes, underglaze pens and pencils. It could easily be set up on a corner of a kitchen table and only needs a household outlet to function.
I first used ceramic substrates 20 years ago when I tested some of my regular glazes on them and they came out of the kiln with a particularly beautiful surface quality, more so than the same glaze on other clay surfaces. So far, my research shows that they have the ability of taking on any glaze I have tried, at any temperature up to cone 10, in oxidation or reduction. They can be refired numerous times to layer glazes of different temperatures, starting with the highest and working down. I haven’t tested them in soda, salt or wood firings, because, in theory, one needs a much larger amount of silica than is present in these substrates to develop a suitable surface with sodium, potassium, and calcium (the major fluxes that bond with silica to form glaze in atmospheric or fumed firings). I don’t have kilns for these firing processes, so here might be a research area for someone else to work with and develop. Theories are made to be challenged! 
Randy Brodnax’s raku substrate test, raku fired with ferric chloride.
Keral 99 Substrate with scumbled underglaze pencil background and brushwork using Laguna Clay’s Moroccan Sand Oxide Stain Ebony Black MS-102. Fired in oxidation at cone 8.
Methods It takes little time to adjust and feel the difference between a traditional clay surface and that of a substrate. That said, substrates do require a bit of special consideration to work with. This is due primarily to the fact that they offer no absorption, as they have been pre-fired to above cone 10. Because of this, water-based glazes and colorants dry very slowly. I had a hunch that they would better accept glazes on the surface if the substrates were heated during application. Looking for the most convenient heating method, I stumbled on two kitchen warming trays at the local thrift store for $15. They worked perfectly. Larger warming trays may be available from restaurant supply stores. I placed a sheet of rigid copper on top of the warmer to make sure that the heat was evenly distributed throughout the substrate, which I placed directly on top of the copper. Inexpensive trays don’t usually have a heat control. More expensive ones have rheostats that can be set for temperature control. My thrift store find gave me one of each, and I find that they both work equally well. You can also use hair dryers or electric paint strippers. 
White barium glaze ground, layered glazes and brushwork, fired at cone 8 in oxidation. Chrome/lead orange glaze applied with a fine trailer and refired to cone 010.
Depending on the type of artworks being done and the vision of the artists doing them, it might not be necessary to apply an overall base coat of glaze. Some methods of application can be done cold. The ivory/vellum-like surface can be drawn on with ceramic pens, pencils, and variations of Conté crayons, producing an image that is similar to regular pen and ink or pencil drawings, but fired in place, usually at around cone 6. Glaze and slip trailers in a variety of sizes are perfect for doing linear work in combination with glazes or terra sigillatas. Firing between applications of underglaze pencil, pen, and glaze to set the colors allows a complex matrix of marks to be built up. Depending on the character of the glaze, from very fluid to very dry, the surface might be anything from smooth and flat to a definite raised line. After trying many variations of application, I find that the following four work best for me: 1. I draw and paint directly on the surface as purchased. I may do additional firings to increase complexity of the image. 2. I apply an even coat of underglaze (I prefer black) and fire it anywhere between cone 04 to 6. Then I will apply two or three coats of glaze (I prefer white) and cut sgraffito (scratch line drawings) through the glaze down to the underglaze surface. I then brush off the powdery glaze with a soft brush and fire the piece to the final glaze temperature. 3. I will sometimes apply a crystalline glaze directly to the surface in a thick coating, leaving at least ¼ of an inch bare at the edges, in case the glaze is excessively fluid. This way, it can run even on a flat, horizontal surface. 4. Most of the time, I lay down a thin glaze ground on the substrate using a small lambswool or fine cellulose sponge roller with thickened glaze (just let the solids settle and take most of the water off). After the first coat is dry, I apply two more coats, giving me a slightly pebbled texture to paint on—a ceramic version of a primed canvas. If the glaze is particularly finicky to use or paint details over, I usually fire the base coat to 1832°F (1000°C), or in a bisque firing. Although the substrate is non-absorbent, the applied glaze will be absorbent until fired to its maturity. Sometimes I use colorless glazes that are crystalline when fired and cooled appropriately. The same base glaze just fired to maturity will likely give a nicely textured background. I have fired substrates in cone 10 oxidation and reduction, cones 6 and 8 oxidation, and cone 06 oxidation. Others, like Randy Brodnax, have tested the substrates in raku firings. The substrate sheets accept and withstand various print-making approaches, such as monoprint, linocut, woodcut, screen printing, and decals. The potential range of applications is limited only by the creative mind and technical understanding of the person doing it. If one can imagine all the possibilities of paper, card, or canvas, substrates are just another flat, white surface waiting for the artist’s touch! |
For more great ceramic decorating techniques, be sure to download your free copy of Three Great Pottery Decorating Techniques: A Guide to Sgraffito, How to Make and Use Terra Sigillata, and Creating and Coloring Highly Textured Surfaces.
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Robin Hopper is a potter and author of several books (available at www.ceramicartsdaily.org/bookstore). He lives in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. He would like to thank Skutt Kilns for the nifty, custom-built 14 x 14 x 10-inch computerized test kiln for substrates. For more information about Robin, and to learn about his work and books, go to www.chosinpottery.ca. |
20 Comments
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There are no fumes from the substrate as anything that would cause fumes has already been burned out in the pre-firing vitrification at above cone 10. Any further fumes would come from ingredients in the glaze, usually carbonates and possibly sulfates, as they burn out and become oxides. You didn’t miss it, it wasn’t there! Robin
Rebecca, Any heating unit that will just evaporate the water from the glaze will be fine. a heating pad will take longer, but it will work. TRY IT AND SEE! is my usual answer to open- ended questions.
Question: Can you drill holes safely for hanging? or how have you resolved hanging them?
you so much.