Craquelling and Marbling Lusters

Nelson Tan · Post by **Nelson Tan** » Mon Oct 13, 2003 10:12 pm

Has anyone used this before?

http://www.amarinceramics.com/html/colour.html
under Lusters , Craquelling and Marbling solutions

Nelson

Rebecca M. · Post by **Rebecca M.** » Mon Oct 13, 2003 11:23 pm

I haven't used the craquel or marbling, but I have used the halo lusters. But on this piece, what started out as Antique Blue Halo with Gold Halo turned lavender/purple after being capped and brought to full fuse and again going lighter in color on the slump. I wanted to cap with clear for a plate, but for something decorative and not being used for food purposes, you may have good color retention on a slump with the lusters on the surface. Certain chemicals will take it right off though.
They smell bad going on and worse while firing. The halo's have to be dotted on after the base color is put down. I don't much like this plate as it was not at all what I was expecting. It's just an example of what a crap shoot these can be. Very cool if it comes out right, but not if it doesn't.

Nelson Tan · Post by **Nelson Tan** » Tue Oct 14, 2003 9:56 pm

Thanks for sharing Becca.

Barbara Muth · Post by **Barbara Muth** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 7:33 am

Becca, did you dot the antique gold over the blue? Or are the two haloes in different spaces? I am guessing that the color change may have been a chemical reaction between the two halo colors. Gold luster sometimes goes pink or purple anyway (never when you want it to, only when you don't!)

Barbara

Rebecca M. · Post by **Rebecca M.** » Wed Oct 15, 2003 8:19 am

Becca, did you dot the antique gold over the blue? Or are the two haloes in different spaces? I am guessing that the color change may have been a chemical reaction between the two halo colors. Gold luster sometimes goes pink or purple anyway (never when you want it to, only when you don't!)

Barbara

Yes, the gold was over the blue. I even changed brushes like a good girl.

Those darker blobs are the gold. (I think)
The first firing came out fine, nice blue with gold. It was the full fuse with cap that turned it purple. Maybe too much heat/air got to it. The dots kind of smooshed too. I may give it another go with a different schedule, or just save this for surface treatment.

Tom White · Post by **Tom White** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 8:34 am

In my experience working with ceramics most lusters fire to cone 019-020, much lower than fuse temps. I would suggest that when using lusters you fire no hotter than slumping temps or even slightly cooler. The makers of halo lusters suggest only applying it over black or very dark colors because the area between the halos is a very thin layer of metalic which turns purple or pink when fired. If this is on black it is translucent enough that you see the black through the purple and don't notice the discoloration. On lighter colors you see the purple.

Best wishes,
Tom in Texas

Diane Trepanier · Post by **Diane Trepanier** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 1:33 pm

Becca, I have used alot of different colors of halo luster. The only ones I have found to hold up to full fuse are the gold and platinum. The others burn out to a red brown color. Also, are you firing the glass with the lusters first and then cap?

Rebecca M. · Post by **Rebecca M.** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 5:32 pm

Becca, I have used alot of different colors of halo luster. The only ones I have found to hold up to full fuse are the gold and platinum. The others burn out to a red brown color. Also, are you firing the glass with the lusters first and then cap?

Yes. the lustered pieces were fired first to about 1250. I compiled the plate and fired to full fuse very slow between 1150 and 1250, and then on up. I'm fairly sure the slow squeeze schedule did the lusters in. But hey! my bubbles were very minimal.haha But I've been told that the lusters can be capped, so of course I believe it.

Although like Tom says the color could make a dif. It was clear. I read last night the do's and don'ts on some site or other. Just like he says. Darn it! I like them on clear. Back to the drawing board.

Bert Weiss · Post by **Bert Weiss** » Thu Oct 16, 2003 7:10 pm

Becca wrote:
Becca, I have used alot of different colors of halo luster. The only ones I have found to hold up to full fuse are the gold and platinum. The others burn out to a red brown color. Also, are you firing the glass with the lusters first and then cap?
Yes. the lustered pieces were fired first to about 1250. I compiled the plate and fired to full fuse very slow between 1150 and 1250, and then on up. I'm fairly sure the slow squeeze schedule did the lusters in. But hey! my bubbles were very minimal.haha But I've been told that the lusters can be capped, so of course I believe it.
Although like Tom says the color could make a dif. It was clear. I read last night the do's and don'ts on some site or other. Just like he says. Darn it! I like them on clear. Back to the drawing board.

Becca

If it looks good it is good. We can use the china lusters which are formulated to fire a bit hotter than glass lusters. The glass lusters are designed to go on stemware without slumping. The people who named them didn't forsee our application. it is very important to vent the kiln up to 900 or 1000 when firing lusters. The fumes can mess them up.

I am curious how capped lusters work. If you prefire them (don't go above 1050ÂºF) and then cap them, it could work as the oxygen doesn't have a chance to interface with the metals in the lusters.

Nelson

As I understand it Hannovia/ Engelhard/ Heraeus is the major luster manufacturer. Ferro also makes them. Your Thai source is probably made by one of those. The lusters sold by Thompson Enamel are a totally different material.

They can be applied by airbrush or hand painted or decaled. Generally they look best with modulation of application density. Although, I've seen some really nice evenly sprayed on stemware.