I have admired the look, effect and versatility of reticulated glazes and thought they could add dimension to my sculptural work. Is anyone game to tell me what they know and have experienced or join me in the journey?
Brenda Burgess
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The formula I have used is called 50/50. 50% neph syenite, 50% magnesium carbonate. Thinner coat works best over most surfaces. Too thick and it flakes off. Thinner coat makes smaller crackling pattern. Thicker coat makes a larger crackle pattern. It works on most clay bodies, slips and glazes. I usually apply to bisque ware and it is difficult to move the piece once applied without flaking off.
Dane Venaas
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The 50 Neph Sy/50 Mag carb recipe that Dane uses is the ‘Coleman-Sperry mud crack glaze’.
It is the most common used reticulated glaze recipe for ^ 8-10 reduction or oxidation. It is best used over
a dark clay body or a lighter clay body with a dark (black or dark blue) slip applied in the green ware stage.
If you use a blue slip the edges of the reticulated sections will often have a blue tint.
Here are a few other “Crack” recipes from Patrick Horsley:
Mud Crack Textural Glaze, ^9-10, reduction or Oxidation
Custer feldspar 70
Magnesium Carbonate 30
Mud Crack 2 Textural, ^04-03 Oxidation
Borax 3.88
Gerstley Borate 46.51
Magnesium Carbonate 31.01
EPK Kaolin 18.60
Add 6% Zircopax
Mud Crack 3 Textural, ^5-6 Oxidation
Nepheline syenite 50
Magnesium Carbonate 30
Gerstley Borate 30
Add 6% Zircopax
Also, check out the article “Lichens and Lizards and Leopards, Oh My! Reticulated Galze Recipes for
Wild Ceramic Surfaces” posted on Ceramics Arts Daily by Robin Hopper on Sept 30, 2013.
Also: look up the work of Robert Sperry - he was one of the masters of Reticulated glazes, AMOCA did
a wonderful retrospective of his work in 2008 entited ‘Bright Abyss’.
Happy experimenting!!
Bill Metcalf
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