One Stroke™ Translucent Underglazes Information

It is important to thin One Strokes to the proper consistency for the type of work being done. Very heavy application of these glazes can lead to problems with dry areas, cracking or bare spots where the One Stroke may pop off, taking the glaze with it. Concentrated translucent colors are designed for relatively thin applications that result from one brush stroke. However, One Strokes need to be applied thick enough so that the top glaze does not "cannibalize" it. Thinning with water minimizes the danger of too heavy an application, but over-diluting can cause loss of color. 

Use a palette knife to thin the color to the consistency of light cream for most applications. The consistency of very light cream is recommended for banding wheel work and decorating over unfired glazes. A wash of color, spattering or full brush shading over one color with another would use a product thinned to the consistency of milk. With practice, you will learn the feel of the product in its various uses. 

*Mayco does not recommend spraying or airbrushing ceramic glazes and underglazes. 

One Stroke Notes:

• Non-toxic
• Generally applied to greenware. Sometimes applied to bisque for techniques such as color washes, Majolica or on top of an unfired glaze. 
• Dampen greenware slightly before application.
• Shake bottle well and thin with water or AC-304. The consistency of One Strokes depends upon the technique being used. 
• Use a quality brush for application.
• Intermixable to create custom shades.
• Use to tint opaque underglazes, glazes and slip.
• Bisque fire to shelf cone 04. Can be fired up to shelf cone 6.
• A glaze finish is generally applied after firing to bring out the true color and vividness of One Strokes.
• Water soluble

Brushing One Strokes-Because of the translucent quality of One Strokes, the direction of the brush stroke is apparent. This makes them ideal for artistic detail work and designs. Although One Strokes are not designed for solid coverage, they can be used satisfactorily on large areas if properly applied. Thin the color to the thickness of light cream, apply with a flat brush sized for the area. More than one coat thinned properly will produce a more opaque look.

Sponging One Strokes-A sponge can be used in a variety of ways, each achieving a different look. One Strokes allow every underlap of the sponge to show. Sponging of the piece should not be so concentrated with color so as not to allow the bisque to show. This light or airy look is accomplished by choosing a sponge with a specific pattern to it and rotating the sponge with lighter mixtures of color allowing the bisque to show through. Several colors can be blended into the sponge at a single time to give a wider variety of possibilities. Usually One Strokes are thinned to the consistency of milk, allowing for two-toned value of the same color. Generally darker colors can be thinned more than lighter shades. Darker shades will block out lighter colors underneath, while lighter shades applied over darker ones gives a shadowing to the area. Blending of the colors from dark to light is preferred. Blend into the sponge and test on a piece of paper to see how the colors intermix. 

Color Washes and Antiquing (Wash-Away)-This technique is done on bisque--whether it is soft bisque (Cone 018-022) or hard bisque (Cone 04.) Each has their advantages, but hard bisque is the preferred type to use in most techniques. Whichever bisque is used, use little water while cleaning the greenware to reduce unwanted erosion of the surface. When using the harder bisque, dampen the surface with water so the color is more even in tone. When using softer bisque for antiquing, re-fire the ware to shelf cone 04 before glazing. 

The wash mixture should be the consistency of non-fat milk or water. It is then applied to the embossed area where it flows into the recesses and crevices. Use a large brush so the color is even. The color will have a natural tendency to be darker in the recesses while automatically highlighting the embossed areas. Mixing the One Stroke with Media AC-304 will not allow the color to thin out enough.

When antiquing, color is applied and then removed from the high points with a damp sponge, leaving the color in the recessed areas. Color should be thinned to the consistency of light cream and applied using the largest brush possible for the area. If the color is too thin, it will run and penetrate, staining the bisque. When the color is too thin, it has a tendency to weaken the color and can cause the color to shiver off after firing. If the color is too thick, it will not get into all of the embossed areas and can repel the top coat of glaze during firing. Applying one coat of AC-304 Media to the surface before antiquing is applied will aid in making the color more even in tone. 

Allow the color to dry before removing it from the raised areas with a damp sponge. Follow the contour of the design on the piece. Wiping the wrong direction will cause you to remove too much color. Rinse the sponge often to keep the highlighted areas crisp and clean. Too much pressure on the sponge will remove excessive amounts of color. Persistence, not pressure, is what does the job effectively.

Antiquing over a fired underglaze can be very attractive. This can be done to a piece that has had several colors applied to the surface. This ties the piece together for an even look. The underglazes should be properly fired to shelf cone 04 before doing this technique. Antiquing done alone with a clear glaze is very effective, but can also be done with a speckled or clear art glaze. Darker colors used under semi-transparent color offers the artist a wider range of decorating possibilities. Remember the top glaze will mute the underlying color. Darker shades are most often used for this purpose.