Potters Tip - from John Shirley - Wax Resist

One of our leading ceramists and member of Ceramics Southern Africa, John Shirley, gave us the following tip on Wax Resist.

WAX RESIST

WAX RESIST CAN BE USED AT MANY STAGES OF THE POT’S DEVELOPMENT BUT AT THE GREEN STAGE SEEMS TO BE APPROPRIATE, BECAUSE THE BISCUIT FIRING WHICH FOLLOWS WILL BURN OUT THE WAX. I FIND A MIX OF 1 PACKET OF WHITE CANDLES TO 1 CUP OF PARAFFIN TO BE AN EXCELLENT MIX FOR HOT WAX. HEAT CAREFULLY UNTIL IT IS JUST BEGINNING TO SMOKE FOR OPTIMUM RESULTS. ALTERNATIVELY A ‘COLD’ EMULSION WAX CAN BE USED. THE WAX IS APPLIED TO THE DESIGN TO BE RESISTED WITH EITHER A BRUSH OR SPONGE APPLICATOR. SLIP OR OXIDE IS APPLIED OVER THE PIECE WHEN DRY (IMMEDIATELY WITH HOT WAX, ABOUT ONE HOUR WITH COLD WAX).

THE WAX WILL RESIST THE OXIDE LEAVING A FEW ‘BEADS’ ON THE SURFACE OF THE WAX. TRADITIONALLY THIS IS CONSIDERED PART OF THE EFFECT. THE PIECE IS THEN BISQUE FIRED WHICH BURNS OUT THE WAX AS WELL AS PREPARING THE POT FOR GLAZE. THE POT WOULD THEN BE GLAZED AND FIRED IN THE USUAL WAY. MAKE SURE THAT THE GLAZE YOU ARE USING WILL LET THE OXIDE YOU HAVE USED SHOW THROUGH AFTER FIRING!