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Ceramics/Questions Answered by Expert Debra Flint
| Subject | Date Asked |
| glaze | 5/7/2012 |
| Q: i am having issues with consistency and my glazes and am wondering what may be the cause: could it ... A: There is so much to learn in glazes and firing. I was lucky I had a great teacher that lived close ... | |
| applying glaze to commercial dishes | 3/20/2012 |
| Q: I am an elementary art teacher. In addition to their handbuilding project, I was interested in ... A: I have never tried it but I do know that if you fire something to hot or to much it will crack. So ... | |
| cleaning an intricate statue | 1/23/2012 |
| Q: I received an old statue of the Blessed Mother and Child Jesus from my mother-in-law. It is painted ... A: The gold is probaly gold sheets whick may come off? Try a q-tip with alitlle rubbing alcohol on the ... | |
| Kiln Info | 12/14/2011 |
| Q: I have a kiln that my grandmother used to make her dolls & other ceramic pieces. She passed away ... A: If you live in Florida the boys and girls club will take most things. Senior centers also do. It is ... | |
| Book on ceramics | 12/8/2011 |
| Q: I'm thinking I might like doing pottery as a hobby, but I have never it done before. I come from a ... A: I love pottery , you need a wheel unless you want to make flat objects. The wheel makes them round. ... | |
| Where to find Fashion Hues Paint/Stains | 12/6/2011 |
| Q: So now that I am back into painting ceramics, where do I find the fashion hues paints/stains? A: They went out of business many years ago. Afew years ago I put an ad on craigslist asking if anyone ... | |
| pricing of ceramics | 11/8/2011 |
| Q: how do you decide what a piece of ceramics is worth? is it by age , the newest thing, by creator , ... A: We used to take a mold and divide the price of the mold by 6. So if the mold is $60.00 each ... | |
| problems with glazing | 10/3/2011 |
| Q: I have had problems with some of my underglazes (which may be several years old as I bought my ... A: Usualy undergalze does not go bad. It may be to thick but water is fine to thin. Were the bottles ... | |
| Crazing | 9/17/2011 |
| Q: We have recently discovered that our pieces are crazing weeks/months after they are completed. We ... A: The glazing has nothing to do with the crazng. It is your firing that does the crazing. Your ... | |
| Double firing | 9/15/2011 |
| Q: I want to fire some plates with crystalline glazes (cone 10) on the inside (I have an electric kiln ... A: Sorry, I don't do reduction firing. Tried it once and about burnt the building down and none of the ... | |
| Recipe please. | 9/14/2011 |
| Q: I've been looking for a recipe for tube lining slip but haven't been able to find one. Could you ... A: Yes, I use regular slip that has set in the bucket . It is the slip that I cut off on the molds. ... | |
| ceramics | 8/14/2011 |
| Q: Back in the 70's I use to go to classes and paint ceramic figures and dishes. I have not seen and ... A: Yes, they still exist. Not very many, thou. I buy a lot on line. Google ceramics. I buy bisque and ... | |
| where to find greenware in Missouri, Illinois | 8/13/2011 |
| Q: Could you pleasae tell me of any shop that sells greenware in the St. Louis, MO area. Most all ... A: I live in Bradenton, Fl So I know SW Fl. Which has no ceramics shops right now that has Greenware. I ... | |
| stoneware | 8/11/2011 |
| Q: I bought a stoneware Olive oil dispenser and the bottom is very rough. I am concerned about it ... A: There is afew ways to get rid of the rough spots. There is a bisque stone that will rub it off. At ... | |
| pricing ceramics | 8/10/2011 |
| Q: hello i took over my aunts ceramic shop after my uncle passed away but he did all the pricing on the ... A: pricing is the hardest part. I to inherited trucks of molds. First I got old mold books or new ones. ... | |
| overglazes | 6/22/2011 |
| Q: I am wondering about reconstituting gold overglaze that has dried or has gotten sticky over time. ... A: I have never used the dried, sticky gold. I just throw it. So sorry I never thought about diluting ... | |
| Glazing Ceramic Tiles from Home Depot | 6/3/2011 |
| Q: I bought some glazed white ceramic tiles from the Home Depot and I was wondering if I could paint ... A: I have fired them again with FUN STROKES as design work and they come out fine. It cone 6. I am not ... | |
| ceramics | 5/13/2011 |
| Q: Once you have painted a bisque piece and have fired it, can you repaint it? A: It depends on what kind of paint you used. Acylic paint-yes. Glazed-sometime. There are some new ... | |
| substitue for prep coat | 4/12/2011 |
| Q: I already know WHAT prep coat is used for - I am down to my last 2 bottles & Duncan no longer makes ... A: I have not used a primer in over 30 years, acrylic paint is so smooth you do not need to use a ... | |
| firing times | 2/20/2011 |
| Q: I don't know how to fire art pieces to get the best results. I'm working with different clays and ... A: I was always taught to HIGH fire. I opened the lid 3 inches, set everything at HIGH and hit start. ... | |
| glazes and firing | 2/15/2011 |
| Q: Debra. I am a 2nd grade art docent with no art training. We did 2 ceramic projects: a slab project ... A: All glazes require different amounts of coats.Most clear glazes require 2 coats. Darker colors ... | |
| bubbles in glazes after firing | 2/8/2011 |
| Q: can bad slip cause bubbles in the finished glaze peice. I have had this problem on bisque and have ... A: I had a very good instuctor that could figure all firing issues. 90% of time it is the kiln not ... | |
| How do you use a ceramic mold? | 2/6/2011 |
| Q: I have no knowledge at all of how to use a ceramic mold. At our family reunion I normally buy things ... A: Ceramic mold you must use slip. You pour the slip in the mold and let it set up for 5 to 15 mins ... | |
| transparent glaze turning milky | 2/4/2011 |
| Q: This is all new to me so please excuse the 'ignorance'. I am making tiny inserts out of earthenware ... A: First you should paint the underglaze on greenware THEN fire to 03 THEN you glaze with the clear ... | |
| Cress Model K Kiln | 1/26/2011 |
| Q: i have a Cress model K kiln in overall pretty good condition. I was wondering if you know what it ... A: Depending on the size a large one can go for $500.00, small $250 in good shape. The molds will ... | |
| ceramic mugs | 1/23/2011 |
| Q: I have a group of ladies who are part of an organization who have asked me to make store bought ... A: Sorry I am not sure I buy decals that slide on thru a ceramic dealer. I would look on the internet, ... | |
| value of grandmother's ceramic molds | 1/4/2011 |
| Q: Flint: About 50 years ago my grandmother was really working hard with her ceramics, teaching, ... A: Usually I am given alot of old molds and they are not worth the space they take up. First bugs love ... | |
| plaster molds | 12/19/2010 |
| Q: What happened to all the mold manufacturers that used to be in Trenton, New Jersey? (Atlantic, ... A: Most of them have been out of business for over 10 yrs. Gare and Duncan brought the popular molds ... | |
| firing formulas | 12/6/2010 |
| Q: I am using an old cress kiln that only has a 0-100 knob. I have a firing formula for 018 cones that ... A: Decals are 012 like a gold fire. It usually is like 3 hrs. total. 06 is a glaze fire, I always high ... | |
| China Paint "Mildew" Problem | 11/12/2010 |
| Q: I just have an issue with some black irregular spotting that is occurring during my china painting ... A: It could be alot of things. First do you use a cone back up to see if your kiln is firing right? ... | |
| Cones | 11/5/2010 |
| Q: I am confused on the cone temperature. I have an old Duncan kiln, the chart is in the back. But, ... A: The check cones will tell you if and it seems like some element is out? Look thru the peek holes ... | |
| Cones | 11/5/2010 |
| Q: I am confused on the cone temperature. I have an old Duncan kiln, the chart is in the back. But, ... A: What are you trying to fire? If you are using cones, you do not have to worry about temperature. ... | |
| Fashion Hues technique?? | 11/3/2010 |
| Q: I learned a technique years ago that I love and have used a lot but have forgotten some things. I ... A: Yes, You are almost right.Paint white and then I used to take an old sock and wipe the oil based ... | |
| roseville vase 584-12 | 10/21/2010 |
| Q: it has cracks in it and I am not sure I can fix them better. It was cracked in the 60's and has been ... A: I do not know worth as I only know how to make and fix ceramics. You can get mosaic mud in small ... | |
| matt glaze pooling | 10/14/2010 |
| Q: I am using Richard Zakin clear mat glaze and I love the result, except I am getting drip marks ... A: First make sure you are using a glaze mop brush. Second make sure you let it dry completely in ... | |
| kiln operation | 10/12/2010 |
| Q: im getting ready to fire up my kiln for the first time and i have used mold's for the greenware how ... A: First do a test run with support cones on each shelf. Greenware is fired at 04. Glaze is fired at ... | |
| glaze-kiln | 10/8/2010 |
| Q: I have a problem, I think it's more of a kiln problem. I fired a bunch of tiles that I made to put ... A: It sounds like you have some elements out. Heat raises so the ones on top are usually OK. They have ... | |
| fireing, what cone to use | 9/26/2010 |
| Q: I'm so new to this Im greener than the greenware.. Here goes, I have know idea what to fire my ... A: Firing is the hardest part or the part you never know what will happen. It is always fun to open the ... | |
| Drilling a hole in dinnerware | 9/25/2010 |
| Q: I broke the bottom tier of a 2 tier cannonsburg brown drip serving dish of my wife's. We have ... A: You can drill a hole with a dremel tool and a glass bit. You must go slow and not let the bit get ... | |
| old molds | 9/15/2010 |
| Q: Was given molds that were in a damp basement, and they do need to be cleaned of the mildew and other ... A: The only thing you can try is setting them in a dry area, hopefully sunny area. Hope for the best, ... | |
| Seasoning ceramic molds. | 9/11/2010 |
| Q: I recently bought over 130 molds and plan to start doing some casting and firing of porcelain dolls. ... A: DEFINATELY do NOT use water on a mold. It will never be right again. A mold is made out of the ... | |
| printing | 9/10/2010 |
| Q: i am trying to focus my ceramic work on paper clay and printing on paper clay. i wish to first raku ... A: That sounds like a question for some one into print screening, I know nothing about. I know you ... | |
| Cracks in bisque fired piece | 9/9/2010 |
| Q: I have cracks in a piece I have bisque fired. Is there any way to repair this so it can be glazed? ... A: Yes, if it a small stress line, fill with watered down slip. There is a slip like glue(hard to ... | |
| using underglazes to make crystals | 8/24/2010 |
| Q: Some years ago I read about a process by which you could use dried up underglazes to make crystals ... A: I have used dried up glazes not underglazes. Actually crystals are broken cut , color glass pieces. ... | |
| Africana opaque stain colours | 8/14/2010 |
| Q: I have just acquired some water based Africana opaque stain colors. And have many questions about ... A: Anything with stain in a name is an acylic type of paint. Some stains are like antiques and need to ... | |
| painting or staining ceramic figures | 7/19/2010 |
| Q: I purchased a ceramic yard figurine and want to either paint it or stain it and make it shiny if ... A: Yes, You can repaint almost all ceramics , unless it is glazed/shiny. I use any good acylic paint at ... | |
| Ceramic moulds | 7/12/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering if ceramic moulds can be used for any other purpose such as porcelain or terracotta ... A: Yes, molds can be used for terra cotta, it will stain the mold and not be very good for ceramics ... | |
| hairline crack repair | 6/27/2010 |
| Q: I was smoothing the bottom of a wide flat bowl and applied too much pressure that cracked the bottom ... A: There is slip glue but when you fire something flat more then 2 times the crack seems to get bigger. ... | |
| Evenheat Kiln Company | 6/21/2010 |
| Q: Our retirement community Ceramic Club just received an older (15" inside)4-element kiln Model #4320, ... A: I just typed in ceramic parts in search and found several. They are called cone mini bars. Kilns are ... | |
| blue sky repair | 6/20/2010 |
| Q: I have a blue sky angel holding a small star on a thin wire. The star broke off at the base and the ... A: I leave on June 29 for 6 weeks so If I get it next week and it only takes me a few days that will be ... | |
| blue sky repair | 6/17/2010 |
| Q: I have a blue sky angel holding a small star on a thin wire. The star broke off at the base and the ... A: There is a few things to try. It is sorta hard with out seeing it but you may try. One to get a ... | |
| Glazing | 6/15/2010 |
| Q: I want to paint my pottery piece, but I have already fired it. The under and overglaze I want to use ... A: You can using a BISQUE underglaze. It is not clay based so it will stick to glaze. Most all ceramic ... | |
| glazing an already fired tile | 6/11/2010 |
| Q: I have a tile vignette that is monochromatic, however, I would like to add a bit of color (grapes ... A: Yes, it is possible to add color but I would not fire again. It may work but it also may crack. ... | |
| How to sell over 300 molds, 2 kilns etc | 6/6/2010 |
| Q: I live in Winter Haven, Florida. My 83 year old aunt has over 300 molds, 2 kilns, and much more. I ... A: Depending on the age of the molds? I would first call ceramic shops in your area. Then if that does ... | |
| Painting ceramics | 5/27/2010 |
| Q: because the color of glazes change after they are fired, is it possible to paint a ceramic piece ... A: No, definatly will not work. It will bubble up and peel off. They have charts and they work great. ... | |
| Stain on ceramics | 5/22/2010 |
| Q: I have the blue sky collection of the Chef Roosters ceramic they ave a light brown stain that looks ... A: You can do several things. If you do not like- First, I would take an antique remover (available any ... | |
| discontinued glazes | 5/21/2010 |
| Q: Would you know where I can purchase these discontinued Duncan low fire glazes- SY 553 antique brass ... A: I love those glazes and use them on vases. Last week I used my last maple sugar I also ran out ... | |
| ceramic molds | 5/11/2010 |
| Q: My Mom owned a ceramic shop in our basement during the 1960s. I now have 100s of molds to donate, ... A: Probaly no one will want them. One they get bugs in them and they eat the plaster and ruin the mold. ... | |
| Stains, colorants | 3/29/2010 |
| Q: I would like some advice on how to make colored clay bodies using powdered commercial colorants. The ... A: I do mainly ceramics and your question is for pottery. In ceramics we mixed underglaze with the slip ... | |
| bisquing | 3/4/2010 |
| Q: i was wondering if i can bisque in a baking oven? will it work? if i can, what temperature do i put ... A: No, you can not do it in a oven. The tempature has to go up slowly to 650 degrees. Then it has to ... | |
| Gold Glaze | 2/17/2010 |
| Q: I would like to know where could I buy gold glaze, from cone 06 to 5? A: There is not a good gold glaze to my knowledge. It is more like a pewter from Duncan. ? if they ... | |
Debra Flint
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Pretty much everything on ceramics
Experience
I have been teaching for 16 years and I am certified in many different paint companies and techniques. I have been working with ceramaics for over 28 years.
Education/Credentials
I have BA in Radiology and many certification from Duncan , Gare, Kimple and many others.
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