Making Ceramic Test Tiles

And to improve your results it helps to have test tiles that mimic the kind of work you make.

Making ceramic test tiles.

Using a piece of high density foam and a 4x4cm piece of wood quickly press each square into the foam creating a shallow dish. After centering spread the clay out flat similar to a plate. Spread clay to the edge of the bat and then begin to open. Roll out a slab of high fire clay and cut into 6x6cm squares.

The easiest way to make up your test glazes is to make a series of different ceramic tiles in the different types of clay you ll be working with. It is generally a good idea to add texture to part of your test piece so you can see how the glaze will respond. To make simple melt test tiles i use this easy technique. Put a hole somewhere to hang your tiles on a wall board or to hang off the handle of the bucket.

General ideas regardless of the shape. Once they ve been through their first firing then you can test out your glazes on them. Chances are you ll find one that makes sense with what you are making. The clay will brought to the edge of this in the form of a bottomless cylinder.

For any work on the wheel centering clay is the first step. How to test tweak and perfect your glazes john britt shows several different ways to make test tiles. Put some type of word.