Mid-Range Glazes Made Easy

Take the Guesswork Out of Cone 5-6 Glazing
Glazing can be one of the most exciting parts of pottery, but it can also be one of the most unpredictable. A glaze may look different than expected, an overlap may run, or a surface may develop flaws that are difficult to explain.
Mid-Range Glazes Made Easy is a practical, beginner-friendly guide to understanding and improving your Cone 5-6 glazing process.
Rather than relying on guesswork, you'll learn how to test materials, control application, evaluate fired results, and keep useful records that help you repeat successful outcomes.
BUILD STRONG FOUNDATIONS
Start with the essentials of mid-range glazing, including glaze preparation, application thickness, test tiles, firing, cooling, and studio records.
Clear explanations help you understand not only what to do, but why each step matters.
LEARN PRACTICAL APPLICATION METHODS
Develop your skills through approachable techniques such as:
• Brushing glaze evenly
• Dipping forms smoothly and consistently
• Pouring glaze into bowls and other interiors
• Layering and overlapping two glazes
• Working with texture and wax resist
• Keeping feet and firing surfaces clean
• Testing different application thicknesses
UNDERSTAND YOUR FIRED RESULTS
Learn how heatwork, witness cones, firing schedules, kiln loading, and cooling can influence the finished surface.
You'll also explore common glaze problems, including pinholing, crawling, crazing, shivering, blistering, excessive running, rough surfaces, and uneven color.
Instead of simply identifying a defect, you'll learn what to examine and what to test next.
PRACTICE WITH 10 SKILL-BUILDING PROJECTS
Put the lessons into action with projects designed to develop one skill at a time. Create thickness tests, a brushed bowl, dipped tumbler, pour-glazed bowl, textured tests, wax-resist decoration, controlled overlaps, graduated dips, a glaze combination matrix, and a coordinated three-piece set.
Each project encourages careful observation and comparison so you can learn from your own results.
CREATE A MORE REPEATABLE STUDIO PRACTICE
You'll also learn how to read and scale glaze recipes, prepare small test batches, work with colorant additions, adjust glaze slurry carefully, and evaluate material substitutions through testing.
Most importantly, you'll learn a simple working method: change one variable at a time, keep useful records, compare results, and build a small collection of treatments you understand and trust.
Whether you're new to ceramics or developing your glazing skills, Mid-Range Glazes Made Easy offers a practical reference you can return to at the workbench and after every firing.
Build your skills one test, one firing, and one successful result at a time.