Tips & Tricks - Florida Porcelain Artists

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Tips and Tricks
Anything fired...

Roman Gold - Fluxed or Unfluxed: Its fluxed unless its marked Unfluxed.

Roman Gold - Fluxed gold is for use over unpainted surfaces (white / unpainted porcelain), Unfluxed gold is for use on painted surfaces.
Tip: To prevent red resist from sticking to your porcelain - apply a very thin coat of Turpentine, allow it to try a few minutes, and then apply the red resist as normal.
Tip: To protect the tips of your liner brushes, simply slide a drinking straw over the bristle
Tip: A light coating of hair spray can be applied to the bristles to help hold the brush in shape for extended periods of storage.
Tip: Use 45 gauge shotgun shell holder (from your local ammo store) to hold your vials of china paint.
Glass Painting Tip: Red enamel glass paint turning brown after firing? There is an easy solution. Just vent the kiln as the temperature rises to 1000°F. Prop the lid open about an inch when the kiln is turned on. When the temperature reaches 1000 degrees, carefully pull out the prop, close the lid, and continue firing as normal. (Barry Kaiser’s blog)
Tip: Out of Luster Essence? Use Mineral Spirits (Klean Strip Brand from Home Depot is my preference) Lavender oil works too, but is expensive to use.
Tip: Out of Gold Essence but need to clean off some areas before firing? Use ACETONE FREE Fingernail Polish Remover -- Wal-Mart $1.00
No White Velvet? Not a problem -- use MATT WHITE CHINA PAINT and tint it with a drop or two of red acrylic paint (local craft store). Fire to cone 014.
When scratching-out designs (using White Velvet & water based medium) protect the un-scratched area by covering with Saran Wrap after its completely dry.
Click here for Tip and Tricks with Lusters

Visual Aids:

CRACKLE EFFECT WITH GOLD & Gum Arabic
1. Paint your piece the color you want the background to be.
2. Fire to 017
3. Cover your painted area with Liquid Bright Gold completely. Let it dry preferably overnight but at least 6 to 8 hours. (DO NOT FIRE AT THIS TIME)
4. Cover the unfired Liquid Bright Gold with Gum Arabic.
Make sure that it is covered and don’t over work it. If you over work it, it will leave streaks of gold brush strokes.
The thinner the coat of Gum Arabic the smaller the crackle area is, the heavier application of Gum Arabic the larger the crackle area will be. DO NOT FIRE THE LIQUID BRIGHT GOLD BEFORE YOU PUT THE GUM ARABIC ON IT. The Gum Arabic will dry to touch. Test fire on a small tile with different coats (thin to heavy) of Gum Arabic to see which size of crackle you like best for the technique you want for your project. I use a synthetic brush that I’ve dedicated to using with Gum Arabic that is about a half inch wide then clean your brush with soap and water when you finish. 5 Fire to 017 or 018
6. When you take it out of the kiln you will be pleasantly surprised by the design that is on the piece. Gum Arabic may be purchased at an art store in the artist’s supplies. It runs about $12 to $13 a bottle but will last a long time.

The chart below shows how to mix your paints to achieve certain colors- Always test fire!

To get_____ : Use these colors	To get_____: Use these colors	To get_____: Use these colors
Violet of Iron: 1/2 Ruby & 1/2 Brown Violet of Iron: Dull Red & Dark Blue Violet of Iron: Rich Brown & Banding Blue	Yellow Green: 1/2 Mixing Yellow & 1/2 Apple Green	Green Gold: 1/2 Yellow Green & 1/2 Yellow Brown
Apple Green: Turquoise & Chartreuse	Heliotrope: 1/2 Deep Blue Green & 1/2 Violet	Dark Pompadour Red: To Pompadour add a little violet of iron
Brown Green: Black, Yellow & Chestnut Brown. Add a little Blue for variety.	Shading Green: 1/2 Dark Green & 1/2 Deep Blue Green	Russian Green: 1/2 Mixing Yellow & 1/2 Deep Blue Green
Moss Green: Chartreuse & Warm Green (Medium)	Deep Blue Green: Light or Sky Blue and Turquoise	Pompadour: Dull Red & gold
Turquoise: Baby Blue & Apple Green	Heliotrope: Pale Violet & Pale Pink	Holland Blue: Banding Blue, Black & Deep Blue
Deft Blue: 1/2 Copenhagen Blue, 1/2 Banding Blue	Green Holland Blue: 4 Parts Banding Blue, 1 part Deep Blue Green, 2 Parts Pearl Gray	Banding Blue: Dark Blue & Black Banding Blue: 1/2 Deep Blue Green & 1/2 Violet of Gold
Copenhagen Blue: Light or Sky Blue & Black	Darkest Blue: 1/2 Banding Blue & 1/2 Deep Blue Green	Dark Red Wine: American Beauty & just add a little Pompadour
Dark Rose: Soft Rose & Blood Red	Mahogany: Dull Red & Ruby	Dark Red Rose: To Rose, add Deep Purple until you get the desired color
Blackberry: Ruby & Black	Darkest Purple: 1/2 Pansy Purple, 1/2 Dunkel Violet, & Purple - just a little Black	Black Grape: Black & Blue Violet
Crimson Purple: 1/2 Ruby, 1/2 Deep Violet of Gold	Crimson Glory: 1/3 Elderberry, 1/3 Rich Fuchsia Rose & 1/3 American Beauty	Yellow Red: Carnation & Yellow Gold
Dark Yellow Brown: To Yellow Brown add a dot of Capuchin Brown	Chestnut Brown: /3 Yellow Red, 1/3 Yellow Brown, 1/3 Capuchin Brown	Orange: 1/3 Albert Yellow, 1/3 Yellow Brown & 1/3 Yellow Red
Light Orange: 1/2 Yellow & 1/2 Yellow Red	Deep Orange: Light Pompadour & Yellow Brown until desired shade	Red Orange: Light Pompadour & Violet of Iron until desired shade
Coral: To Rose add Yellow Brown until desired shade	Rust: To Yellow Brown - add Ruby till desired shade	Rust Background: Violet of Iron & Yellow Brown
Salmon: Mixing Yellow & Rose until desired shade	Ivory: Pale Yellow & Grey	White Rose: Yellow Brown & Brown Green
Grey Green: Mixing Yellow & Grey or Albert Yellow & Banding Blue	Deep Grey: Violet of Iron & Shading Green	Soft Grey: Pink & Baby Blue