These black stain-water mixes were painted onto bisque and an overglaze was applied. Out the kiln, this crawling happened. Why? Many stains are refractory, thus do not glass-bond with the body. And they repel being wetted by the molten glaze on top. Stains need to be mixed with a stain medium that both supplies a bonding glass (for firing) and a clay to suspend the slurry and dry-harden and dry-bond it. One medium option used to be Gerstley Borate, it was both plastic (so it dried like a clay and suspended the slurry), and it was a melter. It was just a matter of tuning the percentage to optimize performance. One problem was that the best mix of those ended up using 70% stain (whereas 15-20% is theoretically enough). A better option is to use a full-fledged medium, a recipe. Each of the ingredients is there for a purpose. This provides the ultimate flexibility to tune the mix properties for brushing and firing (also enabling minimizing the percentage of stain).

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Potters often encounter the problem shown here. These pieces are fired at cone 6. They are decorated with underglazes made from a mix of porcelain powders and stains. The transparent glaze works over certain colors but on others, it is full of microbubbles and pinholes. The potter has not had success finding a transparent overglaze that works consistently. Stain manufacturers do not mix stains with porcelain to making underglazes.
So, although closer control of the transparent glaze thickness or a more fluid melt glaze recipe might help, the real solution may lie with the underglaze recipes used here. An ideal bisque-stage underglaze is sinter-bonded but not sealed (therefore not accepting glaze water). An ideal fired underglaze also has controlled maturity: enough glass development to bond well to the body and promote glaze acceptance, but not so much that edge-bleeding and opacity loss occur. This state of 'controlled maturity' is also more likely to match body thermal expansion. The cost savings and the potential to fine-tune each color to your exact needs can be powerful motivations to use DIY underglazes.

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One well-known artist blends these two types of silk screening mediums, permanent and resoluble (washable), with the powdered ceramic mix. She tunes the proportions appropriate to get as much adhesion and hardness as possible (for making durable ceramic transfers) but not so much that it is difficult to clean up the screen or transfer the design. Ink for this purpose is not the same as a ceramic slip or engobe, this goes on very thinly and thus must be heavily pigmented (like underglazes).
These inks are also different in that they must harden well. Carriers alone can suspend and bond particles during drying; no clay is needed. If the ink is fired at low temperatures, it is typical for the powdered part to contain only a ceramic stain and a chemistry-compatible frit (and be as fine-particled as possible). The frit mix can be tuned to get the exact degree of glass formation needed for intense color yet minimal bleeding or opacity loss. However, for stoneware, the powder must also contain clay and quartz to raise the melting temperature (since common frits melt at low temperatures). It is thus common to use a glaze (having a chemistry compatible with the stain).
| Glossary |
Stain Medium
It is a mistake to use pure stains for decorating ware. Stains need to be mixed with a ceramic carrier and a working medium to work and fire well. |
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