Commercial brushing glazes have made it possible for hobbyists to glaze pottery on the kitchen table. But, the layering craze has seen these bottled products migrate into pottery studios and schools. In the minds of most, the glitter of expensive layering trumps all of the advantages of DIY. The "glam" of multiple can make the ugliest pot saleable. Here is the kind of pots an AI ChatBot told me it thinks we are making now:
AI generated picture and text to a prompt asking about the type of ware commonly made by potters and hobbyists who do layering of commercial bottled glazes (and some terms describing the trends).

This picture has its own page with more detail, click here to see it.
Let's make a DIY low SG version of G2934BL. Weigh out 340g of dipping glaze powder. Include 5g Veegum (to gel the slurry to enable more than normal water) and 5g CMC gum (for slow drying and brushing properties). Shake-mix all the powder in a plastic bag. Pour it into 440g water, blender mix on low speed, then finish with 20 seconds on high speed. This fills a 500ml jar. In subsequent batches, I adjust the Veegum for more or less gel, the CMC for slower or faster drying and the water amount for thicker or thinner painted layers. Dipping glaze recipes can and do respond differently to the gums. Those having little clay content work well (e.g. reactive and crystalline glazes). If bentonite is present, it is often best to leave it out. Recipes having high percentages of ball clay or kaolin might work best with less Veegum. Keep good notes (with pictures) to reach the objective of good brushing properties. Use code-numbering on the jars and test pieces.
Here is some incentive: Brushing glazes have gotten to the point where it can cost $5 to glaze one mug! This is so worthwhile doing that I make custom labels for each jar!
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