This page contains more detailed notes for each of the bases we have tested. The bases are listed alphabetically.

Each of the test tiles was glaze fired in an electric kiln (oxidation atmosphere) to cone six.  (On the cool side of cone 6).  They were bisque fired to cone 04.  The clay bodies shown are available at Clay Art Supply in Tacoma, WA.  They are Mac 6, coleman Raku, and Oregon Red from left to right.

C/6 Shiny Glaze Gallery  |   C/6 Matte Glaze Gallery   |   Glaze Base Notes link.

Applied Color Run:

Each of the bases had the following tests applied.

Base                                                                                Percentage

Notes on Bases:

The notes below correspond with the Names.  Each of the names below is lined to the actual base.  You may search for a glaze test tile with recipe by hue, surface quality or colorant.

Glaze testing has many variables.  Please always test the glaze on your own clay with your firing style before using it on your work.

For more info on testing glazes... 

ASM-1 Notes

From: Cone 6 Glazes by Michael Bailey
Color: Vibrant and consistent colors, even coverage and tone over grooves
Surface: Shiny, sand quality.
Viscosity: Stable, When dipped thicker speckles enlarge.
Opacity: Opaque but still has vibrant colors
Underglaze: Underglazes show through with good color quality.  V-327 Turquoise
Over MAC 6: Mostly smooth, not quite glassy
Over Coleman Raku: Lightness of the clay body shows through, rougher texture than on MAC 6 but smoother than on Oregon Red
Over Oregon Red: Looks like melting sand, thinner areas look grey-blue
Velvet Underglaze AMACO V-308 Yellow Velvet Underglaze AMACO
Other: Needs to be sieved!

Anika’s Matte

From: Glazy.org
Color: Soft touches of color, coverage and tone over grooves is well perceived
Surface: Soft, Buttery
Viscosity: Stable, When dipped thicker
Opacity: Semi-Transparent
Underglaze: Underglazes show through with good color quality
Over MAC 6: Mostly smooth, not quite glassy
Over Coleman Raku: The texture is still rough but with buttery smoothness
Over Oregon Red: Quite rough with some smooth texture
Velvet Underglaze AMACO V-308 Yellow Velvet Underglaze AMACO
Other: When adding colorant to the base it can be dulled

Behren's Stoney Matte

From: This recipe has been in my collection for a while and I am not sure of its origin
Color: Reds, oranges, and yellows don’t work well with this glaze.
Surface: Similar to orange peel or pig-skin. Dry semi-matte.
Viscosity: Stable except where very thick
Opacity: Completely opaque
Over MAC 6: Very white, dry texture
Over Coleman Raku: Creamy white, light speckle
Over Oregon Red: Red shows through in thinner areas, sits in grooves and turns opaque
Underglaze: Most colorants worked well with underglaze.
Other: The tin can react with other glazes in kiln- like chrome.

Blue/ Green Base

From: 15 Tried and True Cone Six Glaze Recipes on Ceramic Arts Daily
Color: Pretty colors!
Surface: Runs a little when thick. Crazes a little. Pools and breaks. Shows texture well, glassy
Viscosity: A little runny, does not move underglaze edges
Opacity: Transparent
Over MAC 6: Clear/ white
Over Coleman Raku: Clear, sits in grooves
Over Oregon Red: Makes it look like dark, wet clay
Underglazes: Underglazes show through. V-327 Turquoise Velvet Underglaze AMACO, V-308 Yellow Velvet Underglaze AMACO

Diana's Opalescent

From: This recipe has been in my collection for a while and I am not sure of its origin
Base is opalescent! With no colorant blue/cream breaking yellow/orange.
Color: Pastel. Copper looks like a patina. .
Surface:
Semi-matte. Somewhat silky smooth with tiny pinholes. Mottled. Speckled. Frothy.
Viscosity: Moves a little, but not toomuch. Covers texture a lot except with A5
Opacity: Totally opaque. Creamy. Tending toward warmer palette.
Over MAC 6: White and grey-blue, like scraped ice
Over Coleman Raku: warmer than over MAC 6, slightly drier texture
Over Oregon Red: Not quite matte, light hints of blue with yellow
Underglaze: Covers underglaze unless thin. 2 coats covers underglaze. V-327 Turquoise Underglaze AMACO, V-391 Intense Yellow Underglaze AMACO

Dragon

From: Sun Koo Yu
Base: Creamy Soft Matte
Color: Pastel. Copper looks like a patina. .
Surface: Smooth
Matte: Some crystal formation. Mottled. Speckled.
Viscosity: Moves a little, but not too much. Breaks on texture.
Opacity: Totally opaque. Creamy.
Over MAC 6: Base - White and grey-blue
Over Coleman Raku: warmer than over MAC 6, slightly drier texture
Over Oregon Red: Matte, Cooler white over red clay
Underglaze: Covers underglaze except darker underglazes.
Underglaze AMACO, V-391 Intense Yellow Underglaze AMACO

Eggshell

From: 15 Tried and True Cone Six Glaze Recipes on Ceramic Arts Daily
Color: Pastel, uniform, does not break or show surface texture
Surface: High gloss, no crazing, white specks visible despite one-time sieve.  Should be sieved twice.
Viscosity: Stable even with heavy application
Opacity: Slightly opaque with white specks
Over MAC 6: Glossy white, hides grooves and texture
Over Coleman Raku: mostly opaque white, does not cover grooves as much as over MAC 6
Over Oregon Red: Dark clay shows through spottily in thinner areas, yellow underglaze becomes faint
Underglaze:  mostly visible, except under heavy application. color is near true but with white specks
More:

Fake Ash

From: 15 Tried and True Cone Six Glaze Recipes on Ceramic Arts Daily
Color: Muted Colors, Silky, Waxy flash quality, color shows variation with thickness on breaking
Surface: Matt, buttery, Soft Sheen
Viscosity: Very sensitive to thickness, Runs when thick
Opacity: Semi-transparent
Over MAC 6: Melts away from underglaze edges, wet, drippy look
Over Coleman Raku: 
Over Oregon Red: Bleeds into underglaze slightly, less drippy, greenish tone with spots of red clay showing
Underglaze: Shows from under the glaze very well. V-327 Turquoise Velvet Underglaze AMACO, V-308 Yellow Velvet Underglaze AMACO

Nan's Clear- High Gloss

From: Hyperglaze by Richard Burkett
Color: Bright and vibrant
Surface: Breaks and pools to show texture even through moderate application. No crazing.
Viscosity: Heavy application runs, moderate application is stable.
Opacity: Highly transparent. Requires sieving or it becomes mottled with speckles of white or creates voids in the glaze.
Over MAC 6: Darkens the white clay slightly, fills in texture grooves
Over Coleman Raku: Very smooth clear
Over Oregon Red: Dusky clear-white gloss
Underglaze: very visible, but the colors are darkened and altered. 352 Dark Green Underglaze AMACo, 382 Red Underglaze AMACO

Pinnell Matte

From: This was a recipe used at Pottery Northwest that I enjoyed
Color: Large color difference with thickness on C4, C5. Great speckling on C2.
Surface: Stoney. Flat. Quartz like. Almost like a wash when thin.
Viscosity: Totally stiff and unmoving. Shows texture somewhat. Dry but smooth.
Opacity: Bright colors for an opaque glaze.
Over MAC 6: Smooth white, slight touch of yellow around edges
Over Coleman Raku: Tan-orange, rough matte, varies from smooth cream to rough tan, cream in grooves
Over Oregon Red: Very rough and cement-like, sits in grooves
Underglaze: Covers yellow. Turquoise showing through. V-327 Turquoise Underglaze AMACO, V-391 Intense Yellow Underglaze AMACO

Polseno Turquoise/ Watery Yellow

From: This was a recipe was found in Ceramics Monthly / Nov. 2015 Issue
Color: This base takes on color well
Surface: Sugary Matte/ Crazes
Viscosity: Moving slightly
Opacity: 
Over MAC 6: 
Over Coleman Raku: 
Over Oregon Red: 
Underglaze: Covers yellow. 

Richard's Clear

From: This was a recipe used at Pottery Northwest that I enjoyed
Color: Large color difference with thickness on C4, C5. Great speckling on C2.
Surface: Stoney. Flat. Quartz like. Almost like a wash when thin.
Viscosity: Totally stiff and unmoving. Shows texture somewhat. Dry but smooth.
Opacity: Bright colors for an opaque glaze.
Over MAC 6: Smooth white, slight touch of yellow around edges
Over Coleman Raku: Tan-orange, rough matte, varies from smooth cream to rough tan, cream in grooves
Over Oregon Red: Very rough and cement-like, sits in grooves
Underglaze: Covers yellow. Turquoise showing through. V-327 Turquoise Underglaze AMACO, V-391 Intense Yellow Underglaze AMACO

Textured Blue- Semi Matte

From: 15 Tried and True Cone Six Glaze Recipes on Ceramic Arts Daily
Color: Chrome in #3 cause a very matte surface whereas copper resulted in more shine.
Surface: Micro crystals add nice variation
Viscosity: Runs with 3 coats. Will move a little with 2 coats.
Over MAC 6: White, makes underglazes bleed, glossy
Over Coleman Raku: White when thick, shows texture well, slightly less glossy than MAC 6
Over Oregon Red: White when thick, smooth
Opacity: Zircopax caused all to be opacified.
Underglaze: Works better with underglaze when thin.

Rain

Color: Milky pale blue, colors come out pastel but bright in oxidation
Surface: Smooth-glossy, runny when thick, breaks nice over edges
Viscosity: Runny when thick
Over MAC 6:  Added colorants are bright
Over Coleman: Base when thick is white/ cloudy
Over Oregon Red: Breaks nicely over texture
Opacity: Semi-Transparent
Underglaze: Makes underglaze bleed , slightly cloudy, V-370 Velour Black Underglaze AMACO, V-391 Intense Yellow Underglaze AMACO

Clear

Color: Vibrant on lighter clay body.
Surface: Crazes when thick but really nice when used thin, glossy. Stable.
Viscosity: Stable.
Over MAC 6: Clear, crazing-when applied thick, underglazes are bright.
Over Coleman: Clear/Light tan, some crazing
Over Oregon Red: Cloudy when thick
Opacity: Transparent
Underglaze: Bright when glaze is thin, lighter underglaze more likely to be covered by glaze with colorants. V-370 Velour Black Underglaze AMACO, V-391 Intense Yellow Underglaze AMACO

Soto Clear- High Gloss

From: Hyperglaze by Richard Burkett
Color: Vibrant- reacts wellto stains and oxides. Not pastel. Great red.
Surface: Smooth, shiny. No crazing. Stable.  “Great Liner”
Viscosity: Stable. Showing texture.
Opacity: Transparent. Tiny bubbles. 
Over MAC 6: White, some crazing
Over Coleman Raku: Clear, does not alter base clay color
Over Oregon Red: Underglazes very bright, whitish when thick
Underglaze: Clear showing underglaze well! With colorants underglaze still shows, but a little less. V-327 Turquoise Underglaze AMACO, V-391 Intense Yellow Underglaze AMACO

Strontium Crystal- Matte

From: 15 Tried and True Cone Six Glaze Recipes on Ceramic Arts Daily
Color: Muted Colors, Silky, Waxy flash quality, color shows variation with thickness on breaking
Surface: Matt, buttery, Soft Sheen
Viscosity: Very sensitive to thickness, Runs when thick
Opacity: Semi-transparent
Over MAC 6: Looks burnt, warm tone, smooth
Over Coleman Raku: Yellowed white, like old paper in color and texture
Over Oregon Red: Dry and rough with most color variants, warm tone
Underglaze: Shows from under the glaze very well. V-327 Turquoise Velvet Underglaze AMACO, V-308 Yellow Velvet Underglaze AMACO

Wright's Water Blue- High Gloss

From: 15 Tried and True Cone Six Glaze Recipes on Ceramic Arts Daily
Color: Alkaline base affects colors; copper = turquoise, cobalt = super blue, Red does not do well.
Surface: Crazing caused by potassium and sodium in the frit. Glossy finish
Viscosity: Can run a lot when thick and can cause underglaze to run.
Opacity: Transparent
Over MAC 6: Lots of crazing, wet look
Over Coleman Raku: Turns color to warm tan
Over Oregon Red: Darkens to wet clay color, glossy
Underglaze: Can cause underglaze to run.