PORCELAIN HYDRANGEA HEADS: How to Glaze and Apply Bullseye Glass (Part 3 of 3) Pottery Tutorial

Welcome along to the long awaited Porcelain Hydrangea Head Tutorial (Part 3 of 3) - The Glazing and Using the Bullseye Glass Frit as decoration. I can't wait to share with you the glazing process of this project. It is a process which could be followed by all clay abilities. If you are a beginner, I would watch this though before starting and then use the video as you do your make to remind you of all the steps.
This is a hand-building project using porcelain clay. If you haven't seen Part 1 and Part 2 of this 3 part series please check out the playlist on my channel for the whole preparation and making process.
In Part 1 (of 3) I explain the equipment needed to join me on the making of this project. I have put together a kit in my Etsy shop including the template, the hydrangea flower cutters and your choice of three colours of Bullseye Glass Frit so you have a "one stop shop" to buy all you need to make your own beautiful hydrangea heads. Just add the porcelain and watch and make along with me on this series of videos over the next few weeks.
I shall be making mine to go on metal canes in the garden but other ideas include making them as pot lids for a dressing table, making them into candle holders for the table - let you imagination run free in the ways these could be used.
My Etsy Shop: www.etsy.com/u...
My Website: www.thepotterycorner.co.uk

[@ncmy4kids]

Thanks!

[@thepotterycorner]

Hello Emily and thanks so much for your super thanks donation. That's very kind of you and much appreciated 😊

[@SuperVirginiaRose]

I too use Bullseye glass and use porcelain slip and clay in projects I am 88 in June, and it’s a lovely set of videos from you with the Hydrangea heads, really wonderful. I am retired from Ceramics after 40 teaching yrs..and now only use Porcelain in slip or clay now, love it. Thank you so much, I am excited,! Virginia Rose. VR

[@thepotterycorner]

Thanks so much for watching Virginia and your kind words. 40 years of teaching clay - respect to you! Glad you enjoyed the hydrangea series 😀

[@nancyowings9270]

They are so beautiful! I have enjoyed watching these three tutorials. Thank you for sharing all your wonderful and clever tips!

[@thepotterycorner]

Thanks so much Nancy. Glad you enjoyed the content. It was quite a series to prep, film and edit! 😊

[@Lisy8002]

I can’t thank you enough for sharing! I’ve scoured the internet with no avail as to how to melt glass into bisque! You are a godsend!

[@thepotterycorner]

Awww thanks Em - glad it was helpful 😊

[@LordGeoffrey]

Sarah! Thank you so very much for this series of videos on the hydrangea heads. I know that this was a video that took a lot of work and that you did it because we begged you to. I'm sure that a certain amount of dread went into preparing yourself to do this for us. Your easy-going, comfortable manner is why you are my favorite inspiration in my life as a potter. I missed your videos while you were so busy in your last whirlwind session with your students. I understand, but I missed you. I hope you take the time to enjoy your beautiful on the coast over the summer. ❤️

[@thepotterycorner]

Thanks so much Geoffrey. Very kind. Hoping to get more content out soon. Next week's video is on glaze confetti 🎊 😁

[@LordGeoffrey]

@@thepotterycorner is that your hundreds and thousands glaze that you did on your husband's plate? I have a mason jar that I clean my glaze messes into. I have never used any of it. I'm pretty stingy with my glaze, so it isn't more than a few centimeters full. I can't wait to spend another morning catching up with you and your latest clay adventures!

[@thepotterycorner]

@@LordGeoffrey - it's a goodie in terms of not wasting glaze. Hope you enjoy 😉

[@denisenoble4010]

pretty and delicate, you have the patience of a saint. i will just look and admire from afar, as i don't do patience or delicate, I'm just glad you show your skills and ability to your lucky students and us you tube onlookers. thank you for the step by step instruction..

[@karenr9680]

Gorgeous hydrangea heads😍

[@thepotterycorner]

Thanks for watching Karen. Glad you've enjoyed watching 👀 😀

[@judithstauter1540]

Received my supplies from Etsy this week. Recuperating from total hip revision and can’t get to my studio yet, but when I can I will get to your lovely hydrangea heads.

[@thepotterycorner]

Thanks so much Judith- for your continued support of the channel and my business. It is much appreciated. Sending healing vibes to you. Hope you're back in your studio soon 😍

[@CarisseH]

Oh, I just had an idea. I love the tins holding the flowers, good idea. I'd like to share an idea regarding the tins. Have you thought about making ceramic round stands that will mimic what you're trying to do with the tins? This way they can be put into the kiln and fired with the hydrangea, and you don't have to handle them as much. Thank you so much for the tutorial, in love with them. 💗 I am excited to try making them.

[@CarisseH]

This way you can reuse them.

[@thepotterycorner]

Great idea. I love how viewers sometimes state the obvious! I hadn't thought of that. 👏👏

[@kdwalters4146]

Oh, Sarah, I love this tutorial you give such good directions, thank you for sharing with the rest of us, eager to see what this community does with your instructions, and where they launch off to. As always, thank you for all your efforts and it makes me smile when I look at my hydrangea in the shack, knowing it came all the way across the pond.

[@thepotterycorner]

Awww thanks so much Katie. It's lovely for me to know it's in your creative space too. Thanks for watching this series- are you going to have a go?? 😁

[@kdwalters4146]

@@thepotterycorner I will but it will be a minute before I can, I have been trying to stock up on items for vendor events that are booked, prob get a bit of Shack time for new things in May. I have been stuck on making Spheres/Orbs, but this weekend kicks off vendor event season. Hugs to all! (including Sissy!)

[@lorrainecliftonceramics]

They're absolutely beautiful! Will have to buy some porcelain and also purchase some patience !!

[@thepotterycorner]

Hi Lorraine - it's a great project but not for the faint hearted! Complete lesson in mildfulness with clay - you can just lose yourself cutting out flower heads for hours! Great to hear from you again. Glad to hear you're keeping up with the throwing. 😊

[@lorihry6236]

Hi Sarah, my Etsy kit arrived in the mail. Can’t wait to start. I think I’m going to do a test build first before using the glass frit. I’ll send photos.

[@thepotterycorner]

Great! So pleased it's arrived safely. Enjoy the making.

[@nancyalzola9761]

Wonderful tutorial. Always throughly enjoy you

[@thepotterycorner]

Thanks so much for your kind words Nancy. Glad you've enjoyed this series. 😊

[@snowflakeceramics]

Hello Sarah. I jumped the gun and made, bisqued, glazed and refired my first hydrangea head. I used porcelain but used lowfire glazes. I used Mayco clear, Mayco Sheer Key Lime and Mayco Sheer Blue. I will email you some photos and I hope you are as thrilled as I am. I was too timid to use frit, so the results lack some of the lovely depth of color of the glass provides. I really appreciate your channel and tutelage. Jessica from RAINY Pacifica, California

[@thepotterycorner]

Thanks so much Jessica. So pleased you enjoyed making your own. Do send me pictures 📸- can't wait to see your interpretation. And a small (very small) part of me is glad it's raining where you are 😆

[@lauriegagnon2614]

Just ordered the kit can't wait

[@thepotterycorner]

Thanks so much Laurie. I'll get the kit packed today! Really hope you enjoy making your own 😊

[@marieochi8546]

So lovely. Very enjoyable to watch!

[@thepotterycorner]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching Marie 😊

[@helenawiktorsson6706]

Lovely! Looking forward to get my package from you! I dont get it yet.

[@thepotterycorner]

Hi Helena- it's on it's way! Hopefully you'll get it soon. Thanks for watching - enjoy making yours and don't forget to send me photos 😊

[@judithstauter1540]

Thanks! Still waiting for my supplies from Etsy. Enjoy your videos SO much will send a pix when completed. Keep up the good work.

[@thepotterycorner]

Hi Judith - hope your package arrives soon. Hope the hip isn't too painful and that you're back in your studio soon. Your Super Thanks donation is really really appreciated by me. Thanks for being a Super Fan! Sarah X

[@judithstauter1540]

@@thepotterycorner When I worked at a career as an artist, I know how much time and effort you put in to make it all come together and not to be compensated is just wrong….I was a hairdresser in Chicago and Louisiana for about 10 years, regional manager of 5 salons in 4 states and traveled a lot. Had a stained glass business, doing custom work in Texas for 5 years. Moved to Vegas and went to Interior Design school for 3 years and did that during the big boom of growth for about 6 years. Moved to Montana and got into China Painting in 1993. Sold and gave away many, many pieces. Got into hand building in clay and porcelain about 10 years ago. Still love it and miss working in my studio…My dream would be to come to the UK and work with you for a week. .I went to San Diego a couple of years ago and had private classes with Nancy Benedetti. I learned SO much from her, worth every penny….check her out, her work is wonderful and travels all over the world to teach. She’s in Lisbon right now.

[@ncmy4kids]

Three years ago I hunted unsuccessfully on KZbin for any info about how to combined frit and clay. Then today I stumbled across this. Joy! I subscribed immediate! Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge!!! Also I have a general question: could I put a colored glaze on a piece and then add different colored frit on top? Would the glaze color be affect? I would probably use stoneware in this scenario as I am still learning and porcelain scares me lol. Thank you!

[@thepotterycorner]

Hi and thanks so much for watching and your kind words. Great to have you along. In answer to your question; the glaze will likely change the colour of the glass frit because of the oxides within the glaze ingredients (I.e. copper oxide/cobalt oxide etc). There is another video on the channel about using oxides and glass frit on the sculptural poppy head playlist. This may answer the question and may be worth a look. Hope that helps. 😊

[@Lisy8002]

I do have a question. Can you try to adhere glass bits with dots of wet glaze to bottom areas where glass won’t stay on? Sort of as if it were glue. Thanks again. For sharing all your techniques with the world.

[@thepotterycorner]

Hi and thanks for the question. The glass will melt and move if it is not 'trapped ' by the clay structure. There is no other way to contain it as we are firing the glass at 500 degrees higher than usual glass melt temperature. Hope that helps. Believe me I've tried many ways! 😁

[@Lisy8002]

Thanks again. Very much appreciated

[@SuperVirginiaRose]

When you say bisque firing, can you share your top temp please, I have fired them to Porcelain top fire,then a glaze fire after, ami doin it wrong

[@thepotterycorner]

Hi again. I fire my porcelain to my usual stoneware temperature- bisque to 1000 degrees centigrade and glaze to 1220 degrees centigrade. I don't take it higher than this but it could go a bit higher. However, because of the glass frit I don't take it right up to porcelain temperature. Hope that helps you 😊

[@susantyson1204]

Hi, could you tell me what temp you bisque fire and glaze fire please? Would a kiln with a top temp of 1260c allow me to fire the full range of clays and glazes? Thanks

[@thepotterycorner]

Hi Susan and thanks for watching. I bisque fire to 990 degrees C and glaze to 1212 degrees Centigrade. Hope that helps!😊

[@susantyson1204]

@@thepotterycorner Yes, that's very helpful, difficult for a novice to know what temp to fire glazes to when such a wide temp recommendation is shown. Your videos are very helpful. thank you

[@lynnwilliams6271]

They are beautiful…what temperature is your glaze firing?

[@thepotterycorner]

Thanks Lynn. 1225 degrees centigrade- cone 6. Thanks for watching 😊

[@lynnwilliams6271]

Thank you for your reply. I fire stoneware clay to 1250°c, would the glass frit that you use be ok with that temperature ? I love your creations..you have so many ideas that inspire me 😊

[@thepotterycorner]

@@lynnwilliams6271- hi again. I'm sure it would be OK. It's just going to flow at any temperature above normal glass fusing temperature (which is about 720 degrees centigrade). Just make sure you've got a big enough sacrificial cookie. Hope that helps 😊

[@lynnwilliams6271]

Oh good…I can’t wait to try it. Thanks again 🙂👍

[@paulinesimpson1105]

What is the diameter of the circle template?

[@thepotterycorner]

Hi Pauline. The template comes in the hydrangea heads kit available from my Etsy shop. Thanks for watching 😊

[@nancyowings9270]

Thanks!

[@thepotterycorner]

Thanks so much Nancy for your Super Thanks donation. I really really appreciate your support of the channel and of my small business as a result. I hope you enjoy making your own hydrangea heads - such a lovely project to lose yourself in. Kind regards Sarah Amos