Shellac Resist on Pottery - Experiments in Color and Layering

I make three test vases and apply shellac to the raw unfired pots to add texture and design to each. The dry shellac resist the rubbing of a sponge, creating raised areas on the surface of the pottery. There are countless variations and uses for this technique.
Please leave me a comment letting me know which pot you like best, or if you have your own experience with shellac resist.
I hope you enjoy. Please subscribe.
www.justinsmakery.com

[@beakendall2625]

Thank you for doing these experiments, I really enjoy them. I did a similar thing trying to get a leaf image. I painted on underglaze then put a leaf on top and rolled it in a little. Then wiped the excess underglaze off and removed the leaf. That worked pretty well also. I like nature images over my own drawing any day.

[@clifforddalton3067]

Very interesting, shellac is totally new to me, and I am very impressed Justins. Thank you for the video. Would be interesting to see the vases glazed and finished.

[@Atliermia]

Porcelain clay and perfect to use a Southern Ice from Australia.

[@lynneschneider2885]

Awesome! I’m going to give this a go myself! Thanks for the inspiration!

[@melaniegreen5823]

I'm looking forward to seeing them post-fire. Will you show those to us?

[@JustinsMakery]

Sure will!

[@Beck0419]

Update on this? Please & thank you!!

[@corkle1721]

Thank you for the excellent demo! I just read about this technique and had the same question you did, whether you could shellac over glaze. Thank you for answering that for me!

[@joeBishop866]

People who are good on the wheel make that look a lot easier than it is.

[@sleachpots]

Thanks , informative, learnt some new tricks !

[@maritzaguzman8376]

Gracias. No hablo ingles y me ha costado un poco entenderte, por fin pude y magnífico video. Existe la posibilidad de que les puedas poner a tus videos comentarios en español. Te lo ruego😉

[@suelewis753]

Very interesting! I will definitely try this.

[@judithcurcio8339]

Thank you! I will try!

[@hunnydawg]

Wild texture man! This blew my mind!

[@melodyadams]

Great video. I have only tried the wax and not the shellac. I almost bought some but it was almost $13 for a small can. I suppose it would last a very long time though. Might give it a try. Please post those vases after you fire them. Very interested in seeing the one with the glaze underneath.

[@melodyadams]

So I splurged. I bought a can of shellac. Going to try it in the near future. Thanks for sharing your video.

[@Lyddiebits]

@@melodyadams how did it turn out?

[@melodyadams]

@@Lyddiebits I didn't get to try it. My husband took my can of shellac to use. Go figure.

[@cyndiduncan7795]

Very cool technique. I am totally fascinated by the machine you used to make your stamp...how awesome is that?

[@verar7861]

Thank you

[@stickermigtigger]

Where are the after firing visuals?

[@anyperson9261]

That was great. I am difinitely going to try this. Do you know when you fire this if the shellac fumes will affect other pieces or if they are underglazed or...? Also what is the difference between this and using wax?

[@darlenedsdesigns3005]

Will you show how you glazed these and the finished product? Would love to see! Also does the shellac burn off? Any reaction between the glaze and shellac? Thanks!!

[@shelleydoxtdator753]

Shellac burns off in bisque firing

[@3000gtwelder]

Hey, great video. Would like to see how they came out after firing.

[@gzahirny]

Wish we could have seen them fire and finished after all the experiments with shellac...

[@brett554]

Great video. Thanks.

[@agnieszkagrzegorzewska9911]

I love this technique! Did You use shellac with wax or unwaxed?

[@martinapilezahles4848]

Thanks for sharing

[@upgraddeupgradde2364]

Most excellent

[@deepashtray5605]

Have you ever tried to mix the dry oxides or stains directly into the shellac? Then paint it on and sponge away the surrounding clay. Just guessing but seems like it would be a way to add finer detail to the pattern. I'll have to put that on my to-do list.

[@helenpowell4106]

Wonderful enlightening videos Justin, Thankyou. What white clay are you using please and to what temperature does it mature at when glazing? Bless you.

[@connecticutaggie]

Cool technique. I was wondering, if you put glaze on after the shellac, would the glaze not adhere to the shellacked areas and then dry wipe off those areas after it dried. If that worked, in the situation where you washed off the glaze, I wonder if after that you could then dip it in a different stain and dry wipe the 2nd glaze off the shellac and end up with a two-color piece.

[@bobm2331]

Did you mention the clay body? Looks porcelain but maybe white stoneware?? Thanks

[@hellorodney]

FIVE STARS,,,,THANKS,,, how did you do the SUBSCRIBE STAMP,,,that was terrific,,THANKS FOR POSTING,,,

[@roro-xe4nl]

Hi there! thanks so much for your video!! well done with the slip trial! well, I tried! I'm in France so the only shellac I've found is a bit brownish (it is the same?). It worked rather good at the beginning but when I rubbed with the sponge, it seemed the pattern was slightly rubbed as well. I supposed it was because my clay has a bit of grog in it, what do you think? Maybe it works better on china clay.. I was wondering, could it be useful to add a second layer of shellac on top of he first one when still wet? at the end of my experiment, my pattern wasn't as "edgy" as I expected, more "blurry"! do you have any tips? thank you so much!! cheers from Paris!

[@BrokenArrowPottery]

I think its cool too! Great video! How do you keep your studio floor so clean?

[@joncrute4453]

Really does my head in when they put these videos up and don’t show the results..

[@DanO7052]

Please excuse my ignorance: But are you using a regular wood (varnish type) shellac? Or is there one strictly for ceramics? BTW. All the pots were unique. I liked them all.

[@greenriverwoodco.6032]

amazing experiments very inspring

[@grafkimber]

Thank you for sharing. Very cool results. Shellac Resist is new to me. What brand do you use?

[@JustinsMakery]

I use whatever is in stock at the local big box hardware store. Bulls Eye Shellac is what I have now. You will also need some denatured alcohol to clean your brushes. Water won't work.

[@grafkimber]

@@JustinsMakery Thank you I'm excited to try this out. Thanks for sharing.

[@judymiller8640]

I like this, its interesting and i think it would be fun to try, now the shellac is just the shellac you get at the hardware store?

[@JustinsMakery]

Yup. Same stuff.

[@lb003g0676]

Is it safe to fire after that?

[@aylinss6014]

Thanks! Double layered vase is just so great! Did you experiment with mod podge vs to shellac?

[@aylinss6014]

Actually, I want to use paper or sandblasting film as a stencil and adhere it to the clay with either shellac or mod podge, just curious if you tried and compared them..

[@danielpeters5087]

Justin, Great technique, did you use a 3d printer for your stamp? what kind is it? Would you recommend yours? Thanks Dan

[@JustinsMakery]

Thanks. I used a CO2 laser to cut the stamp in acrylic. I haven't been happy with 3D printed stamps.

[@BJEAKE]

@@JustinsMakery Could you share he specifications of your machine. I really liked how easily you created the stamp. The technique was awesome as well. Getting excited to try it.

[@genboomxer]

Wouldn't using a colored engobe under the shellac before bisque firing work?

[@JustinsMakery]

Yes. I think it would work very similar to the glaze test. My next tests will likely be with underglazes.

[@julipolito7761]

Do you use cone 10, Bmix, as well? Or do you use porcelain for your functional pottery?

[@JustinsMakery]

I use Cone 5 B-mix for all of my pottery.

[@deepashtray5605]

Before scraping first try to remove the shellac with alcohol.

[@JustinsMakery]

That is a really good suggestion! I was using it to wash my brush, but it didn't even occur to me... Thanks!

[@julieward8852]

Can you just put those in the kiln with the shellac on them, will it cause any problems in the kiln??

[@JustinsMakery]

I do put them in the kiln with the shellac on them. It burns off. No harm to the kiln.

[@julieward8852]

@@JustinsMakery thanks, I didn't know if it would leave a residue.

[@mauvemoth569]

oh you ain't gonna fire em?

[@shelleydoxtdator753]

3D effect

[@WhiteHorseOfKilburn]

shellac shame on the beetle thats killed for mans greed

[@ClownWhisper]

This is really bizarre we're both Machinist and see if I can get Potter's LOL your banding wheel looks identical to the one I made I mean identical LOL

[@ClownWhisper]

To tell you the truth I like sticker walls on most porcelain pieces to begin with I know that's kind of backwards but I really like beefy pottery. My coffee cups are so be for you could kill someone with them. It's not that I'm incapable of doing delicate Pottery what it's just as easy I would say

[@Tiny_Island_Designs]

I can understand why you hate brushing - you are using the wrong brushes for what you are doing.

[@Lyddiebits]

That is probably one reason 👍🏽