Testing Over Honey Flux by Jess Baer

Original text and pictures by Jess Baer

Warning: long post about testing with Honey Flux

I decided to just test 12+ glazes over Honey Flux in my last kiln load with only the knowledge from this group (so thanks!)

Glazing Strategy: I brushed on 3 “normal” layers of Honey Flux as a base for these tests. (Looking back I could have probably made the layers thicker or just added a 4th layer for more coverage and movement.) Then I brushed on 3 layers of the next glaze mostly on the top third of the cup. (See photo).

Clays: Most of these cups were cast with Laguna’s Dover White slip, but there are a few with Laguna’s Grits slip (the sandy color base).

Firing: These were fired to cone 5 with a 10 minute hold. I have a mix of glaze brands (Amaco, Mayco, Coyote, Laguna) and I found some glazes like cone 5, some like cone 6 – but I’m able to make almost all my commercial glazes happy by splitting the difference and firing to cone 5 with a 10 minute hold.

Bonus Stripe Test: I’m glad I did a couple with stripes, I love the way the honey flux caused a line between the two colors.

Reflection: Honey Flux came out pretty peachy for me, which I don’t mind, but I imagine it would be lighter if I applied it thicker. It’s pretty stable on its own, almost no movement towards the bottom of each piece (if the top glaze didn’t run to the bottom). Ancient Jasper, Blue Rutile, and Coyote’s Ice ran the most. I’ve been looking for more “dreamy” color combos and will be sticking with a few of these.

Please share you thoughts, own experiences, and suggestions. Thanks!

Credit: Jess Baer