Honey Flux over Stroke and Coat by Sue Habbard

Unicorn rainbow tumblers: AMACO Honey Flux over Stroke and Coat (MAYCO COLORS)

The magic ingredient of this stunning combination is AMACO PC-17 Honey Flux: it’s specifically designed to increase flow when layered over other glazes, and it shifts dramatically with temperature – more opaque oney/cream at cone 5, then more fluid white with honey flecks at cone 6.

Positive emotions are guaranteed!

Why this combo works

• Stroke & Coat is stable and highly pigmented, so you can paint clean stripes without colors crawling into each other while you’re glazing.
• Honey Flux is a “mover.” When it melts, it gently pulls and blends the surface, turning neat stripes into that drippy, “unicorn-sherbet” look – especially around cone 5–6 where Honey Flux is intended to fire.

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Materials

• A tumbler (bisque-fired is easiest)
• Several Stroke & Coat colors (pick 5–8 for a rainbow)
• AMACO PC-17 Honey Flux
• Soft fan or flat brush, detail brush
• Sponge + clean water
• Wax resist (optional but very helpful)
• Kiln shelf protection (kiln wash + a cookie/catcher if you expect drips)

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Step-by-step: rainbow stripes + Honey Flux

1) Start clean

Wipe bisque with a barely damp sponge to remove dust. (Dust can cause crawling/pinholes.)

2) Paint your rainbow

Apply 2–3 coats of each Stroke & Coat color in horizontal bands (or diagonals, or blended ombré—your choice). Let coats dry between layers. Stroke & Coat is built for detail work and won’t “bleed” into adjacent colors easily.

Pro tip: Keep the bottom ¼–½ inch (6–12 mm) free of glaze to reduce the risk of sticking (and to give yourself a clean foot). This is standard practice on tumbler projects.

3) Add Honey Flux over the rainbow

Brush Honey Flux over Stroke and Coat evenly.

• If you want subtle softening: try 1 light coat.
• If you want stronger movement / “drip potential”: 2 coats is common.
• Some makers go heavier (example tests use 3 coats), but that’s where running becomes much more likely – especially on vertical forms like tumblers.

Important: However many coats you choose, apply thinner near the bottom. Honey Flux is meant to flow.

4) Clean the foot

Wipe the unglazed bottom clean with a sponge. Even a small smear can fuse to the shelf.

5) Glaze fire

Fire Honey Flux to the range it’s made for: Cone 5–6. At cone 6, Honey Flux becomes more fluid and can develop those signature honey flecks.
(If you want a dependable baseline, Mayco’s mid-range tumbler projects using Stroke & Coat + Flux fire to cone 6 oxidation.)

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Keeping it cute (not glued to the shelf)

Honey Flux can run. A lot. Here’s how to keep the “unicorn” part and avoid the “kiln tragedy” part:

• Leave extra clearance at the bottom (bigger bare foot = less risk).
• Go lighter with Honey Flux on the lower third.
• Use a cookie/catcher under test pieces until you know how your kiln behaves.
• Test tiles matter. AMACO explicitly recommends firing test tiles when you open a new batch.

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Variations that still read “unicorn”

• Hard stripes → watercolor melt: paint crisp bands, then do one very light Honey Flux coat.
• Confetti version: sprinkle/spot Stroke & Coat “chips” or dots over a Honey Flux base (another popular approach).
• Rainbow but moodier: use fewer bands (3–4) and repeat a color to create a gradient.

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Food-use note (quick but important)

Terms like “food safe” depend on the fired surface and testing; manufacturers may test glazes, but finished ware producers are responsible for ensuring their specific piece is suitable for food use (clay body maturity, glaze fit, surface quality, etc.).

Glazing instructions:

• Stroke and coat x2
• Honey Flux x2
• Squeezed a bunch of Stroke and Coat in there and smooshed it all around with my finger. Let it dry the coat it in 2-3 coats of honey flux!
• Fired to Cone 6 no hold

Credit: Sue Hubbard