Ultra Stains are fine powdered pigments—a ceramic artist’s best friend! Versatile and powerful, they offer endless possibilities in your creative toolbox.
How to use:
- Add to clay or slip. Create custom coloured clay bodies simply by wedging stains directly into clay, or mixing them into slip. White clays like Lumina or Mid Fire 6 work best.
- Add to glaze. Mixing stains with clear glazes will produce transparent colours. Mixing with white glazes will create opaque colours. You can also experiment with adding stains to coloured glazes to create new colours and variations, such as mixing blue stain with a yellow glaze to create green.
- Add to underglaze to create custom shades.
- Mix with water or brushing medium to create washes and watercolour effects.
How much to use:
The amount varies depending on the desired intensity. As a general guide:
- For glazes, start with 5-10% Ultra Stain by weight and adjust as desired.
- For clay bodies, 1-10% Ultra Stain is typical—higher percentages create more vibrant colours but may affect workability.
What temperature to fire to?
Most colours will fire from cone 06 (999°C) to cone 10 (1,305°C), with these exceptions:
- Up to cone 8 (1,263°C): Peach, Peacock, Turquoise, Yellow II
- Up to cone 6 (1,222°C): Crimson, Pink, Violet
Will the colours change after firing?
Some colours may be altered depending on the firing temperature, atmosphere, and base clay / glaze. We always recommend test firing prior to applying colour to larger pieces.
SAFETY & DOCUMENTATION
- Avoid breathing dust. We recommend wearing a respirator.
- Always use in a well ventilated area.
- Wash hands thoroughly after handling.
SDS (Safety Data Sheets) for all Ultra Stain colours can be found here.
