Today we talk about a Duncan underglaze product that is designed to use on bisque, called “Concepts”. If you are familiar with Duncan products you may remember Cover Coats, underglazes to use on greenware. They are still available although we do not have them in our studio right now. Many of you have been using acrylics to paint decorative pieces. But what to do on utility pieces, such as cups and plates, that must be glazed? Concepts is your answer.
This product has a unique characteristic–one coat looks a little streaky, or a little like watercolors. This is how you add color to silkscreen designs. Black Concepts is used first to apply the design, then one coat of color. For solid coverage, such as on handles, use three coats. I painted this child’s place setting of plate, bowl, and cup using Cutesy Animals silkscreens. Then I added color to the animals with Concepts. And finally I added some grass under each animal, a few colorful flowers, and a sponged rim on each piece. They will be much more brilliant when glazed and fired. Oh, I almost forgot to say because you can’t see it in this view, but we added the child’s name on the back of the cup.
I also used Concepts to paint these clown cups (for my Birthday Party) and these Klingon mugs (for a Star Trek friend). They need to be glazed and fired and the Klingon mugs will get red glaze on the inside. Designs on both clowns and Klingons are things I found searching the internet, which I saved and sized to fit. They were transferred to the bisque using clay carbon.
AS you see, you can paint anything you like on plain pieces. The next workshop we are having using underglazes is a brush workshop called Magical Butterflies. Butterfly Day happens to fall on Father’s Day this year so the workshop will be on Thursday, June 16th instead of Sunday. Two sessions are being offered–1:00 to 4:00 and 6:30 to 9:30. The workshop is only $20 and you get to keep the brush! We hope that you will join us. Please remember to register so that we have enough seating and have time to pour enough plates.
Carousel Creations
Where having FUN is why we come!
Why not come join us for the Magical Butterflies Workshop?
The Warneke Family had a busy weekend with our last grandchild’s graduation party on Saturday, the actual graduation ceremony and dinner at Texas Roadhouse on Sunday, and a family Memorial Day picnic on Monday. And in between all those events we manage to do three pourings and now have two full tables of greenware to clean. We have fairies (pixies) in three positions, roly polys for the father’s day workshop Saturday, bears for the baby shower, Christmas bears for orders, clowns for my birthday party, and also started on the ornaments & magnets for the birthday party.
Next pour will be Ziggy & Droogie big bugs, VW bug (campers are on the shelf), God Bless America plates and plaques, plain plates for the Magical Butterflies workshop, and things people have ordered (rabbits, frog, soft trees, horses, Indians, canisters, etc.)
Yesterday Jim picked up another 30 gallons of slip. We cleaned both the pouring table and the slip tub and are ready to fill it up with mud again. LOL We will start pouring later today and will continue throughout next week. If there is something you ordered please PM a reminder just in case it didn’t get on the list.
Today I added a new page under Bisque/Housewares called The Shaker Collection. It contains 23 pairs of shakers, including some that match other kitchenware and some that are seasonal. Some make nice figurines on their own such as the Kissing Dutch Boy & Girl, Roly Poly Santas, or Mr. & Mrs. Snowman. Perhaps figures on other pages could be made into shakers for your friend the collector, just use your imagination and see if they will take holes and stoppers. Here are just a few. Check out the link for more 
Carol's Carousel Creations 