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The Lowdown on Masking Techniques
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There are many ways to accomplish a proper mask on bisque, and it can be helpful to know all of your options before you choose your option. |
Behind the Mask: The Lowdown on Masking Techniques We've all been there before : intricate designs can make it difficult to fill in the background color for a project. There are many ways to accomplish a proper mask on bisque, and it can be helpful to know all of your options before you choose your option. Contact Paper : For many, this can be the most straightforward way to approach masking. This technique requires contact or shelf paper, scissors, and the use of an optional template. If you're transferring a design to the paper, cut it out first. Place your template on top of the contact paper and trace using a pen or a sharpie. Then, cut the design out of your contact paper. On dry, clean, bisque, carefully remove the backing to adhere the contact paper "sticker" to the bisque. For a nice sealed edge, we like to use a small squeegee to run along the sticker and remove any possible air bubbles. Now you're free to paint on top of the sticker! Wait 2-3 minutes for your glaze to lost its sheen, then simply remove the sticker to reveal your masked image! Tip: don't wait for the glaze to completely dry, you may have some difficulty removing the template. Paper Masking : Paper Masking is another great option for masking an image on your ceramic bisque. The technique begins in much the same way as contact paper. Cut your design out of plain copy paper. Place the design on top of your bisque. Instead of a dry piece, we recommend placing your template on a quickly sponged coat of white glaze. This helps the paper to adhere to the bisque. Then, simply take a damp sponge and smooth the paper to the surface of the item. Make sure you've saturated the paper without leaving excess moisture. You can blot any extra water up with a paper towel. Proceed with your design, then remove the paper once the glaze has lost its sheen. Voila! Wax Resist : Wax Resist is another more traditional method. While this technique can allow for more intricate, multi-stage designs, it requires a second firing. This process involves painting with the wax medium in the areas you wish to mask. Then, complete your design. Fire to cone 06, to "resist" the areas that have been painted with wax resist. Then dip, and fire again for an all over glossy finish. Glaze Awayz : Glaze Awayz is a Bisque Imports exclusive product--and we love what it does! With Glaze Awayz, you have the added versatility of a product like Mask n Peel, with the bonus convenience of a detail writer. There's no need to deal with sticky paint brushes or lots of extra tools. Simply create your design using the Glaze Awayz pen, paint your background, and peel away! No second firing required. Hooray! Whatever technique you decide on, it's helpful to know your options, should you ever need an alternative. Happy masking! | |
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