The Journal of Australian Ceramics Vol 49 No 1 April 2010

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Technica l: Lustre See My Scales Where My Feathers Used To Be, 2009, Southern Ice porcelain, clear glaze, lustre, gold, ",nd etched, enamel, h.1 Ocm, w.l O.Scm, d.8.5cm; photo· Johanna DeMaine Working with Resinate lustres Johanna DeMa ine shares her extensive knowledge on this special material In his seminal volume, Ceramic Colours and Pottery Decoration, Kenneth Shaw postulates that lustres are extremely th in films of metals deposited on the surface of ware in the same way as 'noble' metals, and that the lustre effect is due to the interference of incidental and reflected light. He further states that lust res are made up of solutions and suspensions of metallic resinates in solutions of polymers and thickening agents to aid application by brush and machine. The colours are due to metallic oxide films bonded onto the glazed surface by bismuth oxide, which must be fired to a low temperature otherwise the flux would burn out. This is the world of lustre that I work w ithin. This is the same lustre film as produced by 'Reduced Lustre' or 'Arabian Lustre' . The main difference is the method of application and firing technique employed. Whereas reduced lustres are either clay paste or water-based and fired in a reducing atmosphere, resinate lustres are oil/resin-based and fired in an oxidising atmosphere. The localised reduction is performed by the carbon produced from the resin base (usually pine oil). Resinate lustres are a product of the ceramic industry as application and controlled firings were standardised for mass production. Resinate lustres are also known as 'Oxidation' or 'Commercial Lustres'. This th in film of metal then dictates the way in which I work. 80 THE JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIAN CERAMICS APRil 2010
Technica l: Lu stre Surface Lustre takes on the surface qualities of the w are that it is applied to. Surfaces w ith gloss glazes will be shiny, matt glazes will be satin matt, vitrified bisque will be very matt. As the lustre bonds at the softening temperatures of the substrata, there is a wide firing range to encompass glass, earthenware, bone china, stoneware, hard and soft porcelain (this refers to the glaze types used). Using a medium to hard glaze on my porcelain I fire to 810°C. Some hard glazed porcelains successfully fire at 850°C. Lustre is oil-based so that it will adhere to a glossy surface, w hich must be scrupulously clean . Any grease, sweat and oils from the skin, or lint and dust will repel the adhesion of the lustre. There are two methods I use for cleaning the surface of the ware. I mainly use methylated spirits but there are certain brands which will actually leave a film on the glaze and repel the lustre. If this happens, I either put the ware through the dishwasher (I use white vinegar as my rinse aid) or use detergent and very hot water until the water sheets off the pot. The ware is then dried with a lint free cloth and I have no further skin contact with the pot. I use cotton gloves or a towel to put the pot onto my decorating easel (see The Journal of Australian Ceramics, 4812, page 55). Application When applied, all lustres appear a treacly brown with their colour being achieved in the firing process. So I can visualise what I am doing while working, I have made permanent colour charts for each glaze that I use. This is a test tile with lustre brushstrokes (labelled), fired and then repeated on the tile turned 90 degrees and fired again . This provides me with a read out of one and two layers of lustre, plus many variations of colours when lustre is applied over lustre. Lustres can be applied by brush, sponge and stamping. Some people advocate airbrushing; however this is something I would never contemplate, as lustres are based on organic solvents. I use German squirrel-hair flat shaders, mainly size 10 (the old 3/8 " size). As my technique employs broad areas of lust re, I lay down the lustre in long quick strokes taking care not to overlap drying areas as these would be more intense in colour. If I wanted a very even surface, I would lightly pad or pounce the brushedon lustre with a small sponge or cotton ball w rapped in a square of silk held tight with a rubber band. This will even out the brush strokes but will also lighten the lustre conSiderably as you are pulling off excess lustre. If I get lustre on my skin I immediately Test Tile remove it with meths as I am conscious of the fact that the skin is the largest organ of the body and absorbs toxins very efficiently. I use multiple layers of lustre, firing between each layer. Keep lustre brushes only for lustre, as other mediums contaminate the brushes. To clean them, part fill two small glass jars with lustre essence (I prefer citrus solvent), and one jar with methylated spirits. Swish brush in the first bottle of lustre essence, blot on tissue, then swish in the second bottle of lustre essence and blot again, then swish in the meths bottle and blot. Finally, work Morning Fresh detergent into the bristles and rinse exceedingly well under warm running water. Blot on tissue and dry flat. THE JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIAN CERAMICS APRil 2010 81
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The Journal of Australian Ceramics Vol 49 No 1 April 2010

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