Wax resist is an extremely versatile tool that potters can use in a variety of ways. Although you may stick to it’s standard use of repelling glaze on the bottom of your pots, read on to discover 5 more ways to use wax resist in pottery.
1. Water Abrasion Using Wax Resist
Usage: Design
Drying Stage: Greenware, Leather Hard
Water abrasion is an excellent technique to add both texture and design elements to your pottery and this can be done using wax resist.
Water abrasion is the process of applying light pressure with a sponge by wiping the surface of your pot. Where wax resist is applied, the water will not be able to penetrate, therefore negative space will be created where the wax is not applied.
Water abrasion is done at the greenware stage so ensure you are using leather-hard pieces that will not warp when light pressure is applied to them.
In order to utilize wax resist to make water abrasion designed pottery, follow these steps:
Step 1: Determine the placement, size and style of the design you would like to add to your greenware pot.
Remember, wax resist is not very forgiving so you want to be very mindful about your placement prior to unscrewing the cap on your bottle of wax.
Your design can be done using stencils, tape, hand drawn lines or any other method that it suitable to mark the surface of your pot.
Step 2: Apply wax using a paintbrush to the areas which you would like to be raised. As mentioned above, where the was is not applied, is where the negative space will be created.
Step 3: Take a lightly damp sponge and begin wiping the surface of your pot where you have applied the wax. You will begin to see the areas where no wax is applied to have clay taken away from the surface of the pot, creating indents.
Continue to wipe the surface of your pot until you achieve the desired depth of water abrasion.
Step 4: Make any touchups to edges using pottery tools such as pottery knifes, carving tools and sculpting tools. This will help define your design.
Bonus: Choose a glaze that accentuates the break of the water abrasion. Celadons are great options when showing surface design on a pot.
2. Wax Resist Designs on Pottery
Usage: Design
Drying Stage: Bisqueware
Similar to water abrasion, you can use your wax resist as a design tool after your pot has been bisque fired.
On clean, bisque fired pottery, apply your wax in a design, intentionally using the wax to repel glaze from certain areas of your pot.
This is a simple way to create more depth and complexity to your piece.
3. Showcasing Underglaze Design Using Wax Resist
Usage: Design, Glazing Method
Drying Stage: Bisqueware
Wax resist is an excellent tool if you want to showcase underglaze design on your piece without using a transparent glaze.
In order to utilize this use of wax resist in your pottery making, follow the steps below or check out my video showing the amazing and effective results wax resist can have in showcasing underglaze design.
Step 1: Apply underglaze onto bisqueware pottery. (If you wish to apply underglaze and then carve into your design, using the sgraffito technique, apply at the leather hard, greenware stage of making)
Ensure you apply 3 coats for an opaque finish, waiting for each layer to dry before applying the next.
Step 2: Once your final coat of underglaze is dry, apply a layer of wax resist over top of the design you wish to showcase.
Be extremely careful in your application as it is difficult to remove wax resist once it touches your pottery piece
Step 3: Wait for the wax resist to dry. Ideally, you can wait up to 24 hours for best results but I generally wait 30 mins, waxing other pieces during this waiting time.
Step 4: Apply the glaze of your choosing over top of all your intended application areas. The glaze that touches your design will not adhere as the was resist is doing it’s job.
Step 5: Carefully take a sponge or brush and wipe away any glaze that is left on top of your design.
The glaze should remove easily, especially when still wet but can be removed dry as well.
Be careful not to let your sponge wipe near non waxed surfaces as you risk removing glaze from your intended glaze surface.
4. Controlling Glaze Overlap Using Wax Resist
Usage: Glazing Method
Drying Stage: Bisqueware
Sometimes glaze overlap is out of our control – whether it be a large piece that’s difficult to dip or the method of application for your first layer of glaze impedes future glazing steps.
For example, I often like to include a small underglaze drawing on the bottom of my pots. I also like these drawings to be glazed over with a clear glaze for a more finished look.
However, clear glaze is not the glaze I would like to use on the surface area of the rest of the pot. I also prefer to dip my pots.
In order to glaze the bottom of my pot in clear glaze without accidentally glazing over it with another glaze, I will do the following steps:
Step 1: Paint clear glaze on the bottom of my pot, ensuring 3 coats for adequate coverage
Step 2: Wait for this glaze to dry completely. Ideally, I would leave this for 24 hours but who has that kind of time. Wait at least an hour before moving on to the next step.S
Step 3: Apply a thin coat of wax resist on top of the clear glaze I applied in step 1.
Step 4: Wait for the wax to fully dry.
The wax will not feel sticky anymore once it is completely dry. This will better repel other glazes from sticking to your pot. It will also allow for easier clean up if you need to wipe away any glaze on top of your wax resist.
Step 5: Glaze your pot as usual. You
You can completely disregard the bottom of your pot and dip your pot any which way, knowing that the clear glaze is now protected by the wax resist.
5. Inlay Underglaze (Mishima) Using Wax Resist
Usage: Design
Drying Stage: Greenware, Leather Hard
Mishima is my favourite way to use wax resist in pottery. Not only does it allow you unlimited options to get creative with your pottery, it is also super satisfying.
Mishima is the process of carving into pottery and using wax resist. This if followed by inlaying underglaze into the carved design, leaving distinct and pronounced patterns on your pot.
In order to try Mishima on your own pottery, follow these steps:
Step 1 (Optional): If you would like a background colour on your pottery, aside from the inlayed design, paint this onto the surface of your leather-hard, greenware pot.
Allow to dry before proceeding to the next step.
Step 2: Apply a layer of wax resist across the entire surface of your pot where you intend to carve. Let the wax dry to ensure the best results.
Step 3: Using carving tools of your choosing, carve a design in the surface of your pot.
Try to create thin clean lines. This will create the best results when completing step 6.
Step 4: Paint a layer of underglaze over the entire surface of the pot. This includes over the wax as well as over the carved lines.
You may want to choose a colour that contrasts the colour of your background underglaze or the colour of the clay you are using. For example, if you are using a white clay, you may want to use black underglaze for this step for the highest contrast.
Now here comes the super satisfying part.
Step 6: Begin gently wiping away the excess underglaze off the surface of your pot.
Be careful not to wipe too hard, especially near your carved lines as you do not want to wipe underglaze out of these grooves.
This now leaves only your defined carving patterned inlayed on the pot.
