How to Make Glaze Test Tiles

In this week's video I'm demonstrating how I make tiles for testing new glazes on. From the throwing, trimming, slicing and fettling, with tips and tricks sprinkled throughout, and some encouragement to craft your own that relate directly to the style of pots you create. Thanks for watching!

Timecodes:
0:00 - Introduction
1:14 - Throwing the clay bat
1:39 - Preparing the clay to throw the test tiles with
2:55 - Throwing the test tiles
8:00 - Separating the tiles from the MDF bat
12:12 - Giving the tiles a light trim
12:45 - Cutting the individual tiles
15:59 - Fettling the tiles clean

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[ragnkja]

It makes sense to make your test tiles as similar to your style of work as possible, both in terms of the overall way you make them and how you finish them, so that they’re representative of how the glazes will look on your pots.

[newtovideo]

Florian, you are the world's best instructor! Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I always learn something new with your videos. :)

[heidicash]

Love your videos. You are a great teacher with impeccable standards. I also love seeing some mishaps. Makes you real, and makes feel better about mine! Thank you

[JohnSmith-fwet]

Same process here but I let the tiles get bone dry then scrape them over a lap held buck using a kidney or metal rib scraper. Then I'll have a bucket of water to the side and damp sponge the test tiles. I'll work on one process at a time and things move along efficiently that way. When it comes to tile making I'll do 2 or 300 of them. Having bisque fired test tiles on hand is practical because random or creative ideas happen spontaneously and a quick test is handy. Make notes of your glaze application, take a photo and even make notes on your photo. I number every tile on the bottom with a brush using red iron oxide. They also manufacture ceramic pencils...

[jakobhalskov]

Perfect timing as I just started making a big batch of test tiles of the three types of clay I plan to work with. I don't have a throwing wheel so I roll out a big slap and cut rectangular pieces which I punch a little hole into, so the tile can hang on a nail for display later.

[TeresaBaileypolymath]

Florian, you make the process so fun! I watch your videos between my studio times and I get encouraged to return. I have beome an intermediate potter, not a baby potter, so I am making progress and you are helping!

[deepashtray]

That's how I like to make them, the only thing I do different is add a lip on the bottom line of the inverted "T" shaped base to hopefully stop any running glaze from flowing off... because glazes don't always act the way we imagine. Also helpful for me to mark the tiles with a code identifying what type of clay it is since I use more than one type and they are not always easy to tell apart after bisque firing. That or even press a small indentation on the base where the glaze can pool or just to see how the glaze looks when fired horizontally. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience, very much appreciated.

[Evan-hwmn]

I've 3D printed a big cookie cutter that cuts twelve 1"x3" out of a slab and let them dry in the bat I cut them on. I use a rolling pin to press it through. I dip the face of the tiles and fire them upright on a stand similar to your tile ring before you cut it. I cut the ring in half so I can fit them better in the kiln.

[PamelaRoss-qhjh]

Sheesh--Thanks Florian. I'm glad to know that I'm a member the perfectionist club! My mud buds shake their heads and roll their eyes, but I am undaunted.... If my piece does not pass muster with ME-- it never sees the light of day. RECYCLE AND REDO! Period. I'm the same on canvas. Hell, it's MY work!

[jesusalbertomunozgarcia]

You teach me more than what my ceramics teacher does, thank you <3

[thekeeler]

I love your videos Florian, thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge here with us. I'm 49, and just did an introductory class this past weekend... it was awesome. I love it... I've been inspired by your skill, precision, passion and style. You're a very talented person. Cheers mate

[Userusinutube]

Thanks for sharing your process, as a ceramic student it is really precious and fascinating!

Also we extrude our test tiles because we’re not near as good as you on the wheel ahah

[reidcushman]

I learn something every time I watch (and re-watch) an FG video. "Inspirational" is an adjective that gets thrown around a lot, but these videos truly merit it. I'll never possess even a tiny fraction of the skill and artistry displayed in them, but they do inspire me (verb chosen deliberately), even as a likely-forever novice, how to try to do a little better each time I return to the wheel. Thank you.

[anaqacollection]

Wow it’s wonderful work, it’s a dream to learn doing this

[evhoRoLL]

Even his test tiles are gorgeous. what a legend.

[Macaroni_King]

Very nice video. Near the end, something that popped into my head was that the design could even be made into pieces for board games, etc with my first two examples coming to mind were Chess in a combination of glaze colors and piece shapes as well as Stratego in having a space on the outside curve for the various unit paper inserts or even ceramic tiles further slotted, or not.

[ceciliahartwich]

Amazing! I add holes to them for hanging and I am also thinking of adding a line during throwing at the bottom as old forge does so he can break of the standing part of the test tile from the bottom. I really like the concept of mimicking your own work in the test tiles, it makes a lot of sense in understanding glaze movement on the clay. Usually you are advised to have a lot of texture and sharp edges on your test tiles but if you don't have it on your work then it could definitely be a misleading glaze test.

[chrispitio]

Whenever I've made test tiles I've just rolled a slab of nearly leather hard clay, cut strips, applied the textures I want to test while theyre flat (I typically want to use these for reference so I'll make them kind of wide and put several textures on the same tile), and then I fold and press the bottom 2-3 inches into a foot. This method is a bit quick and dirty but the tiles stand nicely and I can get something like 20 finished tiles in about 30 min. They're not as neat as your's, but they suit my purposes just fine and while I make them for the sake of reference, I actually enjoy the mild mystery of what will happen in the kiln so I've never felt like they needed to simulate my work exactly, just apporximately

[dizzzy]

damn that tile slicing makes my brain happy

[jaseczka]

I use exacto knife to cut the tiles, it leaves really minimal burs/edges that I don't feel the need to cleanup (and I too want my tiles pretty tidy).
I didn't think about trimming the ring upside down for some reason, this is a great tip, thanks!