Velvet Underglazes from AMACO are some of the best, most reliable, and popular commercial underglazes available. They have saturated, bright colors that stay true to color and they can be mixed with other underglazes like paint. They can be applied with a variety of tools including brushes, spray guns, sponges, or really any way you can think to get them to stick. They are also perfect for scraffito, stenciling, marbling, and other decorative techniques.
To get a complete palette of colors, I use a mixture of AMACO Velvet Underglazes, AMACO LUG underglazes, and Spectrum 500 series underglazes. This post will cover Velvet Underglazes and includes Cone 6 test tile images below.
Velvet underglazes are available in a variety of sizes, including 2oz, 16oz, and some colors come in gallon jugs. Expect to pay anywhere from $22 to $45 for a 16oz pint of underglaze. Yes, they can be a bit expensive but there is simply nothing comparable out there. If you are unsure where to start, a great way to sample colors can be to buy a class pack of 2oz jars.
Velvet underglazes are designed for cone 04 low fire underneath a low fire clear glaze, but most colors stay true at mid-range and high fire. For best results, test in your kiln first. The following images of Velvet Underglazes were fired at Cone 6 on a speckled clay body, to illustrate what these colors look like underneath Glossy Clear and Milky Clear cone 6 mid-range glaze recipes. But they will also work great underneath a commercial clear glaze.
As I make more test tiles of different underglazes, this post will be updated. For more information about Velvet Underglaze, check out AMACO’s site.
AMACO Velvet Underglaze Cone 6 Test Tiles
All images show 1, 2, or 3 coats of underglaze painted on a speckled stoneware fired at cone 6. The left side of the tile shows our Cone 6 Glossy Clear glaze on top, the middle section is unglazed, and the right side is our Cone 6 Milky Clear glaze. As commercial underglazes are quite expensive, I like to pair them with our economical clear glazes that are mixed from scratch.
AMACO V-309 Deep Yellow Velvet Underglaze on speckled stoneware fired at cone 6.
This is a nice ochre / straw yellow that stays matte at Cone 6.
V-325 Baby Blue Velvet Underglaze on speckled stoneware fired at cone 6.
AMACO V-326 Medium Blue Velvet Underglaze on speckled stoneware fired at Cone 6.
This is an intense blue that stays matte at cone 6. It will turn a deeper blue underneath a clear glaze.
AMACO V-354 Leaf Green Velvet Underglaze with 1, 2, and 3 coats painted over speckled stoneware fired at cone 6.
This leaf green turns more of an army / forest green at cone 6. It’s still a nice green, but I wouldn’t call it a leaf green at this temperature.
AMACO V-375 Maroon Velvet Underglaze painted in 1, 2, and coats on speckled stoneware fired at cone 6. *NOTE: this underglaze turns frosted white/maroon under our glossy clear.
A decent option if you are looking for something on the red side of purple.
AMACO V-382 Red Velvet Underglaze painted in 1, 2, and 3 coats on speckled stoneware fired at cone 6.
A great red underglaze, on the deeper side of the red spectrum. Stays matte at cone 6.
AMACO V-387 Bright Red Velvet Underglaze painted in 1, 2, and 3 coats on speckled stoneware fired at cone 6.
A few shades lighter and brighter than V-382, Bright Red is a a great red.
About Underglazes
The best way to get bright, saturated colors on your ceramics are with commercial underglazes. Perfect for detail work or to cover large areas, underglazes are perfect for beginners, students, and experienced professionals. Not quite a slip and not quite a glaze, manufacturers generally mix underglazes with some sort of gum material that helps with brushability and getting the material to stick. That versatility allows them to be painted on leather hard greenware, bisqueware, and they will even stick on top of glaze for a refire.
Do you have a favorite underglaze? Please share in the comments.
