What are One Strokes?

One Strokes are translucent underglazes that have a light, airy look and concentrated color. These translucent underglazes appear almost the same color in the bottle as on the finished piece. This allows mixing, shading and blending with them to be done with minimal complications. They can be compared to the artist’s watercolors. The “see-through” characteristics of translucent underglazes allow shading of one color over another to achieve depth and dimension. Translucent Underglazes are not intended for large area coverage. Requiring only one coat, they are excellent for design work, two-tone shaded techniques and accents.

How are One Strokes used?
For general application with a brush, the consistency should be creamy. If the color spreads out in a smooth circle, a damp brush is all that is needed. Thin color with water or AC-304 Media, if desired.

What happens if I use too much or too little One Stroke?
Heavy application may result in cracking and cause the color to pop off, taking the glaze with it. Extra light application of One Stroke can result in the disappearance of color during the subsequent glaze firing. Remember, thinning One Stroke with water will minimize the danger of too heavy an application, but over-diluting can cause a loss of color. Using AC-304 Media will help alleviate this over-diluting problem.

How do I know the proper consistency to work with?
A light, creamy texture is desired for covering large areas, creating bold designs, sponging color, drybrushing with a flat shader brush and decorating over unfired glazes. A thin, milk-like consistency is desired for banding wheel work, antiquing, washing colors, spattering and full brush shading one color over another. Since the use and application of One Strokes are so varied, you need to adjust the materials for your use, and after a little experience, you will "get the feel" of the medium.

Will my brush strokes be visible?
One Strokes are designed to be transparent and show brush strokes in decorating. The direction of the brushstroke with One Stroke is apparent, which makes it ideal for artistic detail work and designs.

What are some One Stroke techniques?
• Color wash antiquing, and wash-away techniques should be done on bisque rather than greenware in order to preserve the detail of the embossment. A soft bisque (019 to 018) is best and should be fired to shelf cone 04 before glazing. If you use a hard bisque (04/05), try spraying the bisque with water to prevent the color from grabbing. It is not necessary to fire before applying glaze.

• One Strokes are effective under colored glazes. However, the glaze color and its effect over the One Stroke color must be considered. Dark color One Strokes will show through to some degree under most glazes.

• Antiquing with dark colors will show under Satin Matte, Gloss and Art glazes. Antiquing can enhance or camouflage when using a controlled glaze technique.

• One Stroke techniques on greenware are endless. Create stripe patterns with the banding wheel, spatter, stipple, finger paint, or use a fan brush for background coloring. Even though One Strokes are concentrated underglaze colors, they are ideal for decorating on top of unfired glaze; this technique requires a thinner consistency of One Strokes, especially the dark colors.