{"id":254,"date":"2012-11-05T14:16:06","date_gmt":"2012-11-05T19:16:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lindaarbuckle.com\/lindaarbuckle-blog\/?p=254"},"modified":"2014-04-04T17:43:32","modified_gmt":"2014-04-04T21:43:32","slug":"amaco-gdc-majolica-colors-sail-into-the-sunset","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lindaarbuckle.com\/lindaarbuckle-blog\/amaco-gdc-majolica-colors-sail-into-the-sunset\/","title":{"rendered":"AMACO GDC Majolica Colors Sail into the Sunset"},"content":{"rendered":"

AMACO\u00a0has announced that it’s GDC\u00a0line of color for majolica decoration will be discontinued\u00a0in December. It may be\u00a0available through specific suppliers through the following year, but production will cease. These have been my go-to colors, supplemented here and there, for a number of\u00a0years, so I’m sad to see them go. It was not a profitable line for AMACO\u00a0– we use these in small amounts and there were 36 colors. There was at one point discussion about making fewer, more inter-mixable\u00a0colors, but the final decision was that they were focusing elsewhere in the product line. My thanks to AMACO\u00a0and its good people for the conversation and support over the years I’ve used the GDCs. I’ve appreciated the product line and my relationship with the company’s people.<\/p>\n

Before the GDCs, I mixed my own colors. This began with Gerstley\u00a0borate as a flux, mixed with oxides or stains. The GB kept things in suspension, made brushing easy, and gave a firm surface when dry to wax over. BUT, the GB gave a very tiny reticulation of miniscule white snowflakes in melting that pastelled\u00a0the colors. Even before the announcements of the GB mine closing, I was aware that people using frit for a flux had brighter, denser color on majolica. Switching to frit + color or stain revealed that this mix alone was very powdery when dry, and made a real mess if handled, or waxed over – smearing, smudging. Pete Pinnell, the Mister Rogers of clay and glaze materials, advised adding a bit of bentonite, and that did take care of the problems. The colors brushed better and were firm enough to wax over when dry. I’ve been experimenting\u00a0with adding glycerin or CMC gum for added brushability, but too much of that makes the mix gloppy and interferes with crisp line quality. Still looking for the sweet spot. the mixes I was using:<\/p>\n