Colouring Clay

You can use any clay body, but white clays firing at or above Cone 6 produce the most vibrant results. The higher you fire the coloured clay the more intense the colour.

Both body stains and oxides can be used as a colouring agent. 

To avoid the dust, mix the stain/oxide in a sealed plastic bag with just enough water to create a creamy solution. Then create a well in your clay and pour in the mixture. Knead the clay until you like the color result. We recommend using gloves when kneading the pigment in.

We recommend experimenting with the percentage of stain/oxide you use, as different brands and clay bodies produce different hues. The following is a rough guide, as testing is important. For blacks, dark blues and greens use about 5-8% stain. For yellows, pinks, purples use between 15-20% stain. If you like the color when it is wet, then it is too dark and you should add at least 50% more white clay. Fantastic marbling effects can also be achieved when blending the pigment with the clay.