Triaxial Blends

Triaxial Chart

Triaxial blending is a method of testing varying amounts of three different materials or colors.

For my Triaxial blends I used Dixon Clay that I low fired to cone 04. I made 21 pinch pots and followed the chart to the left. I mixed Nepheline Syenite, Frit 3124 and Georgia Kaolin.

For my high fire experiments I used Aurora White Clay and fired to cone 6. I don't tend to fire much higher so I choose these two temps to go to for my future work exploration. For the Triaxial for this firing I used: Custer Feldspar, Magnesium Carbonate and Silica.

pinch pots bisque fired- ready for low fire ingredients

a=custer feldspar b=silica c=Mag carbonate

a= Neph Syenite b=Frit 3124 c=ga kaolin

everything was measured with extreme care

ready to be glaze fired

numbers 1- 21 cone 6. Notice how they get dry and really cracked looking

#1 in Aurora cone 6 firing

My findings for the high fire tests were this: #1( 100% custer feldspar) seemed thick, smooth and had a matte gloss beige color to it. Like pudding. There were some slight cracking.  #7(40% custer feldspar, 60%Silica) white and smooth. #8- major cracking occurs, dry and white.#21 very little sticking to cup , very chalky, almost dust.

#21 cone 6= extreme cracking and chalky

#7 cone 6 smooth and white

Low fired #1-21

Low Fired to cone 04 #1-21

The Dixon clay red pots are the low fired ones. #1 was 100% Neph Syenite. - it turned out smooth , and white

#2 was a milky white clearer than #1

#4 milk white but cracks start appearing. 

#17 shiniest clear- 80% Frit 3124, 20% Ga Kaolin

#21 100% Ga Kaolin- cracky white- not smoothe