Stroke & Coat® is the industry’s most versatile glaze. It can be applied on wet clay, earthenware bisque, or stoneware bisque, fired from cone 06 to cone 10, in oxidation or reduction, and used in every decorative way imaginable.

Cone 06 chips have been fired flat in oxidation on white earthenware body.
Cone 6 chips have been fired flat in oxidation on white stoneware body.

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The Creative Choice for Pottery Glaze

Stroke & Coat® is a heavily pigmented, viscous glaze line that can be used for brush strokes or opaque coverage. Use these glazes to create intricate, detailed designs and butt up to one another without colors moving. When used in a majolica process, Stroke & Coat® will not move nor blend with the colors beneath. Stroke & Coat® colors are intermixable, allowing artists to create custom shades. Thin with water or media to create a “wash” or watercolor style of design. Because the liquid color is consistent with the fired color, artists will have no trouble visualizing finished results as they create.

A Highly Versatile Glaze

Stroke & Coat® can be the star of your work or play a supporting role to other glazes. Stroke & Coat® glazes are the ideal product of choice for studio, classroom, potter or fine artist.

General Use

One coat of Mayco Stroke & Coat® will create a translucent finish with subsequent coats adding opacity. We suggest 2-3 coats for full opacity and all over coverage. Let dry between coats. Stroke & Coat® glazes will fire to a gloss finish without clear glaze. However, if desired, a clear glaze (such as NT-CLR Clear One Dipping Glaze or S-2101 Crystal Clear Brushing) can be added. For application on wet or leatherhard clay and firing to cone 04, colors will retain their vibrancy with huge time savings. We recommend leaving an area unglazed, such as the back or bottom of the unfired piece, to allow for out-gassing of the clay during the single-firing process. Limit glazes to 2 coats including design work.

Stroke & Coat® glazes have been formulated to mature at cone 06/05. Most Stroke & Coat® glazes will maintain their color at higher temperatures, especially reds, oranges, yellows, greens, and blues. Their performance at cone 6 is noted on each individual product label with any changes. We recommend testing on your clay and in your kiln prior to use.

ACMI CL Food Safe Dinnerware Safe

Stroke & Coat® glazes are certified AP Non-Toxic, Food Safe and Dinnerware Safe when used according to manufacturer’s directions.

Product Features

Glaze Combinations

Layer Stroke & Coat® colors when applying or use in combination with other glazes, such as Foundations®, Jungle Gems™, Elements™ & Elements™ Chunkies, Designer Liner, Stoneware, or Cobblestones to create unique looks. When used in a majolica technique, Stroke & Coat® will not move or blend with surrounding colors.

No Fail Reds

The Stroke & Coat® red hues are the best on the market. SC-73 Candy Apple Red, SC-74 Hot Tamale, and SC-87 Ruby Slippers are easy to use and fire red every time with no special application or extra attention during firing. Great for kids and students, and perfect for the potter looking for red coloring up to cone 10.

Light Over Dark

Lighter colors can be used over dark colors, remaining bright and opaque, and will not blend with the colors underneath.

On Greenware/Clay

Apply Stroke & Coat glazes directly on wet or leatherhard clay, allow to dry, and fire to cone 04. Colors remain glossy and vibrant and save you time by removing the bisque fire step! As an alternative, you could also use Stroke & Coat® in a wash technique, add a coat of clear glaze and fire to cone 04. For application on clay, limit glaze coverage to 2 coats including any design work. We recommend leaving an area unglazed, such as the back or bottom of the ware, to allow for out-gassing of water and organic materials during the firing process.

Gloss without Clear Glaze

Stroke & Coat® will fire glossy without addition of a clear glaze. Clear glaze can be added if additional glossiness is desired or Stroke & Coats® glazes have not been applied in a consistent, overall coverage onto unglazed ware.

Sgraffito

”To scratch” in Italian, sgraffito is produced by applying layers of Stroke & Coat® and carving through the glaze to create depth and add contrast to your designs. An impactful and dramatic way to use Stroke & Coat® on your ceramics or clay surface.

1, 2, 3 Coats

One coat of Stroke & Coat® glazes result in a translucent effect with additional coats adding opacity. Stroke & Coat® glazes are heavily pigmented and will not streak, no matter the number of coats.

Wide Firing Range

Many Stroke & Coat® glazes perform well at mid-range (cone 5/6) and higher temperatures (cone 9/10). Darker colors such as red, orange, yellow, blue and green may darken compared to their cone 06 results. Lighter colors such as tan, purple and pink will fade. We recommend testing at your preferred firing temperature prior to use. Cone 6 performance is noted on each color’s label.

Painterly Properties

Much like using an oil or watercolor, Stroke & Coat® glazes can be used to create a life-like portrait or landscape, using rendering, shading, blending and other painting techniques to add dimension and a sense of realism to your work.

Brushwork

Paint intricate patterns as Stroke & Coat® glazes will not move or bleed into surrounding colors. Double load color onto brushes or use specialty brushes such as CB-106 Script Liner or CB-202 #2 Detail Liner to generate various shades of color and add dimension.

Helpful Hints

  • Can be applied with a brush, a sponge, a detailer bottle, mats, or silkscreens.
  • Marbleizing technique can be achieved by thinning Stroke & Coat® or Foundations® and by moving the ware side to side, using gravity to allow the glazes to flow together.
  • For a more traditional and painterly approach, dilute glazes with water to create a thinned watercolor-like glaze. Use these tints to layer for seamless blending. To preserve the integrity of a design, use AC-302 Wax Resist overtop.
  • SC-13 Grapel, SC-33 Fruit of the Vine and SC-85 Orkid are formulated with chrome-tin pigments and can be sensitive to non-toxic clear glazes – namely, a milky/cloudy haze may form over the colors. Test by adding a light application of the clear glaze to these colors. These colors will not fade when used with Mayco’s Clear One Dipping (NT-CLR) and Clear One Brushing (NT-BR).
  • SC-70 Pink-a-Dot is more translucent than other Stroke & Coat® glazes. Additional coats (more than 3) may be necessary to achieve opacity.
  • Stroke & Coat® glazes do not move or blend when used with other glazes. You can apply side-by-side or layer without losing the integrity of the design.
  • If you apply one coat of Stroke & Coat® on top of a matte glaze, the Stroke & Coat® fires matte. By applying 2-3 coats, the Stroke & Coat® fires glossy.
  • Applying Matte Transparent Clear Glaze (C-300) will not make Stroke & Coat matte.

Usage Variations and FAQs

Do I have to use clear glaze to achieve a glossy finish?

Stroke & Coat® fires to a gloss finish and does not require a clear glaze. Clear glaze may be used to enhance the glossiness of the fired finish. Apply the clear glaze according to manufacturer’s directions over the unfired Stroke & Coat® and fire once. Note: The amount of non-toxic glaze deposited can affect the fired results. If too much glaze and clear glaze is applied you may experiences dull or “milky” fired finishes. If this occurs, adjust the number of glaze layers applied, lighten the amount of glaze on your brush, etc. – whatever is needed to reduce the total amount of glaze placed on the ware. For pieces already fired – you may improve the fired finish by re-firing either at shelf cone 06 or cone 05 and adding a hold/soak time at the end of the firing cycle (10-15 minutes).

Are Stroke & Coat® glazes luster compatible?

All Stroke & Coat® colors are luster compatible, even with clear glaze is applied over the top.

How can I create dimensional effects with Stroke & Coat®?

Stroke & Coat® will remain moderately dimensional when applied in a concentrated area. To create a raised line with a brush: layer 4 to 6 coats, allowing each coat to dry before applying the next. You may also use a detailer bottle or slip trailer to create raised lines: apply 2-3 layers, again allowing each layer to dry between applications.

How do I achieve best results when applying Stroke & Coat® to greenware/clay?

Gases and moisture will escape from the greenware during firing, so it is best to leave a portion of the ware unglazed – for example: the back of a tile, the foot of a vessel – to avoid pin-holing or craters. If you do completely glaze a greenware piece you may also experience a dulling of the gloss finish. If this occurs, you can apply a clear glaze and re-fire to cone 06 or cone 05 to get a gloss finish. We suggest limiting glazes to 2 coats including design work. Always test to see if Stroke & Coat® will work on your specific greenware project.

What are the guidelines for firing Stroke & Coat® to higher temperatures (cone 6-cone 10)?

Many of the Stroke & Coat® colors perform well at mid-range (cone 5-6) and high (cone 9-10) temperatures. Darker colors – green, red, blue, orange, purple – will maintain much of their original color value (they may darken a bit compared to cone 06 results). Lightly pigmented colors – pink, yellow, tan, lighter purples – will fade. Always test to see if this application variance will work on your specific project. The cone 6 color information is found on the left-hand side of the label for each Stroke and Coat® color (under “Special Notes”). Mayco recommends testing for clay body compatibility prior to use on work.

Can Stroke & Coat® be used with other products?

Stroke & Coat® glazes are compatible with all Mayco glazes and with many alternative brands of glazes. It is not recommended to design on top of the fluid, moving glazes, such as Jungle Gems™, Pottery Cascades™ or Elements™, as then work may become distorted.

What makes Stroke & Coat® glazes different from other glazes?

Stroke & Coat® is a heavy-bodied glaze that levels out and heals imperfections during the glaze application process. It can withstand over firing without fading and it is tolerant of many types of bisque and clay bodies. It is not fluid like many gloss glazes – it behaves more like a traditional underglaze as it “stays put” where it is applied. It’s like having 4 or 5 different glazes in one bottle – a Wonderglaze™ for bisque and clay.

Can I mix Stroke & Coat® glazes to create create a custom color?

Yes, Stroke & Coat® is intermixable, keep track of the quantities to be able to recreate or make a large enough batch to complete the project and Mayco recommends testing. It is perfect for creating your own color theory project.

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