Currently, in the field of ceramics as in many other creative manual activities, the market, by repurposing in terms of hobbies what originated from production needs on a larger scale, whether artisanal or industrial, has made possible the creation of small but efficient workshops that can be installed even within one's own home walls.
Today, anyone who wants to take an interest in ceramics finds all kinds of materials and equipment at his or her fingertips, from the vast range of ceramic mixtures and ready-to-use glazes and colors, to small, low-consumption electric kilns, lathes, machines for preparing the mixture, and even mills for grinding the glaze. To the neophyte's rescue, for learning the first rudiments of the technique and for subsequent refinements of his or her knowledge, then come the numerous training courses. Finally, there is no lack of a large number of publications in the field, allowing one to keep abreast of new techniques, exhibition activities, the work of various artists in the field, etc.
Thus, as you acquire the techniques, the material begins to reveal its potential.
Then the personal way of making, the particular idea of what one wants to achieve, comes into play more and more. Joy is the first achievement: out of the amorphous matter the desired form is born, the work continues, and from one's own hands more and more complex structures come to life.
But once the piece is molded what will be the character of its surface?
Too often, having reached this point, the path becomes impassable and desires remain unfulfilled. The use of commercial glazes, mostly produced to meet industrial needs, does not always await one's creative needs. It is therefore necessary to know how to transform them to bend them to one's expressive will. The endless recipes found in many trade books and magazines often yield disappointing results.
In fact, the correctness of the chemical formula alone is not sufficient guarantee of a glaze's success. A great many other factors, from the grinding of the mixture components, to the method of application on the cookie, to the time and temperature of firing, to the atmosphere of the kiln, influence the behavior, texture and even color of a glaze.
(from "The Glazes, Experiences in Ceramics," Vol. 2. Horst Simonis)
The experience gained in the industrial field, with technological innovations specific to the field of tiles and tableware, has allowed me to pursue, over time, research aimed at creating a line of ceramic products with intense colorations and textural effects. It started from the design of specific Molybdenum, Vanadium and Titanium crystallized frits, capable of developing highly aesthetic iridescent and mother-of-pearl separations and shades, with different formulas composed for various temperatures and rapid cycles.
Applied glazes bring out the best in the surface of special pieces (textures, engravings, etc.), creating shades and crystallizations that, by " reading" the structure of the substrate, enhance its aesthetic appearance and make it possible to minimize applications and eliminate those that are not feasible on complex surfaces. These products include a range of rustic matt glazes and grits, lustrous effect glosses, satin mother-of-pearl, metalized, etc., which have made it possible to meet many industrial market requirements in double-fired, porcelain stoneware and third-firing with increasingly rapid cycles.

WG GLAZES: HOBBY CRAFTSMAN
In ceramics, experimentation on and knowledge of the basic characteristics of the raw materials is fundamental for obtaining high quality products, but even good intuition, sometimes originating from random mistakes, can lead to unexpected results. In fact, at the basis of research in industry, as in the artistic field, the synergic contribution of technical skills, experience and intuition is fundamental. Hence, with reference to the artisan or hobbyist sphere, it can often be seen that meeting specific technical, market or taste requirements is more difficult than it might seem, such as, for example, succeeding in reproducing effects in vertical enameling that are originally created on flat surfaces. The basis of effect glazes is, almost always, the use of special frits whose behavior determines the final result, usually already with a single application of enamel. Frequently, similar results can be obtained at high temperatures, using non-soluble raw materials that would normally have composed the frit. In this research, the use of organic or inorganic additives has often made it possible to carry out problematic applications, such as the use of powder or grit enamels on vertical surfaces, or the application of thick liquid enamels on walls intended for street furniture, without the risk of dangerous post-drying cracks, which can cause partial detachment of the coating from the surfaces.

BRIEF HINTS ON GLAZING
Enameling of handcrafted items is usually done by dipping, spraying, or brushing. Each of these systems must correspond to a different density of the glaze to be applied; this is necessary in view of multiple factors: the thickness on the cookie, its color, the degree of opacification of the glaze, the type of glaze to be applied, etc. In general however, in the case of the immersion method, the density should be in the range of 45-60°BE (Baume degrees); for spray application, on the other hand, the density should be less, but not less than 45°BE. Density is measured by means of an instrument: the areometer.
Of these two glazing methods, the more economical is the immersion method, because it allows less glaze consumption. In brush application, on the other hand, the density may vary, and this is often also in relation to achieving particular aesthetic effects. Once enameling has been carried out, whether by brush or spray, it is advisable to apply a thin layer of the same enamel over the enameled piece to mitigate the effects caused by any unevenness of the enameled surface. Finally, remember that if a suspending agent has been added, the glaze will appear thicker.

APPLICATION OF ENGOBE OR SINGLE-FIRED GLAZES
For single-fired glazing, it is advisable to calibrate the water content to the minimum possible amount. For this reason, it is essential to use fluidifying agents and cmc glue (approx. 0.2 - 0.4%), to promote adhesion of the slip on the raw mixture, and the use of a suspending agent to prevent precipitation of the suspension. The workpiece to be glazed must be dry and heated to a temperature of at least 50°C to ensure good application of the glaze. For subsequent applications, it is indispensable to subject the workpiece to further drying beforehand.