The Glaze is Lava
an online mini-course on silicon-carbide glazes
AVAILABLE FEBRUARY 15th
Have you seen those volcanic, puffy, crater textures like lava rock, coral, or tiny meteorites?
Many of these effects come from one simple additive: silicon carbide (SiC). In this short 5-6 hour course, we focus on the lava glaze (also called magma/crater/volcanic).
From Lava Effects to a Repeatable Method
SiC-based glazes are my favorite playground because small tweaks create big changes. This course is designed for glaze nerds and curious makers who already know basic glaze chemistry.
Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all recipe library, this course distills insights from 1,000+ tests to save months of trial and error - showing what variables to test first and how to troubleshoot common failures.
It also includes guidance for modifying students’ own recipes when results don’t work in their specific kiln. Best for cone 5-8, non-functional surfaces.
It’s not just one glaze. It’s a method for discovering hundreds of unique, repeatable ceramic textures through smart experimentation.
If you have ever done a course or a workshop with me, email me at maria@loramceramics.com for an additional discount.
Course Structure
What is a lava/crater/magma glaze?
Types of volcanic effects: SiC, baking soda, cryolite
How SiC works: gas formation and melt
Glaze chemistry essentials: Si:Al, R2O:RO, oxides.
If you’re not familiar with glaze chemistry, I strongly recommend taking my Textures in Ceramics first.
Key variables that change results: Si Al ratios, R2O:RO ratios, types of flux, SiC amount + mesh, titanium/rutile, colorants, thickness/water content
Application: layering, kiln programs, clay body
Troubleshooting: grey color, bubble size, frothing
FAQs
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The course is a deep, research-based breakdown of lava/crater glazes, built around lots of test tiles and what they reveal. You’ll learn the key variables that change results (SiC amount/mesh, chemistry balance, thickness, firing factors) and exactly what to tweak when your lava isn’t bubbling, is too grey, or the texture isn’t right.
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If you want to learn how to design/run tests, tile systems, workflows, and the overall glaze chemistry - sign up for my Textures in Ceramics course.
For recipes and ongoing test results, join my Patreon.
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You should be familiar with glaze mixing and glaze chemistry to get the most out of this course. If you feel like you’re lacking knowledge, you can purchase this course together with my Textures in Ceramics course.
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Lava glazes tend to work best around cones 5-8, so most of the test tiles in this course are fired to cone 5-6. With the right approach, you can get similar effects as low as cone 06 and as high as cone 10. I’ll explain what to adjust to adapt the glaze to your temperature, but this course doesn’t include extensive research or large experiment sets for every cone range.
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While subtitles are not available, I provide downloadable transcripts for all videos, which you can translate into your preferred language.
Interested in Glaze Recipes?
Join my Patreon is where I share my personal glaze experiments - mostly Cone 6 oxidation - including both wins and failures, straight from the kiln. You'll find:
Exclusive glaze recipes + test results
Extended learning perks for students in my courses
A way to support my work, even if you’re not collecting ceramics
I post new tests 3-6 times a month, and sometimes do exclusive Zoom calls. Whether you're here to learn, connect, or support - welcome.