Ice Ice Baby Glaze Guide

A soft, sandy matte top gives way to a dramatic speckled band in the middle, before melting into a cool, pale blue base. It's moody, atmospheric, and somehow also elegant. Best of all? It's just three glazes.

Recreate this dreamy icy finish using Abbots Ice Blue, Abbots Stone, and Abbots Matte White.

Glaze layering system:  Abbots Ice Blue, Abbots Stone, & Abbots Matte White

What you’ll need: 


Here’s everything you’ll need for this project:

Step-by-step

Step 1 ~ Base glaze: Apply 2 coats of Abbots Ice Blue (lower half only)

Apply Coat 1

Before you start glazing, give your jar a really good shake!

Working on the lower half only, apply the first coat of Ice Blue to your pot.

Applying Ice Blue to the lower half of the pot is what creates the moody, deep blue speckled effect at the bottom.

Tip: If you find your brush is dragging on the bisque, you may find it helpful to mix a small amount of glaze with a few drops of Universal Medium in a small bowl for your first coat. 

Allow time for the coat to dry before applying the next one. 

Apply Coat 2


Apply the second coat of Ice Blue, again working only on the lower half of your pot.

Allow the coat to dry. You’re off to a great start!

Drying time for the first and second coats should be quite quick (30 seconds - 1 minute).

✨ Step 2 ~ Middle glaze: Apply 2 coats of Abbots Stone

Apply Coat 1
Give your jar of Stone a good shake before opening.

This time you'll be working with the whole piece. Apply the first coat of Stone to the inside and outside of the pot, working your way down the pot until you have an even coat.

If you're using a banding wheel, place your piece in the centre of the wheelhead and get it spinning. Load your brush with glaze and gently ease it onto the spinning bisque, letting the glaze flow down naturally.

A little tip: sponge the underside of your pot lightly with water before placing it on the wheel — this stops it from sliding around. (Skip this if the base has been waxed.)

Allow to dry before moving to the second coat. 

Apply Coat 2
Once the first coat has dried, apply the second coat of Stone. 

Again, you will be applying Stone to the entire piece (inside & outside, top and bottom).

Try supporting your brush hand with your other hand if you're using the banding wheel — it sounds awkward at first, but it really does help keep things steady.

Allow your piece to dry. 

Feel free to get the heat gun out if you notice your coats taking longer to dry.

✨ Step 3 ~ Top glaze: Apply 2 coats of Abbots Matte White 

Apply Coat 1

Give Abbots Matte White a good shake.

Just like you did with Stone, apply the first coat of Matte White to the entire pot (inside, outside, top and bottom)

Allow to dry before moving to the second, and final, coat. 

Apply Coat 2

Once the first coat has dried, apply the second coat of Matte White, yes all over again. 

Allow your piece to dry before firing. 

Well done!

Step 4 ~ Firing 


Wipe any glaze drips from the underside of your piece before firing.

Fire to Cone 6 (~1200C) in an electric kiln. 

You can find a suggested firing schedule here. 

✨ Notes & suggestions

If you’re particularly taken with the lacy blue finish on the lower half, why not try glazing your whole pot in it? 

To do this, try:

Abbots Ice Blue x2 coats (whole piece)
Abbots Stone x2 coats (whole piece)
Abbots Matte White x2 coats (whole piece)

Join Abbots Glaze on socials!

For glaze process tutorials, tips and inspiration, join us on Instagram.

To connect with fellow Abbots Glaze enthusiasts and find inspiration for your next project, join the Abbots Glaze Lab Facebook group. 

About the author:

A self-confessed glaze nerd, Amy is a content creator for Abbots Glaze on a mission to get people excited about glazing! When she’s not making reels or testing new glaze recipes, you can find Amy making pots in her pottery studio, Palmerston North. You can follow Amy’s work on Instagram @fettlepotterynz

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