Speedball Underglazes are a great option for adding color to your ceramics. They are generally priced more economically than AMACO and other brands of underglazes, but the colors are still vibrant and varied.
For this post, the Speedball Underglaze 12 Color Sampler Set in 2 oz bottles was tested on different clay bodies and fired to cone 6. In general, this was a great set of colors that will definitely be used in my studio, but the lower price does come with a tradeoff in quality control. Some of the colors were a bit pasty / chunkier and didn’t brush as well, but this problem can be fixed by adding water and mixing the underglaze to a more brushable consistency. Despite the issue of some bottles being too thick / pasty, the colors in this set are great and I would have no problem recommending Speedball Underglazes for any studio or as a gift.
The 12 color sampler set is available in 2 oz bottles for around $45 ($3.75 per bottle), or there is also a “school pack” of different colors in 16 oz jars for around $140 ($12 per jar)
Unboxing
Here’s a few images of the 2 oz sampler set. It’s a great way to try out these underglazes, or to give as a gift.
Speedball Underglaze 2 oz sampler pack
The bottles are packed tightly in a box
Speedball recently redesigned the bottles
Test Tiles
The 12 colors in the Speedball Underglaze Sampler pack were tested on three different clay bodies: a Laguna mid range white stoneware, Standard 112 Brown with speckles, and Standard 308 Brooklyn red. The underglazes were applied with one, two, and three brush strokes in the greenware stage and bisque fired. Then, the right half of the tile was dipped in glossy clear, and fired to cone 6.
Note that some colors are a bit pasty / chunky. This can be corrected by adding water, but the sets were tested as they arrived without alteration. All underglazes can be thinned and color mixed, so it’s always best to test in your kiln as well.
In general, these were bright, interesting colors and despite the chunky quality of some of the underglazes, I would recommend this set and buy again.
Notes
Most underglazes are designed for low fire underneath a clear glazes, but often the colors hold up fine at mid range or high fire temperatures.
Underglazes are pigmented with ceramic stains, allowing you to color mix them like paint.
Underglazes do great under a clear glaze, but they can be fine unglazed too. At mid range and high fire temperatures, some underglazes will turn satin. A few might even become glossy.
More underglaze test tiles:
See all posts on glazes: click here
What has been your experience with Speedball Underglazes? Let us know in the comments.
