SIMPLE APPROACH TO GLAZE FORMULATING AND USAGE AT STUDIO LEVEL PRACTICE IN EDO STATE

CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Background of the study
This study is on simple approach to glaze formulation and usage at studio level practice in Edo state. Ceramic products when glazed remain impervious to water or water proof and also make the product not to retain stains or dirt. Ceramics as practiced globally, renders glaze as an interface on ceramics wares. Ceramics wares have been given facial qualities by the application of glazes on them. These are evident on the numerous varieties of ceramic products for industrial and domestic uses- such as floor tiles, wall tiles, table wares, the lists are endless. Glazes are taught in several intuitions were ceramics are taught. The technology had reached an advanced stage in some developed Countries of the world. However, there are ongoing studies by some isolated glaze experts in the area of glazing in Nigeria. The study of glazing have root deep in science, this sometimes creates gap in the practice among local potters who may wish to apply the technology of glazing due to the complex scientific calculations involved. In the light of the above discuss, t h i s s t u d y a t t e m p t s t o r e s o l v e t h e a b o v e c r e a t e d g a p b y s i m p l i f y i n g t h e f o r m u l a t i o n o f g l a z e s t h a t w o r k w e l l b y u s i n g l o c a l r a w m a t e r i a l s f o u n d w i t h i n t h e r e s e a r c h e r  s e n v i r o n m e n t . T h e m u l t i p l y i n g e f f e c t o f t h i s e f f o r t w i l l i m p a c t o n t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f l o c al technology on glazing and encourage self reliance in this era of promoting made- in- Nigeria product.
Globally, ceramics products are incomplete if not well glazed with required glazes and fried to become rock like, hard, dense glossy and permanent. In view of the above, Osariyekemwen (2015.1) described finished ceramic works to the ceramist, scientist, technologist and artist, as the manipulation and change of clay with suitable additives materials into aesthetic and functional items by subjecting them to heat treatment in the
14
kiln, thereby making the oxides reactions both in the body and glaze compositions to form an interface.
Against the above background, Speight and Joki (1997:1) presented finished ceramic products to mean a household Pottery and in addition works that have contributed to human comfort or technology in form of useful items such as water pipes, floor and wall tiles to decorate buildings, storage vessels, cooking utensils and objects for display.
In line with the foregoing, Glenn, (1966) submitted that a ceramic glaze and its formation ought not to be the greatest mystery that it appears to be for countless pottery students. Basically, a glaze is nothing more than a thing glass like coating that is fused to clay surface of the pot by heat of the kiln. Igbinedion (1995.71) on the other hand stated that ceramic glaze is made from different materials such as silicates and borosilicate. He further stressed that compounding a glaze, its compatibility with the body is of paramount importance.
Osariyekemwen (2015:155) concluded that transparent glaze is a base glaze which enables the eyes to see the body of the ware through the glaze that is applied. That is, the transparent glaze materials when constituted into glaze composition and melted on wares in the kiln, the finished products are capable of transmitting light. In other words, the objects surfaces can be seen as there are no interfering materials.
1.1 Statement of the problem
There seems to be a continual over dependence on imported ceramic materials and products especially glazes in spite of the available and abundant ceramic raw
15
materials in Nigeria. This has thus created some gap in glazing of ceramic wares. In some centres and institutions of higher learning where ceramics are taught such as ceramic section in the University of Benin, all of which are located in Nigeria have the difficulties of glazing for a decade now. This constitutes a major problem that makes students of the section to paint their beautiful products after bisque firing because of their inability to use the locally sourced raw materials in their immediate environment to formulate glazes for use whenever they exhaust the imported glaze in their store.
From the above studies, is revealed that some of the materials oxides used to formulate quality glazes were either scarce, fake or some when composed do not melt at a moderate temperature. This could also be basically to lack of processing technology in the area of raw materials at the studio level. This gives a great challenge to research, innovation and technological development of glazes in this institution and the Nation at large.
In spite of the above statements, this study effort is geared towards the use of locally sourced available ceramic raw materials to compound quality glazes that will melt at moderate temperature of 1150oC. The incessant research, innovation and technological neglect to locally produce glazes in this part of the Nation will steadily amount to student  s l a c k o f k n o w l e d g e i n t h i s a r e a o f c e r a m i c s p e c i a l i z a t i o n ; h e n c e t h i s r e s e a r c h b e c a m e c o m p u l s o r y a t t h i s p o i n t o f q u e s t f o r t e c h n o l o g i c a l a d v a n c e m e n t , i n n o v a t i o n , r e s e a r c h b r e a k t h r o u g h i n a l l w o r k s o f l i f e i n N i g e r i a .
1 . 2 C o n c e p t u a l / T e c h n i c a l F r a m e W o r k
T h e c o n c e p t u a l / T e c h n i c a l f r a m e w o r k o f t h i s s t u d y i s h i n g e d o n  m a d e – i n – N i g e r i a g o o d s  c o n c e p t s . O k w o a n d S a i b u ( 2 0 1 3 ) m e n t i o n e d t h a t , c o n c e p t u a l f r a m e w o r k
1 6
 e x a m i n e s t h e m a j o r c o n c e p t s i n t h e r e s e a r c h a n d a l s o h o l i s t i c a l l y d i s c u s s e s t h e m , u s i n g p r e vious related study by experts. Base on the above submission on conceptual frame work, it therefore means that the major objective of this research will be discussed which is possibility of using the available raw material to formulate quality glazes for use at studio level.
Thus concept as it related to the object would means that the raw material used are locally sourced and use within our immediate environment in order to promote and use our locally produced items in ceramics and the like in Nigeria. For many years now in Nigeria, all tiers of government have encouraged the use of locally available raw materials to produce products for use. This serves as a re- direction towards building our economy instead of overdependence of imported raw materials and products for use.
In line with above, recently in vanguard news paper of 16th march 2016 the federal government asked its various arms to key into the made- in- Nigeria. Also on 27th March 2016 the central Bank of Nigeria, Governor Godwin Emefiele had said that the restriction of importation of foreign products has inevitably revived the “made-in-Nigeria” campaign. Olawole (2016) opined that the understanding of made- in- Nigeria applied to all walks of life including ceramics. Made- in- Nigeria as it relates to the topic „simple approach to glaze formulation in Edo States &  m e a n s t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f k e y i n g i n t o u s i n g t h e a v a i l a b l e r a w m a t e r i a l s i n o u r i m m e d i a t e e n v i r o n m e n t s t o l o c a l l y p r o d u c e s t a n d a r d , a f f o r d a b l e a n d p r o f i t a b l e c e r a m i c p r o d u c t s f o r u s e i n N i g e r i a .