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Minnesota Marker
Minnesota Marker
Minnesota Markers are a unique felt tip ceramic markers which allow the ceramic decorator the ability to create fluid, flowing lines on everything from hand thrown pottery to soft firebrick. Anyone who can use a traditional felt tip pen, can use the Minnesota Markers - making this product especially useful for contemporary studios. Minnesota Markers are also great idea when signing pieces for special occasions like weddings and other family milestones.
Minnesota Marker Blue
Blue is available in two sizes: Mega Marker and Fine Line. The ink filters through the felt nib using capillary action, the resulting color stains the surface of the clay. The stained clay then needs to be bisque fired to set the ink on the surface before glazing.
  • To set the ink apply to bisque ware, fire the piece and then add a clear glaze and fire the piece again.
Useful Techniques
Minnesota Markers are very effective for detailed decoration and lettering. Use a pencil to sketch your decoration first, then draw directly over the pencil image with the Minnesota Marker. The graphite will burn out in the bisque fire leaving the Minnesota Marker decoration on the piece. Trout Image created with the Minnesota Markers
Above: Trout Image sketched first in pencil, then decorated with Minnesota Markers.
Minnesota Marker Portrait Carbon paper can be used to transfer an image to tile. Use the Minnesota Marker to decorate directly over the transferred image, the carbon image will burn away in the bisque fire and the Minnesota Marker ink will remain.
Above: Portrait transferred using carbon paper, then decorated with Fine Line Slate Minnesota Marker.
Most potters will use Minnesota Markers under a glaze, but they can also be used to decorate unglazed ware. They are useful for signing ware and identifying samples. Uses of the Minnesota Marker
Left: Minnesota Marker used to identify glaze tile
 
Minnesota Markers have even shown promise in decorating over fired matt glazes. Tests have shown that fired gloss glazes are too "slippery" for overglaze decoration, but certain matt glazes provide a hard surface that the ink adheres well to.
Tile decorated with the Minnesota Marker These are a handful of ideas for using the Minnesota Markers, there are certainly many more uses out there to be discovered. (We've even decorated tiles using a Spirograph(R)!)
Above: Spirograph (R) decorated tile.
 
*Test if firing outside of this range or in reduction. Blue and Slate best choice for firing at or above cone 8.