AMACO Celadon (C) glazes: the guide to the mixable series

Hardly any glaze tradition has as long a history as celadon. What began in Chinese kilns almost 2,000 years ago and became an imperial court art under the Song Dynasty is still one of the most sought-after ceramic aesthetics in the world today.^[1]

The AMACO Celadon Series (abbreviation: C ) brings exactly this aesthetic to the modern electric kiln and adds something the classic tradition never had: a system of colors that can be mixed 100% with one another.^[2]

In this guide, we explain how the Celadon series works, how it differs from the AMACO Potter's Choice series, how to mix your own colors, and which combinations are worth trying first. If you already know our Potter's Choice Guide, you will find the perfect complement here: both series are officially designed as layering partners for each other.^[3]

Happy glazing, your Formwerk Pottery Supplies Team

-->> Go straight to the Celadon glazes in the shop <<--

What is the Celadon series?

The Celadon series from the US manufacturer AMACO (also written Amaco) is a collection of transparent gloss glazes for mid-range firing at cone 5 to 6, that is, for temperatures between 1,186 °C and 1,222 °C in a standard electric kiln.^[2] The series runs up to number 65 (color Tangelo), but as of summer 2026 currently offers 33 colors, from classic jade green through blue, yellow and orange to gray and black. It is sold as liquid brushing glaze in 472 ml containers, with six colors also available in the 1 gallon bottle (3.8 L). For dipping, all colors are also available as 10 lb dry powder. All colors are lead-free and food-safe after firing.^[4]

^{The most common option is the 472 ml bottle of celadon as a brushing glaze}

The name goes back to one of the oldest glaze traditions in the world. True celadon first appeared in China during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 to 220 CE) and reached its artistic peak under the Song Dynasty (960 to 1279), when imperial kilns such as Longquan, Ru and Guan perfected the famous jade-green glazes.^[1] The characteristic green color traditionally comes from a small amount of iron oxide in the glaze, which turns green in reduction firing.^[5] Korea also developed its own world-famous celadon tradition during the Goryeo Dynasty (918 to 1392), and in Japan the ware known as seiji was especially prized by tea masters. ^[1] If you are interested in the Japanese aesthetic of this tradition, you will find more in our article Wabi-Sabi Ceramics.

An important note on context: AMACO has deliberately broadened the term. The C series is modeled on the behavior of the historical originals, that is, transparency, gloss and the pooling of glaze in recesses, but applies this principle to a whole color palette far beyond classic green. A “celadon” in orange or violet would be a contradiction historically. As a modern product family the concept still works, because the optical behavior of all colors follows the classic model.^[2]

The core principle: transparency and glaze pooling

To understand when celadon is the right choice, you need to internalize one single principle: celadon glazes are transparent and respond to thickness. Where the glaze sits thick, the color appears dark and rich. Where it lies thin, it stays light and lets the clay body show through.^[4]

The principle behind this is the glaze running together in recesses, called pooling: on a textured surface, the liquid glaze collects in the deeper areas during firing. In carved lines, stamped patterns, throwing rings or relief edges, the glaze sits thicker and breaks darker. On the raised areas in between, it stays thin and light. The result: the glaze traces the structure of the piece instead of covering it. Every carved pattern, every stamp, every groove is emphasized.^[2]

This is exactly the difference from opaque glazes: an opaque glaze gives a carved mug and a smooth one almost the same result. A celadon glaze turns the carved mug into a showpiece and the smooth one into a rather unremarkable one. Celadon needs texture to shine.

Celadon glazes trace the structure of the piece instead of covering it.

A second consequence of the transparency: the clay body plays a part. On white stoneware the colors appear clear and bright, on beige or light brown firing clay warm and muted, and on dark clay they almost disappear.^[4] If you want to see the colors as they look in the AMACO sample images, it is best to work with white or light stoneware. You will find suitable clays in our pottery clay range.

Celadon vs. Potter's Choice: the difference

A question we get regularly: what is the difference between the two popular AMACO series? The short answer: Potter's Choice creates its own effects, while celadon emphasizes the effects you have worked into the clay. Here is the direct comparison:

The Celadon (C) glaze C-49 Rainforest

The Potter's Choice (PC) glaze PC-46 Lustrous Jade

Both series fire in the same temperature range and can therefore be combined without problems in the same kiln and even on the same piece.^[3] You will find the technical details on the Potter's Choice series, including all color families and layering combinations, in our detailed Potter's Choice Guide.

Mixing colors: the unique selling point

Now to the real trump card of the series: all celadon glazes are 100% mixable with one another.^[2] That sounds unspectacular, but it is rare in the market for ready-made brushing glazes. With most commercial glaze series, mixing two colors leads to unpredictable chemical reactions. With the C series, AMACO built all colors on the same base recipe, so they behave like paints: blue plus yellow gives green, reliably and reproducibly.

This turns the series from a color range into a color palette. Instead of being limited to the 33 standard colors, you can mix practically any in-between shade yourself. Three tools help especially with this:^[6]

• C-11 Mixing Clear is the colorless base glaze of the series. With it you thin out any color, making it more transparent and lighter without changing the glaze chemistry. For anyone who wants to mix seriously, C-11 is the most important single glaze in the series.
  
  
• C-1 Obsidian (black) darkens any color and creates deep, muted tones. Even small amounts change the mix significantly, so dose carefully.
  
  
• C-10 Snow (white) makes colors more pastel and softer, but also reduces transparency. The right choice for delicate, milky tones.

C-1 Obsidian as a 472 ml bottle

In practice, mixing works by volume, that is, with measuring spoons or measuring cups instead of a scale.^[6] An example: 3 parts C-20 Cobalt plus 1 part C-11 Mixing Clear gives a lighter, more transparent blue. Two things matter here. First: shake both glazes thoroughly before mixing so the solids are evenly distributed. Second: write down every mixing ratio right away. Nothing is more frustrating than a perfect custom color that can never be reproduced because the recipe is missing.

One limitation belongs here for the sake of honesty: mixability only applies within the Celadon series. Mixing Celadon with Potter's Choice or other glaze series leads to unpredictable results and is not recommended by AMACO. The series can be layered (more on that in the layering section below), but not blended in the bucket.

Application: How to apply Celadon correctly

The basic rule is the same as for Potter's Choice: 3 coats on bisqueware fired to cone 04, let each coat dry completely, then fire to cone 5 to 6.^[6] Our article What Is a Bisque Firing? explains exactly what bisqueware is.

A practical property up front: pure celadon glazes are stable and hardly run during firing. That makes them easy to handle, so you have less to worry about drips or stuck kiln shelves than with strongly flowing glazes. Only when you combine celadon with a flowing Potter's Choice glaze does movement come into play (more on that shortly).  

A Celadon glaze emphasizes every surface texture: the glaze pools in the recesses and breaks darker there. This is clearly visible in three techniques on one tile: carving on the left, slip trailing in the middle, and a texture washed out with water (water etching) on the right

 

Every uneven spot, brush mark and overlap stays visible after firing as a lighter or darker zone, because the depth of color depends directly on the glaze thickness. So work evenly, apply coats in alternating directions, and check before firing that the surface is covered uniformly.

Layering: Celadon under Potter's Choice

AMACO officially recommends this combination: 3 coats of Celadon as the base, topped with 3 coats of Potter's Choice, fired to cone 6.^[3] The transparent Celadon base gives the piece a clear foundation color, while the PC glaze on top delivers flow and effect. Two proven combinations to start with:

• PC-57 Smokey Merlot over C-1 Obsidian: deep black with plum-colored accents
• PC-21 Arctic Blue over C-20 Cobalt: dark blue ground with light flow marks

With six coats in total, the glaze runs noticeably. So glaze the lower third more thinly, leave at least 1 cm unglazed at the bottom, and protect the kiln shelf with kiln wash. You will find more combinations in the Potter's Choice Guide.

Example of the combination PC-57 Smokey Merlot over C-1 Obsidian

Which projects suit Celadon?

Ideal: pieces with carving, relief work, slip trailing, water etching, stamped patterns and visible throwing rings, ideally on white or light clay. AMACO names exactly these four techniques as prime examples, because the glaze pools in the recesses everywhere and emphasizes the structure.

Less suitable: smooth pieces without texture (the glaze looks plain there, almost unremarkable) and dark clay bodies (the transparent colors visually disappear). If you work on dark clay or want opaque effects, you are better off going straight to Potter's Choice.

Food safety and safety information

All Celadon glazes are lead-free and food-safe when fired correctly.^[4] Most colors carry the AP seal (Approved Product, non-toxic). Three colors are an exception: C-27 Storm, C-47 Jade and C-49 Rainforest carry the CL seal (Caution Label).^[7] This does not mean the finished pieces are a concern. The CL seal only applies to labeling for handling the liquid glaze, not to the finished pieces. According to AMACO, absolutely all Celadon colors are food-safe, including these three. One practical difference: the colors with the AP seal are also expressly approved for spray application.

Look for this symbol on Amaco glaze bottles, which indicates food safety. Occasionally it says "Dinnerware Safe" instead of "Food Safe".

If you sell tableware commercially, keep this in mind regardless: AMACO recommends that makers of items for sale have the finished pieces tested for food safety, since firing conditions can influence the result. This applies especially to self-mixed colors.

Note: All food safety information comes from AMACO and applies to correctly fired ware. Please read the manufacturer's information carefully for every glaze.

Which Celadon colors to start with?

Our recommendation for a sensible basic set:

1. C-11 Mixing Clear: the base for all mixing, a must-buy
2. C-20 Cobalt: rich, reliable blue
3. C-1 Obsidian: black for darkening and as a layering base
4. C-10 Snow: white for pastel tones
5. C-49 Rainforest: glossy stoneware glaze in a deep forest green

Thanks to mixability, these five glazes already let you cover a wide color spectrum. You will find all available colors in our glaze range.

FAQ: The Celadon series

What does Celadon actually mean?
The term traditionally describes greenish, iron-bearing glazes from the Asian ceramic tradition. The European name probably goes back to Céladon, a character in a 17th-century French novel who wore green ribbons.^[5] AMACO uses the term for the entire series of transparent gloss glazes.

Can I mix Celadon with Potter's Choice?
No, not in the bucket. The series layer wonderfully over each other, but cannot be blended. Only Celadon colors can be mixed with each other.

Why does my Celadon glaze look blotchy?
Almost always because of uneven application. With transparent glazes, every variation in glaze thickness shows up as a color difference. Apply more evenly, work in alternating directions, and use three full coats.

Does Celadon work on dark clay?
Technically yes, but visually it is usually disappointing. The transparent colors need a light background to glow. On dark clay, often only a dark shimmer is left.

Are Celadon glazes dishwasher-safe?
Yes, Celadon glazes fired correctly to cone 5 to 6 on dense stoneware are suitable for everyday use and dishwasher-safe.

Conclusion

The Celadon series is the counterpart to Potter's Choice: not an effect glaze, but a tool that makes your own work visible. If you carve, stamp or work with texture, this is the right glaze for you. And with 100% mixability, the series is the only true color palette among commercial brushing glazes. If you have questions about choosing, we are happy to advise you.

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