AMACO Potter's Choice Glazes: The Complete Guide to the Cone 5/6 Series

Few glaze series have received as much attention in recent years as the Potter's Choice series by AMACO. What originally began as an attempt to make classic reduction-fire aesthetics available in a standard electric kiln is now one of the most widely used glaze collections worldwide: featuring over 70 colors, impressive depth effects, and nearly unlimited combination possibilities through layering.^[1]

We at Formwerk Berlin receive questions about the PC series practically every day: Which glaze suits which clay? How do I apply them correctly? Which combinations work well for layering? And why doesn't my glaze look like the ones in the AMACO photos? In this detailed guide, we provide a comprehensive explanation of the collection, from technical foundations to specific application tips and layering strategies.

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What is the Potter's Choice collection?

The Potter's Choice series (PC for short) is a glaze collection from the US-based manufacturer AMACO (American Art Clay Company), developed specifically for mid-range firing at Cone 5 to 6 – i.e., for temperatures between 1,186 °C and 1,222 °C in a standard electric kiln.^[1] With currently over 70 glazes (as of 2026, including the new colors PC-13 Serpentine Green, PC-14 Lapis Flow, PC-18 Tuscan Blue, PC-19 Moon River, and PC-69 Cosmic Gold Dust), the series is among the most extensive commercial brushing collections on the market.^[2]

^{Logo of the US manufacturer AMACO}

The special aspect is not just the variety. PC glazes were developed with the explicit goal of reproducing the visual effects of traditional Asian and European reduction-fire glazes in a standard electric oxidation kiln.^[3] They target a user group that was underserved for decades: potters who want stoneware aesthetics but cannot own or operate a gas kiln.

In practice, this means: with a normal kiln – such as a Pyrotec or Kittec from our assortment – you can achieve results that visually resemble traditional Tenmoku, Shino, or Celadon glazes, without ever having to fire in a reduction atmosphere. This is technically not a given and is one of the reasons why the series has firmly established itself in the USA and Europe.

Introduction of the new AMACO PC glazes in 2025

Reduction effects without reduction firing: the series' promise

To understand what is technically special about Potter's Choice, it is worth taking a brief look at the difference between oxidation and reduction firing. A standard electric kiln fires in an oxidizing atmosphere – meaning there is enough oxygen for metal oxides in the glaze to remain in their highest oxidation state. Iron usually appears yellowish to brown, copper greenish.

In a gas kiln with reduction firing, oxygen is actively limited in the final phase. This forces the metal oxides to release oxygen from the glaze, changing their color and surface dramatically. Iron becomes deep red to black, copper appears red or purple. These are exactly the effects that visually distinguish classic Asian glazes like Tenmoku, Celadon, or Oxblood.

The trick with Potter's Choice lies in the formula itself: AMACO formulated the glazes so that the optical effects – depth, flow, color shift, crystalline structures – are created by the chemical composition of the glaze itself, not by a reducing atmosphere.^[4] The result: you get a very close visual approximation of reduction-fire glazes, fired in a perfectly standard electric kiln.

Classic reduction-fire aesthetics in an electric kiln: PC-12 Blue Midnight displays the flowing, deep colors that used to require a gas kiln. Photo: AMACO Brent.

To be honest: a PC glaze is not identical to a true reduction-fire glaze. Experienced potters recognize the difference, and for purist enthusiasts of the classic tradition, the gas kiln remains the only true solution. For 95% of all applications, however – hobby, studio, small-scale production – the PC effects are convincing enough not to justify the effort of a gas kiln.

Firing temperature and technical specifications

The PC series is clearly defined by its firing conditions. The following overview summarizes the most important key data:^[1]

These temperatures refer to a medium-speed firing – roughly 150 °C per hour in the final 100 °C of the firing.^[5] Those who fire faster or slower may see slightly different results, as glaze chemistry reacts in a time-dependent manner. For a detailed explanation of what pyrometric cones mean and which temperatures lie behind Cone 5, 6, or 04, check out our post Pyrometric cone values.

An important note: the PC series is also stable at higher temperatures. AMACO itself notes that many PC glazes continue to provide beautiful, albeit sometimes altered, results at Cone 10.^[6] If you have a kiln that fires higher, you can experiment – though do so at your own risk, as some glazes run significantly more at higher temperatures.

The color families of the PC series at a glance

Over 70 glazes is a lot – too many to go through linearly. We therefore group them into nine aesthetically and chemically related color families. This classification is not from AMACO themselves, but is our practical sorting based on experience in everyday consulting.

1. Metallic effects

PC-1 Saturation Metallic, PC-2 Saturation Gold, PC-4 Palladium, PC-9 Vintage Gold. These glazes create shimmering, metallic-looking surfaces with crystalline growths. They are the most visually striking in the series, but are better suited for decorative pieces – PC-4 and PC-9 are not food safe.^[7]

^{The shade PC-2 Saturation Gold}

2. Blue tones

PC-11 Blue Spark, PC-12 Blue Midnight, PC-14 Lapis Flow, PC-18 Tuscan Blue, PC-20 Blue Rutile, PC-21 Arctic Blue, PC-22 Blue Stone, PC-23 Indigo Float, PC-24 Sapphire Float, PC-26 Blue Lagoon. The blue family is the largest in the series. PC-12 Blue Midnight and PC-20 Blue Rutile, in particular, are absolute bestsellers – deep, flowing blues with pronounced depth.

The shade PC-23 Indigo Float

3. Turquoise & soft greens

PC-13 Serpentine Green, PC-25 Textured Turquoise, PC-27 Tourmaline, PC-28 Frosted Turquoise, PC-42 Seaweed, PC-43 Toasted Sage, PC-44 Sage. Calm, often celadon-like tones. PC-25 Textured Turquoise develops a fascinating interplay of light and dark areas on textured surfaces.

The shade PC-27 Tourmaline

4. Earthy browns and stoneware aesthetics

PC-31 Oatmeal, PC-32 Albany Slip Brown, PC-33 Iron Lustre, PC-34 Light Sepia, PC-36 Ironstone, PC-61 Textured Amber, PC-62 Textured Amber Brown, PC-68 Golden Honey. This family delivers the classic stoneware look – warm, earthy, honest. PC-31 Oatmeal is one of the most versatile layering glazes in the entire series.

The shade PC-31 Oatmeal

5. Classic Reduction Firing Approximation

PC-30 Temmoku, PC-40 True Celadon, PC-41 Vert Lustre. These three are the most direct homages to the Asian tradition. PC-30 Temmoku produces the deep black, glossy finish of the Japanese bowl of the same name; PC-40 True Celadon provides the eponymous greenish semi-transparency.

The shade PC-30 Temmoku

6. Red, violet, and copper tones

PC-55 Chun Plum, PC-56 Ancient Copper, PC-57 Smokey Merlot, PC-59 Deep Firebrick, PC-70 Copper Red, PC-71 Flambé. These are likely the most dramatic glazes in the series. PC-70 Copper Red and PC-71 Flambé reproduce classic Oxblood effects from Chinese reduction firing.

The shade PC-57 Smokey Merlot

7. The Cosmic line (special effects)

PC-63 Cosmic Tea Dust, PC-65 Black Aventurine, PC-66 Cosmic Oil Spot, PC-67 River Rock, PC-69 Cosmic Gold Dust. A distinct subfamily with particularly pronounced crystal and speckled effects – inspired by Chinese "oil spot" glazes of the Song Dynasty style.

The shade PC-63 Cosmic Tea Dust

8. Textured special effects

PC-17 Honey Flux, PC-19 Moon River, PC-29 Deep Olive Speckle, PC-38 Iron Yellow, PC-49 Frosted Melon, PC-52 Deep Sienna Speckle, PC-53 Ancient Jasper. These glazes only develop their full potential on structured or textured surfaces – applied flat, they often appear subtle, but once they run over relief, they break up in a spectacular way.

The shade PC-17 Honey Flux

9. New glazes in the series

In the current range expansion, five new glazes have been added: PC-13 Serpentine Green, PC-14 Lapis Flow, PC-18 Tuscan Blue, PC-19 Moon River, and PC-69 Cosmic Gold Dust.^[2] For a complete overview: you can find all colors with sample images in our PC Glaze Collection in the shop.

Overview of the complete Potter's Choice collection. Source: AMACO Potter's Choice Brochure.^[1]

Application: How to apply Potter's Choice correctly

If your PC pieces don't look like they do in the AMACO sample images, there is one reason for it in 9 out of 10 cases: you are applying the glaze too thinly.^[8] This is not meant as a criticism – almost all beginners make this mistake, and even many experienced potters underestimate how thick PC glazes really need to be applied.

AMACO generally recommends three brush coats for Potter's Choice – each layer in a different direction (e.g., first horizontal, second vertical, third diagonal), and each layer should be completely dry before the next is applied.^[1] The difference between one and three coats is not gradual, but visually dramatic: with one coat, the glaze appears thin and pale, whereas with three coats, it unfolds its full depth and flow characteristics.

Also important: PC glazes are applied exclusively to bisque-fired pieces at Cone 04. For more on bisque firing and why the correct firing temperature is crucial, read our article What is a bisque fire?

Official AMACO tutorial on applying the glazes

Layering: The real trick of the series

Layering – overlapping different glazes – is the very reason why the Potter's Choice series is so popular. A PC glaze on its own is already impressive. Two PC glazes, applied specifically on top of one another, create effects that hardly any other commercial collection can match.^[9]

The basic concept is simple: you first apply one PC glaze in 1–2 coats. As soon as it is dry, you apply a second PC glaze over it in 1–2 coats. During firing, the two glazes react chemically with each other – the top layer begins to flow, penetrates the bottom layer in places, and effects are created that you could never achieve with a single glaze: marbling, drips, color shifts, and depth layering.

AMACO distinguishes between three worlds of layering, each with its own characteristics:^[1]

Variant 1: PC over PC

The most common and beginner-friendly layering method. Both glazes are from the same series and therefore have similar melting properties – the risk of everything running unevenly or repelling each other is minimal. Classics for beginners:

• PC-31 Oatmeal over PC-33 Iron Lustre – one of the most famous combinations of all. Creates creamy drip effects over a deep earth color.
• PC-41 Vert Lustre over PC-57 Smokey Merlot – metallic-green accents on a warm plum tone.
• PC-20 Blue Rutile over PC-30 Temmoku – dramatic blue-black depth.

Variant 2: PC over Celadon

The AMACO Celadon series fires in the same temperature range as Potter's Choice and provides a clear, often semi-transparent base color. Applying a PC glaze over it creates particularly elegant transitions and stronger contrasts:

• PC-57 Smokey Merlot over C-1 Obsidian – deep black with plum-colored accents
• PC-21 Arctic Blue over C-20 Cobalt – deep blue background with light ice-blue flow traces

Variant 3: PC over Shino

The Shino series from AMACO brings its own matte or satin texture. If you layer PC glazes over it, particularly unusual effects emerge – the Shino base breaks up the PC glaze in some places:

• PC-27 Tourmaline over SH-12 Chai Matte – warm turquoise accents on a creamy-matte base
• PC-61 Textured Amber over SH-41 Oolong Gloss – deep amber color with a golden shimmer

The complete layering combinations, with over a hundred tested glaze pairings, can be found in the official AMACO Layering Charts.^[10] We recommend that every beginner make test tiles before attempting their first layering on a finished mug. Investing one hour now will save many frustrated firings later.

Which clay body matches which glaze?

An aspect that beginners often underestimate: the same PC glaze looks completely different on different types of clay.^[1] AMACO itself explicitly points out that the clay body influences the final look just as much as the glaze chemistry itself.

Concrete effects using the greenish PC-40 True Celadon as an example:

• On white stoneware: clear, light green with good transparency
• On light buff stoneware: warm green with a creamy undertone
• On brown stoneware: deep, muted olive green
• On terracotta: dark, almost mossy green with a high iron content effect

Most PC sample images from AMACO and in this overview show applications on AMACO 46-M Buff Stoneware Clay – a classic light stoneware.^[1] Anyone wanting to achieve a comparable result should use this type of clay as a reference. A good European alternative can be found in our stoneware assortment.

Anyone working with darker or red-firing clay should make test tiles beforehand – the color change can be dramatic, but also attractive. Some potters consciously use the clay body as an additional design element by allowing the clay to show through in certain places.

Food safety and security

Food safety is one of the most important criteria for glazes – especially for potters who sell or give away dishes. The vast majority of Potter's Choice glazes are food safe, but there are clear exceptions that you should know about.^[7]

The bottles of Potter's Choice glazes all bear a clearly recognizable label indicating whether or not they are suitable for food contact. In the image above, this is recognizable by the glass and fork symbol – accompanied by the "Food Safe" notice.

Three glazes in the PC series are not suitable for food contact:

• PC-4 Palladium – metallic effect glaze, for decorative applications only
• PC-9 Vintage Gold – gold-gloss effect glaze, for decorative applications only
• PC-64 Aventurine – crystalline effect glaze, for decorative applications only

Most other PC glazes are certified according to ASTM D-4236—a US standard for the safety of art materials that excludes toxic ingredients.^[11] In addition, most PC glazes are classified as "food safe," which means they are approved for direct contact with food and beverages.

A practical note: Even food-safe glazes only develop their full level of safety when they have been fired correctly. A glaze that has been fired too low can become problematic even within the food-safe spectrum because it does not fully bond with the ceramic body. When in doubt, it is better to fire half a cone higher than too low.

Common Problems and Troubleshooting

In our daily consultations, the same problems keep coming up. Here are the five most frequent—with concrete solutions:

Problem 1: The glaze does not look like it does in the picture.
In over 80% of cases: applied too thinly. Three thick coats are the minimum. If you are certain that you have applied it thickly enough—check the firing temperature. A PC glaze fired to Cone 04 instead of Cone 5/6 will look dull and unfinished.^[8]

Problem 2: Drips on the bottom / Glaze sticks to the kiln shelf.
PC glazes are fluid—that is the whole point. The consequence: you must apply the glaze slightly thinner on the bottom third of your piece, leave at least 1 cm of glaze-free space at the bottom, and always place pieces on a kiln shelf treated with kiln wash.

Problem 3: Pinholing in the surface.
Small craters in the glaze. Three possible causes: the bisque firing was too fast (residual water in the body), the glaze was heated too quickly, or the piece had dust or grease residue before glazing. Solution: bisque fire with sufficient hold time, slower glaze firing ramp, wipe pieces with a damp sponge before glazing.

Problem 4: Crazing (fine cracks in the glaze).
With some PC glazes, crazing is part of the desired effect (e.g., the Tenmoku look). If it occurs unintentionally, it is usually due to different expansion rates between the clay body and the glaze. Solution: test a different clay body or let the glaze cool down more slowly.

Problem 5: Glaze pulls away from the body during firing (crawling).
The glaze cracks before melting and pulls together into "islands." Mostly caused by application that is too thick in a single coat or by a dusty surface. Solution: apply several thin coats instead of one very thick one, and thoroughly remove dust from the ceramic body.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Potter's Choice Series

Are Potter's Choice glazes lead-free?
Yes, all PC glazes are lead-free and comply with the US standard ASTM D-4236 for the safety of art materials.^[11]

Can I also fire PC glazes in a gas kiln?
Yes, technically it works. However, the PC series was explicitly developed for the electric oxidation kiln—in a gas kiln with a reduction atmosphere, the glazes behave chemically differently and may react unexpectedly. If you have a gas kiln, you can experiment, but should not expect to replicate the AMACO example image.

How many coats do I really need?
AMACO officially recommends three coats, and that matches our experience as well. Some glazes even develop interesting effects with four coats. One coat is always too little.^[1]

Which glaze is suitable for cups and mugs?
All food-safe PC glazes are suitable for drinking vessels—that is, the entire series except for PC-4, PC-9, and PC-64. However, make sure that the glaze is applied cleanly and not too roughly on the drinking rim. Classics include PC-12 Blue Midnight, PC-31 Oatmeal, and PC-30 Temmoku.

Which brush is best for PC glazes?
AMACO recommends wide, soft glazing brushes with good water absorption. A 25 mm flat brush is ideal for most cups and bowls. More important than the brush brand is the application technique: even and in multiple directions.

What problems occur when shipping liquid glaze in winter?
PC glazes are water-based and should not freeze. If your package was delivered in sub-zero temperatures and you notice flaking in the glaze, it is usually still usable—shake vigorously and let it rest overnight. If frozen multiple times, the binder structure may be damaged.

Conclusion: One of the most versatile glaze collections for mid-fire

The Potter's Choice series by AMACO has become one of the world's most widely used mid-fire glaze collections for good reason. With over 70 glazes, well-documented safety, broad layering compatibility, and the ability to produce classic reduction-fire looks in an electric kiln, it covers a spectrum that would otherwise require you to combine several manufacturers.

The three most important success factors remain the same: apply thickly (at least three coats), fire to Cone 5/6 (not below), and test with sample tiles before large runs. Those who heed these three points will reliably get results that visually compete with professional studio work.

In our Formwerk-Berlin range, you will find the entire Potter's Choice collection in 473 ml containers. We are happy to advise you on which colors and combinations suit your projects—and if you are just starting out, we can also help you build a sensible starter set.

Sources

Note: All information regarding firing temperatures, coat thicknesses, and layering combinations are reference values and are based on manufacturer data as well as our consulting experience. Actual results may vary depending on the kiln, firing curve, clay type, and individual application. We always recommend test tiles before large production runs.

The Formwerk-Berlin team wishes you much success with your Potter's Choice glazes