Wax resist

Wax resist is a liquid wax, sometimes tinted so it is visible against pale bisque, that potters brush onto areas where glaze should not stick. Once it dries, the waxed surface repels the water based glaze during dipping or pouring, so glaze beads off or simply will not adhere, leaving that patch of clay bare while the rest of the piece takes the glaze normally. After firing, the wax itself burns away completely in the kiln, leaving no residue behind.

The most universal use is protecting a pot's foot ring and the surrounding bottom surface, since glaze there would fuse the piece permanently to the kiln shelf during firing. Beyond that practical job, wax resist is also a genuine decorating technique, used to paint patterns, brush strokes, or lettering that will show through as bare clay against a glazed background, or layered between coats of different glazes to create clean divisions between colors that would otherwise blend or run together at the boundary.

Application works best on bisque rather than greenware, since the more absorbent bisque surface holds the wax cleanly, and a soft, dedicated wax brush kept separate from other brushes avoids ruining good glaze brushes with dried wax residue. A common mistake is applying wax too thin or in a single pass, which leaves gaps that let glaze sneak through in spots, so most potters apply two coats and let each dry fully, then double check foot rings by running a finger around the edge to confirm even coverage before dipping.