Cernit Sparkling is a range of mica powders made in Belgium by The Clay and Paint Factory. Brushed onto raw clay before baking, or onto a cured surface, they add metallic and pearlescent shimmer — and because mica is directional, the effect shifts as the piece moves in the light.

What to expect: apart from the opaque Metallics, these powders are sheer. They lay a hint of colored shimmer over what is underneath rather than covering it, so the clay you brush them onto matters as much as the powder. The same color reads very differently on white and on black.

About the Diamond line: built on unusually large synthetic mica particles, which is what gives it a glittery, sparkling look rather than a smooth sheen. Reviewing the range, Ginger Davis Allman found these fairly unique among branded mica powders — there is not much else quite like them. Coverage is sheer, and sheerest of all over black.

Using them: a soft dry brush and a light touch. Mica powders travel, so work over a sheet of paper and keep separate brushes per color if you can. On raw clay the powder bakes in and stays put; on cured clay it needs sealing, and a water-based varnish will hold it without dulling the shimmer.

Ginger Davis Allman worked through all four sub-lines, on light and dark clay, in her Cernit Sparkling Review at The Blue Bottle Tree.

• Cernit reference: CE6120005200C
• Range: Sparkling Diamond
• Color: Blue
• Size: 5g jar