Glazes serve as the alchemist's touch in porcelain sculpture, transmuting raw clay into luminous art. Beyond mere protection, these thin glass-like coatings perform a visual symphony—deepening hues with translucent layers, creating metallic lusters, or producing crackled antiquity. The interplay of light across a glazed surface can make solid porcelain appear liquid, with glossy finishes amplifying reflections and matte textures absorbing ambient glow.

Tactilely, glazes redefine the sculpture's relationship with human touch. A high-fire crystalline glaze hardens into a glassy shell that feels cool and smooth, while a textured overglaze invites fingertips to explore its intentional irregularities. Some artists employ layering techniques, allowing underglazes to peek through fissures in the topcoat, creating both visual depth and tactile contrast.

Modern glaze innovations introduce unexpected sensory dimensions—thermochromic varieties that shift color with temperature, or textured mixes incorporating minerals that catch light differently throughout the day. These coatings don't just decorate; they become an integral skin that determines how a sculpture communicates with its environment and audience, proving that in porcelain art, the surface is never superficial.