Copper Matt Raku Thrown Pot 0189

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Description

Getting the copper matt effect you want in Raku is all about glaze manipulation and timing.
How bright the colours you get depends on:

Firing

• the thickness of glaze and how you apply it
• temperature and duration of firing
  

Post Firing

• temperature at which you start reduction
• timing before and during oxidisation
• rate at which the final cooling takes place
  

Don't be disappointed if it doesn't work to begin with, it's something you have to keep trying - and so much depends on the recent offerings you've made to the kiln gods!

Approx Size: 6x8in 16x20cm
Price: £75 (including VAT & delivery)

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Lustre Raku Thrown Pot 0188

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Description

One of the reasons I like working with tall pots is trying to get the magical hue produced by the flames to lick as high up the body as possible.

Also, remember that the rims cool more quickly than the rest of the body and that affects the colours you get.

Now, c'mon guys - you regular readers should know by now what I'm on about!

Approx Size: 9x7in 23x18cm
Price: £95 (including VAT & delivery)

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Lustre Raku Thrown Pot 0187

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Description

Raku is a firing technique - fast firing, rapid cooling. Lustre refers to the glaze used and the finished texture.

To get this range of colours and the opaque quality of the glaze, I used five different metallic oxides in the recipe; tin, copper, cobalt, silver and iron.

For this particular pot I fired in a reducing atmosphere in the Raku kiln for the colour as well as reducing again in post-firing to get the lustre. In lustre glaze the contrast between the matt body and the spectrum of glowing iridescent colours can be spectacular due to the way the light and glaze reacts next to matt black.

Approx Size: 4x8in 11x20cm
Price: £70 (including VAT & delivery)

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Slip Resist Raku Thrown Pot 0186

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Description

In Raku firing, slip resist is one of the most strange and fascinating methods to create beautiful patterns in a smooth surface. In the slip resist technique, before the raku firing, the surface of the pot is covered with two layers, the first being the slip and the second the glaze.

It is strange in a way because we want the slip to crack. This is so that the smoke from the combustion material during reduction can penetrate the crack to mark the body. Sometimes patches can fall off during reduction, exposing larger areas for the black to colour.

Once cooled, I chip off any remaining slip to reveal the entire body. The final step is to wash it thoroughly and polish with beeswax.


Approx Size: 6x8in 15x20cm
Price: £95 (including VAT & delivery)

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Lustre Raku Stretch Pot 0185

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Description

One of the reasons I like this particular pot is that for its large size and extremely thin walls - it's in one piece!

The survival rate through the whole process for Raku pots of this size and thickness is low - when potters first start trying the Raku process, a breakage rate of 50, 60, 70% isn't unusual, more for larger works.

If you follow some rules you can increase your success, with a good rate being around 20% breakage. Even 20% breaks my heart but I can accept.

• Uniformity of clay - well wedged and kneaded to make sure it has the same consistency throughout
• Do the bisque (first) firing properly for Raku - it's vital to use a constant heating cycle
  
• In the Raku firing, the early stage of the heating cycle must be steady and relatively slow
• Use gloves, not tongs, to remove the pot from the raku kiln
  

And finally, be lucky too!


Approx Size: 11x10in 28x25cm
Price: £190 (including VAT & delivery)

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Copper Matt Raku Thrown Pot 0184

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Description

One of the things I've found over the years is that I'm able to predict the final effect of the Copper Matt glaze pretty much most of the time.

Some people find the effect elusive and slippery to pin down, even some ceramic artists who've been around the block a few times. However, once you've got lucky a few times and start to understand the key concepts (and then add a good dollop of experience), you find your success rate gets much higher. But remember, there are always still surprises!

Approx Size: 4x4in 10x11cm
Price: £45 (including VAT & delivery)

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Lustre Raku Thrown Pot 0183

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Description

The dominant feature of this pot other than the lustre glaze is the burnish. When I'm burnishing I follow the normal throwing and turning process, applying the technique before final drying and bisque firing .

The secret to getting a good burnished result is to ensure the body has reached the right level of dryness before working on it (and when it has, we call this "leather-hard" - no jokes please!).


Approx Size: 8x9in 20x23cm
Price: £130 (including VAT & delivery)

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