The session comes to an End with Raku

The spring session came to an end with we spending a day at Bobs house doing some Raku glazing followed by Raku firing. It was a long and tiring day.

The process:

• fire the raku pots
• when cold, glaze them
• then fire in a raku furance (kiln) upto a 2000 degree Fahrenhite. Slower the temparture rise the better (if quick the water in the clay/glze evaporates faster subjecting the pot to explode, crack)
• Once fired, moved to another container that has fire and dry leaves - put the red hot pot in this add more dry leaves and close. Keep till smoke subsides. The smoke makes brings the shine to Raku pots.

The pictures:

just glazed

moving red hot object from kiln to smoky container

The end product :)

May 17 - Session 9

Made 3 raku pots [the kiln is small so they are generally small, shud not be very think and the raku clay does not hold ornamental stuff like clay flowers and stuff well - so it has its limitations]

Glazed two other items [before glazing, the pot/peice should have been fired once - I think I glazed one unfired :(( ]

Shaped a small clay elephant

Pictures to come as I get the same completed post fire.

May 8 - Seesion 8

I missed it

May 3 - Session 7

zzzzzz... missed it!!!

April 26 - Session 6

Today I saw my completed flower vase.
Also made another pot and finsihed the bead plate and trimmed the mug.

Below is the completed picture of my first flower vase

Made from S 105 clay and glazed with white, blue and light green

April 19 - Session 5

I did somethg, probably the glazing happened in this session.
How do u glaze
1) slightly wet the object
2) dip it it in the glaze or just brush it with the glaze
3) let it dry
4) fire it

April 12 - Session 4

I was late by 40 minutes as I was praticing for the skit.
I did a pot on the wheel, glazed the first flower vase, the deepak and trimmed the abstract peice.