Raku Fire with Andrea - It's HOT!
We are starting with several pieces of bisque ware (bisque ware is pieces that have already been fired once in an electric kiln and are ready for glaze)
|
This is the kiln that I use at for RAKU firing. This guillotine style kiln, by Olympic Kilns, is heated by propane. In order to RAKU we need a day without rain. We also need to be very conscious about safety. The kiln gets heated to 1850 degrees and it is at this temp when we open the kiln to take out our pieces.
|
Glazing a piece that will be fired.
|
The kiln is shut and the temperature is slowly raised to 1850 degrees. This can take awhile.
|
At 1850 degrees the propane gas is turned off and the kiln is opened. The pieces are removed using long handled tongs.
|
The red hot pieces are then placed in a canister that contains paper or pine needles. The piece causes the paper to flame up.
|
Once the paper begins to flame, the canister is covered causing the fire to be smothered. The dance between the carbon and oxygen begins. This is when the colors are determined. We have very little say about the colors that occur.
|
When the canister has cooled sufficiently, it is time to open it and see what occurred during the dance.
At this point the piece is still a little hot to the touch. Some RAKU artists will place their piece in water hoping to set the colors. I do not. |
Here is the piece you saw being glazed. The finish often will make a piece appear to be made of metal and not ceramic.
|
This is one of the pieces that first appeared in the beginning of this section, as a piece of bisque ware ready to be glazed.
It has just been removed from the canister. This piece has lovely copper, blues, greens and reds. The black dots are pieces of paper that are still sticking to the piece. |
RAKU firing is a special type of firing. The glaze will determine the type of finish; matte , shiny or crackle and whether the piece may have color, be white, red, copper, blue or black. Some times the pieces don’t make through this process. Breakage does happen due to the extreme changes in temperature. Color can be drab, totally burnt off, or not matured :-(
So when a piece survives and has beautiful colors or is just what the potter wanted…Then it is a TREASUER.
These pieces are not food save and because they are porous, they cannot hold water.
Hope you enjoyed this RAKU journey with me.
Andrea Faye
So when a piece survives and has beautiful colors or is just what the potter wanted…Then it is a TREASUER.
These pieces are not food save and because they are porous, they cannot hold water.
Hope you enjoyed this RAKU journey with me.
Andrea Faye