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Raku

Unfortunately, these photos are a little blurry.

Also, my mother was kind enough to give these a bit of a scrub without checking with me which took some of the wonderful colors off.

''But the were filthy!''.... No, Ma. They weren't ''filthy'' they were covered with oxides and soot from the firing. ''But they were filthy!''

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  • Dar (Private)
    6 years 9 months ago
    Raku: Spirit Pot
    I don't find it blurry. maybe a gaussian sharpen would make you feel differently about it. Its still a very nice photo. It has character.
  • ♥ Myra ♥ Premium user United Kingdom (Private)
    8 years 4 months ago
    Crumpled Bowl 1
    This is nice - different!!!

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    Usually, in Raku pottery, any raw clay areas of white clay blacken. In this case, I threw in a considerable amount of baking soda into the bottom of the pot. It prevented the blackening, and may well have trapped oxygen against the surface under it and allowing those areas to oxidize.
  • ♥ Myra ♥ Premium user United Kingdom (Private)
    8 years 4 months ago
    Rough Bowl
    Raku is a type of pottery, right? I love the colours in these pieces

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    Yes, Raku is a Japanese, low-fired pottery.

    It is bisque-fired (first firing to harden) and then various oxides and glazes are applied. It is then placed into a kiln and brought quickly to temperature (about cone 7, approx. 1800 deg.). When the pieces reach the orange-hot temperature (when the glazes liquify), they are extracted from the kiln and placed in combustible material (straw, leaves, pine needles, newspaper) and covered securely.

    The extreme heat of the pottery burns the material which sucks out the oxygen and creates the beautiful colors that Raku pottery is known for. Often, before the pieces cool completely, they are removed from their nest of burning material and plunged into water. This intensifies any crackling.

    Often, traces of the matrial that was used to set the pottery can be clearly seen either in the glaze or in the oxides.

    I have to say that I pefer the traditional wood pit-firing to the gas-fired method. The results are different and the atmosphere so so much different.