What's raku? It's the name for a type of glazing, or paint on the outside of the clay. First I paint raku glaze on any normal fired clay pot. I put the painted pot into a low fire kiln (I think about 1800 degrees) and fire it only for about an hour or two. Then with long metal tongs I pull the pot out of the hot kiln, and have someone blow on it. The rapid temperature change causes the glaze to crackle. Then put in the pot into a metal garbage can filled with newspaper or sawdust, or anything that burns, then close the lid on the garbage can. The hot pot immediately catches the paper on fire, and the carbon emission and the oxygen reduction from the fire effects the colors and patterns and textures. I leave it burning in the can for 20 or 20 min.s then take it out and dump it in cold water. Cooling it down will sort of freeze the colors and texture. Set it out to completely cool and your done. Because raku results are unpredictable its always fun to see it when it comes out.
3 comments:
what's a Raku??
Oh wow. That is really neat.
What's raku? It's the name for a type of glazing, or paint on the outside of the clay. First I paint raku glaze on any normal fired clay pot. I put the painted pot into a low fire kiln (I think about 1800 degrees) and fire it only for about an hour or two. Then with long metal tongs I pull the pot out of the hot kiln, and have someone blow on it. The rapid temperature change causes the glaze to crackle. Then put in the pot into a metal garbage can filled with newspaper or sawdust, or anything that burns, then close the lid on the garbage can. The hot pot immediately catches the paper on fire, and the carbon emission and the oxygen reduction from the fire effects the colors and patterns and textures. I leave it burning in the can for 20 or 20 min.s then take it out and dump it in cold water. Cooling it down will sort of freeze the colors and texture. Set it out to completely cool and your done. Because raku results are unpredictable its always fun to see it when it comes out.
Wow, short question, long answer.
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