Today we have been experimenting again with a barrel firing (using an incinerator). We started with a layer of sawdust onto which we laid the pots, and then filled it up to the top with thicker and thicker pieces of wood.
Around some of the pots we put some copper oxide. I took this photo as the copper oxide was caught in the flames. The pots that were exposed to the copper came out red.
This pot had moss tied to the side of it with string. Where the moss had been, the clay stayed white. Where the copper oxide flashed there are red streaks, and the black has been caused by a lack of oxygen in the kiln - a reduced atmosphere.
When the pots come out of the kiln they had to be washed as they had lots of ash on them. Then we polished them using a soft clear polish.
Because the pots are quite low fired they are not waterproof. However, if they are going to be used as vases, you can put a small glass tumbler inside - which is what I have done here to hold some wallflowers.
No comments:
Post a Comment