So here are some general examples of not getting to temperature with your kiln and forgetting to put in cones. The pitcher above is Malcolms's Shino. If you are familiar with this glaze you know this is not right. Although, if you want to get a wood fired look in a gas reduction here is an example of how to go about it. If you have fired an updraft kiln feel free to chime in.
All of these are also Malcolm's with chun liner, not right. The handles are good though thanks to the tutoring by Brandon and Joseph Sands!
Another wood fired look with Malcolms
Blue ash, this might have worked if I had soaked it longer, I kinda like it except for the sharp pits that are still popping like blisters from a sunburn. Plus, I don't know how to apply ash glaze never had access to it before with a community studio, you just don't have ash glazes around. I made this mug when I was cleaning hundreds of them at Mark Hewitt's I think I was channeling him then. I hope I can settle out the pits I like this mug a lot. The plate below was once fired, it survived fine except for the pitting, it's kinda cool.
wood fired look again, very dry, but the bowl is sweet, I may be able to save it
Same mug, same clay, same glaze, the left one from my kiln the one on the right fired at CM.
Shaner's red, not right, too bad I have had great luck with this glaze and like it a lot. Good handle on this one and check out the Linda Christensen/Brandon Phillips swooping on the side!
Choy blue celedon, should be darker but this one almost made it
Rutile blue test, this glaze has potential, I like it and it doesn't look like it will need much reduction, holds at cone 8-9(whatever I got to)
Malcolm's crawling. This glaze is bad about crawling but add that to no reduction and it's an absolute mess.So, Gerry is going to photograph my Raku stuff today, maybe tomorrow I can post some lovely photos of that to make up for this tragic mess. Maybe the universe is trying to tell me to just stick to Raku and make non functional work that has no purpose in life except to sit around somewhere looking beautiful. What a ridiculous thing in this economy, but I do love to make beautiful things that have no purpose. So, anyway, I have some nice forms, a nice kiln, now I just have to get the glazing and firing right. Jesus, it never ends with this pottery learning! I fear that my life is going to be near it's end before I get all of this right!
7 comments:
Hi Tracey, the ash glaze is spectacular on the plate and mug. I have not had success with Malcome's glazes, but if I recall correctly from his workshop he reduced very early in the firing. I think a bit higher and most of the pieces would be wonderful. Don't give up on fuctional, your work here is really great and with a small adjustments the glazes would be wonderful.
Thanks Linda! Yeah I like the ash glaze if I can get it to settle down and figure out how to apply it correctly. Today has been a weird day, but Wes just told me there is a full moon in three days. It's always weird around my house the week before a full moon. Don't know why exactly....
Tracey. I, too, am having trouble firing my electric kiln. I did have cone packs throughout the kiln--so I know how irregular it is firing--I might know have known without the cone packs. After lots of thought, careful analysis and reflection I think my problem is my loading of my kiln. Open spaces at the top (to accomodate one tal piece) may be the source of it. It is going to drive me crazy until I figure it all out. Good luck on your end. Gay
Hi, Tracey. Everything pretty much looks underfired and probably under-reduced. Two the shinos I use are Malcolm recipes and both work really well. You've seen them on my blog. I have lately started a hard reduction at 012 for about 20 minutes and then a moderate reduction until cone 10 is down. That seems to work for me, though I'm firing in a downdraft kiln. Still, I would think something similar would work for you. And putting in the cones is a big help. I don't mean that snarkily, either. Stuff happens sometimes. But for that 012 reduction it's good to be able to see the cone going over. I can read cone 10 by the color in the kiln, but 012 could be almost anything. I use a couple of ash glazes and I apply them by dipping, three seconds. The pitting may come from too-rapid cooling, the bubbles not having a chance to heal over. You've got a good start on it, though, and I know you're persistent, so you won't be easily discouraged. Keep it up. You make good pots, now you just have to figure out this kiln. Let me know if I can help more.
Hi Gay: I think loading could have been a small factor for me as well. I had a small load with lots of space near the top.I load kilns at the ArtsCenter and Claymakers and none of the kilns fire evenly. It is maddening. Hollis, you're right, cones would have given me a lot of info at the end, I think I was around 800 degrees when I remembered them, too late then. I don't use them with raku and we have kiln sitters at Claymakers so it's not a habit I'm used to yet. I'm still looking for a glaze palette I like and glazes that will be simple and consistent. I spent a lot of time looking at the work yesterday and there is a lot of good information there, so it's a start. Much more testing ahead.
hi tracy...i'm getting ready for the 5th firing of my big new downdraft and feel your pain. i've been making pots full time for nearly 10 years and it is strange to throw so many away but isn't it exciting? i had major crawling trouble with malcolm's this last firing....everything to the garbage. i'm looking forward to more firing reports and i really hope you stick with it.
i think you maybe correct that you'll be near life's end before you get it right and if we stick with it i think we'll all be near life's end and we'll still not have it right. that's what i love about it really... plus i still think the anticipation of the results of the next firing may actually make us live longer... trying to put a good spin on things, hang in there.
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