Ok kids, it's Tutorial time!
In this lesson we're going to be making a Horse Hair Raku pot.
First you start off by centering your clay.
Open up the middle,
and pull up the walls.
Start shaping the size of pot in which you want.
I believe more decorative pots look better with a lot of surface space, so don't be afraid to really push yourself to push out those walls! No slightly shaped cylinders here!
When the shape is just how you like it, do your finishing touches, cut-wire,
and pop off the wheel head.
When it's leather hard, trim up the bottom so the walls are the same thickness all the way through.
When it's completely bone dry, apply a generous layer of Terra-Sigillata, which is a very very finely ground type of clay mixed with water, and then buffing the pot with a soft piece of cloth so it's shiney.
After the pot is bisqued, IT'S TIME TO RAKU!!!
Blaine's Raku kiln he built himself, and it's a gas heated plate surrounded by bricks, with a fiberglass lined bonnet that goes over the top.
Let the pot heat up under the bonnet until it reads about 1300-1500 degrees F. Any cooler and the hair won't burn into the surface of the pot. Any hotter, and the hair will burn into oblivion before it even touches the pot.
Remove the glowing red pot with fire-place tongs onto a surface where you can access all sides.
From there, burn the hairs of your choice onto the pot. I used my friend Ashley's hair, since I hadn't given any horses a hair-cut recently.
Blaine and I also added feathers to this pot with the hair.
Be sure not to burn your fingers- since you do have to get really close to get the hair where you want it.
Work quickly, because the pot will start cooling off fast, and you want to get as much detail as you can before the hair won't burn anymore.
And the final product! The hairs make lightning-like zig-zags and fancy curly-Q's all over the pot, and the smoke that the hair puts off makes a great smoke effect. The feathers, when applied correctly, leave an exact imprint, like the one above.
When it's completely cooled, you can spray with a clear, high-gloss laquer spraypaint for a shiney finish.
Until Next Time,
Pinky
In this lesson we're going to be making a Horse Hair Raku pot.
First you start off by centering your clay.
Open up the middle,
and pull up the walls.
Start shaping the size of pot in which you want.
I believe more decorative pots look better with a lot of surface space, so don't be afraid to really push yourself to push out those walls! No slightly shaped cylinders here!
When the shape is just how you like it, do your finishing touches, cut-wire,
and pop off the wheel head.
When it's leather hard, trim up the bottom so the walls are the same thickness all the way through.
When it's completely bone dry, apply a generous layer of Terra-Sigillata, which is a very very finely ground type of clay mixed with water, and then buffing the pot with a soft piece of cloth so it's shiney.
After the pot is bisqued, IT'S TIME TO RAKU!!!Blaine's Raku kiln he built himself, and it's a gas heated plate surrounded by bricks, with a fiberglass lined bonnet that goes over the top.
Let the pot heat up under the bonnet until it reads about 1300-1500 degrees F. Any cooler and the hair won't burn into the surface of the pot. Any hotter, and the hair will burn into oblivion before it even touches the pot.
Remove the glowing red pot with fire-place tongs onto a surface where you can access all sides.
From there, burn the hairs of your choice onto the pot. I used my friend Ashley's hair, since I hadn't given any horses a hair-cut recently.
Blaine and I also added feathers to this pot with the hair.
Be sure not to burn your fingers- since you do have to get really close to get the hair where you want it.
Work quickly, because the pot will start cooling off fast, and you want to get as much detail as you can before the hair won't burn anymore.
And the final product! The hairs make lightning-like zig-zags and fancy curly-Q's all over the pot, and the smoke that the hair puts off makes a great smoke effect. The feathers, when applied correctly, leave an exact imprint, like the one above.When it's completely cooled, you can spray with a clear, high-gloss laquer spraypaint for a shiney finish.
Until Next Time,
Pinky
I was confused about the "hair" at first, but I totally get it. That pot looks amazing!
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