The Raku technique has its origins dating back to the 1500’s in Japan. Historians feel it was probably developed by Koreans under Japanese rule but the circumstances remain a mystery. Raku is a firing process that has been primarily associated with pottery, but in the last couple decades, ceramists have increasingly explored and experimented with the technique with positive results. So positive in fact, that it has recently become very popular with those artists involved with cast-ceramics. The exciting thing about Raku is that no two pieces turn out exactly alike.

The primary difference with Raku and other (glazed) finishing techniques, is the firing process. Normally ceramics and pottery ware are loaded into a cold kiln and the temperature is raised slowly until it reaches a set maturity level usually controlled with pyrometric cones, or electronic controllers. This process can take anywhere from 8-24 hours to complete the heating and cooling cycle. The Raku technique requires the item be either pre-heated and then loaded in a hot kiln; or loaded into a cold kiln with a fast heating process. The ware is ‘finished’ when it is removed from the kiln after reaching temperature in as short a period as 15-25 minutes. Sometimes, some effects can take considerably longer, but most normally it is a fast firing process.
Temperatures are not controlled by cones but rather by the ‘experienced eye’. Raku firing is always done on pre-fired ware, or bisque – NEVER on greenware.

When the glaze is ready, it is in a molten condition. The items are then removed with the use of long tongs and gloves and then they are plunged into some form of combustible material such as dried grasses, leaves, shredded paper, straw, etc. Each type of material creates different effects on the finished piece.

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Horse Hair Pottery

Horse Hair Pottery dates back many years and is credited to the Navajo. Some believe its origin was an accident when an Indian’s hair had been blown by the wind and attached itself to an item that had just come out of the firing pit. The Indian then, liking the effect, began applying hairs from their horse to their pieces.

This technique is very popular in Southwestern cultures and decor. Quite a few people have enshrined their favorite horses by having pottery made using their animal’s hair.

Basically, the process involves removing bisque from the firing while still hot (about 1300 degrees Fahrenheit) and carefully draping single strands of hair over and around the item. The horse hair will burn and shrivel up and will leave permanent imprints of its presence on the item.

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Chalking is a wonderful medium to use on your decorative ceramic and porcelain pieces. They are not suitable for utilitarian pieces such as those for food, cooking or those which are subject to immersion in water. Vases and the like may be chalked if the insides are glazed to make them water tight.

There are several methods of using chalks to create your works of art. 1) Dry application, 2) Wet application and 3) Accent work in conjunction with other techniques. Because of their powdery nature, chalking takes some time and care as they wipe off easily during application, so it is necessary to ‘fix’ each layer with a spray of acrylic fixative. This spray fixes or makes the chalk stay in place.

Basic application, regardless of which technique you employ, requires that there be a base coat of stain on ceramic. Porcelain pieces do not require the base coat. The reason is that porcelain is pretty smooth and glass-like and part of the attraction of porcelain is its texture; whereas, ceramic cast pieces are more porous and do not give the soft glow that porcelain does. The chalk technique does give a somewhat porcelain glow to ceramic pieces.

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Fired Gold, Platinum, Silver are somewhat tricky to learn. Not difficult, but touchy and temperamental. These precious metals are suspended in a liquid and do not look at all like you would expect. Different brands have a color agent in them to help you see where you paint them. There are different grades, especially with the gold. Some is 14k, 12k, 10k etc. The metallic is released during the firing process. The resulting sheen will be affected by the sheen of the glaze. Gloss glazes will give a high sheen and Matte glazes with give a satin sheen.

Metallics are intended to go over a glazed item, but may also be used on prepared, fired porcelain bisque. The final results will never be shiny, but rather a matte, antique, burnished effect.

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