Our Making Process

Ursula Throwing

Stage 1

In the first stage of the making process pots are thrown on the wheel using a clay body which is resistant to the thermal shock of   the firing process .

Stage 2

When the pots have dried for a day the profile can be refined by turning.

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Terra sig

Stage 3

 The pots are left to become bone dry and a coating of terra sigillata is applied to the surface.

Stage 4

The work is polished at this stage and left to dry.

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Packed kiln

Stage 5

The pots are loaded into an electric kiln and fired to 950 degrees centigrade.

Stage 6

Bisque fired work is coated with a resist slip and glaze and fired one piece at a time in a Raku kiln .

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Stage 7

When the temperature has been reached the lid of the kiln is opened 

Stage 8

The work is removed from the kiln using tongs.

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Stage 9

The piece is glowing molten hot at this stage.

Stage 10

The work is sprayed with an air compressor to encourage the glaze to crackle.

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Stage 11

The piece is transferred to a smoke bin lined with newspaper.

Stage 12

The heat of the pot immediately causes the newspaper to ignite.

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Stage 13

A lid is put on the container and the work is left to smoke for a few minutes.

Stage 14

When the time is up the piece is lifted out of the smoker.

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Stage 15

The work is placed on warm bricks and left to cool

Stage 16

The parts of the pot which were not covered by glaze have turned black.

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raku-crackle

Stage 17

When the pot cools slightly the glaze and slip fall off revealing the crackle pattern on the surface of the pot.