Sunday 31 July 2011

kiln unpacked

The platter survived!
I always photograph as I unpack, first in the kiln then out. The platter was on a half shelf at the top and back. Then these on the top full shelf
I like the seagull bowl, I want to make more of this shape. Just hope it sells!

Cone 9 was down nicely, the berry bowl is glazed with an iron red from Edouarde Bastarache
The bigger bowls are improving, the bolder rim helps keep them round, as well as being a good "full stop" for the shape. The David Leach Celadon has a beautiful feel, but crazes whether reduced or oxidised in the firing. I like both colours. I brushed a little red iron oxide on the impressed decoration before glazing, I could be a bit bolder and use more!
The bottom shelf.
The dark blue "sings" more with a little more heat!
but I possibly need a body that will also take a little more heat! Next time I'll put a cone 10 at the back of the bottom shelf!
Just three boards full.
Now to sort out what I put with the application form for Aberystwyth.....

Edouarde Bastarache's recipe....he has many blogs, this is where I started...
He has a Red Dust recipe (which equates to a steelworks by-product if I remember rightly) which is , for each 1%, Red Iron Oxide 0.82, Silica 0.050, Whiting 0.060, Dolomite 0.050, Zinc Oxide 0.020.

The recipe I tried is a Cornish Stone Iron Red.
Cornish Stone 22, Nepheline Syenite 20, Dolomite 13, Bone Ash 10, Talc 7, China clay 7, Silica 21, Bentonite 1, plus Red Dust 10%

I'm getting reds and greens on this, with blacks and browns. It all depends on the thickness and is very attractive. I'm looking forward to getting it in a reduced atmosphere firing, as that will possibly bring out the reds more

9 comments:

The Cranky Crone, she lives alone! said...

loving your pottery as always, and enjoying reading about the process, very interesting!
I am very much missing the creating with clay, my class has been moved too far for me to attend, very sad as it helped me through a lot and showed me a different side to being creative, which I loved more than anything else.

yeractual said...

It all looks great. I had no idea there was so much involved - all these recipes, temps etc. I'm totally ignorant about the processes needed and involved. I am learning all the while!
Good luck with Aber!
My package arrived yesterday. Many thanks, again. J will bring it over on Friday when she returns.

Peter said...

Thanks for posting the information about the iron reds. Always interesting pushing towards red with iron, and I like the sound of those blacks, browns, and greens too. Regarding the crazing celadon, I was talking with a friend about this just a few hours ago. She was a little frustrated by it happening, but her tutor assured her that it was just a characteristic of that family of glazes. I guess it comes down to some sort of personal preference in the end. I did try a celadon that was (from memory) essentially equal parts of potash feldspar, silica, china clay, and whiting, plus about 1 percent of black iron oxide. I think that fitted my clay reasonably well at about the temperature that you are firing to, and was fired in reduction. Is your dark blue the Leach 4,3,2,1 version?

Katalin said...

de szépek!:)

gz said...

Peter, very interesting, the 1:1:1:1 celadon. I was taught that the DL celadon used Cornish stone and 2% red iron. I'll have to check, and try Potash feldspar in a test!

cookingwithgas said...

the pots look mighty fine this go round.
We use an iron red and when it works it is my favorite child.
There are so many elements to a good iron red.

Michèle Hastings said...

beautiful platter!
i avoid reds, jeff has a copper red and i use only when my arm is twisted!

kjsutcliffe said...

The platter is GORGEOUS, beautiful, beautiful - xx

gz said...

I think I'll do more platters too, I used to sell quite a few with Alphabets on them

Meesh, I'm not keen on copper reds, but iron reds I've always liked. Been using one in particular since about 1997, but I'd like one without Lithium Carbonate (safety and expense!!)