This piece measures 4" wide by 6 " tall. I used white crackle glaze and a lime green buying on this piece. It was allowed to cool a bit before the water bath. That process creates small spider cracks in the crackle glaze and turned the lime green into rose gold. There is no telling what you get with raku. It is not a science, it is pure magic.
Raku became popular with American potters in the late 1950s with the help of Paul Soldner. Americans kept the general firing process, that is, heating the pottery quickly to high temperatures and cooling it quickly, but continued to form their own unique style of raku.
It is raku's unpredictable results and intense color that attract modern potters. These patterns and color result from the harsh cooling process and the amount of oxygen that is allowed to reach the pottery. Depending on what effect the artist wants, the pottery is either instantly cooled in water, cooled slowly in the open air, or placed in a barrel filled with combustible material, such as newspaper, covered, and allowed to smoke. All my Raku pieces are placed in a metal can with wood chips as the combustible.
Water immediately cools the pottery, stopping the chemical reactions of the glaze and fixing the colors. The combustible material results in smoke, which stains the unglazed portions of the pottery black. The amount of oxygen that is allowed during the firing and cooling process affects the resulting color of the glaze and the amount of crackle.
This piece has unique marks of of traditional raku firing. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Product code: Raku Vase, buying Handmade Vase