Smoke
Fired Pottery
Smoke
firing is as ancient as pottery itself. The Clay is heated to harden it into
usable pottery.
Originally this was done in an open fire or the pot was placed
in a mound of combustible material, still the method of firing pots in many parts
of the world.
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Next the sawdust etc. is set alight and left to burn away. A bin can be used ,or a construction or fire bricks or even a pit in the ground as long as the air can circulate to fan the fire |
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Nowadays we tend to use Kilns, as they are fuel economic and efficient. Smoke firing is used instead as a method of getting soft earthy tones on the finished pot. |
| The effects produced depend on the temperature reached, the type of finish on the clay, and chemicals can be added to the fire; e.g., salt ,copper sulphate etc. |  |
If the pots are carefully wrapped in leaves and flowers soft shadows of the plants are permanently burnt into the pottery |
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Smoke firing is what pottery
is all about, being outdoors messing about with fire and smoke to create beautiful
and surprising things ! |
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All images are copyrighted to the artist.