Raku Taster Workshop

Today I attended a Raku taster workshop just this side of Gainsborough with Laura Lee.

She has a lovely studio in gorgeous grounds.

Inside the studio, Laura giving us some instruction for the different pots.

First we used the oxides and then did a double dip in the glaze.

Then we wondered down to the firing area and put them all inside a make shift kiln.

We then came back up to the studio to prepare the next two whilst the first one was frying as well as a plain pot for everyone.

Laura all kitted up in her fireproof PPE taking the oxided pots out of the kiln.

One of the guys added straw and a bit of sugar to the bucket whilst the other one wafted to get a fire going.

 Then they put the lid on to seal it.

Then the double dipped drippy ones went in the kiln.  And the plain ones came out of the other kiln.

Whilst the pots were still extremely hot we were invited to press all sorts onto them to create different patterns on them. There were all sorts of different combustables, feathers, horse hair, leaves, other plant parts, lavender, grasses and animal hair.

Then it was lunchtime and we all got our own little box of goodies and were invited to go and investigate the gardens and the moat and have a picnic.  I went and sat under a shaded tree as it was extremely hot, around 28 degrees!!

After lunch the last two pots were taken out of the kiln and this time covered in sawdust, but this is a special wood sawdust that brings out the gold in the oxides and glazes. I took part in this one and was in charge of the dustbin lid!!!  Wafting to get a fire and smoke and then starving it by covering the edges of the lid in the sawdust.

We then all got a spray bottle and as Laura took the lid off we all sprayed the pots to cool them down.

And the same again for the second lot from the sawdust.

And again, we sprayed them to cool them down. Once they were all cooled down we washed the smoke and debris off and also used a wire brush to get them cleanish.

I took a photo of them on the grass when I got home.

This is my favourite one and all I used was Bailey and Dillons fur.

Silicone Rubber Mould Making

 

All set up ready to make some moulds from pieces I already had.

I was overly ambitious as this is all I got out of a 1kg kit!

They came out pretty good for a first try, and I learnt a few things for next time too.

To make these moulds I used the Pebeo Siligum Moulding paste as some of the pieces weren't flat.

These are the resin casts that came out of the moulds I made - very happy with them all.

I made some more moulds.

These came out great but the skull one is really really thin on top so it will probably split. I didn't seal the bottom well enough and it spilled out more than I expected it to.  Live and learn!!

Was really pleased with how they turned out, except the skull, the top was that thin that it tore, so I will have to make another one, but it was a good learning curve for the future.