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Description
ABOUT THIS SHOT: This is one of several test rings of clay that our teacher periodically plucked out of the kiln through one of the peepholes. With the intense red glow one would almost think it was metal, but no, just clay. It was then dropped into the bucket of water to cool, and then you could get it out and see it. I think the clay might have been porcelain since it came out a neat green/gray. The color you get with a salt firing depends on the clay body. With stoneware you get an awesome range of browns and with porcelain you get neat grays and sort of bluish tints (from what I've seen.) And if you're really lucky salmon colored flashing, also called 'orange peel,' if I'm remembering correctly.

This is a series of informal shots that I took at a work group for a salt firing where I've been taking pottery lessons.

This kiln is dry laid brick, brought up to about 2,800 degrees (if memory serves, I might be off by a couple hundred.) When I arrived in the evening it had been heating up since two evenings before and was ready to be salted. Basically, you pour in the salt and the intense heat vaporizes it and breaks it down into sodium and chloride, which, in layman's terms, glazes the pots. It's not nearly so simple and our teacher explained it more thoroughly, but I could never repeat it with any accuracy so I won't.

The quality of all these shots isn't too great since I don't have much control over my digital camera and the lighting was odd.

Description
ABOUT THIS SHOT: This is one of several test rings of clay that our teacher periodically plucked out of the kiln through one of the peepholes. With the intense red glow one would almost think it was metal, but no, just clay. It was then dropped into the bucket of water to cool, and then you could get it out and see it. I think the clay might have been porcelain since it came out a neat green/gray. The color you get with a salt firing depends on the clay body. With stoneware you get an awesome range of browns and with porcelain you get neat grays and sort of bluish tints (from what I've seen.) And if you're really lucky salmon colored flashing, also called 'orange peel,' if I'm remembering correctly.

This is a series of informal shots that I took at a work group for a salt firing where I've been taking pottery lessons.

This kiln is dry laid brick, brought up to about 2,800 degrees (if memory serves, I might be off by a couple hundred.) When I arrived in the evening it had been heating up since two evenings before and was ready to be salted. Basically, you pour in the salt and the intense heat vaporizes it and breaks it down into sodium and chloride, which, in layman's terms, glazes the pots. It's not nearly so simple and our teacher explained it more thoroughly, but I could never repeat it with any accuracy so I won't.

The quality of all these shots isn't too great since I don't have much control over my digital camera and the lighting was odd.