mel jacobson on fri 15 jul 11
reduction in any kiln is an aesthetic choice. it is not mandated
in the `laws of firing`. it is a choice.
each potter decides how to control the amount of color change,
depth of color and the quality of the glazes that he or she
puts in the kiln.
it is choice.
there is no certain amount of reduction that is sort of
decided upon by some national committee.
saying that, it is very important that potters
learn as much about their kiln as possible. that
means firing different ways, trying different settings
and charting the results.
in fact...neutral is a great firing technique...you will actually
get color. not just gray and brown.
many potters have turned to modest reduction to take
advantage of color brightness.
the idea of heavy reduction has come to us from years
of institutional education. `boy, we really got smoke like
mad in that last firing..wow`. i ask why? do you really
have any idea how much damage you have done to your
pots, your kiln....and all other parts of the firing process?
they don't have a clue. never will because they have
never been taught anything...`but mel, see this penis i made
if clay, gutsy...`
like fast bisque firing causes most of the glaze problems
that occur during glaze firing....a great many flaws like
warping, bloating and ugly glazes can be caused by over
reduction.
i sure found out first hand when doing the chinese project
that when you fire oxidize to high temperature the pots
hold together very well. cone 13 is a dangerous place to be.
but, then i was firing in a clear, clean atmosphere. it worked
well. no warping at all. i charted that. made it a part
of my own knowledge base. books did not help with that
project. charting did. i just kept creeping the temperature
up and up. the pots got better and better.
we did have glaze running, but so did the chinese in the year
60. it was part of the process.
i look at the work of carol marians, hank murrow and many others
that have decided that controlled cooling has more to do with
color and glaze quality than firing up.
i more and more fire with high gas early, lite reduction and really
concentrate on the cooling cycle. reds depend on that slow
cooling. iron reds can be most anything depending on how they
are cooled.
so, talking science of carbon is interesting..but the bottom line
is: how do you use it in your kiln, how do you control it in your
kiln, and how much is perfect for you?
that is a huge learning curve.
mel
from: minnetonka, mn
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
new book: http://www.21stcenturykilns.com
alternate: melpots7575@gmail.com
douglas fur on fri 15 jul 11
Mel
These first three things are so true...
*reduction in any kiln is an aesthetic choice. it is not mandated
in the `laws of firing`. it is a choice.
the idea of heavy reduction has come to us from years
of institutional education. *
**
(like the kid up the hill from my parent's who had all the neighbors out on
the street asking "What is it, a flue fire?" "Did some one call the fire
dept.?"
This just make's life difficult for all the other potters in the community.
To teach that is un-scientific. It's a continuation of the "more is better=
"
american attitude which makes us global oafs in our world neighborhood.)
*a great many flaws like warping, bloating and ugly glazes can be caused by
over
reduction.*
**
The next three are scientific observations
* cone 13 is a dangerous place to be..
i look at the work of carol marians, hank murrow and many others
that have decided that controlled cooling has more to do with
color and glaze quality than firing up.
i more and more fire with high gas early, lite reduction and really
concentrate on the cooling cycle. reds depend on that slow
cooling. iron reds can be most anything depending on how they
are cooled.
*
These observations are talking the science of pottery and ..
*... the bottom line is: how do you use it in your kiln, how do you contro=
l
it in your
kiln, and how much is perfect for you?
*
Is the learning you get by using pottery science instead of pottery
superstition.
DRB
Seola Creek
James Freeman on sat 16 jul 11
On Fri, Jul 15, 2011 at 5:45 PM, douglas fur <23drb50@gmail.com> wrote:
> It's a continuation of the "more is better"
> american attitude which makes us global oafs in our world neighborhood.)
Global oafs??? Really???
"More is better" gave us monster trucks, 135 decibel Grand Funk
concerts, chocolate-covered bacon, cars that can traverse a quarter
mile in 4 seconds, the original three Star Wars movies, and everything
else that makes us awesome! Rock on, fellow oafs!
Self-loathing is a sorry state in which to dwell. Oh, and "American"
begins with a capital letter.
All the best.
...James
James Freeman
"...outsider artists, caught in the bog of their own consciousness,
too preciously idiosyncratic to be taken seriously."
"All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice.=3DA0 I
should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed."
-Michel de Montaigne
http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesfreemanstudio/
http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com/resources
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