Kate Johnson on thu 7 apr 05
Hi all--
Russel suggested not long ago that I try smoke glazing on some of my things,
and I can't find his original post, sorry. Input from anyone would be
welcome, though!
As best I can remember, he suggested wrapping my pot (or whatever--I'm doing
some of the greenman masks that way too) in newspaper wadding, then aluminum
foil, and putting it on my BBQ grill. I've been using my chiiminea because
I can get more things on the fire at once, and the fire lasts longer, but
I'm not getting the results I'm after.
(Of course I may be spoiled by looking at Russel's gorgeous big smoke-glazed
platters. I love the allover deep grayish black with the slight sheen...)
Some things seem to get a partial sheen, but with quite a bit of redware
still showing through. Others that didn't seem dark or even enough I put
back for another go, and managed to burn OFF the smoke glazing I already
had. Not what I was aiming for.
So. Some questions occur...obviously timing is important. I think I may be
overglazing/smoking. Is newspaper the best choice to create the smoke?
Russel may have suggested something else, but I can't remember. And should
the aluminum foil packet be heavy duty foil? Vented or as tight as I can
make it? The one last night just burned through the foil, I discovered when
I finally took it off the fire, and that's why it had burned away the
glazing.
Any suggestions welcome!
Best--
Kate Johnson
http://www.cathyjohnson.info/
Art, History, Nature and More at Cathy Johnson's Cafepress--
http://www.cafepress.com/cathy_johnson/
Graphics/Fine Arts Press--
http://www.epsi.net/graphic/
dementedjeffery on mon 11 apr 05
Russel's Methods, as far as I recall, are to use very heavy duty tin
foil, and use excessive amounts. To get the black and dark grays,
you need to apply the newspaper directly to the areas you want
smoked and wrap them very very very tight in the tin foil with no
ventilation. It takes a very small amount of oxygen to burn a small
amount of paper, so if you want deeper blacks, put more paper on
that area. Test it; Russel uses single sheets of paper often, but
you could fold up a piece of newspaper into 5 or 10 pages thickness
and then put it on your pieces and wrap them in foil.
Timing is also crucial, yes, as is temperature.
Optimally, you want the temperature to reach a point where the paper
is just burning and smoldering, but not much more, 450 to 600
degrees F is good. Much higher and you may burn off all the paper
and begin burning out the carbonized marks before you can cool.
How long you keep the pieces burning will also effect your
coloration. Fire too long and the black will begin to burn out and
oxidize after all the paper has burned off.
Becauswe you can't program or adjust your temperature, I would say
you should play with the timing. Test it by pulling pieces out at
different points from you fireplace and putting them somewhere to
cool. Look at how much smoke you obtained after keeping them in your
fireplace for only 15 minuts, 30 minutes, an hour, and see what
works.
-jeff Tsai
--- In clayart@yahoogroups.com, Kate Johnson wrote:
> Hi all--
>
> Russel suggested not long ago that I try smoke glazing on some of
my things,
> and I can't find his original post, sorry. Input from anyone
would be
> welcome, though!
>
> As best I can remember, he suggested wrapping my pot (or whatever--
I'm doing
> some of the greenman masks that way too) in newspaper wadding,
then aluminum
> foil, and putting it on my BBQ grill. I've been using my
chiiminea because
> I can get more things on the fire at once, and the fire lasts
longer, but
> I'm not getting the results I'm after.
>
> (Of course I may be spoiled by looking at Russel's gorgeous big
smoke-glazed
> platters. I love the allover deep grayish black with the slight
sheen...)
>
> Some things seem to get a partial sheen, but with quite a bit of
redware
> still showing through. Others that didn't seem dark or even
enough I put
> back for another go, and managed to burn OFF the smoke glazing I
already
> had. Not what I was aiming for.
>
> So. Some questions occur...obviously timing is important. I
think I may be
> overglazing/smoking. Is newspaper the best choice to create the
smoke?
> Russel may have suggested something else, but I can't remember.
And should
> the aluminum foil packet be heavy duty foil? Vented or as tight
as I can
> make it? The one last night just burned through the foil, I
discovered when
> I finally took it off the fire, and that's why it had burned away
the
> glazing.
>
> Any suggestions welcome!
>
> Best--
> Kate Johnson
> http://www.cathyjohnson.info/
>
> Art, History, Nature and More at Cathy Johnson's Cafepress--
> http://www.cafepress.com/cathy_johnson/
>
> Graphics/Fine Arts Press--
> http://www.epsi.net/graphic/
>
>
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