Lori Doty on tue 25 apr 06
For you gurus out there, Is it necessary to use Terra Sig on pieces
intended for a pit or barrel fire? I did some pieces with raku clay and
intend to do a barrel firing this Saturday and do not have the time to
make let alone apply Terra Sig to the pieces. I do plan on using some
small twigs intersperced in the sawdust to help with air issues and
have a galvanized trash can with some holes in it that I will be using
as the pit/barrel.
For color I was planning on putting some fertilizer in the mix and some
copper wire that was used for a remodeling event here recently.
Thanks for any help.
Lori Doty
Nurse/Potter
Slowly turning the tide
Rolla, Missouri
Donna Kat on wed 26 apr 06
On Tue, 25 Apr 2006 18:38:54 -0500, Lori Doty wrote:
>For you gurus out there, Is it necessary to use Terra Sig on pieces
>intended for a pit or barrel fire? I did some pieces with raku clay and
>intend to do a barrel firing this Saturday and do not have the time to
>make let alone apply Terra Sig to the pieces. I do plan on using some
>small twigs intersperced in the sawdust to help with air issues and
>have a galvanized trash can with some holes in it that I will be using
>as the pit/barrel.
>
>For color I was planning on putting some fertilizer in the mix and some
>copper wire that was used for a remodeling event here recently.
>
I'm no pit fire guru but I do know this one. The terra sig when polished
gives the glossy surface texture without using a glaze. It is not necessary
that you use it and if you do use it (for the soft surface), it is not
necessary that it be polished. You will get the colors you get in a pit
fire with or without it, polished or not. I've seen raku pieces done in a
pit fire and they can look quite nice.
Taylor Hendrix on wed 26 apr 06
Lori,
I agree with Donna. I use a bagged raku clay for my pit firing and
use terra sig (Don't laugh Lezlie!) or just the raku throwing slurry
with the grog sieved out. Great colors either way.
Taylor, in Rock Rock
Marilu on sat 29 apr 06
Hi Lori, I did some pit firing over last fall and I used white Cone 6 clay
and burnished it and some cone 6 red clay also burnished. I only bisqued to
018 then I used seaweed, various plants and leaves,iron oxide,sea salt and
some other colorants and copper wire to wrap them up(make sure to use a mask
when near the fumes and fire). Some came out with beautiful colors depending
on where and how hot the fire hit them. Others came out very earthy with
blacks oranges and grays the white clay stayed white in places and lent a
nice background contrast.- Same with the red clay. A large tile and 1 pot
was all that broke. Had about 20 pots, vases in all. They kept the burnished
look but not as shiny as terra-sig. Some people use a wax like Future to
shine them up more but that can look too plastic. Depends on what you are
looking for. I'd try wax on a bottom of a pot or shard to see what it does
on your clay and how it affects the colors to make sure you like the effect.
Hope you have a great firing!-Marilu
| |
|
