There are a variety of methods for blackening pottery. I will cover 4 methods here.
Smothering is one of the oldest methods. After pottery has reached the critical temperature in a pit firing, you cover it with dry leaves and a layer of soil so that little smoke escapes. You leave it until the pile cools and when you take it out, the pottery is black. This can have mixed results.
Another way is the sawdust method, where in a pit firing or bottle kiln firing you cover pots at critical temperature in sawdust or other finely ground organic matter. This method is the most common.
The modern method is to mix graphite powder with kerosene to make a black stain, this is rubbed into the pot at leather hard and the pot may be burnished afterwards. This method is the most reliable.
The candle method involves holding the thoroughly dry pot in the flame of a candle or oil lamp to blacken it. It may be carved afterwards to reveal the lighter color underneath.
No comments:
Post a Comment