Students try raku firing during ceramics class
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Photo by sophomore Nate Styx
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 Ceramics students
heated things up on May 13 by raku firing their clay artwork.
Originating in 16th Century Japan, raku is a quicker, but less gentle firing technique used in pottery. While an electric kiln requires about 24 hours to complete the process—12 hours to reach maximum heat and another 12 hours to cool—raku firing only requires about 20 minutes to heat and cool.
After reaching a temperature of about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit in the kiln, the artwork is placed in a container with a combustible such as straw or sawdust. This phase, called post firing reduction, allows for the creation of unique effects on the wares, depending on the type of combustible and the amount of oxygen present. The cooling process in raku involves placing the heated creation in water.
Because raku firing involves extreme temperature changes, sometimes the pottery or sculpture cracks—usually an easy fix, said ceramics teacher Ron Howell. Raku brings out the metallic look of a glaze, primarily the coppers and silvers.
"You never know what you're going to get," he said.
Howell said he likes to do raku firing once a semester because it is a fun experience for his students and also part of the realm of ceramics. Students are required to create two projects, one pottery and one sculpture, for raku firing. |
