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JUST RAKU
The Newsletter for Raku Artists and Raku Art Lovers
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April 2005
Issue #30
Published by
Gary R. Ferguson – Raku Artist
http://www.garyrferguson.com
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In This Issue
* While the Smoke Clears – Home life
* Article – Overcoming Artist Block (Part II)
* Tips/Techniques – Glaze Application Problems
* Q&A – Blame the Artist for Fading Glazes?
* Glazing – Disappointing Glazes
* Reader Feedback – What you said...
* Click Away – Raku on the Web
* Workshops, Ads, etc. – None

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* While the Smoke Clears *

Hello

Yeah, I know – this issue is late, ok later than most, but
at least it is still April!

I have been super busy the last several weeks and
unfortunately not necessarily with Raku. Bummer!

So what has been happening around the home front?
The youngest is now officially one year old and I did not
know it was possible to get cake there!

Gardening season is right around the corner and I have huge
tomato plants (started from seed) in my greenhouse just
begging to hit the outdoors. I can hardly wait for fresh
salsa!

I've also been busy working on the 2nd edition of Raku
Glazes (http://www.rakuglazes.com), which I hope to have
available in a few weeks.

Oh, and I was able to snag the http://www.rakuartist.com
domain name a couple weeks ago. Don't know what I'll do
with it yet, but it's mine, mine, all mine, hahahaha.

Well enough blabbing. On to this month's newsletter and as
always, I look forward to your feedback, suggestions,
questions, and article ideas at:
editor@garyrferguson.com

Gary R. Ferguson
- Raku Artist –
pottery@garyrferguson.com

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"Raku clothing is Hot!" – Paris Hilton (could have said
this) http://www.cafepress.com/gotraku
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* Article *

Overcoming Artist's Block (part 2)
By Gail Miller

Once you are ready to start working again you will know it
instinctively. All artists go through periods of 'creative
block' - it's normal, but after one such episode there are
ways of stimulating ideas and getting the creative juices
flowing again.

Visit your local library and take out books that cover
materials, techniques and subjects that are not familiar to
you. If you are a watercolor artist, why not try oils for
once? If you paint large acrylic abstracts, would it be
possible to try soft pastels on a smaller scale? What
results could you achieve by doing something completely
different to what you're used to?

What about trying collage or mixed media work? Take photos
of your neighborhood, family or friends. Local places of
interest, the countryside, the seashore, the city.
Manipulate your photos on your PC and print out as digital
art. Use the images, either natural or manipulated as
collage pieces. It is so therapeutic cutting pieces and
sticking them down. Use a range of materials to finish your
work.

Instead of going straight back to paintings or drawings on
normal scale; why not create some miniature pieces? How
about greetings cards? White card 'blanks' are very easy to
source. How delighted family, friends or customers would be
to own a unique hand painted card.

Try drawing for once instead of painting, if that's your
usual medium, or vice versa. Fill a sketchbook with small
quick sketches. You could even time yourself. Three or five
minutes maximum for each sketch.

When you're ready to go full size again, try loosening up
your technique, by again setting a time limit for each
piece of work you create. With a deadline to meet, you will
speed up and loosen up. Try not to be precious with your
art. Be quick and bold - see what happens.

Paint upside down. Start a new piece, then half way through
turn the paper or canvas round 90 degrees. This is a great
technique for abstracts. Use new colors - let them flow
into each other. Splatter colors onto the wet surface. If
you like, you could turn the work once more to finish. What
a great way to create 'happy accidents'.

Paint or draw to music. Use only your emotion to make marks
on the surface of your support. Play your favorite rock,
pop or classical music let the melodies and rhythms wash
over you, influencing how your artwork evolves. I often
paint to 'Smile' by Brian Wilson and boy do I get inspired!

What about painting left-handed if you're a right-hander
and vice versa. Trying to do a representational work with
your weakest side will produce art that is still yours, but
will have a completely different edge to it. Challenging
and great fun to do ... if you have the discipline!

Finally, once you get back into full flow, remind yourself
of all the artwork you have created successfully. How
appreciated you are by your customers. Read their
testimonials. Feel that glow again, when you realize that
your creativity block was only temporary and that there are
fans out there just waiting for you to release some
wonderful new artwork into the arena.

Gail Miller is a professional artist whose artwork is a
visual feast of colors and fun. Her fascination with bold
colors and fluid, expressive shapes and line are evident in
funky abstracts, sinuous nudes, vibrant still life
paintings and lively townscapes.
Visit her website at http://www.gailmiller.com

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Raku: A Practical Approach by Steven Branfman
The "nuts and bolts" how-to book of Raku
http://www.garyrferguson.com/branfman
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* Tips and Techniques *

(Question from a reader) I found your Raku glaze recipes on
the web (http://www.garyrferguson.com/rakuglaz.htm. It's
very generous of you to publish them. I have a question
about using Crackle White. It just doesn't seem to go on
smoothly—it dries almost immediately. Have I mixed it
wrong or is that just the way it is? Also, if I do not get
a good smooth coat, will it smooth out during the firing as
it becomes molten? It seems to me that I tried this once
before in a class, and that was the case, but it's been
years, and now I'm about to do my first Raku firing on my
own this weekend, and I'm getting pieces ready. I painted
the Crackle White on a vase and it just isn't smooth, but
like I said, if memory serves, that's just the way this
glaze is. Is that correct?
--
I have found many glazes do not "go on smooth" especially
when applied with a brush. This typically is due to the
chemicals in the glaze and the suspension characteristics.
I don't worry about it too much unless the glaze is really
lumpy. You can smooth down the glaze by using your "gloved"
finger, sponge, etc. Usually these glazes with smooth out
during the maturing process, but some don't entirely
especially if not soaked at the maturing temperature. This
is just an added effect to the result and I wouldn't worry
about it.

(Question continues) Any advice for my first firing? Some
friends and I built a kiln last summer at my ranch, and
they fired some pieces right away, but I've been too scared
to try it myself, plus got involved in other projects and
so the kiln has sat, unused, this past year. I am about to
change that and get over my intimidation, so here goes….
--
Well my first advice comes from a shoe manufacturer – "Just
Do It!" The only way to learn is practice. Don't fire your
favorite piece first, but try some "seconds" first. Try
several firing to learn how your kiln fires. You can even
fire the same piece several times. You may be pleasantly
surprised with your first firings. Raku is very forgiving!

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Amazon sells more than books! Help support this newsletter
by using the following link:
http://www.garyrferguson.com/amazon
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* Q & A *

Q: A present for Christmas (2003) was a large ceramic jar
to which a matt copper rainbow colored Raku glaze had been
applied. Less than six months later the colors had
virtually vanished. It is for all observations now black.
Can a firing revive the color? Can I apply another glaze
(pref. glossy) over it and refire? Or is a hundred bucks
to a less than honest clay artist lost?

A: First of all, I don't think I would blame the artist
unless he made some promises that the colors would never
change. He may not have known, or not expected them to
change that drastically.

The short answer is "yes" the piece could be refired and
you should get a different result, but there is no
guarantee you will get close to the same coloring you
originally had and there is a chance the piece could be
damaged during the second firing.

Also another glaze could be applied and fired as well, but
there again, you probably wouldn't know how the 2nd glaze
would react with the first one, so I wouldn't really
recommend this option.

Usually I just chalk up the color changing as one of the
characteristics of Raku, but then again, I've never had a
piece completely lose all color before.

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"Bought your book - great compendium!"
http://www.rakuglazes.com
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* Glazing *

Thanks for all the info you put out there in your
newsletters. The info is a huge help. I am very, very new
at the art of Raku. I have built my kiln from the
instructions out of Steve Branfman's book
http://www.garyrferguson.com/branfman and am very happy
with it. Now I need to learn how to use it. I have fired
about 4 or 5 times and of course the first was very
disappointing and the rest only a little bit better. I
think I'm not firing long enough for the glazes to flow but
I am firing a long time, sometimes an hour.

What I am getting are pieces with thick cakey looking glaze
with lots of pinholes and occasionally a smooth spot on the
piece with some copper colors starting to come through. I
am firing pendants and beads, they are small pieces and it
is hard for me to view the progression through the firing.

I have begun to put one pendant on a 4-inch post so I can
view it better through my peephole. Also, my peepholes are
in the front not a flue on the top it that ok?

Last question what temp do most Raku glazes fire at. I'm
using a Turquoise, a Copper blue, chartreuse green, a del
favero luster, and red bronze. Some of these I got from
Branfman's book. I don't really even know what these
colors are supposed to look like after reduction.

And I guess one more question. Do I have to stick to
firing with one glaze color in a firing to make sure
I don't have different glazes that don't reach maturity at
the same time?

Thanks so much for any light you can shed my way. I can't
wait to see the brilliant colors I know are
there. :)

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From your description it sounds like either you are
applying the glaze way too thick and/or not firing the
glazes to maturity. When a glossy glaze is fired to
maturity it should basically appear smooth (some do have a
little texture to them). The maturity is not based purely
on time but temperature as well. In other words you may
reach maturity in 20 minutes if you fire very quickly to
1800F, but never get maturity even after 2 hours if you
never get above 1400F.

Most Raku is fired somewhere between 1600F and 1800F.

Usually you can fire different glazes in the same kiln load
even if they mature at different temperatures because you
can always pull the lower temperature maturity glazes
earlier and let the high temperature maturity glazes fire
longer.

Good Luck!

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Raku Pottery by Robert Piepenburg
The must have "Bible" of Raku
Order at: http://www.garyrferguson.com/piepenburg
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* Reader Feedback *

Hi Gary Ferguson!
RE: "Raku Secrets"
Is there any advantage to ordering the paper version verses
the e-version? The e-version states" P.S. Remember you get
125+ pages of Raku Secrets, 2 FREE Bonus Reports including
how to build your own kiln, FREE electronic delivery, and
FREE updates for one amazing low price!

I need to learn how to build a Raku kiln from an electric
kiln. Is this in the paper version as well? Will I get
updates with the paper version? I can't stand to read off a
computer monitor, so can I print out the e-version if this
is a better advantage?
Thanks,
Alene

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Hi Alene:
The only real advantage to the Paper version is it is
already printed and bound (if you don't have a printer or
want to give a gift). The negatives are you have to pay
postage, don't get any free updates, and the free reports
are not included - so the eBook is a much better deal in my
opinion.

Yes, you can print a copy of the eBook to read or use away
from your computer - no problem

Here's the links
Raku Secrets eBook http://www.rakusecrets.com
Raku Secrets Paper http://www.cafepress.com/rakusecrets

Thanks,
Gary F

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I am a neophyte when it comes to pottery and am just
beginning to experiment with mixing my own glazes. I
appreciate the free Raku glaze recipes very much but have a
question regarding them. The first two recipes (Alligator
& Alligator 2) indicate that the standard of measurement is
in cups. The recipes that follow provide no standard. Is
it cups on all of the recipes or something else? Most of
the recipes I have use grams and I'm hoping the alkaline
blue recipe doesn't require 70 cups of Frit 3110.

Thanks again.
Bob B.

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Hi Bob:

The following Just Raku Issue addressed how to read a glaze
recipe: http://www.garyrferguson.com/justraku22.htm

Good Luck,
Gary F.

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Thanks, Gary.
I'm really enjoying the book so far. And I sure appreciate
your sharing the kiln and website info. Fantastic
collection of info.
Judy W.

[If you would like to see what Judy is talking about go to:
http://www.rakusecrets.com ]

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Hi Gary,
I was doing a Google search regarding a Raku question and
your site with questions and answers popped up but I
couldn't find what I was looking for. It appears that you
have answered this question before so maybe you could
forward me with your answer. I have a box of bisque Raku
pots that I made and now don't have access to a Raku kiln.
I do have an electric kiln though. I'm wondering what you
would recommend to obtain a Raku look.
Would really appreciate some suggestions.
Thanks,
Lyn

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Lyn:

AAARRGGHH!! I've been Googled!!! Oh, wait a minute, that
is a good thing huh?!?

Seriously, in the following Just Raku Issue I discussed
firing Raku in an electric kin:
http://www.garyrferguson.com/justraku18.htm

Good Luck!
Gary F.

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Hey Gary,

I noticed someone wanted info on Naked Raku in your last
newsletter. Raku and Naked Raku are my two consuming
passions and I have learned a lot from a group on yahoo
dedicated to Naked Raku. It is a very well moderated group
and the people are friendly and willing to share info. The
group has an archive, which is full of technical info as
well as a photo gallery of member's work. If you are
interested in Naked Raku, this is the place to be! The
address is: http://www.nakedraku@yahoogroups.com.
Peace,
Allyson M.

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Allyson:

Thanks for the resource – I'm a member too and have learned
a ton as well.

Ok readers – Let's Get Naked!!!

Gary F.

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Alternative Kilns & Firing Techniques – James C. Watkins,
Paul Wandless http://tinyurl.com/72aaf
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* Click Away *

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My eBay Listings http://tinyurl.com/tn08
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Just Raku Archive http://www.JustRaku.com

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Raku – John Mathieson http://tinyurl.com/3f5yh
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* Workshops, Ads, etc. *

None at time of press

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Raku: Investigations Into Fire by David Jones
http://www.garyrferguson.com/jones
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JUST RAKU (C) Copyright 2002-2005 Gary R. Ferguson