I would like to share Hsiao Fang Pottery Arts web site with you all.
I have gained tremendous practical knowledge and experience from Hsaio Fang Pottery Arts when I worked as personal assistant to the founder, Mr. Tsai Hsaio Fang. To me, it's more like an apprenticeship than a full time job. What kind of boss would willingly teach you how to properly do reduction at 2:00 am?
Hsiao Fang Pottery Arts is also the place I highly recommend to visit beside National Palace Museum whenever I have friends plan to visit Taiwan.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Refiring
December and January were 2 very non-productive months to me in terms of pottery making. On the other hand, the holidays and school winter break had brought me wonderful quality family times. I think my holiday mode is not going to end so soon until Chinese New Year which will fall on February 14 this year.
Over the holidays, I read my pottery mentor-friend Tom Turner's article regarding refiring. Since I haven't produced any now pieces, I tried to refire some old pots. All the refired pieces turned out much "nicer" than from the first firing. On the refired pieces, glaze surface shows slightly runny and gives the piece a reduction fired look. I can see the potential on refirng.
a white glaze looks like cone 10 Yellow Salt glaze after refiring
Over the holidays, I read my pottery mentor-friend Tom Turner's article regarding refiring. Since I haven't produced any now pieces, I tried to refire some old pots. All the refired pieces turned out much "nicer" than from the first firing. On the refired pieces, glaze surface shows slightly runny and gives the piece a reduction fired look. I can see the potential on refirng.
a brown glaze from cone 6 firing
after refiring, the brown glaze looks more like Temmoku
a white glaze looks like cone 10 Yellow Salt glaze after refiringWednesday, December 23, 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Cone 6 Glaze Firings
After switched from cone 9/10 reduction firing to cone 6 oxidation firing, I have spent a great deal of times to deal with glaze problems. Mostly, pin holes. Even though I am also a ceramic engineer, I don't have much experiences with cone 6 glazes. Moreover, I have no clue what exactly those clay manufacturers added in their clays.
For the most recent firing, I drilled 2 of 1/4" holes on kiln lid, reset thermocouple reading 25 degree lower than actual temperature in the kiln (Cone Offset), used preset Slow Glaze Firing program, then, held 25 minutes in the end of firing. The pin holes were mostly gone.
Cone offset 25 degree for my kiln is actually about cone 7. Wow, without cone offset, it must be............................. No wonder so many pin holes.
Thermocouple reads actual temperature in the kiln. However, glaze doesn't react to temperature alone. It reacts to both time and temperature during the firing. How can I forget all about this!!??
on the left: cone offset 10 degree; around cone 8
For the most recent firing, I drilled 2 of 1/4" holes on kiln lid, reset thermocouple reading 25 degree lower than actual temperature in the kiln (Cone Offset), used preset Slow Glaze Firing program, then, held 25 minutes in the end of firing. The pin holes were mostly gone.
Cone offset 25 degree for my kiln is actually about cone 7. Wow, without cone offset, it must be............................. No wonder so many pin holes.
Thermocouple reads actual temperature in the kiln. However, glaze doesn't react to temperature alone. It reacts to both time and temperature during the firing. How can I forget all about this!!??
on the left: cone offset 10 degree; around cone 8
on the right: cone offset 25 degree; around cone 7
before cone offset: many pin holes, especialy on the back
after cone offset 25 degree: 99.9% of pin holes are gone
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Daddy's Little Helper
Just another trimming routing. My daughter, Grace, wanted to keep me company. After having Grace, I started to understand what "daddy's girl" means.
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