Raku forms, newbie question

I've always found that the key to getting really good Raku results is

(a) Finding a good glaze. The copper matte and white crackle glazes I use are pretty good, and pretty standard formulations. (b) Thin glazes, otherwise you don't get good coloring or crazing. (c) Get the surface of your pot as smooth as possible when throwing it. (d) Thin walls always give me better results.

The last one is the tricky one, since thin pots are harder to handle when raku firing, and more likely to break. I think it's mostly a matter of the clay body you use---I use the same clay body for my Cone 10 Reduction firings and Raku, since it's been a reliable and durable body.

Conversely, when I was starting out with Raku, the studio I was throwing at had as use "Raku Clay" from Continental, which was a very hard clay with a lot of firebrick in it, so it was sandy, tough to throw, and tended to result in forms that were thick-walled and rough----with the result that the final pots weren't all that impressive.

i'll contradict richard with some of the following:

1. textured pieces work very well for me. they offer strong contrast in glaze from thick & thin glaze areas.

1. "thick" glazes tend to yield good strong glaze colors. "thin" might end up with mostly black pieces.

2. bottle forms work but watch out putting them into any water buckets too fast. the entry of water into the spout can make a great old faithful eruption.... the steam blasting back out from the spout form.

1. while highly grogged clay is very successful because of the clay body strength, porcelains can yield excelent results. just preheat for a good while longer so it isn't subjected to too much temperature shock.

2. thin pots work very well but think of the pot in reguard to how you'll hold it with tongs while burning your eyes & ears & hands from the raku kiln heat. necks make good areas to hold pots. but these also break easy if they are not strong.

i'm sure there's more.

see ya

steve

steve graber