Raku

The essential guide to raku techniques, covering clay types, glazes, kilns, firing methods and reduction processes.Over the last thirty years interest in the raku pottery technique has grown hugely - the excitement, immediacy and unpredictability of the raku process catching and firing the imagination of professional and amateur potters alike. Despite its association with amateur pottery classes, when practised at a higher level, it is an unforgiving, demanding medium which tests pots and potters to the limit. The famous Japanese potter Hamada said that he wanted to wait until the end of his life before making raku pots as it was the most difficult and important technique to master. A growing number of potters have turned to this medium however, as a serious expression of their work, finding new (or perhaps old) and varied techniques to explore, and thriving on the opportunities provided by the raku process to transform accidents and mistakes into new techniques or innovative pi