Sunday 31 March 2019

A bit more sketchbook. . #sketchbook #drawing #ink #art #instagood #instaartist

A bit more sketchbook. . #sketchbook #drawing #ink #art #instagood #instaartist
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Sketchbook morning. . #sketch #art #cyberpunk #city

Sketchbook morning. . #sketch #art #cyberpunk #city
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Thursday 28 March 2019

Out to meet a mate who is running late. Had my sketchbook but gave my pen away (was a good deed) but now sat with sketchbook and no pen. Should have brought a spare. Why didn't I bring a spare? . #art #sketchbook #instaartist

Out to meet a mate who is running late. Had my sketchbook but gave my pen away (was a good deed) but now sat with sketchbook and no pen. Should have brought a spare. Why didn't I bring a spare? . #art #sketchbook #instaartist
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Thursday 21 March 2019

Sunday 17 March 2019

Monday 4 March 2019

Friday 1 March 2019

So Ru (son) picked some alpines he liked from the garden centre and I replaced some aloes with them in this hand built terracotta pot. . #alpines #plants #terracotta #potterylove #instagood #plantlove

So Ru (son) picked some alpines he liked from the garden centre and I replaced some aloes with them in this hand built terracotta pot. . #alpines #plants #terracotta #potterylove #instagood #plantlove
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More succulents and pots. . #potterylove #ceramicart #clay #plantlove #succulents #instagood

More succulents and pots. . #potterylove #ceramicart #clay #plantlove #succulents #instagood
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Pit firing in a can - a method.

What I use:

  • A small metal incinerator.
  • Stoneware clay.
  • Copper wire.
  • Aluminium foil.
  • Straw (standard pet shop purchase).
  • Sodium chloride solution (salt water).
  • Etching solution (ferric chloride).
  • Sawdust (standard rabbit one from a pet shop).
  • Copper sulphate and salt mixture (1:3 ratio).
  • Good firelighters.
  • Coal
  • Fire logs
What I have been doing:

  1. Throw and turn the pots.
  2. Leave to dry for a bit.
  3. Spray with etching solution (this is nasty stuff so mask and glove up) this causes the surface of the pot to blister and will provide a red colour to the stoneware when burnt.
  4. Let dry until ready to fire - if there is any moisture left in the pots they will crack and explode in the firing.
  5. Spray some salt water onto some hay and straw.
  6. Add a small layer of hay to some crumpled aluminium foil.
  7. Place the pot on the hay and wrap some copper wire around it.
  8. Fold the foil around the pot to make a saggar. 
  9. Put a shallow layer of coal in the bottom of the burner.
  10. Then add some fire logs on top of the coal with some hay and straw in and around.
  11. Add a few of the pots to the fire logs - don't let them touch.
  12. Build around them with hay and straw.
  13. Add more fire logs on top.
  14. Repeat until the bin is full, top layer should be straw and logs so that all of the pots are buried by combustibles.
  15. I find lighting from the bottom works better than lighting from the top, in this case add a fire lighter to the holes at the bottom of the burner and ignite.
  16. Once the fire is roaring add the lid of the incinerator and leave for at least 2-3 hours.
  17. If you want to do any rakku type stuff once the fire has burnt down you can remove the pots carefully (they will be hot) and use fur/hair over the surface.
  18. Personally I leave until nice and cold then dig the out to clean.
  19. If the pots don't get enough heat they will harden but not fire so will need to go through again.
  20. Also sometimes they aren't as dry and will shatter/break so I glue them all back together or glue pieces back together.
And that's really it so far. I have been making notes of what has/hasn't worked so far but it's all a bit of a glorious experiment.