Techniques - Raku

I experienced Raku for the first time last year (2008) when my family gave me a Raku course as a birthday present. I was introduced to this exciting process by Bill Crumbleholme one of the Upwey Potters, Weymouth. (link)

I built a top hat raku kiln and have been experimenting with glazes and techniques.

Raku refers to the name of a family of Japanese potters from 16th century Kyoto who created the style.
The Western method of Raku involves using tongs to lift the red hot glazed pot from the kiln and plunging it into sawdust. The rapid cooling shocks the glaze and cracks appear that become burnt black by the smoke. The carbonaceous atmosphere reacts and affects the glazes and clay and imparts unique effects with some unusual and often unexpected surface finishes. When the pots have cooled, they are washed with an abrasive cleaner to remove all residue of soot and ash.

Naked Raku
Slip is used to act as a resist with glaze sprayed on top. Designs can be scratched through and the pot is placed in a top hat kiln using propane gas to heat.
The slip resist allows the glaze to fall off revealing the crackle patterns underneath. After cleaning, a wax finish is applied.
Each pot is hand built and unique. The end results can be varied and often unexpected. The crackle in the glaze and some of the irregular effects are all part of this unusual process. The pots are primarily decorative, not functional and should be treated with care.
I was inspired to experiment with this technique after seeing the exciting work of the potter Tim Andrews.