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The Newsletter for Raku Artists and Raku Art Lovers In This Issue ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Hello Yeah, I know - this issue is late, ok later than most, but at least it is still April! I have been super busy the last several weeks and unfortunately not necessarily with Raku. Bummer! So what has been happening around the home front? Gardening season is right around the corner and I have huge tomato plants (started from seed) in my greenhouse just begging to hit the outdoors. I can hardly wait for fresh salsa! I've also been busy working on the 2nd edition of Raku Glazes http://www.rakuglazes.com, which I hope to have available in a few weeks. Oh, and I was able to snag the http://www.rakuartist.com
domain name a couple weeks ago. Don't know what I'll do with it yet, but
it's mine, mine, all mine, hahahaha. Gary R. Ferguson ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ * Article * Overcoming Artist's Block (part 2) Once you are ready to start working again you will know it instinctively. All artists go through periods of 'creative block' - it's normal, but after one such episode there are ways of stimulating ideas and getting the creative juices flowing again. Visit your local library and take out books that cover materials, techniques and subjects that are not familiar to you. If you are a watercolor artist, why not try oils for once? If you paint large acrylic abstracts, would it be possible to try soft pastels on a smaller scale? What results could you achieve by doing something completely different to what you're used to? What about trying collage or mixed media work? Take photos of your neighborhood, family or friends. Local places of interest, the countryside, the seashore, the city. Manipulate your photos on your PC and print out as digital art. Use the images, either natural or manipulated as collage pieces. It is so therapeutic cutting pieces and sticking them down. Use a range of materials to finish your work. Instead of going straight back to paintings or drawings on normal scale; why not create some miniature pieces? How about greetings cards? White card 'blanks' are very easy to source. How delighted family, friends or customers would be to own a unique hand painted card. Try drawing for once instead of painting, if that's your usual medium, or vice versa. Fill a sketchbook with small quick sketches. You could even time yourself. Three or five minutes maximum for each sketch. When you're ready to go full size again, try loosening up your technique, by again setting a time limit for each piece of work you create. With a deadline to meet, you will speed up and loosen up. Try not to be precious with your art. Be quick and bold - see what happens. Paint upside down. Start a new piece, then half way through turn the paper or canvas round 90 degrees. This is a great technique for abstracts. Use new colors - let them flow into each other. Splatter colors onto the wet surface. If you like, you could turn the work once more to finish. What a great way to create 'happy accidents'. Paint or draw to music. Use only your emotion to make marks on the surface of your support. Play your favorite rock, pop or classical music let the melodies and rhythms wash over you, influencing how your artwork evolves. I often paint to 'Smile' by Brian Wilson and boy do I get inspired! What about painting left-handed if you're a right-hander and vice versa. Trying to do a representational work with your weakest side will produce art that is still yours, but will have a completely different edge to it. Challenging and great fun to do ... if you have the discipline! Finally, once you get back into full flow, remind yourself of all the artwork you have created successfully. How appreciated you are by your customers. Read their testimonials. Feel that glow again, when you realize that your creativity block was only temporary and that there are fans out there just waiting for you to release some wonderful new artwork into the arena. Gail Miller is a professional artist whose artwork is a visual feast of
colors and fun. Her fascination with bold colors and fluid, expressive
shapes and line are evident in funky abstracts, sinuous nudes, vibrant
still life paintings and lively townscapes. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ * Tips and Techniques * (Question from a reader) I found your Raku glaze recipes on the web http://www.garyrferguson.com/rakuglaz.htm.
It's very generous of you to publish them. I have a question about using
Crackle White. It just doesn't seem to go on smoothly-it dries almost
immediately. Have I mixed it wrong or is that just the way it is? Also, if
I do not get a good smooth coat, will it smooth out during the firing as
it becomes molten? It seems to me that I tried this once before in a
class, and that was the case, but it's been years, and now I'm about to do
my first Raku firing on my own this weekend, and I'm getting pieces ready.
I painted the Crackle White on a vase and it just isn't smooth, but like I
said, if memory serves, that's just the way this glaze is. Is that
correct? ~~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- * Q & A * Q: A present for Christmas (2003) was a large ceramic jar to which a
matt copper rainbow colored Raku glaze had been applied. Less than six
months later the colors had virtually vanished. It is for all observations
now black. Can a firing revive the color? Can I apply another glaze (pref.
glossy) over it and refire? Or is a hundred bucks A: First of all, I don't think I would blame the artist unless he made
some promises that the colors would never change. He may not have known,
or not expected them to change that drastically. The short answer is "yes" the piece could be refired and you
should get a different result, but there is no guarantee you will get
close to the same coloring you originally had and there is a chance the
piece could be damaged during the second firing. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ * Glazing * Thanks for all the info you put out there in your newsletters. The info
is a huge help. I am very, very new at the art of Raku. I have built my
kiln from the instructions out of Steve Branfman's book What I am getting are pieces with thick cakey looking glaze with lots of pinholes and occasionally a smooth spot on the piece with some copper colors starting to come through. I am firing pendants and beads, they are small pieces and it is hard for me to view the progression through the firing. I have begun to put one pendant on a 4-inch post so I can view it better through my peephole. Also, my peepholes are in the front not a flue on the top it that ok? Last question what temp do most Raku glazes fire at. I'm using a Turquoise, a Copper blue, chartreuse green, a del favero luster, and red bronze. Some of these I got from Branfman's book. I don't really even know what these colors are supposed to look like after reduction. And I guess one more question. Do I have to stick to firing with one
glaze color in a firing to make sure Thanks so much for any light you can shed my way. I can't wait to see
the brilliant colors I know are --- From your description it sounds like either you are applying the glaze way too thick and/or not firing the glazes to maturity. When a glossy glaze is fired to maturity it should basically appear smooth (some do have a little texture to them). The maturity is not based purely on time but temperature as well. In other words you may reach maturity in 20 minutes if you fire very quickly to 1800F, but never get maturity even after 2 hours if you never get above 1400F. Most Raku is fired somewhere between 1600F and 1800F. Usually you can fire different glazes in the same kiln load even if they mature at different temperatures because you can always pull the lower temperature maturity glazes earlier and let the high temperature maturity glazes fire longer. Good Luck! ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ * Reader Feedback * Hi Gary Ferguson! I need to learn how to build a Raku kiln from an electric kiln. Is this
in the paper version as well? Will I get updates with the paper version? I
can't stand to read off a computer monitor, so can I print out the
e-version if this is a better advantage? ~ ~ ~ Hi Alene: Yes, you can print a copy of the eBook to read or use away from your computer - no problem Here's the links Thanks, * * * * * * * * * I am a neophyte when it comes to pottery and am just beginning to experiment with mixing my own glazes. I appreciate the free Raku glaze recipes very much but have a question regarding them. The first two recipes (Alligator & Alligator 2) indicate that the standard of measurement is in cups. The recipes that follow provide no standard. Is it cups on all of the recipes or something else? Most of the recipes I have use grams and I'm hoping the alkaline blue recipe doesn't require 70 cups of Frit 3110. Thanks again. ~ ~ ~ Hi Bob: The following Just Raku Issue addressed how to read a glaze recipe: http://www.garyrferguson.com/justraku22.htm Good Luck, * * * * * * * * * Thanks, Gary. [If you would like to see what Judy is talking about go to: * * * * * * * * * Hi Gary, ~ ~ ~ Lyn: AAARRGGHH!! I've been Googled!!! Oh, wait a minute, that is a good thing huh?!? Seriously, in the following Just Raku Issue I discussed firing Raku in
an electric kin: Good Luck! * * * * * * * * * Hey Gary, I noticed someone wanted info on Naked Raku in your last newsletter.
Raku and Naked Raku are my two consuming passions and I have learned a lot
from a group on yahoo dedicated to Naked Raku. It is a very well moderated
group and the people are friendly and willing to share info. The group has
an archive, which is full of technical info as well as a photo gallery of
member's work. If you are interested in Naked Raku, this is the place to
be! The address is: http://www.nakedraku@yahoogroups.com. ~ ~ ~ Allyson: Thanks for the resource - I'm a member too and have learned a ton as well. Ok readers - Let's Get Naked!!! Gary F. * * * * * * * * * * Click Away * Just Creativity http://www.garyrferguson.com/creativity ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ * Workshops, Ads, etc. * None at time of press ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ This newsletter is send to opt-in members only. If this issue was forwarded to you and you would like your own copy each month send an email to subscribe@garyrferguson.com with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. If you wish to no longer receive this newsletter send an email to unsubscribe@garyrferguson.com with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. Disclaimer: Just Raku, the owner(s) and representative(s) of this
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