Art Techniques: Ceramic pit firing - Saggar.

In the Studio Art Group this term we explored Saggar firing. Saggar is a firing technique using a protective coat around your ceramics, in our case we used aluminium foil to contain and shield our objects.

We first made ceramics objects using Northcote Pottery Raku clay as it has a strong body to withstand the thermal shock of the fire.

Image of ceramic being wrapped in foil with combustible material

Once bisqued, we wrapped out objects with com combustible materials much as seaweed, eucalyptus leaves and wattle.

wrapping the saggar ceramics

The firing pit

Once all wrapped ceramics have been placed in the bottom of the fire pit, the firing can begin! We observed that the heat distribution impacted the way in which the internal combustibles burned or not. The hotter the more blacks transferred onto the ceramics.

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Unwrapping the cool parcels is always the best part!

For our firing we chose to stick with organic combustibles for their low toxicity compared to other coloured additives.

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