Horse hair firing as a ceramics technique

Many of us who love ceramics are always looking for new ideas to make our pieces unique. Well, here is a technique that you can do that will never look the same way twice. It is called "HORSE HAIR FIRING" and you actually use horse hair on your piece to create a pattern that is always different.


Items needed for this technique are properly fired bisque (cone 04), glaze, forge tongs, heavy gloves, and of course horse hair. It does not matter the color of the horse hair as it will always come out as a black design when it burns into the glazed piece. If this is the first time you are doing this technique I would suggest using a smooth, round or cylinder shaped vase. You can always experiment with other shapes, glazes and finishes once you have the basic technique down.

• Clean your greenware in the usual manner and fire to a cone 04.
  

• After your piece has been fired and is ready to glaze, apply 3 coats of gloss glaze. We recommend a clear glaze but you can use any color you desire except black. When it is dry polish the piece with a soft cloth. Fire the piece to the recommend cone (generally a cone 06)

• As soon as the kiln shuts off, with your gloves on carefully remove the piece from the kiln with forge tongs and place on a hard surface such as the top of the kiln or a kiln shelf. You will need to work quickly as the piece will cool off rapidly so you only have a few minutes. Drop or drape strands of the horse hair across the hot piece. This will create a lot of smoke and a strong odor so be in a well ventilated area. The hair will curl and burn into the piece immediately creating a unique design.
  

• Let the piece sit and cool off. Polish it with a soft cloth to remove any excess burnt hair and create a nice sheen. You can add embellishments if you choose to further decorate your piece.
  

Horse hair firing can be done in all kinds of ways over a variety of finishes including earthenware, stoneware, porcelain or raku clay. Polishing the finished piece will give it sheen and close up the clay pores protecting the surface. You can also apply a wax or sealant to protect the surface from oil and dirt. While this process is simple, it can be dangerous and extreme caution should be used when handling hot ware.

For more information on this great technique check out "Home Grown Pottery" and see her wonderful pieces or do a search on "horse hair firing" and see pieces done in several styles.

Until next week,
Happy mudding