Beginning Raku with Gordon Hutchens
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If you’ve never tried raku, you’re missing one of the best creative thrills around! With raku, you’re involved in a creative process all the way from throwing or handbuilding through to the firing and the final cooling. This is a great instructional video for the beginning potter or anyone who wants to try their hand at raku. DVD - 60 minutes Add Beginning Raku to your DVD collection for only $39.95 and receive FREE SHIPPING when you order online |
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The raku technique originated in Japan during the 16th century and it’s closely associated with Zen Buddhism and the Japanese tea ceremony. Hal Riegger and Paul Soldner popularized raku in North America in the 1960s with their own variation of the technique. They removed pieces from the kiln while the glazes were still molten at the peak of the firing and placed them in containers filled with combustible materials. The resulting combustion and smoky atmosphere create lustrous and iridescent effects on glazes. Gordon Hutchens introduces the beginning potter to basic raku techniques in this 60 minute DVD. He discusses desirable properties of clays used in raku firings then shows how to prepare the clay. He makes a simple cylindrical vase and a slab platter which he then bisque fires. While you can buy glazes, Gordon shows you how to make your own—something very few videos will do. The recipes he uses are simple and included on the DVD so you can download and print them. After mixing the glazes, Gordon decorates the pots to take advantage of the unique effects that the raku technique provides. |
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Order the Beginning Raku with Gordon Hutchens DVD today for only $39.95. SHIPPING IS FREE for US online orders |
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| After preparing his pots, Gordon shows how to make a simple kiln from a 55 gallon drum. By adding a high temperature fiber lining and using a weed burner as a heat source, his kiln is ready to go. Plans for the kiln are included on the DVD so you can print them out. If you don’t have an old electric kiln you could convert, or the budget for a new kiln, Gordon’s design is quite an economical alternative.
Finally, Gordon fires the forms he’s made, demonstrating how to manage a raku firing and how to perform the post-firing reduction. After cooling the pots, the combustion residue is washed away revealing the distinctive raku effects possible only with this technique. |
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“Good camerawork, skillful demonstrations, detailed information, and
understandable commentary make this video a good reference for the
beginning potter.” (School Arts)
“Hutchens is very safety-conscious …. He also offers encouraging words for beginners …. Recommended.” (Video Librarian)
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| About Gordon Hutchens
Gordon Hutchens received a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Illinois majoring in Ceramics (Clay and Glass Blowing). His studying of glaze and clay chemistry combined with working his way through school as the ceramics laboratory assistant gives him an unusually strong technical background. Gordon’s work is well known for the depth and diversity of his glazes and the strength and refinement of his forms. He formulates and blends all his own clay bodies using many different clays from across North America including local materials. Working out of a studio nestled in 19 wooded acres in the secluded north end of Denman Island, British Columbia, Gordon has also taught courses and workshops for many colleges and potter’s guilds. His works and articles have been published in various ceramics magazines and books. |
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Order the Beginning Raku with Gordon Hutchens DVD today for only $39.95. SHIPPING IS FREE for US online orders |
