Flashing in and Electric Cone 6 Firing

[mattycripps 1]

I'm doing some tests and research into trying to achieve wood kiln like effects in electric kilns at cone 6.  Tests with ash glazes, flashing slips, and added wood ash to name a few of the things I'm testing. Does anyone have any information or a starting point on how I would be able to achieve flashing effects similar to a wood or soda/salt kiln firing in a cone 6 electric kiln?

Thanks!

[liambesaw 1,550]

A spray gun!

[mattycripps 1]

I found some articles saying to spray a mix of water and soda onto the pot. Is this what you mean? Should I spray it over a flashing slip?

[mattycripps 1]

4 minutes ago, liambesaw said:

A spray gun!

I found some articles saying to spray a mix of water and soda onto the pot. Is this what you mean? Should I spray it over a flashing slip?

[liambesaw 1,550]

Well if you look at wood fired pieces, it kind of looks like they've been sprayed by ash.  So you can use something like a fake ash glaze or even Jen's juicy fruit, strontium crystal magic, etc to fake that look when you load it in a spray gun and hit a piece with it.  Will take some experimenting but I've seen really nice pieces come out of cone 6 electric that have that wood fired look.

[mattycripps 1]

10 minutes ago, liambesaw said:

Well if you look at wood fired pieces, it kind of looks like they've been sprayed by ash.  So you can use something like a fake ash glaze or even Jen's juicy fruit, strontium crystal magic, etc to fake that look when you load it in a spray gun and hit a piece with it.  Will take some experimenting but I've seen really nice pieces come out of cone 6 electric that have that wood fired look.

Yes, I know what you mean and I've done some tests doing that, but I'm trying to get specifically the flashing effects. I've sprayed ash and achieved those effects but it's the flashing specifically I'm looking for now. 

I guess I'm kind of trying to force flashing on a pot.

[liambesaw 1,550]

I have heard of soda ash spray for flashing, but it doesn't really look like it to me, at least not the examples I've seen.  I saw a neat project where someone used a tin glaze and then placed a test tile with a thick chrome wash painted on it to purposely flash pink on the surfaces facing the tile.  I don't know if I'd want that much chrome vapor wandering around the neighborhood, but it looked pretty cool

[neilestrick 3,330]

You need reduction to get flashing, not just vapor and/or ash. As Liam said, you can get the wood fired look by layering glazes with ash and soda, but it won't actually flash.

[hitchmss 264]

The flashing occurs when the atmosphere in the kiln reacts with the clay in your body; i.e soda/salt vapor interacting with the kaolins. Some clays flash better than others, some none or little. To replicate that look I would spray light coats of colored slips/engobes on your pots; numerous layers and different colors will give you a more authentic look. Ash glazes over top will help replicate the look of fly ash, but apply it in a directional pattern to really duplicate that look as best you can.

I might avoid spraying/applying too much soda on to your pots with the intention of getting it to flash; as those soda vapors volatilize they will impregnate the soft brick....a lot of vapor will lead to the early demise of your kiln. I doubt a light coat of soda on the pots would produce much vapor that would damage your kiln, but it likely also wouldnt produce the flashing colors you want.

Ever fire a flashing slip in a reduction or oxidation kiln at any temp.....looks like pasty white butt. Get those alkaline fumes interacting with it and its brown/orangy/yellow deliciousness.

You could try using saggars in your electric kiln to produce more "atmospheric effects". A really tight saggar might allow you to produce adequate soda vapor to flash, but also keep the fumes from escaping and damaging kiln.