The firing was without incident -- like you see in the pictures. Or, like you would see, if anyone ever made movies about firings, which are notably less sexy than throwing, more akin to watching paint dry for the movie-going public. The kiln climbed quickly and (relatively) evenly in oxidation until 012, right on the dot of which I put it into a heavy body reduction, which looked like this:
I kept the damper in until 05 was touching, then backed off into its much lighter climbing reduction until 8 was over. This is right by the book, and the way that I intend to fire every time; but usually something happens, like I go for a walk and 012 is a puddle; or the top is so much hotter that the bottom has barely got red heat by the time the upper 012 goes. A similar set of mishaps can happen at glaze reduction, but not this time. This time we (that would be the royal "we") were right on the money. I am a tiny bit superstitious, though...You know how, if a piece looks too good going into the kiln, you won't like it when it comes out? What if a firing looks too good? what if nothing stupid happens, like a forgotten cone pack, or, I don't know, a low pressure system that messes with your reduction? Is it cursed?
It's not. I'm sure it's not. I am only worrying about this because I don't have anything real to worry about.
Thanks to the IPTOG, I will not be able to unload until Thursday. (These four-day weekends seem to be getting shorter and shorter.) Can't wait!
By the Hum of the Burners
3 hours ago
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