The pottery piece is formed, then burnished. Burnished pottery works best, as the smooth unglazed surface accepts the carbon marking with the strongest effect. The piece is fired to between 1300 F and 1800 F in a raku kiln. Using the raku kiln allows much easier access to the ware. Once the correct temperature is reached, the incandescent pottery is taken from the kiln using long raku tongs and proper gauntlets and other protective gear. The hot pottery is placed on a non-flammable surface (such as a piece of broken kiln shelf) and the selected hairs are draped onto it. Once the piece has cooled completely, it is washed to remove residue. It can then be waxed to bring out the markings.
Such a clay body is often rough and almost impossible to burnish if left “as is.” In order to get that lovely smooth, buttery burnished surface, cover the piece with terra sigillata. Another aspect to note is that horse hair pottery should never be considered functional ware. It is not food-safe and is also liquid permeable.
Horse tail hairs produce thicker, stronger lines on the pottery, as they are coarser than mane hairs.Horse mane hair produces finer, more subtle lines.Feathers and long, coarse dog hair have also been used, creating variations of pattern. Human hair tends to be much too fine; however, use of a braid of hair might be worth investigating.
Each pottery piece will generally use only ten to twelve horse hairs. Using more than this reduces the visual impact of the finished piece.
Using raku glazes (ones that do not require an overall reduction to look nice) in conjunction with the horsehair technique,Creating subtle patterns on the piece between areas that are waxed and left unwaxed andUsing a high-speed rotary tool to lightly carve designs through the surface markings in areas.
