This is the kiln after I loaded it. As you can see, this time I not only mixed bisque and glaze, which generally when I dare do it, I leave all the bisque at the bottom. This time, I wanted to maximize the density of the load, so I mixed the two. And fortunately, all came out perfectly!
Loaded, ready to fire
One of these days I'll get ahead enough that I can properly fire bisque and glaze loads separately. I just can't work any faster, though -- or won't, I should say!
It was a really dense kilnload this time, where I even stacked the bottom shelf three-high with bone-dry pieces; I did allow for the weight and shape of each piece, of course, and I fire only to cone 05, so I have no problem if the pieces are generally rather lightweight.
Lately, just for fun again, I've been doing more and more thrown and altered pieces, and it's working out well. For instance, in this load, I threw several fish-shaped closed cylinders, tail bottom, head top. Then I hand-shaped the thrown pieces further, elongating here, thinning there, etc., until I got what I was heading for. Then I drew a like from the top (mouth) down either side to the bottom, then split the piece into two pieces -- two fish for the effort of one! The rest was easy! Just add parts, details, hangers, signing, then dry to fire. I haven't painted the ones I've bisqued yet, but I will in the next few days and will try to remember to show a few of them.
(By the way, please never, never, ever directly copy my work! First, it's just wrong, wrong to do so; and second, my style is copyrighted, and I even have strangers who let me know if they see a copied piece somewhere. Usually, they're so awfully done that I ignore it, but sometimes I go after the malfaiteur ("evildoer") and have them cease and desist -- and tell them to do their own creating and not steal the work and talent of the creator!
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