First firing...

   Here you can see my kiln-room. I use two electric kilns. The majority of the ceramics I make need to be fired twice. Each firing last for a whole night, about 10 hours. The temperature for first firing depends on the type of the clay and usually it is set from 1050-1250 ^oC (peek temperature). Then I have to wait for the temperature to fall and the kiln to cool down in order to open it.

Kilns

Before 1st firing

After 1st firing

Inside the kiln during firing...

I have to put ceramics in the kiln in shelves in the way you see in the images above. Care is taken for ceramics not to be in contact with the electric elements.

After first firing ceramics are white and hard like stone but not ready for use as they have pores on their surface. These pores will close with glazing and second firing

Second firing...

During second firing care must be taken so as ceramics will not touch each other in the kiln, otherwise they will stick together. 

The ceramics look white and you cannot see the painting at this moment because their surface is covered by the glaze. During the second firing it will melt, react and stick on the clay, become transparent and let the painting underneath to become obvious.  Here you can also see how ceramics look after second firing. Colors are more deep and vivid now.

Loading the kiln

Before 2nd firing

After 2nd firing

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