The Magic of Naked Raku: Exploring the Raw Beauty of Unglazed Pottery
First Trio of Naked Raku Vases I fired with Tim Hukstepp of Raku Days
Over the past year, my journey into Raku pottery has deepened, leading me to explore two fascinating alternative firing techniques: Naked Raku Pottery and Saggar firing.
While I’ve previously shared my first experiences with Saggar and glazed Raku, today, I want to focus on the unique beauty of Naked Raku Pottery—a process that strips everything back to clay, fire, and the unpredictable artistry of smoke.
This technique unfolds in two distinct ways, each embracing chance, fire, and the raw elegance of unglazed clay:
1️⃣ Slip-Resist Naked Raku → A process where slip and glaze are applied over a burnished piece, then peeled away after firing, leaving smooth clay etched with deep black carbon patterns.
2️⃣ Horsehair & Feather Raku → A more spontaneous approach where organic materials like horsehair and feathers are burned directly onto the raw, burnished clay at 700°C, leaving delicate, fluid markings.
Both techniques are a study in contrast—black and white, raw and refined, intention and unpredictability.
The Naked Raku Process: From Clay to Creation
Every Naked Raku piece begins at the wheel.
Freshly Thrown Trio of Raku Vases
Raku clay is coarse, textured, and speckled with grog particles—necessary additions that help it withstand the extreme thermal shock of firing. This grittiness makes it more challenging to throw thin, delicate forms, often resulting in slightly heavier bases—something I aim to refine with time. Yet, this weight also grounds the piece, giving it stability and presence.
Once thrown, the vases are left to dry to leather-hard before trimming. The drying time shifts with the seasons, the air temperature, and humidity—a reminder that, even at this stage, the clay has a life of its own.
Because Naked Raku relies on a flawlessly smooth surface for the slip to peel away cleanly later, this stage demands patience and care.
I refine the surface by applying a thin slip layer of clay over the trimmed form, smoothing it with a rib to fill any roughness.
As the piece dries to bone dry, I handle it as little as possible to preserve the pristine surface.
Then comes terra sigillata—a technique as delicate as it is transformative. A fine, milky slip made of ultra-refined clay particles, terra sigillata is brushed on in thin layers. Between applications, I polish the surface with a soft cloth, slowly building up a subtle sheen.
The goal? Three perfect layers, applied with an impossibly light touch—because even the smallest imprint can alter the final result. It’s an art in itself, a slow ritual that holds the potential for both perfection and unpredictability.
The Alchemy of Fire: Crafting Slip, Glaze & the Magic of Naked Raku Firing
In May last year, I took a significant step forward in my Naked Raku journey—taking control of my own firing process at Cernamic, under the guidance of Nam.
This was my first experience crafting my own slip and glaze—making decisions that would shape the final pieces in unpredictable ways.
Before the Fire: Intention & Intuition
Before beginning, I consider what I hope to achieve—as much as I can with the unpredictable nature of Raku.
I usually have a rough idea of where I might leave a section bare—exposed to take in rich carbon tones. But I never over-plan.
For me, process, intuition, and chance are part of the art—an ever-changing dialogue with the fire.
Trio of Vases Slipped and Drying in the sun
The Process: A Dance Between Control & Surrender
1️⃣ A specially formulated slip is applied over the burnished bisque-fired surface. The ceramic surface must be smooth enough to peel thel slip and glaze away later—a delicate balance.
2️⃣ Once dry, I apply a transparent crackle glaze over the slip. This step is precise and intentional—if the glaze touches bare clay, it will fuse permanently.
3️⃣ The pieces are left to fully dry before entering the kiln.
Reading the Fire: The Kiln & Timing the Pull
Firing begins, and the kiln steadily climbs to 800-900°C.
The goal? To reach just before vitrification—if the glaze fully melts and seals, the slip layer will become impossible to peel away.
Timing is everything.
At around 850°C, the clay is hot enough to absorb carbon effectively (which happens best around 700°C).
At this moment, the kiln is opened, and the glowing red-hot pieces are swiftly removed.
The Shock, the Smoke & the Magic of Carbon
A moment of pause—letting the air cool the glaze, encouraging pronounced crackling.
Then, the red-hot pieces are transferred to a sawdust bin.
This is where the magic happens.
🔥 The intense heat ignites the sawdust, sending thick black smoke swirling around the surface.
🔥 The bin is sealed, starving the flames of oxygen, forcing carbon into the exposed clay.
Through the cracks, into the pores—the clay records the fire’s touch in deep, inky black veins.
The Reveal: Peeling Back the Layers
Once the smoke settles, the kiln cools, and the air stills, I begin the slow, careful process of peeling away the outer layers.
The slip and glaze crack and flake away, revealing what the fire has left behind.
This is the moment of truth.
Some pieces emerge with striking black veining.
Some reveal soft, smoky gradients.
Some hold unexpected patterns, where the slip resisted, or the fire left its own unique signature.
No two are ever the same.
Each piece tells a story of chance, control, and surrender.
The Beauty of the Process
Naked Raku is an exercise in trust and patience.
The process demands precision and control, yet at the same time, it teaches you to let go, to allow the fire to have the final say.
Each piece is a record of transformation, capturing the meeting of clay, smoke, and flame—a fleeting moment made permanent.
Learning from the Flames: Pushing My Craft Forward
The dance between clay and fire is something I’m still learning to navigate. My first solo Naked Raku Pottery firing brought unexpected results—some surprising, some frustrating—but all part of the journey. The experience left me with more questions than answers, pushing me to seek a deeper understanding of heat, timing, and the unpredictable nature of the process.
Determined to refine my approach, I attended a Saggar firing masterclass at Pottery Gagliano in Brighton, learning directly from Raku master potter Denis Di Luca of Italy. His expertise in controlling fire, smoke, and surface effects opened up a whole new perspective on alternative firings and deepened my respect for the element of chance in this craft.
In my next post, I’ll share what I learned—both from my own naked raku firing failures and from working alongside a true master of the process.
Naked Raku is an art of patience, surrender, and trust. Each piece is a record of transformation, a meeting of clay, smoke, and fire—a fleeting moment made permanent.