I mentioned briefly on the home page that there are three type of lustre - I am enthralled with and dedicated explorer of 'in glaze reduction lustre' creating an iridescent finish from metal salts already in the glaze - the other two are Clay Paste Lustre and Resin lustre.

Clay Paste Lustre

This is where the lustre salts are in clay paste. This clay paste is painted on to already glazed pieces - very often using calligraphic methods. The pieces are then fired in flame kiln going through periods of reduction and oxidation which allows the metal salts within the clay paste to migrate and become one with the glaze on the piece. This is not revealed until the surface of the pot is cleaned. The most famous UK potter using this method was Alan Caiger-Smith - sadly no longer with us. If you'd like to find out more then follow this link

www.readingmuseum.org.uk/blog/alan-caiger-smith-international-potter-local-hero


Resin Lustre

This is where the metal is suspended in resin, and applied again to already glaze fired pieces - either all over or in small parts. This is then fired in an electric kiln to about 700 degrees centigrade where the resin burns off and the metal salts are attached to the glaze. Examples shown below are from my own collection.