All Ready to Fire!

These Bronzclay™ pieces are  bone dry ready to be fired.   I usually fire the kiln at night and by the time I hit the studio the next morning, the pieces have cooled and are ready to unload.  It's always a big surprise to unload the bronze pieces when I've fired them in activated coal carbon because I never know what colors will appear!   A rainbow of pinks, blues, greens, golds,and orange patina are produced because of the reducing atmosphere and this type of carbon .  The colors are not permanent, but can be preserved somewhat  with a bit of finishing wax or a spray of lacquer.  However, I often forgo the colored route opting instead to throw them in a tumbler and go for a rich, shiny bronze-age look!