The Great Pottery Throw Down (2015–…): Season 3, Episode 3 - Episode #3.3 - full transcript
Just ten potters left so it's time to turn up the heat.
It's raku week.
Now I've been told that I can bring an animal to work today
so I've brought Stella and Penny.
Come on, girls, come on.
I hope they weren't kidding.
Now...
Oh my god it's hot. Whoa!
Our remaining ten must attempt to survive
- pottery's fastest -Sounds aggressive.
Hottest -RICH: We're at 1,000 here.
And most dangerous process.
Don't drop 'em.
The volatile and potentially explosive
- I am so nervous for you now. -I am too.
Japanese art of Raku.
1,012 we need to go.
Oh my god.
Help.
So it's Week three today.
It's the raku week, uh, I can't say that.
Tshh, getting it out, getting it into the sawdust
flames happening everywhere.
Drama. It's gonna be brilliant!
It's all about the alchemy.
I think you probably feel a bit like a wizard.
Ra, ray, raku.
I enjoy raku. I'll just see how it goes.
Hopefully impress Keith.
I'm just going to say we are going to do raku queue.
Morning potters. Welcome to raku week.
For your first challenge, Sue and Keith would like you
to sculpt two animal figurines, one adult and one baby.
This is sculpture so I really want to see
those characteristics of the animals captured in the clay.
You've got four hours and your time starts now.
Sculpting is not my thing. I don't do sculpting at all.
Hand-building's the complete opposite of what I do
but it's working with clay.
Just because I'm not a sculptor doesn't mean I can't sculpt.
I'm great. I'm in my zone.
It's a sculptural challenge and actually
it's gonna really test them.
Whether they decide to go on a very literal route
or on a very abstract route it needs to capture
what that animal actually is.
- That looks real, doesn't it? -KEITH: Yeah.
The person who's made this has obviously
thought of the texture of the clay and how that
lends itself to looking like a baby rhino.
Yeah, it's very credible isn't it?
They've got all the proportions right as well.
And that's why it looks so realistic.
They've also got to make an adult and a baby one.
They've got to sit together as a family unit.
Will there be an expressive relationship
between the young one and the older one?
Yeah, one interesting thing here
is that little puffin look, and the fish.
Can you see how fragile they are?
Those extremities with the tails
in raku, if you get that too thin-
Boom. - Brilliant.
The potters are free
to hand-build using any method they wish.
I could do it with a rolling pin but
as the machine's here...
Either using flat slabs of clay
to form the bodies of their animals
Beating the body shapes into it.
Punching the clay, yeah.
Or constructing them
Jigga, jigga, jigga, jigga.
With coils.
Hand-rolling the coils for my penguin, two penguins.
They're family orientated and they like
look after each other and also I'm quite family orientated.
Rainna is a full-time carer to her mum Trellina.
She'll attempt to capture their relationship
in a pair of coil-formed Emperor penguins.
I saw it on a picture and I was like
"Aw, how sweet is that?"
And I was like "It's gotta be it."
Gotta do the penguins, ain't I?
In raku week
coil-built penguins won't be an endangered species.
They're my mum's favorite animal. MEL: Aw!
And my mum actually has a set in her bathroom.
Rather than attempt realism
Matt plans to flatten areas of his coiled forms
to produce a set of geometric penguins.
Does it look anything like your mum's set?
Oh no, it's nothing like it. just inspired by it, yeah.
Will she get that as a gift when it's finished?
Maybe, it depends how nice it is.
What, you'll have it if it's nice?
Oh yeah, if it's nice it'll stay in my house.
Matt and Rainna aren't the only ones
that have been inspired by mum.
My mum's always been a bit obsessed with elephants.
I sort of see the relationship of two elephants
kind of like my mum and me you
know we're really, really close.
Claire will celebrate the mother-daughter bond
with two slab-built Asian elephants.
So this is gonna be the body.
I'm trying to make kind of it in half
so I can join the two halves together.
Whether constructing
the basic bodies of their animals with slabs or coils
I'm just gonna coil it up and up and up and up.
The potters face a constant battle
It's quite wet this clay.
Whilst it needs to be soft enough to sculpt
I need to dry my clay out.
They have to continuously dry
finished sections to hold the form once shaped.
Just almost set that on fire.
Otherwise they'll collapse.
Scared.
But Rosalind thinks she's found a solution.
It's just literally a ball of paper
just to stop the clay collapsing on you.
When it's finished I cut it in half
and remove the paper form that I've made inside.
Rosalind will have to risk decapitating
a mother and cub and then reassemble them
for a raku firing that she hopes will turn them
into a pair of black and white arctic foxes.
- Morning, Rosalind. -Oh, good morning.
Morning. -MEL: Gosh, you're doing well!
So you're making a duck? Fantastic.
Have you done any raku before?
Yes. I built my own kiln in the garden
with a galvanized wire dog cage.
And I built it so that I could fire a big pig like this size.
- A big? -Big pig.
In raku.
You amaze me, Rosalind.
You really do. Gosh!
She's a bit of a dark horse isn't she?
Unbelievable! So impressed.
But despite her speed and raku experience
there's a chance that Rosalind could be outfoxed.
Trying to capture like the urban sort of fox.
No, there's no copying going on.
We just both love foxes.
My friend actually fostered a fox.
It was great seeing it from a cub
and then grow into a young male.
He's called Charlie, Charlie the fox.
Charlie will be displayed
as both fostered young cub and fully-grown urban fox
stood up proudly on his front legs.
I've rolled out a slab into a cylinder
and then I'm working out from the inside out
pushing out the ribs before I start attaching the limbs on.
Attaching limbs to clay sculptures is risky.
I'm gonna have to rely quite heavily
on the heat gun to get this to stand up
because it's a big animal, it's quite heavy.
They'll have to be thick and strong enough
to bear the weight of the clay in the main body.
They're thinner than normal legs
but foxy legs are quite slender.
I think if I'm careful, I'll get away with it.
And every new join in their sculpture
massively increases the risk of cracking
or explosion in the violent raku firing.
Tell us about the legs 'cause at
the minute you have about eight.
Are they gonna have eight legs?
They might have eight legs.
So is it like a camera shot
as if the legs are moving so fast
or am I just giving you ideas?
You're just giving me ideas. Keep on talking.
Kit's original idea was to cut out
two rabbit silhouettes and use a raku-fired stand and wires
to create the illusion of them leaping through the air.
So they look very two-dimensional
when sculpture's all about the three dimensions.
Yeah, I'm not a sculptor so I couldn't compete
with what's going on so I just thought geometric
and my zodiac sign is a rabbit as well, so.
Oh, okay.
Whilst Kit's hoping his raku stars will align
Ronaldo's taking no chances.
I'm just trying to make the thigh hollow
so the air circulates through.
If it doesn't dry enough, it could explode.
Ronaldo will have to attach legs and arms
to a pair of green monkeys that he's based on the ones
he used to see on his dad's farm
whilst growing up in Barbados.
How are you gonna incorporate the baby monkey?
The monkey's gonna have a
banana and he's giving the baby one
and at the same time he's gonna have his hand out
like if he's trying to ask for more.
So the Oliver of monkeys, really?
Exactly.
The potters have two hours left
to sculpt their animal figurines.
Got most of the shape done, kinda looks all right.
It's like they do that don't they?
Before Matts geometric penguins can take shape
he's going to have to get a bit physical.
I've got a paddle, um
it is an actual piece of pottery equipment
so don't, don't let your imaginations run away with it.
Once it's firmed up then you can start to
tap in the flat edges. I bought it.
It hasn't been lying around in my house shall we say?
But Matt's not the only one
having to get heavy-handed.
Try not to push too hard. Don't want it to sit down.
Legs are still a bit on the soft side
so I'm trying to support it.
I'm just trying to wedge him up 'cause he's still wet.
I'm just trying to use props without damaging his structure.
But while some wrestle with their animals
Rosa is pinning her raku hopes on a lighter touch.
I quite like to give my pieces
a little bit of personality.
I'm not saying I can do it but you can always try can't you?
She's hoping to finesse character
into a slab-built duck and duckling
based on her favorite family pets.
I've got ducks at home.
We got Ducky, a pet duck that we hatched ourself.
So this is our duck when he was little.
I really wanna open the beak
but if I open the beak it's more chance to break.
So I shouldn't open the beak should I?
And fear of adding too many
delicate touches is spreading.
I'm making a dove, it's gonna have wings
and obviously in the raku you're putting a lot of shock
from hot to cold so you want to be careful
that it's not too thin.
And my danger is I tend to make things too thin.
Flea's dove will feed a chick in a nest
and have two delicate wings and tail feathers
all made even more vulnerable in a bid to add texture.
I want it to have that slightly stained glass effect.
Seeing as a dove's such a spiritual thing
I think it ties in quite well.
Despite being one prawn short of a chess set last week
this week, Leonard's returning to the water.
I think the judges want some flamboyancy from me
so here we go.
Leonard needs to carefully carve scales
into his slab-built clown triggerfish.
It's yet another sea creature
that he's seen deep sea diving.
So, this is definitely more caricature, more abstract.
Hopefully it works.
And did you know that all fish are called Bob?
Bob.
Potters, you've got one hour left.
Eek.
The potters must now use every remaining minute
to refine the finish on their sculptures.
Maybe I should put it like its hands
are holding out to hug you?
Ready for the drying room and their first firing.
I'm trying to make my baby look like a baby
but he's still looking a bit ferocious.
You've got the baby duck
this is "Mummy, mummy, please!"
And then mummy says "No!"
But while some pairs are coming together...
Oh no. Ah, no.
Charlie the fox's thin legs are falling apart.
Because the clay is so wet it fell over.
I'm having to change the shape.
And change could be catching.
Kit's two-dimensional rabbits
are now in two pieces.
Already falling off. Just gonna stick it back.
But Rosalind's damaging her figurines on purpose.
Let's have your head off.
It's the moment of truth for her paper trick.
That's it.
Working the detail in
to getting the muscle lines and shaping it a bit better.
I'm gonna leave it to dry I think
'cause it's getting a little bit risky touching it.
Rainna, I've got a crack. RAINNA: Oh mate.
Just go over it, score it like that
but don't wet it too much
otherwise that'll crack even more.
Ah f...
This bloody new leg is falling off.
Gonna have a breakdown in a minute.
Potters, you've got five minutes left
everything needs to be in the drying room.
So that's going there, that's going there.
Finally got the hairs.
They're all basically coming to a head now.
Feel like I'm making mistakes but I don't know if I am.
I think I'm fine.
I know some of you are leaving it really close
but don't overdo it, just get them in the drying room.
Get them in the drying room.
Think I'm done.
I don't wanna do anything more and risk
you know, it falling apart.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six
Five, four
This is where it dries too quickly and it cracks.
I know, I'm really worried about that.
One! Time's up!
Well done, potters. We've got a zoo.
My main concern's is with the big elephant.
There was a few cracks before it went in the drying room
so I just hope those don't open up into serious cracks.
Mummy's a bit, er, bottom heavy.
Maybe that's allowed for a mummy? They got personalities.
So far I think that's my strongest piece
that I've done for all the challenges.
Ready for raku, yeah, baby!
For the second challenge of raku week
we've unearthed another Japanese ceramic technique
and the potters have no idea what, or who to expect.
A spot test using a Japanese technique called nerikomi.
To judge your work and to demonstrate what you have to do
please welcome to the pottery
international award-winning nerikomi artist
Dorothy Feibleman.
Hi, Dorothy. -Hi, how are you?
I'm very well, thank you.
For 50 years
Dorothy Feibleman has been regarded
as one of the world's most experimental porcelain artists.
Her incredible nerikomi work isn't painted or glazed.
The beautiful translucent patterns you can see here
are painstakingly created by layering and slicing
different colored porcelain clays.
Her bowls are not only incredibly valuable
but can be seen in galleries and museums all over the world.
I'll show you first off
something that I've done.
You see the pattern is on the inside and the outside.
I'm gonna do something very simplified here.
Everything is either stripes
which is made from slabs, or coils.
I've rolled like a little sunshine.
I've put together a whole bunch of these.
It's like making Brighton rock.
I kind of call these pizza slices.
Start like book matching.
Oh I see, so it's like wallpaper really?
So you get that continuous pattern all the way through?
Yeah. I'm gonna lay out a pizza.
I'll make the whole thing flat
and I'll then put it on the mold.
Use as much water as you can because
it dries out fairly quickly.
Look at that. MEL: Stunning.
Because it's a structural item
the images don't go away.
They're in there, all the way through.
I want you to make something which is original
that has good impact, good color
so that I can see what kind of skill you have.
Would you like to go back to your benches, get ready?
You've got two hours. Good luck, your time starts now.
Dorothy gave everyone identical equipment
and exactly the same amount of colored porcelain clay.
This is insane this challenge.
I don't even know where to start.
Guess it's just a, bring out something creative right?
How hard can it be? Right?
What a blessing to see that lady close to
you know, with those exquisite pieces she makes.
So I've had a brilliant afternoon just seeing her work.
And then to try my hand at it, it's great fun.
Terrified me the thought of how you
get your head around it.
For Leonard there's even more reason
to be fearful.
I've got a little bit to prove.
So I was last in last week's second challenge
so I have an idea.
So I'm getting layered up and then I can
start cutting shapes out of it.
And he's not the only one with a definite plan.
I'm hoping this is gonna come out
like that little sunshine thing she had at the table earlier
where it's like a circle with these
little like lines coming out.
Oh no, it ain't. I've gone it the wrong way.
Should've done it that way.
Most of the potters are following
Dorothy's painstaking layering and cutting technique.
I'm gonna give myself a sort of
array of things to choose from and then see if
I can cobble something together.
Trying to make rock.
Put my name through the middle that'd be cool wouldn't it?
Tuna steaks.
But one potter's invented
their own version of nerikomi.
I've just always seen plaits
looking very nice whenever they're crisscrossed
and I'm going to do four plaits
in the centerpiece down the sides.
Kit's adopting a more straightforward approach.
I'm gonna go blue and white, bit of her isn't it?
She'll relate to it.
I shouldn't have done so many layers.
I've started without really thinking.
I don't know if this is right.
I'm just mashing up loads of clay together
and see what pattern comes out.
Potters, you've got 40 minutes left.
Yikes.
Um. That hasn't worked at all.
How does she even make them?
Even if the potters are happy
with their layering and slicing
Look, I made a nice straight one.
Nerikomi is about to get even trickier.
With time running out, they need to begin piecing together
the cut slices to form their final design.
I've got something.
My plan to sort of get a few different patterns
before I put anything together was a good idea.
I'm gonna go for another little mixture of squares.
Whilst Rainna's design is constantly evolving
I know it's like practically non-existent at the minute.
Claire is persevering with her
time consuming plaits.
This is probably the most difficult thing we've done
so far, well for me anyway.
Some people are nearly finished.
I love the combination of the blue and the pink and the
actually I like pink a lot so I'm gonna wear pink
next time I think.
I don't think I have quite enough to go around
so I'm just trying to think about another pattern
to maybe wedge in between.
Until you assemble it you can keep adding
and seeing where bits can fit in.
There's something happening.
I don't know if it's detailed enough.
They want defined layers and then it just smears.
That looks like tie-dye.
Tie-dye. It is like working in the '60s isn't it?
So hard. Rosalind, I think's nearly finished.
I've got a nice pattern on the inside
but I need to get the outside looking as good.
It's lovely inside. Praise the Lord.
As Rosalind counts her blessings
everyone else is yet to get their
incredibly fragile patterned porcelain onto their molds.
This is insane.
And although this latest nerikomi hurdle is hard enough
Ooh.
Rainna has found a way to make it even trickier.
I'm gonna do something weird with it.
She's painting black slip onto her mold
that will mark the inside of her bowl.
This is like a mad process.
But I quite like it.
And she's not the only one improvising.
Oh shit...
Cut and smush at this point and then just
roll it round so it's big enough.
He has to patch together offcuts to make it fit.
I'm just cutting and sticking.
Does that look like a circle?
Looks like a magical rainbow right now.
It's gonna look pretty.
Potters, you've got 10 minutes left.
Just to remind you obviously your bowls have gotta be
off the molds and they need to be up here at the front.
LEONARD Earlier on it looked as though it's smudging
and then I discovered what Dorothy said
about it having a grain.
Where I've cleaned it now is showing the definition
of all the individual layers.
I just wanted to make sure that there was patterns
and try and get as much in as possible
rather than just go something that looks a bit messy.
This is diabolical.
Like nothing happened.
Okay, potters, that is one minute to go.
So your bowls have to be up here.
Fucking hell.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six
five, four, three, two, one.
Rainna! RAINNA: Zero. MEL: Come on.
Yeah, you didn't say zero. MEL: There you go, time up.
Oh my goodness me.
That was fun right?
Oh.
Oh, that was brutal!
Hello.
Hi. -Welcome back.
Dorothy is looking for finely laminated colored porcelain
that produces an intricately patterned clay
that's been carefully shaped into a delicate bowl.
I think overall they did very well for a first try.
And she'll now rank them
from the least successful to the best.
Let's see.
Okay. Well, this one unfortunately is 10th place
because coils were twisted and not cut.
Here's number nine.
It's just an overall wallpaper kind of thing.
I don't see any definite patterns.
This one's 8th place.
What's the black line all about?
I was just experimenting.
It looks like you had fun.
Oh I did.
Dorothy awarded
Ronaldo 7th place
Rosa was 6th and Flea came in 5th place.
Here we are, number four.
You actually thought out putting the patterns together.
Hmm, and you got to grips with it early on
because you started making that pattern
and made definite decisions about the order
of your colors didn't you?
He's really understood the technique hasn't he?
Yeah, I think he did.
This one is number three.
Your overall pattern is thought out.
The impact is good on it.
Thank you.
So will our nerikomi champion
be Matt or Leonard?
Here is 2nd place. I actually quite like this one.
Well done.
It has really good impact.
I'm liking the pattern. I think it's great.
Very strong.
Do you know what it reminds me of?
You remember Doctor Who, the start of Doctor Who?
Yeah, it is a bit like that. It is.
And this is the TARDIS
'cause time disappears in here.
That's it, yeah yeah.
So our winner is Matt.
You did quite well.
And you tried to make a composition
a lot of variation in there.
And here you made a few more patterns
you actually were a bit more experimental with
how many different kinds of images do you use together
and you thought about how you put it together.
So Matt is our nerikomi ninja! Whoo!
I don't really know what I was doing.
I just got it in my head that I just need to do things.
It worked out alright. I'm buzzing.
I am feeling elated.
It felt so nice in the hand
and the process was really quite pleasing.
Nerikomi, I'm not ever gonna do it again I don't think.
Made a whoopsie.
The potters are back
and after a 24-hour bisque fire
their animal figurines are ready for decorating.
But, until they remove the hessian
they've no idea whether their pottery pets have survived.
I've been dreaming about pulling back the hessian
and my fox not have survived the biscuit firing
so, it's just a bit worrying but, just have to see.
Legs were a bit of a worry.
Hoping for a running rabbit not a limping rabbit.
When it comes to decorating my fish
I am a little bit of a fish out of water.
Hopefully it'll all be swimmingly good.
Morning, potters.
Now your animal figurines are hidden under the hessian.
Let's hope they survived the firing.
Over here we've got a selection of glazes
for you to add color to your sculptures.
You've got two and a half hours to decorate.
Your time starts now.
Oh.
Oh, thank God.
All the appendages are stuck on and definitely no cracks.
There's no cracks, the pieces didn't explode.
So I'm really happy about that.
How did it go? KIT: Just one leg fell off.
It's a nice clean break KIT: Yeah.
How's yours, Matt? MATT: Couple of cracks.
Yeah me too.
The wings have stayed on amazingly.
Before they apply their decorative glazes
the potters need to prepare their pieces.
Claire's taking extra care to ensure her elephants
can stand up straight on all fours.
So I'm just sanding the little rough bits off his feet.
Just, oh! Oh no!
I just broke his tail. Oh no!
Aw.
Having already lost one of his rabbit legs
Kit's come up with a plan to avoid any more breakages.
I've made something to go in the kiln so they stand up
Oh, okay.
And then I can grab them easily.
Just go easy with it because obviously
there's a lot of appendages here.
You don't wanna get the tongs in the wrong place.
Yeah. -And break anything else off.
It'll be brilliant.
You'll see me next week.
Along with the usual variety of under glazes
they can also use two classic raku glazes.
A metallic turquoise copper glaze
and a white glaze which will create
a signature raku cracked effect once fired.
My arm's hurting now.
However, to get black into their pieces
the clay must be left exposed.
The whole body will just be then white
just with the spider web on the wings and the tail.
But if they don't brush the bare clay with wax
the other glazes will leak across ruining their designs.
Where you can see this wax resist is just staining
that's where the black's going to be.
So first I'm doing the wax resist
so I want the face to remain black
and also the palms as well.
Right, I think that's gonna be black, black, white.
Let's do it.
Rocking and rolling. Penguin's happy.
Things aren't so black and white
for Matt's geometric penguins.
I'm gonna use the white crackle glaze on the bellies.
For the beak I'm gonna use the sort of copper-based glaze
but if I don't get a reduction in the raku
then the copper-based glaze will come out turquoise color.
But you don't see many penguins with turquoise beaks.
Rosalind's also hoping her animals
will blend into their snowy surroundings.
I want them to be like a white Arctic fox.
I love that black and white crackle glaze
so I wanna get some definition by having black
contrasting with the white crackle.
In the battle of the foxes
Jacob's hoping his glazes will capture
the colors of Charlie the urban fox.
I'm using the turquoise glaze for the back.
He's got some great colors on him
the oranges and the whites and the blacks.
Hope to achieve them through the raku.
The big risk is that they'll be blue foxes.
I am going to do the tusks and all the toes
with the white crackle and then I'm gonna do the rest
with this, um, manganese and iron wash.
So hopefully it'll keep the darker tones.
Though it'd be funny if mine come out solid purple.
While Claire's hoping for a naturalistic look
Rosa's going for an abstract finish for her ducks.
I have used a turquoise glaze on the beak
and on the feet I have put copper oxide
and they should look like oil in water.
Ronaldo's also taking an artistic license
with his monkeys.
So I'm gonna use copper then dip it in white.
I'm hoping to get a soft green coming through the white.
It doesn't always come out exactly how you expect.
It's risky.
Hoping to have the most colorful creatures of all
is Leonard.
I'm going to be using under glaze colors
and a clear glaze.
I just don't know what is going to happen to my colors.
Fingers crossed.
You've got one hour to go.
Oh!
I need to stop fiddling.
I want quite sharp lines.
But the color of the glazes
are not the only cause for concern.
I don't really know if it's good to have
a thick layer of glaze or not a thick layer.
Once they've applied the wax-resistant under glazes
they must dip their pieces in the white crackle glaze.
Are you double dipping?
I always double dip.
Not enough glaze will have little effect.
There we go. JACOB: If it's too thin then
it won't be getting that nice crackle.
Too much glaze and they could lose
the fine detail of their animals during firing.
Can I ask you one question?
On the dove do you think I need to double dip?
What's worse? Too thick or too thin?
- Too thick. -Probably too thick.
It could be a disaster.
Ooh. And is one dip enough?
Um. Maybe.
Oh gosh. -Dip again.
I thought you'd done this before?
I know but new glazes isn't it?
No problem. MEL: Bosh.
So you've finished?
Yeah, I have. SUE: And you're fiddling?
Yeah.
It's very minimal isn't it? MATT: It is.
Okay, I hope it works.
It looks like Mr Fox, you know from the book.
Yeah, Fantastic Mr. Fox.
I'm worried though. It's turquoise glaze.
Oh, mine is turquoise glaze. JACOB: Is it, yeah?
What you trying to get blues or?
- I just want to get anything. -Nice.
Potters, you've got one minute left
and your animals need to be on your bats
and in the drying room.
I've done all that I can do.
Carefully does it, Claire.
Well done, Kit.
Oh, he's so clumsy.
Are you okay? KIT: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Oh, and breathe.
It's just the kiln shops falling, no damage is done.
I have been tested with this challenge
but I think the stand and everything it should be fine.
So far so good but
it's gotta go through the most volatile process.
You can get a bit wary of the intense heat
so I'm gonna get my hair out the way
because I don't want that catching fire.
You're quackers you are.
Apparently it's forecast to rain tomorrow
but a bit of rain never hurt anyone.
Oh, bit of rain would hurt something, the fire.
24 hours later
the heavens have opened in Stoke.
But due to the extreme heat of the raku kilns
Rich has still had to set up outside.
It's pouring down but we're not made of sugar.
We've got pots to fire.
I haven't done it before at all.
Apparently you get it out when the pot looks really shiny.
But how do I know it's shiny or not?
If everything stays dry and my rabbits get nicely cooked
it's gonna be a good day.
During the volatile raku process
the potters' animal sculptures will be fired
in temperatures reaching over 1,000 degrees centigrade.
Once their animals are red hot
the potters will need to smoke them in bins
full of highly flammable combustibles
to create unique effects on their glazes.
And I'm hoping that the smoke from the seaweed
will get into the body of my fish
and make it really enhanced.
Might be a bit smelly.
I've picked up some feathers
from the chickens and ducks at home.
Maybe they're good luck?
Let's go.
First into the raku kiln
with his clown triggerfish is Leonard.
Good luck.
I'm very excited about what's gonna happen
with my fish in there.
Okay, happy with that? LEONARD: Yeah, it's great.
It feels really exciting, can't wait to see what happens.
Let's go for it.
For Matt's penguins Flea's doves
and Leonard's fish it's now a case of waiting.
Sounds aggressive.
I haven't heard any crackling noises
coming out the kiln so, fingers crossed.
What temperature am I? RICH: You are at 938.
I might have a look.
Yeah. Just tilt that. That's it.
I'm gonna leave it a bit longer.
This is where I get really nervous.
But as the temperatures in the kiln rise
the potters have the crucial decision
as to when to take their animals out.
991. FLEA: Take it out.
Right I'm gonna stand back a bit.
Oh my God, it's hot.
You got this girl. -Ooh. It's so hot.
Oh my God. Got it? RICH: That's it, nice and easy.
Don't drop 'em. Beautiful.
Rainna, will you put loads of sawdust on it?
Amazing. And then done.
Thank you, Rainna.
You ready?
Yeah.
Oh, she's a-glowing.
One thousand. Right, okay.
Whoa.
Come on, fishy.
Nice, Leonard.
Yay.
Nice.
Okay, let's do this.
There you go.
Perfect.
My little egg's rolling!
- Look at those little monkeys. -Yeah, they look nice and cute
but they're about to be sent to hell, man.
Come on, ducks. You can do it.
Pray to the kiln gods.
I'm putting this little stand in to hold the rabbits
so they're fired upright.
Oh no. KIT: Oh, its legs.
Two of its legs fell off.
I think I'll just fire them like that.
Are they glazed all the way round?
Yeah, that's not gonna work is it?
So if I lie them on the side
they're gonna stick to the kiln shelf.
Yeah. KIT: Maybe just try
stand them up again.
Oh, its ears.
Oh fuck. It's gonna be in bits.
It's raining, it's pouring
the raku kilns are still roaring.
I have a lot of bits fallen off but they're in there.
Whilst Kit's legless rabbits
are finally being fired
All you can do is all you can do.
Ceramics, innit?
Ceramics, innit?
He's waiting for his little penguin friend to come out.
It's the moment of truth
for the rest of the potters.
You're at 1,012, we need to go.
I dunno how I'm gonna grab you.
Do you want these tongs? RAINNA: Try them ones.Thank you.
Oh, careful, Jacob.
- It's fine, it's fine. -ROSA: Ooh.
Well done. MEL: Well done, Jacob, whoo!
I think maybe a little bit longer.
Okay. ROSA: I don't know. Help!
I want it to crackle a bit.
I can hear it. -Can you hear it, good.
Are we gonna go now? MEL: I am so nervous for you.
- I am too. My legs are shaking.
-God, I'm taking on your energy.
You got this. Let's go.
The baby's coming out.
Come on here, you legs.
Shut it in? KIT: Yeah.
That's it!
I didn't drop it.
MEL: Oh, you're done. RONALDO: Whoo.
That was a bit of a hard one weren't it?
I'm not sure I could do it again.
I think I might have a heart attack.
Might as well just throw that in the canal.
Having smoked their animals
in combustible materials their sculptures
need to be cooled and cleaned.
But plunging is a risky business.
Plunge too soon and the thermal shock
could result in their pieces exploding
cracking or bits breaking off.
So I'm just plunging.
Putting them into there was definitely frightening.
It's just broken.
There's a crack running right the way through it.
Oh no! -Oh gosh, look. I lost the head.
This is looking really lovely I'm really pleased with that.
Everything's in sh- Oh!
I just knocked the wing off. I spoke too soon.
Mini quench.
Just gotta clean her up bit more.
And we're good to go for judging.
Because the raku firing process is so intensive
Keith and Sue have allowed the potters
to fix any breakages before judging.
Jacob, would you like to bring your
animals up for judging please?
I love the detail round the nose that you've got.
- Thank you. -And I love the way
the crackle has worked on the inside of the ears.
You've got lots of detail in those feet
and actually there is something quite sinister about them.
It's not a fluffy cute animal
It's a wild animal and you've showed that.
And it's the kind of pose that you would expect
a cub to be in, resting and nuzzling
into the back like that.
Really lovely, Jacob. Very well considered.
It's great.
You know what I really like about these
is you've managed to bulk up the surface
to make it look like thick fur.
There's actually a crack there is that where your build is?
That's where they were cut. Yeah, you can see.
My concern is that I don't know how they
sit well as a family because when you sit them side by side
they've become a little bit too stiff.
I was thinking royal corgis.
Oh.
Keith had asked you for flamboyance
and I think you've delivered it. And I love this textural quality
that you've got under the back of the fish too.
You've worked very hard with these.
And you've really captured not only the essence of raku
but the essence of the animal as well.
Thank you.
For me, out of the two I really like this.
I love the reaction
that the glaze has taken on.
And as a piece it's quite expressive.
I just find the bird a bit stiff.
You've worked hard to get that texture on.
But it's almost like they're two different pieces.
You know you have got the simplicity of the head
which works really well with the raku
but together it feels like it's just too much.
You've managed to get a really lovely texture on the
- surface of the monkey here. -That is quite
extraordinary actually.
But there's something not quite right.
It's not figurative enough and it's not abstract enough.
It's kind of a halfway house
which I find a little bit difficult.
They're the kind of objects that you could pick up
turn over and then turn over again
and see something completely different.
They're like jewels.
What I really love about this
is that there's a fantastic relationship
between the baby and the adult.
I think also you've really captured the essence of the duck
which is exactly what we were looking for.
Well done. -Thank you.
You're the only person
that has constructed your two animals on four feet.
That's quite a risky but admirable thing to do.
But just the detailing of the skin
and the creasing in the ears
it's just what we expect to see
when we see an elephant in, in front of us isn't it?
Obviously if the tail hadn't have come off
they would have connected there.
But I don't think it really detracts from the main form
or the structure of the two animals together.
Okay, Kit, would you like to bring your rabbits up?
And please be careful.
I must say that I'm quite impressed
because they were in pieces before they went in the kiln.
Yeah. SUE: Those stripes really worked
in the raku firing.
There's not enough sculptural elements to this piece for me.
I wanted you to work into the clay a little bit more.
The stand works in your favor
because the actual rabbits themselves
are a bit two-dimensional.
Yeah.
Just remind us how this happened?
Uh, with the tongs.
I think there was already a bit of a weak point there.
There's some really subtle qualities to this.
That mottling here and there's a very slight
speckling to the surface.
It's incredibly stylized.
But it does resemble a penguin
because of the way you've cut it
really does it lend itself to the penguin form.
Well done.
What I love about these, Rainna
you could tell this was a penguin from 100 feet away.
I see you at the bench
you're loud, you're wonderful
and you never stop bloody talking.
Quiet today though!
And it's fantastic to see you
really excel in this challenge.
And what I really like is the randomness
of these crackles on the belly.
It adds to the whole piece and you've got
a really nice relationship with the small bird
looking at the adult.
Yeah, well captured.
The potters can do no more.
The judges now have the tough decision
of whose animals should get first prize.
Keith had a little tear for me work. So good.
I'm absolutely delighted with those comments.
Second challenge didn't go too well for me
so I'm hoping today kind of saved me.
They picked up on the conflicting styles.
Hopefully the baby bird will shift things my way.
Let's hope.
I think I'm down there with the bottom people
but if I get through I'll, I'll be grateful
and just keep on, keep on doing what I'm doing, but better.
Keith said that they looked like corgis.
That was really devastating.
So I don't know where I stand really
with a comment like that.
Okay, potters. First the good news.
This week's Potter of the Week is
Rainna.
- Lovely. -Well done, Rainna.
Well done.
Thank you.
Okay, now it's time for the sad bit.
The person leaving the pottery this week is
Kit.
So sorry, Kit. -It's all good.
You've done brilliantly.
Yeah.
I hoped it might have been enough but
there were problem areas.
I'm absolutely gutted.
This particular challenge just really wasn't for him.
He was really out of his comfort zone.
All the way through the challenge
you could just see it on his face.
Oh, this is getting brutal.
I'm only 19 I've got a long road of pottery ahead.
I wish it could've gone on a tiny bit longer.
It's a shame for Kit. It's not nice.
It's really not nice, I don't like it.
Rainna's winning penguin sculptures
will now take their place in our Throw Down Gallery.
I've got Potter of the Week
on something that I absolutely love.
Raku, it's like my favorite thing.
Mum'll be like, "Oh I'm so proud of her!"
I'll be like, "Momma that's you, you're the momma penguin."
It's raku week.
Now I've been told that I can bring an animal to work today
so I've brought Stella and Penny.
Come on, girls, come on.
I hope they weren't kidding.
Now...
Oh my god it's hot. Whoa!
Our remaining ten must attempt to survive
- pottery's fastest -Sounds aggressive.
Hottest -RICH: We're at 1,000 here.
And most dangerous process.
Don't drop 'em.
The volatile and potentially explosive
- I am so nervous for you now. -I am too.
Japanese art of Raku.
1,012 we need to go.
Oh my god.
Help.
So it's Week three today.
It's the raku week, uh, I can't say that.
Tshh, getting it out, getting it into the sawdust
flames happening everywhere.
Drama. It's gonna be brilliant!
It's all about the alchemy.
I think you probably feel a bit like a wizard.
Ra, ray, raku.
I enjoy raku. I'll just see how it goes.
Hopefully impress Keith.
I'm just going to say we are going to do raku queue.
Morning potters. Welcome to raku week.
For your first challenge, Sue and Keith would like you
to sculpt two animal figurines, one adult and one baby.
This is sculpture so I really want to see
those characteristics of the animals captured in the clay.
You've got four hours and your time starts now.
Sculpting is not my thing. I don't do sculpting at all.
Hand-building's the complete opposite of what I do
but it's working with clay.
Just because I'm not a sculptor doesn't mean I can't sculpt.
I'm great. I'm in my zone.
It's a sculptural challenge and actually
it's gonna really test them.
Whether they decide to go on a very literal route
or on a very abstract route it needs to capture
what that animal actually is.
- That looks real, doesn't it? -KEITH: Yeah.
The person who's made this has obviously
thought of the texture of the clay and how that
lends itself to looking like a baby rhino.
Yeah, it's very credible isn't it?
They've got all the proportions right as well.
And that's why it looks so realistic.
They've also got to make an adult and a baby one.
They've got to sit together as a family unit.
Will there be an expressive relationship
between the young one and the older one?
Yeah, one interesting thing here
is that little puffin look, and the fish.
Can you see how fragile they are?
Those extremities with the tails
in raku, if you get that too thin-
Boom. - Brilliant.
The potters are free
to hand-build using any method they wish.
I could do it with a rolling pin but
as the machine's here...
Either using flat slabs of clay
to form the bodies of their animals
Beating the body shapes into it.
Punching the clay, yeah.
Or constructing them
Jigga, jigga, jigga, jigga.
With coils.
Hand-rolling the coils for my penguin, two penguins.
They're family orientated and they like
look after each other and also I'm quite family orientated.
Rainna is a full-time carer to her mum Trellina.
She'll attempt to capture their relationship
in a pair of coil-formed Emperor penguins.
I saw it on a picture and I was like
"Aw, how sweet is that?"
And I was like "It's gotta be it."
Gotta do the penguins, ain't I?
In raku week
coil-built penguins won't be an endangered species.
They're my mum's favorite animal. MEL: Aw!
And my mum actually has a set in her bathroom.
Rather than attempt realism
Matt plans to flatten areas of his coiled forms
to produce a set of geometric penguins.
Does it look anything like your mum's set?
Oh no, it's nothing like it. just inspired by it, yeah.
Will she get that as a gift when it's finished?
Maybe, it depends how nice it is.
What, you'll have it if it's nice?
Oh yeah, if it's nice it'll stay in my house.
Matt and Rainna aren't the only ones
that have been inspired by mum.
My mum's always been a bit obsessed with elephants.
I sort of see the relationship of two elephants
kind of like my mum and me you
know we're really, really close.
Claire will celebrate the mother-daughter bond
with two slab-built Asian elephants.
So this is gonna be the body.
I'm trying to make kind of it in half
so I can join the two halves together.
Whether constructing
the basic bodies of their animals with slabs or coils
I'm just gonna coil it up and up and up and up.
The potters face a constant battle
It's quite wet this clay.
Whilst it needs to be soft enough to sculpt
I need to dry my clay out.
They have to continuously dry
finished sections to hold the form once shaped.
Just almost set that on fire.
Otherwise they'll collapse.
Scared.
But Rosalind thinks she's found a solution.
It's just literally a ball of paper
just to stop the clay collapsing on you.
When it's finished I cut it in half
and remove the paper form that I've made inside.
Rosalind will have to risk decapitating
a mother and cub and then reassemble them
for a raku firing that she hopes will turn them
into a pair of black and white arctic foxes.
- Morning, Rosalind. -Oh, good morning.
Morning. -MEL: Gosh, you're doing well!
So you're making a duck? Fantastic.
Have you done any raku before?
Yes. I built my own kiln in the garden
with a galvanized wire dog cage.
And I built it so that I could fire a big pig like this size.
- A big? -Big pig.
In raku.
You amaze me, Rosalind.
You really do. Gosh!
She's a bit of a dark horse isn't she?
Unbelievable! So impressed.
But despite her speed and raku experience
there's a chance that Rosalind could be outfoxed.
Trying to capture like the urban sort of fox.
No, there's no copying going on.
We just both love foxes.
My friend actually fostered a fox.
It was great seeing it from a cub
and then grow into a young male.
He's called Charlie, Charlie the fox.
Charlie will be displayed
as both fostered young cub and fully-grown urban fox
stood up proudly on his front legs.
I've rolled out a slab into a cylinder
and then I'm working out from the inside out
pushing out the ribs before I start attaching the limbs on.
Attaching limbs to clay sculptures is risky.
I'm gonna have to rely quite heavily
on the heat gun to get this to stand up
because it's a big animal, it's quite heavy.
They'll have to be thick and strong enough
to bear the weight of the clay in the main body.
They're thinner than normal legs
but foxy legs are quite slender.
I think if I'm careful, I'll get away with it.
And every new join in their sculpture
massively increases the risk of cracking
or explosion in the violent raku firing.
Tell us about the legs 'cause at
the minute you have about eight.
Are they gonna have eight legs?
They might have eight legs.
So is it like a camera shot
as if the legs are moving so fast
or am I just giving you ideas?
You're just giving me ideas. Keep on talking.
Kit's original idea was to cut out
two rabbit silhouettes and use a raku-fired stand and wires
to create the illusion of them leaping through the air.
So they look very two-dimensional
when sculpture's all about the three dimensions.
Yeah, I'm not a sculptor so I couldn't compete
with what's going on so I just thought geometric
and my zodiac sign is a rabbit as well, so.
Oh, okay.
Whilst Kit's hoping his raku stars will align
Ronaldo's taking no chances.
I'm just trying to make the thigh hollow
so the air circulates through.
If it doesn't dry enough, it could explode.
Ronaldo will have to attach legs and arms
to a pair of green monkeys that he's based on the ones
he used to see on his dad's farm
whilst growing up in Barbados.
How are you gonna incorporate the baby monkey?
The monkey's gonna have a
banana and he's giving the baby one
and at the same time he's gonna have his hand out
like if he's trying to ask for more.
So the Oliver of monkeys, really?
Exactly.
The potters have two hours left
to sculpt their animal figurines.
Got most of the shape done, kinda looks all right.
It's like they do that don't they?
Before Matts geometric penguins can take shape
he's going to have to get a bit physical.
I've got a paddle, um
it is an actual piece of pottery equipment
so don't, don't let your imaginations run away with it.
Once it's firmed up then you can start to
tap in the flat edges. I bought it.
It hasn't been lying around in my house shall we say?
But Matt's not the only one
having to get heavy-handed.
Try not to push too hard. Don't want it to sit down.
Legs are still a bit on the soft side
so I'm trying to support it.
I'm just trying to wedge him up 'cause he's still wet.
I'm just trying to use props without damaging his structure.
But while some wrestle with their animals
Rosa is pinning her raku hopes on a lighter touch.
I quite like to give my pieces
a little bit of personality.
I'm not saying I can do it but you can always try can't you?
She's hoping to finesse character
into a slab-built duck and duckling
based on her favorite family pets.
I've got ducks at home.
We got Ducky, a pet duck that we hatched ourself.
So this is our duck when he was little.
I really wanna open the beak
but if I open the beak it's more chance to break.
So I shouldn't open the beak should I?
And fear of adding too many
delicate touches is spreading.
I'm making a dove, it's gonna have wings
and obviously in the raku you're putting a lot of shock
from hot to cold so you want to be careful
that it's not too thin.
And my danger is I tend to make things too thin.
Flea's dove will feed a chick in a nest
and have two delicate wings and tail feathers
all made even more vulnerable in a bid to add texture.
I want it to have that slightly stained glass effect.
Seeing as a dove's such a spiritual thing
I think it ties in quite well.
Despite being one prawn short of a chess set last week
this week, Leonard's returning to the water.
I think the judges want some flamboyancy from me
so here we go.
Leonard needs to carefully carve scales
into his slab-built clown triggerfish.
It's yet another sea creature
that he's seen deep sea diving.
So, this is definitely more caricature, more abstract.
Hopefully it works.
And did you know that all fish are called Bob?
Bob.
Potters, you've got one hour left.
Eek.
The potters must now use every remaining minute
to refine the finish on their sculptures.
Maybe I should put it like its hands
are holding out to hug you?
Ready for the drying room and their first firing.
I'm trying to make my baby look like a baby
but he's still looking a bit ferocious.
You've got the baby duck
this is "Mummy, mummy, please!"
And then mummy says "No!"
But while some pairs are coming together...
Oh no. Ah, no.
Charlie the fox's thin legs are falling apart.
Because the clay is so wet it fell over.
I'm having to change the shape.
And change could be catching.
Kit's two-dimensional rabbits
are now in two pieces.
Already falling off. Just gonna stick it back.
But Rosalind's damaging her figurines on purpose.
Let's have your head off.
It's the moment of truth for her paper trick.
That's it.
Working the detail in
to getting the muscle lines and shaping it a bit better.
I'm gonna leave it to dry I think
'cause it's getting a little bit risky touching it.
Rainna, I've got a crack. RAINNA: Oh mate.
Just go over it, score it like that
but don't wet it too much
otherwise that'll crack even more.
Ah f...
This bloody new leg is falling off.
Gonna have a breakdown in a minute.
Potters, you've got five minutes left
everything needs to be in the drying room.
So that's going there, that's going there.
Finally got the hairs.
They're all basically coming to a head now.
Feel like I'm making mistakes but I don't know if I am.
I think I'm fine.
I know some of you are leaving it really close
but don't overdo it, just get them in the drying room.
Get them in the drying room.
Think I'm done.
I don't wanna do anything more and risk
you know, it falling apart.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six
Five, four
This is where it dries too quickly and it cracks.
I know, I'm really worried about that.
One! Time's up!
Well done, potters. We've got a zoo.
My main concern's is with the big elephant.
There was a few cracks before it went in the drying room
so I just hope those don't open up into serious cracks.
Mummy's a bit, er, bottom heavy.
Maybe that's allowed for a mummy? They got personalities.
So far I think that's my strongest piece
that I've done for all the challenges.
Ready for raku, yeah, baby!
For the second challenge of raku week
we've unearthed another Japanese ceramic technique
and the potters have no idea what, or who to expect.
A spot test using a Japanese technique called nerikomi.
To judge your work and to demonstrate what you have to do
please welcome to the pottery
international award-winning nerikomi artist
Dorothy Feibleman.
Hi, Dorothy. -Hi, how are you?
I'm very well, thank you.
For 50 years
Dorothy Feibleman has been regarded
as one of the world's most experimental porcelain artists.
Her incredible nerikomi work isn't painted or glazed.
The beautiful translucent patterns you can see here
are painstakingly created by layering and slicing
different colored porcelain clays.
Her bowls are not only incredibly valuable
but can be seen in galleries and museums all over the world.
I'll show you first off
something that I've done.
You see the pattern is on the inside and the outside.
I'm gonna do something very simplified here.
Everything is either stripes
which is made from slabs, or coils.
I've rolled like a little sunshine.
I've put together a whole bunch of these.
It's like making Brighton rock.
I kind of call these pizza slices.
Start like book matching.
Oh I see, so it's like wallpaper really?
So you get that continuous pattern all the way through?
Yeah. I'm gonna lay out a pizza.
I'll make the whole thing flat
and I'll then put it on the mold.
Use as much water as you can because
it dries out fairly quickly.
Look at that. MEL: Stunning.
Because it's a structural item
the images don't go away.
They're in there, all the way through.
I want you to make something which is original
that has good impact, good color
so that I can see what kind of skill you have.
Would you like to go back to your benches, get ready?
You've got two hours. Good luck, your time starts now.
Dorothy gave everyone identical equipment
and exactly the same amount of colored porcelain clay.
This is insane this challenge.
I don't even know where to start.
Guess it's just a, bring out something creative right?
How hard can it be? Right?
What a blessing to see that lady close to
you know, with those exquisite pieces she makes.
So I've had a brilliant afternoon just seeing her work.
And then to try my hand at it, it's great fun.
Terrified me the thought of how you
get your head around it.
For Leonard there's even more reason
to be fearful.
I've got a little bit to prove.
So I was last in last week's second challenge
so I have an idea.
So I'm getting layered up and then I can
start cutting shapes out of it.
And he's not the only one with a definite plan.
I'm hoping this is gonna come out
like that little sunshine thing she had at the table earlier
where it's like a circle with these
little like lines coming out.
Oh no, it ain't. I've gone it the wrong way.
Should've done it that way.
Most of the potters are following
Dorothy's painstaking layering and cutting technique.
I'm gonna give myself a sort of
array of things to choose from and then see if
I can cobble something together.
Trying to make rock.
Put my name through the middle that'd be cool wouldn't it?
Tuna steaks.
But one potter's invented
their own version of nerikomi.
I've just always seen plaits
looking very nice whenever they're crisscrossed
and I'm going to do four plaits
in the centerpiece down the sides.
Kit's adopting a more straightforward approach.
I'm gonna go blue and white, bit of her isn't it?
She'll relate to it.
I shouldn't have done so many layers.
I've started without really thinking.
I don't know if this is right.
I'm just mashing up loads of clay together
and see what pattern comes out.
Potters, you've got 40 minutes left.
Yikes.
Um. That hasn't worked at all.
How does she even make them?
Even if the potters are happy
with their layering and slicing
Look, I made a nice straight one.
Nerikomi is about to get even trickier.
With time running out, they need to begin piecing together
the cut slices to form their final design.
I've got something.
My plan to sort of get a few different patterns
before I put anything together was a good idea.
I'm gonna go for another little mixture of squares.
Whilst Rainna's design is constantly evolving
I know it's like practically non-existent at the minute.
Claire is persevering with her
time consuming plaits.
This is probably the most difficult thing we've done
so far, well for me anyway.
Some people are nearly finished.
I love the combination of the blue and the pink and the
actually I like pink a lot so I'm gonna wear pink
next time I think.
I don't think I have quite enough to go around
so I'm just trying to think about another pattern
to maybe wedge in between.
Until you assemble it you can keep adding
and seeing where bits can fit in.
There's something happening.
I don't know if it's detailed enough.
They want defined layers and then it just smears.
That looks like tie-dye.
Tie-dye. It is like working in the '60s isn't it?
So hard. Rosalind, I think's nearly finished.
I've got a nice pattern on the inside
but I need to get the outside looking as good.
It's lovely inside. Praise the Lord.
As Rosalind counts her blessings
everyone else is yet to get their
incredibly fragile patterned porcelain onto their molds.
This is insane.
And although this latest nerikomi hurdle is hard enough
Ooh.
Rainna has found a way to make it even trickier.
I'm gonna do something weird with it.
She's painting black slip onto her mold
that will mark the inside of her bowl.
This is like a mad process.
But I quite like it.
And she's not the only one improvising.
Oh shit...
Cut and smush at this point and then just
roll it round so it's big enough.
He has to patch together offcuts to make it fit.
I'm just cutting and sticking.
Does that look like a circle?
Looks like a magical rainbow right now.
It's gonna look pretty.
Potters, you've got 10 minutes left.
Just to remind you obviously your bowls have gotta be
off the molds and they need to be up here at the front.
LEONARD Earlier on it looked as though it's smudging
and then I discovered what Dorothy said
about it having a grain.
Where I've cleaned it now is showing the definition
of all the individual layers.
I just wanted to make sure that there was patterns
and try and get as much in as possible
rather than just go something that looks a bit messy.
This is diabolical.
Like nothing happened.
Okay, potters, that is one minute to go.
So your bowls have to be up here.
Fucking hell.
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six
five, four, three, two, one.
Rainna! RAINNA: Zero. MEL: Come on.
Yeah, you didn't say zero. MEL: There you go, time up.
Oh my goodness me.
That was fun right?
Oh.
Oh, that was brutal!
Hello.
Hi. -Welcome back.
Dorothy is looking for finely laminated colored porcelain
that produces an intricately patterned clay
that's been carefully shaped into a delicate bowl.
I think overall they did very well for a first try.
And she'll now rank them
from the least successful to the best.
Let's see.
Okay. Well, this one unfortunately is 10th place
because coils were twisted and not cut.
Here's number nine.
It's just an overall wallpaper kind of thing.
I don't see any definite patterns.
This one's 8th place.
What's the black line all about?
I was just experimenting.
It looks like you had fun.
Oh I did.
Dorothy awarded
Ronaldo 7th place
Rosa was 6th and Flea came in 5th place.
Here we are, number four.
You actually thought out putting the patterns together.
Hmm, and you got to grips with it early on
because you started making that pattern
and made definite decisions about the order
of your colors didn't you?
He's really understood the technique hasn't he?
Yeah, I think he did.
This one is number three.
Your overall pattern is thought out.
The impact is good on it.
Thank you.
So will our nerikomi champion
be Matt or Leonard?
Here is 2nd place. I actually quite like this one.
Well done.
It has really good impact.
I'm liking the pattern. I think it's great.
Very strong.
Do you know what it reminds me of?
You remember Doctor Who, the start of Doctor Who?
Yeah, it is a bit like that. It is.
And this is the TARDIS
'cause time disappears in here.
That's it, yeah yeah.
So our winner is Matt.
You did quite well.
And you tried to make a composition
a lot of variation in there.
And here you made a few more patterns
you actually were a bit more experimental with
how many different kinds of images do you use together
and you thought about how you put it together.
So Matt is our nerikomi ninja! Whoo!
I don't really know what I was doing.
I just got it in my head that I just need to do things.
It worked out alright. I'm buzzing.
I am feeling elated.
It felt so nice in the hand
and the process was really quite pleasing.
Nerikomi, I'm not ever gonna do it again I don't think.
Made a whoopsie.
The potters are back
and after a 24-hour bisque fire
their animal figurines are ready for decorating.
But, until they remove the hessian
they've no idea whether their pottery pets have survived.
I've been dreaming about pulling back the hessian
and my fox not have survived the biscuit firing
so, it's just a bit worrying but, just have to see.
Legs were a bit of a worry.
Hoping for a running rabbit not a limping rabbit.
When it comes to decorating my fish
I am a little bit of a fish out of water.
Hopefully it'll all be swimmingly good.
Morning, potters.
Now your animal figurines are hidden under the hessian.
Let's hope they survived the firing.
Over here we've got a selection of glazes
for you to add color to your sculptures.
You've got two and a half hours to decorate.
Your time starts now.
Oh.
Oh, thank God.
All the appendages are stuck on and definitely no cracks.
There's no cracks, the pieces didn't explode.
So I'm really happy about that.
How did it go? KIT: Just one leg fell off.
It's a nice clean break KIT: Yeah.
How's yours, Matt? MATT: Couple of cracks.
Yeah me too.
The wings have stayed on amazingly.
Before they apply their decorative glazes
the potters need to prepare their pieces.
Claire's taking extra care to ensure her elephants
can stand up straight on all fours.
So I'm just sanding the little rough bits off his feet.
Just, oh! Oh no!
I just broke his tail. Oh no!
Aw.
Having already lost one of his rabbit legs
Kit's come up with a plan to avoid any more breakages.
I've made something to go in the kiln so they stand up
Oh, okay.
And then I can grab them easily.
Just go easy with it because obviously
there's a lot of appendages here.
You don't wanna get the tongs in the wrong place.
Yeah. -And break anything else off.
It'll be brilliant.
You'll see me next week.
Along with the usual variety of under glazes
they can also use two classic raku glazes.
A metallic turquoise copper glaze
and a white glaze which will create
a signature raku cracked effect once fired.
My arm's hurting now.
However, to get black into their pieces
the clay must be left exposed.
The whole body will just be then white
just with the spider web on the wings and the tail.
But if they don't brush the bare clay with wax
the other glazes will leak across ruining their designs.
Where you can see this wax resist is just staining
that's where the black's going to be.
So first I'm doing the wax resist
so I want the face to remain black
and also the palms as well.
Right, I think that's gonna be black, black, white.
Let's do it.
Rocking and rolling. Penguin's happy.
Things aren't so black and white
for Matt's geometric penguins.
I'm gonna use the white crackle glaze on the bellies.
For the beak I'm gonna use the sort of copper-based glaze
but if I don't get a reduction in the raku
then the copper-based glaze will come out turquoise color.
But you don't see many penguins with turquoise beaks.
Rosalind's also hoping her animals
will blend into their snowy surroundings.
I want them to be like a white Arctic fox.
I love that black and white crackle glaze
so I wanna get some definition by having black
contrasting with the white crackle.
In the battle of the foxes
Jacob's hoping his glazes will capture
the colors of Charlie the urban fox.
I'm using the turquoise glaze for the back.
He's got some great colors on him
the oranges and the whites and the blacks.
Hope to achieve them through the raku.
The big risk is that they'll be blue foxes.
I am going to do the tusks and all the toes
with the white crackle and then I'm gonna do the rest
with this, um, manganese and iron wash.
So hopefully it'll keep the darker tones.
Though it'd be funny if mine come out solid purple.
While Claire's hoping for a naturalistic look
Rosa's going for an abstract finish for her ducks.
I have used a turquoise glaze on the beak
and on the feet I have put copper oxide
and they should look like oil in water.
Ronaldo's also taking an artistic license
with his monkeys.
So I'm gonna use copper then dip it in white.
I'm hoping to get a soft green coming through the white.
It doesn't always come out exactly how you expect.
It's risky.
Hoping to have the most colorful creatures of all
is Leonard.
I'm going to be using under glaze colors
and a clear glaze.
I just don't know what is going to happen to my colors.
Fingers crossed.
You've got one hour to go.
Oh!
I need to stop fiddling.
I want quite sharp lines.
But the color of the glazes
are not the only cause for concern.
I don't really know if it's good to have
a thick layer of glaze or not a thick layer.
Once they've applied the wax-resistant under glazes
they must dip their pieces in the white crackle glaze.
Are you double dipping?
I always double dip.
Not enough glaze will have little effect.
There we go. JACOB: If it's too thin then
it won't be getting that nice crackle.
Too much glaze and they could lose
the fine detail of their animals during firing.
Can I ask you one question?
On the dove do you think I need to double dip?
What's worse? Too thick or too thin?
- Too thick. -Probably too thick.
It could be a disaster.
Ooh. And is one dip enough?
Um. Maybe.
Oh gosh. -Dip again.
I thought you'd done this before?
I know but new glazes isn't it?
No problem. MEL: Bosh.
So you've finished?
Yeah, I have. SUE: And you're fiddling?
Yeah.
It's very minimal isn't it? MATT: It is.
Okay, I hope it works.
It looks like Mr Fox, you know from the book.
Yeah, Fantastic Mr. Fox.
I'm worried though. It's turquoise glaze.
Oh, mine is turquoise glaze. JACOB: Is it, yeah?
What you trying to get blues or?
- I just want to get anything. -Nice.
Potters, you've got one minute left
and your animals need to be on your bats
and in the drying room.
I've done all that I can do.
Carefully does it, Claire.
Well done, Kit.
Oh, he's so clumsy.
Are you okay? KIT: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Oh, and breathe.
It's just the kiln shops falling, no damage is done.
I have been tested with this challenge
but I think the stand and everything it should be fine.
So far so good but
it's gotta go through the most volatile process.
You can get a bit wary of the intense heat
so I'm gonna get my hair out the way
because I don't want that catching fire.
You're quackers you are.
Apparently it's forecast to rain tomorrow
but a bit of rain never hurt anyone.
Oh, bit of rain would hurt something, the fire.
24 hours later
the heavens have opened in Stoke.
But due to the extreme heat of the raku kilns
Rich has still had to set up outside.
It's pouring down but we're not made of sugar.
We've got pots to fire.
I haven't done it before at all.
Apparently you get it out when the pot looks really shiny.
But how do I know it's shiny or not?
If everything stays dry and my rabbits get nicely cooked
it's gonna be a good day.
During the volatile raku process
the potters' animal sculptures will be fired
in temperatures reaching over 1,000 degrees centigrade.
Once their animals are red hot
the potters will need to smoke them in bins
full of highly flammable combustibles
to create unique effects on their glazes.
And I'm hoping that the smoke from the seaweed
will get into the body of my fish
and make it really enhanced.
Might be a bit smelly.
I've picked up some feathers
from the chickens and ducks at home.
Maybe they're good luck?
Let's go.
First into the raku kiln
with his clown triggerfish is Leonard.
Good luck.
I'm very excited about what's gonna happen
with my fish in there.
Okay, happy with that? LEONARD: Yeah, it's great.
It feels really exciting, can't wait to see what happens.
Let's go for it.
For Matt's penguins Flea's doves
and Leonard's fish it's now a case of waiting.
Sounds aggressive.
I haven't heard any crackling noises
coming out the kiln so, fingers crossed.
What temperature am I? RICH: You are at 938.
I might have a look.
Yeah. Just tilt that. That's it.
I'm gonna leave it a bit longer.
This is where I get really nervous.
But as the temperatures in the kiln rise
the potters have the crucial decision
as to when to take their animals out.
991. FLEA: Take it out.
Right I'm gonna stand back a bit.
Oh my God, it's hot.
You got this girl. -Ooh. It's so hot.
Oh my God. Got it? RICH: That's it, nice and easy.
Don't drop 'em. Beautiful.
Rainna, will you put loads of sawdust on it?
Amazing. And then done.
Thank you, Rainna.
You ready?
Yeah.
Oh, she's a-glowing.
One thousand. Right, okay.
Whoa.
Come on, fishy.
Nice, Leonard.
Yay.
Nice.
Okay, let's do this.
There you go.
Perfect.
My little egg's rolling!
- Look at those little monkeys. -Yeah, they look nice and cute
but they're about to be sent to hell, man.
Come on, ducks. You can do it.
Pray to the kiln gods.
I'm putting this little stand in to hold the rabbits
so they're fired upright.
Oh no. KIT: Oh, its legs.
Two of its legs fell off.
I think I'll just fire them like that.
Are they glazed all the way round?
Yeah, that's not gonna work is it?
So if I lie them on the side
they're gonna stick to the kiln shelf.
Yeah. KIT: Maybe just try
stand them up again.
Oh, its ears.
Oh fuck. It's gonna be in bits.
It's raining, it's pouring
the raku kilns are still roaring.
I have a lot of bits fallen off but they're in there.
Whilst Kit's legless rabbits
are finally being fired
All you can do is all you can do.
Ceramics, innit?
Ceramics, innit?
He's waiting for his little penguin friend to come out.
It's the moment of truth
for the rest of the potters.
You're at 1,012, we need to go.
I dunno how I'm gonna grab you.
Do you want these tongs? RAINNA: Try them ones.Thank you.
Oh, careful, Jacob.
- It's fine, it's fine. -ROSA: Ooh.
Well done. MEL: Well done, Jacob, whoo!
I think maybe a little bit longer.
Okay. ROSA: I don't know. Help!
I want it to crackle a bit.
I can hear it. -Can you hear it, good.
Are we gonna go now? MEL: I am so nervous for you.
- I am too. My legs are shaking.
-God, I'm taking on your energy.
You got this. Let's go.
The baby's coming out.
Come on here, you legs.
Shut it in? KIT: Yeah.
That's it!
I didn't drop it.
MEL: Oh, you're done. RONALDO: Whoo.
That was a bit of a hard one weren't it?
I'm not sure I could do it again.
I think I might have a heart attack.
Might as well just throw that in the canal.
Having smoked their animals
in combustible materials their sculptures
need to be cooled and cleaned.
But plunging is a risky business.
Plunge too soon and the thermal shock
could result in their pieces exploding
cracking or bits breaking off.
So I'm just plunging.
Putting them into there was definitely frightening.
It's just broken.
There's a crack running right the way through it.
Oh no! -Oh gosh, look. I lost the head.
This is looking really lovely I'm really pleased with that.
Everything's in sh- Oh!
I just knocked the wing off. I spoke too soon.
Mini quench.
Just gotta clean her up bit more.
And we're good to go for judging.
Because the raku firing process is so intensive
Keith and Sue have allowed the potters
to fix any breakages before judging.
Jacob, would you like to bring your
animals up for judging please?
I love the detail round the nose that you've got.
- Thank you. -And I love the way
the crackle has worked on the inside of the ears.
You've got lots of detail in those feet
and actually there is something quite sinister about them.
It's not a fluffy cute animal
It's a wild animal and you've showed that.
And it's the kind of pose that you would expect
a cub to be in, resting and nuzzling
into the back like that.
Really lovely, Jacob. Very well considered.
It's great.
You know what I really like about these
is you've managed to bulk up the surface
to make it look like thick fur.
There's actually a crack there is that where your build is?
That's where they were cut. Yeah, you can see.
My concern is that I don't know how they
sit well as a family because when you sit them side by side
they've become a little bit too stiff.
I was thinking royal corgis.
Oh.
Keith had asked you for flamboyance
and I think you've delivered it. And I love this textural quality
that you've got under the back of the fish too.
You've worked very hard with these.
And you've really captured not only the essence of raku
but the essence of the animal as well.
Thank you.
For me, out of the two I really like this.
I love the reaction
that the glaze has taken on.
And as a piece it's quite expressive.
I just find the bird a bit stiff.
You've worked hard to get that texture on.
But it's almost like they're two different pieces.
You know you have got the simplicity of the head
which works really well with the raku
but together it feels like it's just too much.
You've managed to get a really lovely texture on the
- surface of the monkey here. -That is quite
extraordinary actually.
But there's something not quite right.
It's not figurative enough and it's not abstract enough.
It's kind of a halfway house
which I find a little bit difficult.
They're the kind of objects that you could pick up
turn over and then turn over again
and see something completely different.
They're like jewels.
What I really love about this
is that there's a fantastic relationship
between the baby and the adult.
I think also you've really captured the essence of the duck
which is exactly what we were looking for.
Well done. -Thank you.
You're the only person
that has constructed your two animals on four feet.
That's quite a risky but admirable thing to do.
But just the detailing of the skin
and the creasing in the ears
it's just what we expect to see
when we see an elephant in, in front of us isn't it?
Obviously if the tail hadn't have come off
they would have connected there.
But I don't think it really detracts from the main form
or the structure of the two animals together.
Okay, Kit, would you like to bring your rabbits up?
And please be careful.
I must say that I'm quite impressed
because they were in pieces before they went in the kiln.
Yeah. SUE: Those stripes really worked
in the raku firing.
There's not enough sculptural elements to this piece for me.
I wanted you to work into the clay a little bit more.
The stand works in your favor
because the actual rabbits themselves
are a bit two-dimensional.
Yeah.
Just remind us how this happened?
Uh, with the tongs.
I think there was already a bit of a weak point there.
There's some really subtle qualities to this.
That mottling here and there's a very slight
speckling to the surface.
It's incredibly stylized.
But it does resemble a penguin
because of the way you've cut it
really does it lend itself to the penguin form.
Well done.
What I love about these, Rainna
you could tell this was a penguin from 100 feet away.
I see you at the bench
you're loud, you're wonderful
and you never stop bloody talking.
Quiet today though!
And it's fantastic to see you
really excel in this challenge.
And what I really like is the randomness
of these crackles on the belly.
It adds to the whole piece and you've got
a really nice relationship with the small bird
looking at the adult.
Yeah, well captured.
The potters can do no more.
The judges now have the tough decision
of whose animals should get first prize.
Keith had a little tear for me work. So good.
I'm absolutely delighted with those comments.
Second challenge didn't go too well for me
so I'm hoping today kind of saved me.
They picked up on the conflicting styles.
Hopefully the baby bird will shift things my way.
Let's hope.
I think I'm down there with the bottom people
but if I get through I'll, I'll be grateful
and just keep on, keep on doing what I'm doing, but better.
Keith said that they looked like corgis.
That was really devastating.
So I don't know where I stand really
with a comment like that.
Okay, potters. First the good news.
This week's Potter of the Week is
Rainna.
- Lovely. -Well done, Rainna.
Well done.
Thank you.
Okay, now it's time for the sad bit.
The person leaving the pottery this week is
Kit.
So sorry, Kit. -It's all good.
You've done brilliantly.
Yeah.
I hoped it might have been enough but
there were problem areas.
I'm absolutely gutted.
This particular challenge just really wasn't for him.
He was really out of his comfort zone.
All the way through the challenge
you could just see it on his face.
Oh, this is getting brutal.
I'm only 19 I've got a long road of pottery ahead.
I wish it could've gone on a tiny bit longer.
It's a shame for Kit. It's not nice.
It's really not nice, I don't like it.
Rainna's winning penguin sculptures
will now take their place in our Throw Down Gallery.
I've got Potter of the Week
on something that I absolutely love.
Raku, it's like my favorite thing.
Mum'll be like, "Oh I'm so proud of her!"
I'll be like, "Momma that's you, you're the momma penguin."