Raku with horsehair

If you’re just starting out with raku, you should try this technique: when you take the hot pot out of the oven, allow some horsehair to fall onto it. The heat causes the horsehair to shrink immediately, leaving behind a random, smoky pattern absorbed by your pot.

The result is a unique pattern of lines that cannot be predicted. It’s exciting because you can never be sure how the hairs will curl. You can also try this technique with bird feathers, which often produce beautiful results.