In the Raku firing process, bisqued and glazed pottery is heated in a kiln to around 1600-1850 degrees Fahrenheit (that's considered a low temperature for pottery). When the glazes have melted aka "matured" long tongs are used to remove the glowing pottery from the red hot kiln. As the pottery rapidly cools down the glazes react by shrinking and crazing, creating the characteristic crackle pattern. The still hot pottery is then placed in a nest of combustible material, the heat from the pottery catches the combustibles on fire, and then the fire is covered so the smoke is trapped with the hot pottery and stains the crackle pattern. Most of my Raku is handbuilt, and surfaces textures are developed through layers of carving, slip, oxides and stains, sand, and mica. After Rakuing, I gild the pots with copper, silver, and gold leaf.