A lustre is a thin layer of metal which is deposited onto the surface
of the pot during firing producing a lustrous surface. Lustres are very
sought after, fabulous surfaces which can lure you in and keep you
spellbound. Lustres can
be coloured as golds, coppers, reds and blues, or have a colourless
sheen like
mother of pearl. Lustre is a very tricky technique offering spectacular
results, but it can be
quite difficult to achieve successfully, and this handbook aims to
explain and simplify the process, with thorough coverage of all the
options. The book covers recipes for making your own lustres and
techniques for applying and firing (all critical factors), as well as
showing you the results of the author's extensive testing to help point
you in the right direction. Today one of the
most commonly used lustres is a resin lustre (known as the
'commercial'
lustre) which also contains some appalling thinners which are known
carcinogens. There is therefore an advantage to making your own
using more natural materials. This handbook covers every lustre that
can be made, with recipes and kiln instructions.
