Lustre

A lustre is a thin layer of metal which is deposited onto the surface of the pot during firing producing a lustrous surface. They can be coloured as golds, coppers, reds and blues, or colourless like mother of pearl. Lustre is a very tricky technique and 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). Today the most commonly used lustre is a resin lustre (known as the 'commercial' lustre) which also contains some appalling thinners which are known carcinogens. There would therefore be an advantage to making your own using more natural materials. This handbook covers every lustre that can be made, with recipes and kiln instructions.