How to Make a Ceramic Incense Burner

Include some incense along with this burner to make a great gift.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Brushes
• Ceramics Cleaning Tools
• Ceramics Texture Tools
• Greenware
• Ceramics Glazes
• Protective Felt Pads
• Sponges
• Underglazes
• Sponges

1. Choose a piece of greenware based on the type of incense you'll use in it. Stick incense requires a long, flat surface, while cone incense does best in a small, cup-shaped object.

2. Make a dragon or a gargoyle - they look great as incense burners.

3. Clean the greenware.

4. Cut out the nostrils and make a hole in the mouth before you have the greenware fired. The smoke from cones will come out of the holes for a really cool effect.

5. Use a glaze finish on anything that will be coming in contact with the incense: The ash will clean up easily and the oils won't soak in and ruin your paint job.

6. Apply the first glaze or underglaze before the first firing.

7. Finish with the glazing series until you have a nice, shiny incense burner.

8. Glue felt pads to the bottom of the burner to protect the surface you set it on.

Tips & Warnings

• If you set an incense cone on a small ceramic tile and put the dragon over it, the outside surfaces of the dragon won't come into contact with flame or ash, so it doesn't need to be glazed. Paint it with bold metallics or pearls.
• Try something unusual like a cow or a frog. Just make sure that anything that comes in close contact with the incense is glazed and not painted.
• Never leave incense burning unattended.