Lustres are a thin layer of metal that are applied over the surface of a glazed piece. They are metal salts that can be precious (gold, platinum) or non-precious (copper, bronze, cobalt, cadmium, manganese). They are applied with paintbrush and they are refired at a lower temperature than glaze firing. They hardly ever exceed 800 C°.

During firing the salts and oxides get fused to the glaze causing iridescent colors. This process can be considered an overglaze or third fire, since the artworks have their first bisque firing at 1060 C°, the second glaze firing at 1020 C° and this third luster firing for decoration at 750 C°.

In certain sculptures, I use the lustres to create some iridescence in small areas, although I mainly use this firing to decorate some of the beads on the necklaces I design.