Knowledge of black figure technique is derived from:

• vases themselves
• scenes depicting vase making
• modern practice
• chemical experiments

The black portions of the vase are often called a black glaze but the term is  misleading. The dark portions are produced by placing a clay slip (finer in  texture than the clay of the pot and more liquidy). In black figure you have a  clay slip placed against a red background (usually the color of the clay once fired). Details are incised. White and red paint were accessory colors; white  for women and for hair and beards of old men, red for hair, manes of horses,  parts of garments, etc.

After the decoration was completed and the vases had become bone dry, they were placed in a kiln and fired [See C&H p.8 for an illustration of a kiln]. A single fire but in three successive stages:

1. oxidyzing (air admitted): vases and slip turn red
2. reducing (smoke introduced): both become black
3. re-oxydizing: clay of vase turns red, being porous enough to admit oxygen;  the denser slip, however, remains black

Lastly, a red ochre application was applied to intensify the red of the clay.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PROCESS

Black-figure vases we study in Year 13:
Kleitias and Ergotimos, Francois vase, 570, volute krater pp.17-24
Lydos, c 550, krater pp.25-26
Amasis Painter, 560-550, lekythoi pp.33-35
Exekias, 550-530,
Ajax and Achilles, belly amphora pp. 27-28
Dionsysus on the sea, kylix  pp. 30-31