Archive for the 'ceramics' Category

It is almost always possible in any type of production work to reduce the amount of work involved without sacrificing the quality of the item. This is the most important factor in production and should be given the utmost consideration. When you have prepared your sample model, take the time to study it carefully. There are, in all probability, many steps which could be eliminated in the decoration without destroying the artistic value of the piece. Here is the crucial point in the success of your item. It must be attractive enough to sell, but simple enough to produce at a profit.

All unnecessary detail and intricate brush-work should be eliminated at the start. If you do feel the need for some brushwork to give distinction to the item, plan the piece so that one or two brush strokes can be added as an accent, making them simple enough not to hamper your speed of production. The inclusion of handwork will depend upon the market for which you are aiming, but remember” that equally attractive pieces can be produced with a single glaze and produced much more cheaply.

Limit yourself to as few colors as possible. An item can be as effective with one or two well-planned colors as with many. Take advantage of ceramic machinery for your decorating. This is essential in speeding up production since it is the hand labor that is expensive and time-consuming. Use airbrushes, spray guns (for large areas) and spatter guns wherever possible. An initial investment in the proper equipment is a wise investment.

Try to plan your piece so that it can be completed in one firing. This means eliminating a bisque firing and a gold firing, unless you are prepared to charge a higher price for your item. Again, you must consider your market. If you plan to sell the item at a low price, a gold firing would be quite impractical as would brushwork and a bisque firing.

Strip your item down to essentials, but do it sensibly, never forgetting that it must still be an attractive item if it is to sell. Here all your ceramic knowledge, intelligence and good taste will come into play. Study your sample model and see whether you can decorate it in a different, cheaper way. One brush stroke could probably take the place of three; separate color areas could be air-brushed, with the help of masks; a spatter gun could be substituted for sponging or spattering; a colored or crackle glaze could be used as an entire decoration. It is simply a matter of good planning and imagination and if you use plenty of both, your item should be successful.

Keywords: Ceramic Decorations, Ceramics Decor, Ceramics, Painting

Good organization is essential to any production work. It is necessary to plan your work and working area so that the maximum amount of work is achieved in a minimum amount of time. This can be done in many ways. The first step is to arrange your shop or studio into efficient working areas. A general plan is as follows: the molds and slip in one area; next, the glazing equipment; then, the kiln and storage space for bisque ware; and, finally, the decorating and packaging area. This plan will have to be worked out according to the size and shape of your building and will require a great deal of careful thought. It may be necessary to rearrange your shop several times before arriving at the most practical plan for your individual needs.

After the working space has been arranged, the actual production methods must be planned. Since you are interested in quantity, you will want to pour as many pieces as possible in the shortest time. This can be accomplished by pouring a quantity of identical molds at one time, rather than a variety

Illustration 159
The line design can be eliminated and several black and sgraffito strokes added.

of molds. If it is not possible to pour identical molds, at least try to pour molds of approximately the same size so that the setting time of the slip will be about the same in each mold, thus enabling you to open the molds one right after another.

The decorating process can be speeded up by dividing the work into definite stages; that is, do each step of the decorating on many pieces instead of completing a single item at a time.

Glazing should be done by either dipping or spraying, depending upon the particular item. Fairly heavy pieces can be dipped safely in a green or bisque state, but fragile pieces, such as figurines and very thin-walled ware, should be sprayed.

You will find it much cheaper to buy materials in large quantities. Slip, glazes,

Illustration 160
A crackle glaze with color accents on the beak and wings is a simpler decoration.

underglazes, oxides and stains all are available in quantity form at a considerable saving and your dealer will be happy to cooperate with you.

Keywords: Ceramic Decorations, Ceramics Decor, Ceramics, Painting

While many readers will be concerned with only “one of a kind” ceramics, others may be interested in producing a quantity of ceramic pieces to sell. For this group of ceramists, here are a few suggestions on how to organize the work in the most efficient and profitable manner.

Multiple molds

For production purposes it is advisable to select molds of not more than three or four sections. Molds of more than four pieces require a great deal of time to assemble and occupy a considerable amount of working space. Although it can be done and is done; this is a specialized type of operation and, unless you plan to produce a small, expensive line, it is best to confine yourself to two-, three- or four-piece molds from which you can produce quantity work.

Instead of depending on one mold for each model, use a number of identical molds to cast many more pieces at one time. To speed up the casting operation even more, you can make or buy molds consisting of more than one cavity. This, of course, saves working space and will enable you to remove a number of cast pieces while opening only one mold. A mold of this type, with two or more cavities, is called a multiple mold and is used by most commercial ceramic plants.

To make a multiple mold, you will need a model for each cavity. Embed the models in the same manner described in Chapter III. The only difference in procedure is that the multiple mold will contain a number of models within the walled area instead of the single model in an ordinary one-cavity mold. Multiple molds are usually made from models requiring not more than two or three pieces.

Illustration 158
The ceramic duck, with its line design on a sponged background, could not be made quickly.

Keywords: Ceramic Decorations, Ceramics Decor, Ceramics, Painting

OVERGLAZES

For enameled pieces that require fine detail work, overglazes can be used. They are applied in the same manner on enamels as on ceramics. With overglazes the enamelist can incorporate fine lines into the design and create a three-dimensional effect by shading the overglazes with a stippling brush or a watercolor brush with the bristles cut off squarely. However, do not overdo the use of overglazes or you may find that your enameled piece has become a china-painted piece; while china painting has admirable qualities of its own, it does not have much of the true enamel quality.

After overglazing, let the piece thoroughly dry so that the oil is dissipated. Then fire it at about 1200 -1300 and remove it from the kiln in two or three minutes in the same manner as other enamels.

FINISHING

After your enamel piece is completed, the exposed copper areas must be polished since they will be black from fire scale. The edges can be cleaned by hand with a fine file, a carborundum stone or emery paper, or they can be polished on a buffing wheel. The copper back of the piece can also be polished on a buffing wheel with an abrasive cleaning compound and then given a final high polish with rouge. To polish the back by hand, first apply a commercial preparation that removes most of the black fire scale and then use steel wool or scouring powder. Give the polished piece a coat of clear lacquer to protect the surface and prevent further oxidation.

Findings for enamel jewelry can be obtained in various finishes from most enamel and ceramic dealers. You can solder them or cement them with liquid cement as with ceramic jewelry.

Keywords: Ceramic Decorations, Ceramics Decor, Ceramics, Painting

In enameling, as well as in ceramics, techniques can be combined and arranged in endless ways. The wet charge technique can be vastly improved by the addition of dusted enamels used to shade the flat areas and to soften the background. On the other hand, if dusting is used as the basic technique, a few wet charge accents will strengthen the decoration. (See Appendix.)

A sgraffito technique can be combined nicely with silver or gold paillons. After the paillon has been given a coat of transparent enamel and fired, dust an opaque enamel over it, covering it either partially or completely. Then sgraffito lines or small areas through the opaque enamel. The resulting lines or areas will be metallic foil. With this technique it is possible to do away with the sharp edges of the paillons which are apt to produce a pasted-on effect. Wet charge can also be used to cover up the hard edges of the paillon. An added advantage of sgraffito or wet charge over foil is the pleasant fact that the paillons do not have to be cut in such precise shapes since the sgraffito or wet charge will dictate the contours of the design, rather than the paillons themselves.

Dusted enamel over lines of gum or squeegee oil can be used as a guide for subsequent decoration as well as a complete decoration in itself. Draw the design with gum or oil, dust with enamel and fire. Then fill in the outlines with wet charge. Or you can paint

Illustration 157
This 10-inch enamel plate required seven firings. It combines dusting, sgraffito and small accents of wet
charge.

entire areas with the oil or gum, dust with enamel, fire and apply a second coat with wet charge.
These are but a few of the ways in which the various techniques can be combined. The further you progress, the more combinations you will discover that can be used to enrich your enamels.

Keywords: Ceramic Decorations, Ceramics Decor, Ceramics, Painting

Metal foils

It is possible to attain the effect of enameling on silver or gold without actually using these expensive metals. Silver and gold foil can be substituted. You can obtain both gold and silver foil in booklets of approximately twelve sheets or in individual sheets. The foil is extremely delicate and must be handled with the utmost care. Because it tears so easily, it should be held between two sheets of tracing paper and then cut into whatever shape is desired with sharp scissors or a razor blade. The areas that are cut from the foil are called “paillons.”

The paillon is applied to an enameled surface, usually in the last stages of decoration since the foil tends to burn and should not be subjected to too many or too high firings. Before it is applied to the piece, you should prick it with pin points to allow the air to escape from under it when it is fired. This needn’t be done if the paillon is smaller than a square inch. With a pair of tweezers, place

Illustration 156
After firing again, the enamel piece is finished. Lumps and threads, while easy to apply, should be used sparingly.

the paillon on the enameled piece, adhering it to the surface with gum. Make certain that the paillon is smooth and flat by gently patting it with a soft rag or tissue. This will also absorb excess moisture.

Fire the piece for about one and a half minutes at 1350″-1400 , then remove it from the kiln and burnish the paillon with the back of a kitchen knife. If the paillon is completely adhered to the enameled surface, it may now be covered with a thin coat of transparent enamel and fired for two and a half or three minutes. The transparent coat may be applied by either dusting or the wet charge method, but the coat should be as thin as possible to attain the utmost transparency. To show the metallic foil to its best advantage, use blues and greens over the silver foil and warm colors (yellow is particularly beautiful) over the gold foil. Flux, of course, is effective over either silver or gold foil.

Keywords: Ceramic Decorations, Ceramics Decor, Ceramics, Painting

We have discussed stencils in relation to ceramics and the procedure is basically the same for enameling. Fire a base coat of enamel and apply gum to the enameled piece as you would for a simple dusting technique. The stencil shape can be cut from newspaper or paper toweling with enough margin left around the cut-out area to protect the rest of the piece from undesired enamel. Place the stencil on the enameled surface, dust on a contrasting enamel and then remove the stencil carefully without disturbing the enamel. Enamel that has become dislodged can be pushed back into position with a fine brush.

While this is an easy way to enamel a design, the hard outlines of the stencil are not always attractive. To soften such a design, go over the edges with wet charge. This will go a long way toward eliminating the obvious and mechanical stenciled appearance and will add a great deal of richness to the decoration. You can also add other non-stencil touches-shading, metal foil, over-glaze lines, etc.-anything that will make the effect less commercial.

Illustration 154
This compact was also stenciled with enamel.

Illustration 155
(Below) White enamel has been dusted on the edges of a fired black enamel piece, and lumps and threads are put on with tweezers.

Lumps and threads

Enamels are available in unground form as well as ground and are generally sold as lumps and threads. The threads are long thin strands of unground enamel which can be broken up into various sizes with a hammer. The lumps are placed on an enameled surface and fired. This is probably the easiest way to design an enameled piece since nothing more complicated is involved than placing the lumps on the piece. The use of enamel lumps should be kept to a minimum, mainly for accent. Transparent lumps can be especially effective when placed over metal foil, which produces jewel-like effects.

Keywords: Ceramic Decorations, Ceramics Decor, Ceramics, Painting

A line design can also be achieved by drawing a design on a fired enameled piece with gum or squeegee oil (a thick oil used in silk screen printing) and then dusting an opaque enamel on the piece and refiring it. The enamel will adhere only to the gum or oil lines and will shake off the rest of the surface, leaving enameled lines.

Illustration 152
A sgraffito design is again used against different color enamels. Be sure to blow away any enamel particles that get in the way of the sgraffito lines.

Illustration 153
Apply stencils to enamels in much the same way as you do to ceramic pieces.

An embossed line is often an interesting variation of texture on an enameled piece and can be produced by the wet charge method. A hard or high firing wet enamel is pushed into lines, with the enamel heaped high to about 1/16 of an inch. The piece is fired and withdrawn before the enameled lines have completely melted. The result is an embossed or raised design on a flat surface.

A novel approach to a linear design can be executed with a few pieces of wet string. Arrange the string in a design on a fired coat of enamel and dust a contrasting enamel over the entire surface. Then remove the string, refire, and a line design remains. This technique results in a free, loose type of design which can be very expressive.

Keywords: Ceramic Decorations, Ceramics Decor, Ceramics, Painting

A sgraffito technique can be used very effectively in enamel work, especially since it is difficult to achieve a line design with enamels without resorting to overglazes. A base coat of transparent or opaque enamel is applied and fired. This will be the color of the line design. Opaque enamels are then dusted over the piece in a design pattern. For example, if the design is to be a flower, the color chosen for the flower should be dusted in approximately the area where the flower is to be scratched, the color of the leaves then dusted in their approximate area, etc. Naturally, the design will look somewhat vague at this point, as it is nothing more than a color pattern. Shake off the excess enamel before starting any sgraffito work; too much enamel will render the scratching difficult. Using the colors as your guide, scratch the design through the enamel with a very sharp pencil, blowing away any loose particles of

Illustration 147
Sgraffito on enamel is very effective. First apply a coat of gum solution.

Illustration 148
148. Dark blue enamel is dusted over the entire piece.

Illustration 149
149. After firing, gum is re-applied and white, red-brown and turquoise enamels are dusted on in a general design pattern.

Illustration 150
150. The design is drawn through the dusted enamel with a very sharp pencil and the enamel is fired again.

Illustration 151
A few accents of wet charge are added and the enamel is fired for the final time. The line design should he kept very simple.

enamel that may clog the lines in the process. Keep the line design free and fairly simple. After the piece has been fired, accents can be added or colors made stronger as long as the original lines are scratched through again. By dusting another color over parts of the fired design, sgraffito lines of a second color can be produced. (See Appendix.)

Keywords: Ceramic Decorations, Ceramics Decor, Ceramics, Painting

Firing

Enamels may be fired in a special copper enameling kiln or in a ceramic kiln that opens from the front. Unlike ceramic firing which is slow firing from cool to hot to cool again, enamels are fired rapidly in a preheated kiln (1400 -1500 ) and removed at the same temperature.

The enamel must be completely dry before it is placed in the kiln. Place the dry piece on a stainless steel stand and transfer it to the preheated kiln with a spatula, wire tongs or a rack fork. The firing should be from two to four minutes. Experience will help you determine the correct length of time for various enamels.

The transparents usually require a slightly higher firing than most of the opaques and if the transparent enamel remains opaque after firing, it probably should be fired again at a higher temperature. A perfectly fired piece will be smooth and glassy; a pebbly, orange-skin surface means that the piece is underfired. It can be refired as it is or a design can be added and the piece then fired again.

Many copper enameling kilns are designed to permit the enamelist to watch the piece as it is being fired, but with the ceramic kilns a pyrometer is almost a necessity for controlling the temperature, especially with the more advanced techniques of enameling where a slight variation of temperature can be disastrous. Remove the piece from the kiln while it is red hot, if the surface appears smooth and shiny, and allow it to cool gradually. You will notice as the piece cools that tiny black flakes of fire scale oxidized metal which forms on the exposed copper area-will fly off the piece. Be careful that these specks of fire scale do not land in the enamel for they will fire onto it immediately. Commercial preparations are available that may be applied to the copper areas before firing to help prevent fire scale.

To prevent warping, it is a good idea to allow the enameled piece to cool on an asbestos board with a heavy weight on top of it. Another common enameling problem is the cracking of the enamel after it has been fired and cooled. This is caused by uneven expansion of the enamel and the copper and can generally be avoided by enameling both sides of the copper piece, a process called counterenameling. Unless there has been an overly heavy application of enamel, it is usually unnecessary to counterenamel concave pieces, such as dishes, ash trays, etc., but on flat or convex surfaces it should be used as a safeguard against cracking.

Illustration 146
Enamels are fired rapidly in a preheated kiln. Firing takes from two to four minutes, and the piece is removed while the kiln is still hot.

Keywords: Ceramic Decorations, Ceramics Decor, Ceramics, Painting