Two vases painted in a similar technique.

A drawing is made of the design to fit onto the 25cm & 20cm vases. Isis Decora Satin metallic & Black grounding sheet is cut to size and applied to the surface. Strips of various Isis sheet are applied to the background in a crisscross pattern.   Vases then fired to 800C. The facial features are painted in with black onglaze paint and the jewellery with a raised paste. Fired once more to 800C. Gold is applied to the entire background creating a two tone patterned effect over the Isis strips. Gold also applied to the jewellery.  Fired 3rd time to 750C. Garnets are set into the jewellery to finish the pieces.

There are many stages to creating a piece of porcelain art and it is commonly thought that we apply it all in one go, but it is not that simple.  The subject has to be chosen to suit the piece then a design prepared. This involves drawing, planning a colour scheme, selecting the techniques and working out a firing schedule - only then can the painting begin The hard glaze of porcelain is non porous therefore only a limited amount of on-glaze paint, lustre, relief or precious metal can be applied at one time.  The paint work has to be fired in a kiln to high temperature before another layer of paint can be applied.  Artists refer to  these stages as 'firings'.  First fire - second fire and so on. Illustrated below are pictures of Work in Progress.                     4th Fire: The fired Texture work is coated with 12% Liquid Bright Gold and fired to 750C.                      Only a limited amount of onglazeT paint, lustre, relief or precious metal can be applied at one time. Th e har d glaze of porcelain is non porous

                                       

CLICK ON PICTURES TO ENLARGE 1st Fire:  Ruby Red lustre diluted with Lustre Thinner is brushed over a small 4" porcelain vase and rotated to distribute the drying lustre Vase fired to 750C.   2nd Fire: Pieces of Isis (Iris with Gold) metallised lustre sheet are applied over the fired lustre in a pattern swirling around the vase and fired to 800C. 3rd Fire: Texture Paste is applied along the edges of the fired decal and fired to 800C. 4th Fire: The fired Texture is coated with 12% Liquid Bright Gold and fired to 750C. 5th Fire: I decided that the vase was 'too red' and needed something extra so Blue lustre was 'dribbled' over parts of the red.  Fired once more to 750C.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 'NINGALOO REEF' series. The inspiration for this series came from flying over Ningaloo Reef in N.Western Australia.  From the air the reef and water are many shades of aqua blue dappled in sunlight with lines of surf rolling onto miles of white beach fringed with gold red sand dunes.  Ningaloo is the most southerly tropical reef in the world and a world heritage area. Further up the coast is the pearl growing region of Western Australia. Isis Decora 'Turquoise with Green' is applied in two panels across a 6" jewel box lid, down the sides and inside the base 'to simulate the dappled water'. Fired to 800C. 2nd Fire:   Texture Coat applied with a palette knife down the centre strip to form 'the reef' and lines of texture, extruded through a syringe, applied around the edges and in 'lines of surf'.  Fired to 800C. 3rd Fire:  Iridescent blue lustre applied to the entire box to create "the sea".  Fired to 750C. 4th Fire:  Liquid Bright Gold is applied to the Texture and fired to 750C. The final touch is to set Freshwater Pearls into the 'reef'.