The magical world of porcelain is attractive and tempting. The figurines on the mantelpiece or the service behind the glass sideboard are all attributes of a bygone era. To make a porcelain craft with your own hands means to bring to life the secret that is hidden in your own soul.
You can show an aesthetic or utilitarian approach - the thing will still turn out to be unique and unlike the standardized samples stamped in China. It will be a wonderful gif.webpt for any occasion.
Porcelain making process
Classic (professional) porcelain goes through 3 stages of firing. Preparation for production includes a thorough kneading of the molding mass and filling the prepared form with it. When the workpiece dries, it is taken out and left to dry for several hours / days.
This is followed by cleaning and polishing. Here you can also use techniques such as slots and inserts. The handles are glued to the cups by hand. The first firing is carried out - the so-called. "Junk". After it, the product acquires sufficient strength and cannot break right in the hands from a slight pressure.
Glazing with white or colored (eg cobalt) glaze completes the pre-treatment of the product. The obligatory stage of the technology is washing the bottom, i.e. the place where the product is in contact with the surface, cleaning it from the glaze layer.
If this is not done, the product will stick to the stove during firing. After the second firing - the so-called. "Watered" - it already takes on a formalized look and can be used in everyday life. (The exception is this kind of majolica, which is not glazed).
Decorating a glazed semi-finished product may include:
- Painting with paints,
- Layering in gold
- Sticking decal.
To fix the pattern applied by any of the above methods, the third firing is used - the so-called. "gold". After that, the product can be washed by hand or in the dishwasher and put on sale.
Craft ideas
At home, the described process cannot be carried out. No gas oven reaches the temperature required even for the first firing.
How to make DIY porcelain crafts step by step?
- To do this, you need to master one of the latest technologies - cold, or liquid, porcelain. Unlike polymer clay, it is based on a mixture of starch, glue and oils, similar to plasticine and is able to harden itself, gaining strength.
- The photo of porcelain crafts shows how charming and believable the products are, how little they resemble the original material - clay, how close to perfection, despite the lack of special skill.
Problems of making porcelain crafts
- Respectful attitude. During the manufacturing process, the form should not be dropped on the floor or other sharp manipulations should be made. Any careless movement - and everything will go down the drain. Cracks, handles falling off, spalling are inevitable breakdowns.
- When firing, one should beware of burns - both from the surface of the stove and from the surface of the product itself;
- Exposure time. Porcelain must be fired in strict accordance with the flow chart. Correctly selected temperature and firing period will keep intact both the product itself and the applied pattern, and in particular the gold layering;
- Artistic skills. As with any unusual material, porcelain requires special handling. Paints and layering do not lay on its surface the same way as on a flat sheet of paper. This must be taken into account when typing them on a brush and applying them in accordance with the pattern.
Do-it-yourself fragile beauty
Porcelain Crafts for Beginners will include basic items available for DIY craft projects such as:
- Photo frames,
- Stand,
- Jars for honey,
- Cups,
- Beads,
- The simplest toys.
Making porcelain crafts is easy and simple if you have a habit of manual labor and a rich imagination. You can focus on your own developed imagination and experience, or type suitable images from thematic albums or the Internet.
Video instructions with a detailed recording of the entire technological process are ideal for those who first encountered the need to make a craft.
To make highly artistic porcelain crafts, it is better to go to a thematic master class or consult an experienced craftsman.
Then the efforts made will not be in vain. A pleasant-looking thing will remain a memorable souvenir for many years, giving joy about the days spent together for creativity.
Technological diversity at home
Cold porcelain crafts include items such as:
- Flowers (the easiest to get are roses and lilacs),
- Jewelry (pendants for earrings, beads for pendants and bracelets),
- Overlays for ordinary ceramic cups, teapots, sugar bowls - in the form of petals and buds of lilies, roses, daisies, etc.,
- Wall clock frames,
- Miniature boxes in the form of wicker baskets,
- Photo frames,
- Simple figurines of animals - snails, hedgehogs, ladybugs, owls, cats. If you wish, you can make a snowman or Santa Claus.
Cold porcelain does not require firing. Direct sunlight is not allowed. It is "afraid" even of air, so it will have to be stored under a special film.
The mass for manufacturing can be bought ready-made in the store, or you can make it yourself.
To make liquid porcelain with your own hands and then make crafts from it, you need to prepare a mass for molding. There are several options for its components:
- Starch + PVA glue + hand cream + olive oil + white acrylic paint;
- Wallpaper glue with starch in the composition + baking soda + glycerin or petroleum jelly + water + dishwashing detergent.
After sculpting, the product should be painted and dried thoroughly. Depending on the density of the mass and the thickness of the product, this will take from several days to a couple of weeks. You can speed it up and do it in the oven.
Do-it-yourself porcelain crafts will be highly appreciated if they are made skillfully and subtly, if their topic is relevant. For example, made for the World Cup on football, they will find massive demand from fans and fans.
Or, made taking into account the peculiarities of historical development, it will find a worthy place for itself in a school museum or a history office.
Photos of porcelain crafts
