Making Process

Moulds are filled with white earthenware liquid clay called ‘slip’. After 30 minutes the moulds are poured so excess clay is drained from them.

The item is then removed from the plaster and after it has had time to dry the mould lines are fettled (trimmed) and sponged, ready for firing to 1120 degrees centigrade.

Next the item has a hand painted coloured slip applied which is then scratched into with lines. This is called ‘scraffito’. The piece is low fired to 400 degrees centigrade to remove ingredients in the slip such as gum Arabic which would resist the glaze.

Glaze is applied and the piece is fired again, this time to a much higher temperature of 1040 degrees centigrade.

Now comes the fun part. I individually place my transfer designs on each piece which is then fired to around 900 degrees centigrade

In the final stage I hand paint the piece with tiny dots and lines of silver and gold lustre. This rather nasty liquid looks black to the eye but once fired to just over 700 degrees centigrade it becomes shiny and bright.

After a total of five firings the item is complete. Each piece gets a final check for defects, and any rough edges are filed with a special block which acts like sandpaper.