| Porcelain pottery is made from kaolin, a white | | | | roll the clay out, but slab rollers make for a more |
| clay which melts at extremely high temperatures | | | | even slab. Roll until the slab is about 1/4" thick. |
| and feldspar, which melts into a glassy cement | | | | Spray a lubricant over the surface of the hump |
| and binds the ceramic together. Porcelain is | | | | or slump mold, and lay the slab of clay over the |
| characterized by a hard, white, translucence | | | | top. Press the slab into the mold with a damp |
| substance. Originally manufactured with hump | | | | sponge and trim off the excess clay around the |
| molds during the T'ang period (618 - 906 C.E.), the | | | | edge of the mold, cutting vertically with a knife. |
| technique was refined during the Yuan period | | | | Allow the plate or bowl to dry thoroughly. Then |
| (1280 - 1368 C.E.) by the inclusion of cobalt to | | | | remove the piece from the mold and apply a |
| produce a blue and white ware. The Ming period | | | | paste of kaolin clay to fill small holes and even out |
| (1368 - 1644) saw the inclusion of other colors as | | | | any blemishes in the surface. Smooth the |
| well. Porcelain pottery was introduced into Europe | | | | surfaces with a rasp and fine sandpaper; and |
| by Marco Polo at the end of the thirteenth | | | | finish the smoothing-out process with a damp |
| century. Grand Duke Francesco de' Medici of | | | | sponge. |
| Florence was so taken by this pottery that he | | | | Bisque-fire the pieces at 980 degrees Celsius. This |
| commissioned his palace artisans to experiment | | | | low-temperature firing is the key in producing the |
| with different clay and glaze mixtures, kilns, and | | | | characteristic porosity of porcelain, and it prepares |
| styles to create thousands of porcelain | | | | the surface left by the hump or slump molds for |
| dinnerware objects. Porcelain dinnerware was first | | | | glazing. The bisque-fired pieces should be |
| produced commercially in Europe in 1710 in | | | | quick-dipped into a pegmatite and quartz glaze |
| Meissen, Germany. | | | | which is mixed just prior to application. This glaze |
| In order to recreate porcelain dinnerware of your | | | | is clear and seals the surface, and requires some |
| own, you will need kaolin clay, WD-40, modeling | | | | skill in holding the plate properly while dipping in |
| tools, water, glazes, and a kiln. You will also need a | | | | order to assure an even coat. Allow the piece to |
| slump or hump mold. The difference is that hump | | | | dry completely for at least 48 hours. You can |
| molds have a convex surface and slump molds | | | | lightly touch up the surface with tools to remove |
| have a concave surface. These can be purchased | | | | smudges, drips, uneven patches, and other flaws. |
| from art supply houses in a variety of shapes and | | | | The piece should be fired one more time at 1,380 |
| sizes. To begin with, mix the kaolin clay with | | | | degrees Celsius in order to obtain the |
| water according to the instructions on the | | | | characteristic porcelain finish. |
| package. You can use a slab roller or rolling pin to | | | | |