China Painting is also referred to as Porcelain Art. As in other forms of art , such as watercolor, oil
painting, penwork, pastel, etc., the same disciplines and fundamentals apply. Subject, composition
and prospective are a basis for creating the painting. However, the white or light chinaware used as
the object to be decorated may be any size or shape. The design choice and the chinaware form
complement each other to create a true work of art. The created design can be transferred to the
chinaware by tracing the overall pattern, sketching free-hand on the piece with india ink or graphite
pencil or applying the various china paint colors immediately to form the pattern desired.
A china painter uses skills of many art forms to produce a finished object of art. He uses water
color techniques, relying on the color of the china as background for the whites and highlights of the
painting. China painting resembles oil painting, in that color is applied with oil base media using
some of the same type brushes. Also multiple applications may be required to obtain the effect
desired, Lusters, metallics, enamel and/or penwork can be added to the piece to further enhance
the design.
China paint is fine ground minerals, used pure or in combination to produce a multitude of colors.
The fine powder is mixed with oil (or fat in previous times) to a consistency of tooth paste. China
paint is sold in either vials of powder or flat containers of the oil mixed form. The color of the china
paint may change slightly during the firing process, depending on the color and/or firing temperature.
The china painter thins the china paint mixture with media to make a smoother and easier color
application. There are many different media mixtures available for china painting, grounding or
penwork. Some china painters make their own media. Media can be constituted to dry quickly or
slowly (referred to as "open") depending on the needs of the china painter.
Usually a china painted piece is painted in stages. After each painting session, the piece is fired in an
oven (called a kiln) to temperatures ranging from 1240 degrees F to 1580 degrees F, depending on
the mineral content of the paint applied. This process" fires off" the media and softens the glaze coat
on the porcelain allowing the color to bind with the top of the glaze coat. Thus making it permanent.
Lusters, metallics (gold, platinum, etc.) and enamel fire on top of the glaze. Therefore, they are
more easily worn off. Some china painters create one-fire pieces. However, the majority set up the
pattern capturing the white and highlights in the first fire. They enhance values, shadows, shapes and
detail in subsequent applications, firing in between each application.
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