Details of The Majolica Process

Dish Art & Tile
Details of the Majolica Process
The Transfer-Print on Clay Process ~ The Mosaic Process

From a model of a fern, flower, etc., each element of the dish design is sculpted in clay separately, and then a small plaster mold called a sprig mold is made of each.
For each element required for the dish clay is pressed into the sprig mold, pulled, cut, then attached to clay, as per design, that has been rolled dish-thick, and set into a plaster mold made from the bottom of a dish.
Another, larger plaster mold is made of the basic design of the dish, including the basic elements. Clay is rolled dish-thick, wider than the dish, and is hand pressed into the mold's intricate shapes.
Pulling the shaped clay from the mold, it is inverted into a dish-shaped plaster mold again, trimmed and cleaned. Any other elements (frogs, lizards, etc.) can then be attached as desired.
The dish has to dry thoroughly, and is fired in a kiln on low to harden the clay, then painted. I hand brush glazes in layers, blending them to achieve the look of the 19th century majolica wares.
To fuse the glazes, the dish is high fired in a kiln, which completes the process. From hand pressing, adding additional ornaments, drying, two firings, and hand painting every detail, it takes approximately one month to complete a dish.

Click here for details of the Mosaic Process

Copyright © 2005 by Wendy Allen all rights reserved.