The Ellis County
Porcelain Art Club (ECPAC) meets monthly on the fourth Wednesday, ten
months out of the year, at the Women’s Building, 407 West Jefferson
Street, Waxahachie. Annual membership dues for the club are $20 and
meetings usually include a demonstration.
In addition, group porcelain painting classes are offered every
Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Ellis County Fine Arts
Museum, 501 West Main Street, Waxahachie.
Equipment and Supplies
Those interested in trying porcelain art can get started by
purchasing a few brushes, a small palette of paint, and an object to
paint. That object might be anything from unfinished bisque ordered
from an art catalog to a plain white, glazed plate purchased from a
department store, or, perhaps even something found at a garage sale or
at home. ECPAC members have painted on everything from Christmas
ornaments and serving trays to plates, plaques, tiles, and figurines.
A kiln is necessary for this hobby, but ECPAC members with kilns
frequently share with others who do not own a kiln.
There are many sources for paint. ECPAC members usually get paint
through a mail- order supplier. In most cases, the paint is purchased
in dry powder form and contains minerals such as gold, silver, iron,
and sulphur.
Unpainted porcelain in glazed and unglazed form can be purchased
from many of the same mail-order sources used to obtain the paint.
Procedure
There are several different stages to completing a porcelain
painting. Unless the painting is to be done “freehand,” usually a
sketch is done on the object to be painted. This is followed by the
first application of color. Between each step, the piece is kiln-fired
to set the color. More color may be added after the second firing and,
if desired, metallic accents may be added before the final firing.
Between each coat of paint, the brush may be dipped in turpentine and
oil, as desired for effect.
History of the Art
Porcelain is frequently called “china,” the name of the country
where porcelain first originated. In approximately 100 A.D. or
earlier, Chinese artisans developed a process of high-firing pots in
kilns, thereby making the pieces more durable than clay pots. With
this superior technique, China dominated the world in production of
fine pottery for centuries.
Around 200 A.D., the Chinese began forming greenish
ceramics known as celadon ware and using potting wheels in their
process.
True white porcelain clay came into use in northern China around
500 A.D. and porcelain was born. Because white porcelain made it
possible for artisans to begin putting representative art on china,
the new art form of porcelain painting was also born at this time.
Centuries later, when European ceramists began using the raw
materials available to them, many beautiful variations of white
porcelain came into being.
Italians became known for their expertise with overglazes. The
English developed decals which led to the manufacture of transferware.
Meissen (sometimes called Dresden) porcelain appeared in Germany.
Using bone ash as a flux, bone china was created in England. Using
fine white kaolin clay found only in one region of France, Limoges
began producing its china in France. By the late 1800s, expert
porcelain artists and the fine art of painted porcelain could be found
in almost every part of the world.
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