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China PaintingFine porcelain was first made in China from kaolin clay fired at high temperature. European potters tried to copy it, but it was many years before an alchemist, Johann Friedrich Bottger, discovered the method and established a porcelain factory at Meissen in Germany. Gradually other factories appeared throughout Europe. In England, Josiah Spode added pulverised animal bones to create bone china. Decoration was first applied to cover imperfections in the ware, and then developed as an art in its own right. Factories employed china decorators, and when the use of transfer decals became common, the art of hand painting still flourished as a hobby. China painting is also referred to as "onglaze painting", as there are many other glazed surfaces that can be painted on, including stoneware, pottery, tiles, and glass itself. Many people associate china painting with the beautiful and still popular traditional styles of art, but any image or style can be painted using this method. The objects painted on may be functional, such as plates, vases or mugs, or may be flat surfaces that can be framed for display. No other medium is so durable and stable. China PaintChina paint is made of metal oxides mixed with flux. The flux allows the paint to adhere to the porcelain, and when the piece is fired, the paint vitrifies and fuses with the glaze.
The paint is applied thinly, as it is prone to chip if laid on too thickly. Intensity of colour is achieved by repeated applications of paint, and successive firings. No other decorative technique is able to produce the range of effects available to the onglaze artist - from delicate translucent hues to intense, opaque colours, metallic lustres and iridescent sheens. Artists can also use other exciting colourings and techniques, including liquid metallic lustres, bright gold & platinum, raised pastes & enamels and a range of pearl, metallic and frosted powders. LinksYou can find out more about porcelain art on the Internet. Here are some links to useful sites.
Other china painters' websites
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Colour can be applied by mixing the powder with a medium, such as vegetable oil, and applying with brushes or pens, or by making the surface of the piece tacky by "grounding" with medium, and dusting on the dry powder.