My production process has several steps
Every piece is handmade from beginning to end. The first part is to model, clay is sculpted when it is wet, I use special clay for porcelain. I first make a raw model, and then when clay is a little bit drier I made the details and carve every fur with a metal stick. If I apply under glaze color I will put it in this stage when the clay is dry but isn’t fired yet. After this the work gets into de kiln for the first time.
Normally you will make a first fire in every ceramic technique, is a low temperature fire approximately 700 to 800 Celsius to prepare the pieces for glazing. Once fired at this temperature pieces are still porous and can absorb the water in the glaze so that it is fixed on the surface of the piece. In my case glazing is very simple, just one dip into crystal glaze and back to the kiln.
This time temperature rocks because porcelain demands really high firing temperatures. I fire at 1270º Celsius, which is a lot. Such a high temperature melts the clay a little bit. Being crystalized is one of porcelain and stoneware main features; it is denser and therefore water resistant, is stronger and has a beautiful sound similar to crystals.
The last step is to paint gold details. Gold luster is also fired at 800º Celsius. I apply the luster with a very small brush and with tons of love. I draw the faces and some little hair and it goes to the kiln again. At this moment is when creatures start to come alive; every piece is sort of a character that develops its own personality. That’s what I like the most of my work, it feels a little like playing, giving life to this small animals that appear in my hands. When pieces get out of kiln I only have to add a chain o whatever finish they have in metal. I am a ceramist not a jeweler therefore regarding metal work I use very good materials and very simple techniques.
They are ready to go out and play!