Hello my friends,
It was again time for another lovely workshop painting miniature porcelain. On the first weekend of june our usual group got together to work on our miniature projects.
After all the tile tableaux that I made last year it was high time for making a few plates again. Miniature copies of two Dutch majolica plates from the 17th century.
And something that is very unlike me, their decoration consists of brown and yellow. A colour combination I really do not like. But, I love the decorations on these plates and want make them resemble their originals as closely as I can. So, combining brown and yellow it is!
What I like about the originals is that the plate depicting prince William III, has a design I have never seen before of William III. The composition with the draped curtains and the plumed helmet echoes the tile tablaux of prince Maurits & prince Frederik-Hendrik (both his great uncles) I made last year.
Just as rare is the acronym PW3 which stands for 'Prince William the third'. Most plates depicting this William have KW3 (King William the third) or WR (William Rex). Those plates are made after the Glorious Revolution (1688) when the protestant William & Mary took over the English throne from her father King James.
So first we cut out a picture of the plates to size. Colours the back with pencil and stick it onto a plate.(2nd picture) Then we trace the basic lines with a pen to transfer them onto the plate. (2nd picture)
The next step is retracing the lines with porcelain ink. And add some of the decorations on the rim. (3d picture) when the ink has dried we fill in the colour with porcelain paint. First brown then yellow. One peculiarity of the Prince William III plate is that the decorative rim is not decorated by adding paint, like with the unicorn plate, but by scratching lines into the dried paint. Thus revealing the white porcelain underneath. I tried a needle for this but that sadly would not work. A wooden toothpick did do the job. This made lines that actualy are too thick for a 1:12 version of the original but better than no scratched out decoration.
For me this was a whole new technique and the second reason for me to try and miniaturise this particular plate of prince William III. More Details need to be added but first these plates have to be fired in the kiln.
At this point I still had some time left and started on a wide bowl that I wanted to decorate in the style of the picture above. Not an exact copy this time, but a spontanious design inspired by this 'kraak porselein'.
I only had time to ink the outside of the bowl. The inside and the painted details on both sides wil have to wait until the next workshop in oktober.
Well that's it for now. Take care,
Huibrecht
Hi Huibrecht! You are so lucky to be able to take these mini porcelain workshops!!! The work you are doing is marvelous! I love the Unicorn plate! The history about these dishes is also fascinating to me. I do love the information about the house you are building and the times they represent. The process of making porcelain is so detailed and so many steps are needed.... it is not something just "anybody" can do! You are making treasures and I can't wait to see more.... even if it means waiting 'til next year! Keep up the great work! :):)
ReplyDeleteThank you Betsy, yes I feel lucky to be able to follow these classes with Cocky. And the regular group of participants are all nice and talented people. Sadly october is sooo far away, but it is what it is.
DeleteHuibrecht
These are such special pieces with so much devotion put into them, Huibrecht. I really love your spontaneous design on the bowl, and with an historical appreciation of the eye, I even like the yellow and brown. I don't think I can fully appreciate the skill it takes to achieve what you have accomplished here unless I actually attempt it myself, but knowing what it takes to pull off other challenging mini endeavors, I am simply amazed! October seems like so far away now, but it will be here before we know it!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jodi, I really love decorating these. And if you had the change to paint porcelain around where you live I am sure that you would make wonderfull things. On so many other area's you make such great mini's. I am sure you can master this as well. October lies far in the future, but you are right, time flies The summer months will have come and gone before we we know it indeed.
DeleteHuibrecht
It's always great fun to see new things you've made in another workshop by Cocky and I have no doubt the regular bunch of miniaturists is always having a great time. So sad the next meeting will not be until October... however, we all know time flies so what's October??? Only a few weeks until then... *wink*
ReplyDeleteYour plates turned out awesome and I liked to learn about the scraping technique. About the colours of brown and yellow... I'm with you... so let's pretend that they were bought for their design... and being gifts from Belle's Mother-in-law... *LOL*
Hugs
Birgit
Indeed, Birgit, only a few weeks... and right after that comes Christmas. gulp! I like the idea of these plates being of belles mother in law. :-)
DeleteHuibrecht
¡Está genial! Conseguir esos diseños , con distintos colores y a esta escala me parece toda una proeza.
ReplyDeleteMuchas gracias, Isabel!
DeleteHuibrecht