CREATION:
The object is born from a mass of shapeless clay that is skilfully shaped by the turning “turning”, who only after several years of experience is able to realise even large objects. At the end of the first phase, the created piece is put to dry naturally for at least 24 hours. The next step consists of the partial finishing of the artifact, through metal tools the craftsman shapes the piece by removing all the excess clay left from the first phase and thus giving the shape that will turn out to be the final one. The next step consists, where required, in the application of any ornaments (handles, curls, lion heads, etc.) that will further embellish the object. This must necessarily be done before the piece finishes drying. The last step before firing the clay consists of sponging the piece. This process is essential to ensure that the object is sanded as much as possible and that, if there are any, the last imperfections are removed. After a few days of drying (in order to avoid possible breakages) we proceed with the arrangement of the objects on a mobile trolley that after completion will be inserted inside the cooking oven (over 1000 °C). The cooking cycle is around 24 hours. What will come out of the oven is said in ceramic jargon “biscuit”, which will be nothing more than the starting point for all the other production phases.
ENAMELLING-DECORATION:
Depending on the type of processing that will be carried out, and also the type of clay that has been used for the creation of “white or red paste”, you can proceed either with the enamelling of the object and then begin the decoration, or reverse process, you can start by decorating directly on the object and then apply a glazing bath that after firing will give the object shine. The phase of the decoration, and above all certain types of decoration, require years of experience and a very strong artistic dowry and certainly uncommon. In the creation of articles that are included in the catalogue, in order to try to speed up the processing, we use a “draw” of the decoration drawn on tissue paper “dust”, which is then drilled and with the use of a charcoal buffer leaves a slight trace on the piece, in such a way as to have at least a rough idea of the positioning of the subject that will be realised. Done this you will proceed with the actual decoration of the piece.
COOKING:
At the end of the painting, the finished object will proceed by placing the objects again in the oven to proceed with a second firing of about 950 °C for a duration of about 24 hours.
CHOICE:
At the end of the firing process, in case the production process is completed, the workpiece is checked to verify that there are no defects.
LUSTER – PRECIOUS MATERIALS:
At the end of the second firing, some of our collections (including the traditional artistic one of our city “Reflection”) are again decorated with precious materials, in order to make our artifacts even more beautiful and precious. At the end of this further phase, the objects are again placed inside the furnace to receive a third firing of about 700 °C again. Very particular and difficult phase as around these temperatures occurs the point of incandescence and melting of the materials, and the percentage of risk breaks rises dramatically.