STUDIO | charlottehopkinson.com

I LOVE MY STUDIO

It is no secret that the process from getting an idea for a new design to seeing the finished product is very long.

Sometimes things does not go as well as planned, and sometimes it turns out even better. In my new ceramic studio I design and produce a small collection of handmade porcelain with clean modern lines and amazing colours.

I hope you will love your new piece of porcelain as much as I love making it !

DESIGN IDEA

Once an idea is formed I start the process by making a technical drawing with the design, the different sizes and all the measurements. Porcelain shrinks about 20% during the production process.

Then I make a prototype of the new design in clay on the pottery wheel.

After that a slipcast mould of the form and if I like the result more copies of the mould are made. It can take weeks for the moulds to dry, and once

they are completely dry the production can begin.

SLIPCASTING

Porcelain is one of the most delicate materials to work with so I have to be very careful and precise

throughout the whole process. The fluid porcelain is prepared and poured into the mould. After 10-24 minutes the porcelain is poured back out depending on the size of the piece. I want to make sure that every piece has the exact same thickness. Then the rims are carefully cut and the piece is left to dry. The next day the pieces are slowly taken out of the mould and further drying can take place.

FIRST FIRING

After a few days of drying the pieces are ready for the next step. To clean and polish the surface and make the rims nice and soft. Now the cups are ready for the first firing in the big ceramic kiln.

Each piece is fired twice. First without glaze and a second time after glazing.

After the first fire the pieces are glazed with a transparent glaze inside to give them a nice beautiful shine and make them waterproof.

Then the pieces are left to dry once again.

SECOND FIRING

Before the second firing the pieces are glazed on the outside with 3 thin layers of glaze. I do this to make sure the colours are as even as possible, even though small natural variations in the colours still may occur.

The porcelain pieces in the matte Silk Line collection are lightly water polished on the outside with super fine sandpaper to give them a soft and smooth surface.

After another 30 hours in the kiln the vases, cups, and bowls are finally ready for use.