Home >> Do-It-Yourself >> How Do You Decorate a China?

How Do You Decorate a China?

Until recently, to have individuallydesigned china in your home usuallymeant paying a lot of money for hand-painted pieces from well knowncraftspeople. With the introduction ofspecialist china paints however,everything has changed: you can nowpaint on whatever you like and be surethat your designs will last. A quick andeasy decorative technique, with theadded advantage of the large amount ofinexpensive white china available, thisis a wonderful way of adding a splash ofcolour to everyday items. There arethree different types of paint that youcan use for decorating china. Not all of these are non-toxic so if you aremaking pieces to give away, rememberto mark them accordingly.

Enamel paints are not madeexclusively for china and ceramics,they are available in a range of coloursand dry to an extremely hard finish.These paints contain lead and shouldonly he used for decorative purposes.

Solvent-based ceramic paints comein a huge range of colours and lendthemselves well to varied paintingstyles such as wash effects. White spirit (paint thinner) can be used to dilutethe paint and to clean brushes afteruse. Protect the finish with varnish.

Water-based ceramic paints arespecially made for painting glazedceramics. They produce a strong,opaque, flat colour and can be dilutedwith water. Do not attempt to bakethem until they are completely dry orthe colour may bubble. Baking thepainted item will make the colourdurable enough to wash in a dishwasher. It is a good idea to do atest first as over-firing can rum thecolour slightly brown.

BASIC EQUIPMENT

Low-tack adhesive tape: use to hold templates or stencils in place on the china ifmasking tape is not available.

Masking fluid: watercolour art masking fluid is used to mask off areas of the designwhile colour is applied to the surrounding area.

Masking tape: useful for holding stencils in place or to mask off areas when paintingstraight lines. Can he removed easily without damaging the painted surface.Paintbrushes: choose sable watercolour paintbrushes in a range of sizes, including afine brush for painting lines and details, and a broad soft brush for covering largerareas. Good synthetic brushes are adequate and affordable.

Pencils and pens: a hard lead pencil such as a 2H is good for transferring designs withcarbon paper. For marking the ceramic surface directly, a softer 2B lead pencil or a fine felt-tipped pen would be more suitable.

Ruler: a good-quality metal or plastic ruler makes measuring and cutting easier andinure accurate.

Scalpel or craft knife: scalpels with disposable blades are the most accurate cuttingtools, especially for cutting stencils. Craft knives are a good alternative.

Sponges: use to produce interesting effects. Natural or synthetic sponges can he used.

DECORATIVE TECHNIQUES

Sponging: Load a sponge with paint andtest the print on a scrap piece of paperfirst. The first print or two will he toosaturated with paint to achieve a pleasingeffect, so it is best to make a few.

Sponging variations: A stencilled designcan be made more interesting by varyingthe density of the sponging within theimage or by adding more than one colour.Allowing the first coat of paint to drypartially before applying the second willmean that there is more contrast and lessblending of the two colours.

White lines: If you want to leave thinlines of china showing through areas ofcolour, paint them first with maskingfluid. This can be gently peeled off whenthe paint is dry to reveal the white chinabeneath. Use a sharp-pointed instrumentsuch as a craft knife or compass point tolift off the dried masking fluid.

Printing blocks: When using printingblocks, roll the block lightly on to thesurface to ensure you get a good evenprint. Test the print on scrap paper beforeprinting on the china.

Using masking fluid: Add a drop ofwater-based paint to masking fluid beforeuse when working on china that iscompletely white. This will help you tosee where the masking fluid has beenapplied, enabling you to wipe it off easilywhen you are ready to do so.

Watery effects: You can achieve subtlewatery effects in oil-based colours bydiluting paints with white spirit (paintthinner). Water-based paints are dilutedby adding water.

HINTS AND TIPS

Before painting any white china,always clean it thoroughly to removeany invisible traces of dirt of grease.The most effective cleaning agents arecleaning fluid, methylated spirit(denatured alcohol), white spirit(paint thinner) or lighter fuel. Makesure there are no naked flames aroundwhen using these materials.

To ensure that there is nopossibility of any paint beingswallowed when drinking from a mugor glass, adapt designs so that anycolour you paint is at least 3 cm/11/4 in below the rim of drinkingvessels. Otherwise the piece shouldbe fired in a kiln.

Always test out a technique thatyou have not tried before. Apply thenew technique to a spare piece ofchina, which can be cleaned up easily,rather than a piece you are already inthe process of decorating.

Use tracing paper and a soft pencilto transfer designs directly on to thesurface of china. First trace thetemplate or the design you wish touse, then fix the tracing paper to thechina with masking tape. Gently nibover the traced design with a softpencil to transfer.

Pencil or pen guide marks on thechina can be easily wiped off once thepaint is completely dry or has beenbaked. Use a damp cloth and takecare not to rub the paint too hard.

Other Do It Yourself Articles:

| Austrian Blind | Buffet Party | Buying Plants | Ceiling Decorating | Choose Paint Brush | Choosing Floor Coverings | Choosing Your Own Flower Arrangements | Choosing Landscaping Plants | Choosing Themes | Christmas Decoration Ideas | Cleaning Tip | Container Gardening Ideas | Cooking Methods and Choice of Nuts | Cooking Tip | Cornice Window Treatments | Covering Floors | Cusion Materials | Daily Household Chores | Decorating Rooms | Decorative Art Painting Technique | Decoupage Equipment | Decoupage Ideas | Dinner Table Etiquette | Display Lighting | Diy Soft Furnishing Hot Tips | Do It Yourself Wood Storage | Door Repair | Double Glazing Windows | Draught Proof Door | Dried Fruit Loaf | Dusting Tips | Easy Cushion Embellishments | Emergency and First Aid | Fabric Repair Holes | First Aid Survival Guide | Fish Varieties | Fitting Shelves in an Alcove | Fixing Electric Fan | Flooring Repair | Floral Displays For The Home | Flower Arrangement Center Piece | Flower Arranging | Flower Arranging Tips | Flower Bathroom Decor | Flower Decorating | Flower Drying | Flower Drying Equipment | Food Safety Guidelines | Free Standing Shelving | Fresh Flower Arrangement | Fruit Preparing | Garden Floor Plan Designs | Garden Gravel | Gardening Finishing Touches | Garden Lighting Ideas | Garden {aving | Gilding Equipment | Gilding Techniques | Grass Alternatives | Handsewing | Hanging Doors | Hanging Picture Frames | Picture Hanging | Healthy Diet Plan | Home Appliance Repair | Home Improvement Budget | Home Interior Decorating | Home Ligting | Homemade Christmas Decorations | Home Safety Awareness | Home Safety Checklist | Home Security | House Cleaning Tips | Household Tips for Laundry | Housekeeping Tips | How to Make Bed Linen | How to Make a Wreath | How to Make Icing | Herbs and Spices | How to Decorate a Table | Candle Decorating | Decorating Tip | House Plant Care | How Do I Pick A Good Vacuum Cleaner | How Do You Decorate a China | How to Increase Livable Space | How to Antique Furniture | How to Build a Pergola | How to Decorate Glass Ornaments | How to Decorate Lamp Shades | How to Decorate My Home | How to Dress a Bed | How to Build a Storage Box | How to Choose Ceramic Tile | Lawn and Garden Care | How to Build a Closet | How to Create a Beautiful Outdoor | How to Install Cabinet Hinge | Patio Ideas | Window Dressing | Dried Flower Arranging | Using Herbs | Kitchen Gardening | How to Install Vinyl Floor | Create More Space in the Home | Stain Removal | Home Insulation | How to Fit a Door | How to Fit Dado Rail Upstairs | How to Make Curtain Valences | How to Make Roman Blinds | How to Organize Space | How to Plan a Party | How to Prepare to Paint House | How to Prune Trees | How to Recycle | How to Sew a Box Cushion | How to Use a Paint Brush | How to Use Fresh Ingredient | Hydroculture | Ideas On How To Set Up Contract For Home Improvement | Illness and Child Care | Indoor Plant Display | Installing Crown Moulding | Home and Interior Garden | Ironing Tips | Kitchen Lighting | Kitchen Organize Tips | Landscape Garden Design | Last Day Before Holiday | Lawn Weed Control | Laying a Foam Backed Carpet | Laying a Woven Carpet | Laying Carpet on Stairs | Laying Floor Tiles | Laying Hardwood Flooring | Laying Vinyl Tile | Low Maintenance Plants | Hanging Mirror | How to Make Curtain | Textile Patching | Moving House | Napkin Folds | Outdoor Safety | Paint Effects | Painting Doors | Wallpapering Tips | Paperhanging Tools and Equipment | Party Planning Ideas | Pet Safety | Planning Your Garden | Plant Decoration | Plant Potting | Plaster Wall Repair | Preparing For Paperhanging | Preparing Garden Soil | Preparing Surfaces For Covering | Preparing Wood Floors | Proper Table Setting | Hanging Wallpaper Border | Removing Old Finishes | Repairing Furniture | Household Appliance Repair | Rose Center Piece Flower Arrangement | Save Energy at Home | Sesame Seed Bread | Soft Furnishing | Soft Furnishing Hot Tips | Soft Furnishing Sewing | Solid Wood Floor Installation | Stamping Equipment | Stamp Making | Stem Cutting | Stencilling Equipment | Storage Organize | Storage Shelving | Stripping Old Wall Coverings | Table Flower Decorations | Tiling a Wall | Tiling Tools | Tools and Equipment for Furnishings | Type of Houseplant | Using Colour Pattern and Texture | Using Cushions | Wall Decorating Ideas | Wallfixings | Wallpainting Ideas | Wallpapering Ceilings | Wallpapering Corners | Wallpapering Stairwells | Wall Repair | Watering Plants | Well Equipped Kitchen | Window Dressing Ideas | Window Repair | Wood Embellishment | How to Use a Sewing Machine | How to doWall Tiling | How to Install a Door | How to Fit a Curtain Pole | How to Fold a Napkin | How to Make A Round Bolster Cushion | How to Make A Stencil | How to Make Couch Cushion Covers | How to Make a Table Cloth