China Painting Tips

This is a lamp I painted with glass paints then fire in the kiln.
 It took 4 fires at 022 cone to complete..

Below is a bell that I first did "gold etching" on the top and around the rim.  The etching
was fired at 016, then the gold was added and fired again. Painted the scene all the way around.
  The covered bridge is one from Parke County, Indiana in Mansfield.
I like to paint places where I have been.  It took a total of approximately 6 fires to complete.


 

What is China Painting?
 In 1980, the 96th Congress of the Unite States declared Porcelain Art a fine art.
China painting is the fine art form achieved by the application of overglaze colors
to a glazed china blank or porcelain.  The china or porcelain is then fired in a kiln
(1333 to 1530'F) thus making the painting permanent.
Overglaze colors (china paints) are powder paints composed of minerals and flux.
A medium of oil is used to grind the paints.  Another medium is used as the vehicle
to apply the paint with a brush to the article being painted.
The flux in the china paints helps to lower the melting point below that of the glaze
to which it is applied.  The flux causes the paints to melt with the fired on glaze of
the object being painted.  It can take from one to seven or more firings to complete
the painting.  The number of firings depends on the painter and the technique used,
but can usually be finished in three to four firings.


To Mix China Powder Paints- Use a grinding glass and pour out a small amount of powder.
Add a couple of drops of your mixing medium.  I have been using "baby oil" and really like it.
It is very smooth and stays together without separating and will stay open for a long long time.
With a palette knife, mix the paint in a circular motion until the consistency is toothpaste consistency.  If it is too dry or thick, add another drop of oil and mix.  After your paint is mixed, put the paint in your palette box.  You can purchase one or use metal tins with glass inserts as well as "Tupperware" bacon keepers with glass cut to fit work great!

To Convert OVERGLAZE paints into MATT PAINTS -You will need a "matting agent"such
as mattversatz or zinc oxide (Desitin for babies works).  You mix 2/3 china paints to 1/3 matting agent.  If you are using high gold content colors like purples and pinks, the proportions would be
1/2 china paint and 1/2 matting agent.
 

USING BASE FOR RAISED GOLD - Mix powder with enamel medium or a closed medium to a putty consistency.  Thin with clean gum turpentine until the mixture strings.  Appy and let it dry.  Fire at 017 cone.  Mix a small amunt at a time because it dries fast.  You can add more gum turpentine to the mixture as long as it strings.  Once it starts to flatten, discard mixture and start all over.
Painting Backgrounds
Backgrounds: "The Atmosphere in the paintings" - there to enhance the center of interest.

  Backgrounds can be applied first - by tinting the porcelain with white or light ivory.   This will give the piece tooth to work for the second fire followed by colors placed in strategic areas to enhance the subject.  When using this technique, use as large a brush as possible.  Add more medium to the paint to make it workable.  Put the paint on as smooth as possible working in small area at a time.  Hold your brush way back on the handle and with as light a stroke as possible, pull the paint toward you off the porcelain.  This will eliminate streaks.  Keep working this way until it is complete.  Then take a silk filled with fiberfill and pat until desired effect.  Fire at 014-016 cone.

Shaping subjects with background:  After the subject has been painted, we will then frame with color by using the comma, dot and dash strokes.  The colors are then filtered and feathered to soften and remove definite lines.  This again will involve working with your brush with a very light touch and sometimes patting softly with silk or I find I like athletic sponge that you can buy in the drug store.  When using silk or sponge, be sure to go from the lightest to the darkest and use clean spots on the silk or sponge.

Shadowy effect:  In order to create the illusion of depth, the colors become more grayed as they move away from the focal point.  Colors are not used at full strength and are "grayed" by gradual addition of the complement or mixture o colors on the brush.  In other words - don't be so quick to always clean the brush when you want to gray the colors.  When you mix green/red or purple/yellow or blue/orange you will get a "greyed" color.  If you mix all the colors on your palette, you will get a shadow color to use for leaves, etc.

The darker areas of the background go behind and underneath the lightest spot to keep the center of interest or subject.  When the subject has been done it is a good idea to carry colors in three different areas - a triangle of color.   Then go in an put "punches" - "ticks" and all kinds of funny little words you will hear china painting teachers use.  The idea is to help that center of interest stand up and take notice!

If your background dries too quickly before you have time to blend the colors, add  few drops of lavender oil or add a drop of clove oil to your medium.

Do not forget shadow work in the background - Look for three dimensions:
 FOREGROUND; main subject   MIDDLE GROUND:   shadow area  BACKGROUND: atmosphere

Decide from which side the light is falling and deepen shadows in the proper places.
The source of light in a painting may come from any direction as long as it is consistent.

If a flower, leaf or any portion of your design "jumps out at you", you can move it back by washing the background color over it.

Generally the same colors are repeated in the background that were used in the painting.
Use each color in the background in 3 different places and in 3 different shapes or sizes.

Add shadows while the background is still wet for a softer effect.
NEVER paint the background up to the flower and stop.  Very faintly bring in your color to the flower in the shadow areas.  Your foliage is much prettier when it has background to support it and this is achieved through filtering.

Red or yellow mixed with copenhagen blue gives a warm tint on foliage when the sun is shining through.

Pink over fired yellow gives a beautiful peachy glow.

PAINTING MEDIUMS
To mix my paints, I prefer Baby Oil.  I used Mineral oil for years and found that
there were times it would sit on top or seperate.  When I heard people were using Baby oil, I decided to use it and really like it.  I found it to be smooth and nice to work with.
For painting with an "Open Medium"- I use the following mixture for painting:
1 pint Clear Balsam of Capaiba + 1/2 oz clove oil + 8 oz. mineral oil
For painting with a "Closed Medium" - I use the following mixture for painting:
1 pint dark Balsam of Capaiba + 1 oz. clove oil + 1 oz. lavender oil
I do not like using Mineral oil only as some people do - it tends to give runs in the
firing and washes out the color also.  I like a good amount of color in my finished work.  I will paint some things on a second and subsequent fires using turpentine only and this will give you dark strokes, leaves, vines, shadows in forests, etc.

Painting other things with China Paints
Feather Painting:  I have painted Turkey Tail Feathers with china paints.
My subject is usually wildlife - eagles, wolves, deer, bear, etc.
You want to make the feather work into your design and paint
in the direction of the grain of the feather.  I then add beads,
and other embelishments and put in oak display boxes with glass tops.
Note:  The feathers must be washed with Dawn, dried with a COOL blowdryer and formed before painting.

Candle Painting:  use your china paints and a drying oil to paint
on pillar candles.  Rough them up first with panty hose, spray with
denatured alcohol, then paint your design.  when dry, spray with
a fixative spray.  You can embellish with glitter, gold and dried flowers.
Eagle head painted on Turkey Feather
This is displayed in an oak box lined with burgandy fleece - Sold  
  Wolves painted on turkey feather - displayed in oak box lined with blue fleece - sold

Mix your own Colors 

When mixing the colors yourself, you will acquire self confidence and knowledge about the china colors.  Test fire to see the results.

Violet of Iron:                1/2 Ruby & 1/2 Brown
Violet of Iron:                Dull Red & Dark Blue
Violet of Iron:                Rich Brown & Banding Blue
Yellow Green:                 1/2 Mixing Yellow & 1/2 Apple Green
Green Gold:                    1/2 Yellow Green & 1/2 Yellow Brown
Apple Green:                   Turquoise & Chartreuse
Moss Green:                    Chartreuse & Warm Green (Medium)
Deep Blue Green:             Light or Sky Blue and Turquoise
Russian Green:                1/2 Mixing Yellow & 1/2 Deep Blue Green
Shading Green:                1/2 Dark Green & 1/2 Deep Blue Green
Brown Green:                   Black, Yellow & Chestnut Brown.  Add a little Blue for variety.
Dark Pompadour Red:       To Pompadour add a little violet of iron
Pompadour:                      Dull Red & gold
Heliotrope:                       1/2 Deep Blue Green & 1/2 Violet
Heliotrope:                       Pale Violet & Pale Pink
Turquoise:                        Baby Blue & Apple Green
Holland Blue:                    Banding Blue, Black & Deep Blue
Green Holland Blue:          4 Parts Banding Blue, 1 part Deep Blue Green, 2 Parts Pearl Gray
Deft Blue:                         1/2 Copenhagen Blue, 1/2 Banding Blue
Copenhagen Blue:              Light or Sky Blue & Black
Banding Blue:                    Dark Blue & Black
Banding Blue:                    1/2 Deep Blue Green & 1/2 Violet of Gold
Darkest Blue:                    1/2 Banding Blue & 1/2 Deep Blue Green
Mahogany:                        Dull Red & Ruby
Dark Red Wine:                 American Beauty & just add a little Pompadour
Dark Rose:                        Soft Rose & Blood Red
Dark Red Rose:                  To Rose, add Deep Purple until you get the desired color
Blackberry:                        Ruby & Black
Darkest Purple:                  1/2 Pansy Purple, 1/2 Dunkel Violet,  & Purple - just a little Black.
Black Grape:                      Black & Blue Violet
Crimson Purple:                  1/2 Ruby, 1/2 Deep Violet of Gold
Crimson Glory:                   1/3 Elderberry, 1/3 Rich Fuschia Rose & 1/3 American Beauty
Yellow Red:                       Carnation & Yellow Gold
Dark Yellow Brown:           To Yellow Brown add a dot of Capuchin Brown
Chestnut Brown:                 1/3 Yellow Red, 1/3 Yellow Brown, 1/3 Capuchin Brown
Orange:                              1/3 Albert Yellow, 1/3 Yellow Brown & 1/3 Yellow Red
Light Orange:                      1/2 Yellow & 1/2 Yellow Red
Red Orange:                       Light Pompadour & Violet of Iron until desired shade
Ivory:                                Pale Yellow & Grey
Deep Orange:                    Light Pompadour & Yellow Brown until desired shade
White Rose:                        Yellow Brown & Brown Green
Coral:                                To Rose add Yellow Brown until desired shade
Rust:                                  Yellow Brown - add Ruby till desired shade
Salmon:                              Mixing Yellow & Rose until desired shade
Grey Green:                       Mixing Yellow I& Grey or Albert Yellow & Banding Blue
Deep Grey:                         Violet of Iron & Shading Green
Soft Grey:                          Pink & Baby Blue
Rust Background:               Violet of Iron & Yellow Brown

 Pretty Pink for "Roses" can be gotten by using very little Pompadour.  This must look red with NO BROWN in it.

A touch of Black Green against a pink rose gives it life.

A Delicate Pink can be had by using Blood Red ever so sparingly.

Another Pretty Pink tone results by a very thin wash of Pompadour Red over fired Best Pink.

Rose Pompadour applied in a thin coating will give a delicate pink tint.  IF properly fired, the tint will be a soft pint, smooth but a brilliant color.

Copenhagen Blue is a complimentary color of pink.
NEVER USE PINK HEAVILY.  It will fire improperly.  The depth must be obtained by repeated applications of color and firing in between.

PINKS - when under fired are yellowish.  RUBY - when under fired is brownish.
"If over fired" - PINKS & RUBIES take on a violet tone.

A striking RED ROSE is the result of combining Blood Red & Ruby for highlights and a bit of Black
in darker areas.  Soft Pink washed lightly over the light areas will soften the tone.

To make a DARK RED ROSE -- paint with Darkest Green, then paint or dust with Ruby.

A touch of Ruby Purple mixed with the Carmines for the center of roses and Deep Shading Green, softens the pink, and is not as liable to change color in firing.

In painting WHITE OR PINK ROSES, use Primrose or Albert Yellow in thin washes over the petal tips.  Grey the Yellows with Brown Green for deep shadows.

For tinting use 2 parts Yellow Brown and 1 part Pearl Grey.

A good green tint try 1 part Russian Green, 1 part Yellow Green, 2 parts Ivory Yellow and 1 part Yellow Brown.

If greens are too vivid after firing, try using a light wash of Yellow Brown:  For darker leaves use a light wash of Black Brown.

Yellow Brown is a good color for softening greens and used as a foundation tint for leaves.  It will fire lighter than Ochre.  A light wash over Lavender and Blues will soften them and not turn them green in firing.

Red or Yellow mixed with Copenhagen Gray gives a warm tint on foliage when sun is shining.

Dark Red Brown & Deep Blue in brush is a lovely shadow for violets.

A mixture of White Shadow & Copenhagen Blue make a pretty Blue Grey for painting White Flowers, Horses, etc.

Ruby mixed with Russian Green makes good shadows.

ALWAYS KEEP GREY ON PALETTE -  It gives a good glaze.

Mixing GREEN WITH ALMOST ANY COLOR - will grey any color.

Grey will assume or take on the color next to it, but grey next to Red will look sort of "greenish".  Grey next to green will look "pinkish.

Blue Green & Rose Red (an iron color) are beautiful together for deep shadows near the point of interest.

PURPLES need grinding. but if you still have trouble, you can load your brush first with Pearl Grey or Air Blue before going into Purple.

RUBY COLORS should not be over-worked.  Apply and leave alone!

Violet of Iron is red.  Violet of gold is Purple.

"In case your colors come from the kiln dull and without a glaze - they can be restored by mixing 1 part flux very thoroughly with 3 parts of color, diluting with fresh turpentine:  then apply a thin delicate wash over the design.  Do not go beyond the limit of the painted area.

BLACK PAINT; often chips if applied too heavily.  To avoid this, use anise oil with your color and thin with turpentine.

Use Yellow under Black.

Black, if not applied correctly, will fire flat and unattractive.  To prevent this, sandwich Black on your brush before firing.  Pick up a color, then Black and back into color.  Then apply.  Black sandwiched with Purple or Banking Blue & Copenhagen Blue make beautiful blackberries.

TO HELP HOLD RED AGAINST YELLOW:  try painting it black first, wiping out the desired highlights and fire.  Now paint red over the black and color in the wipeouts with yellow.

Interesting Rose Stems & Thorns:  2/3 orange & 1/3 American Beauty

A beautiful Blush hue on Pears can be obtained by using 1 part Yellow Brown and 1 part Deep Blood Red.
 
 
 
 

 To learn to China Paint ......go to "Classes" page or check out the online classes 


for questions e-mail at raccoonridge@artlover.com