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Fabrication

Fabrication

1. Handmade tiles are made with specific clay and are pressed manually with a ballast roller.

2. The tiles are then allowed to dry naturally for 2 months. During this drying stage the tile acquires a irregularity on the surface with natural warps, which is very important adding the right expression that comes from natural drying.

3. The first firing is in an electric kiln. After fired at 1020º results chacota with the dimensions of 14x14 centimeters, by 1,1 centimeter thickness.

4. Next follows manual glazing. As with all handmade goods, measuring the glaze varies slightly as does the process of firing, hence, some of the tiles are pinker than others and the white glazing isn’t constant, leaving various nuances. This process of glazing also naturally provokes some pores on the surface but that is considered natural.

5. The painting is done by hand using brushes without transfers or tracings, using the traditional, principal, Portuguese colours of blue, Manganese, yellow, olive and copper green.

6. After painting the tiles are fired for a second time. Diverses nuances in colour can appear due to the influence of the painter, the colours can be lighter, darker, shiny or more or less opaque.

7. The tiles can also present fissures in the glazing, which are usually called crackling this is due to the paste of the tile, glazing or temperature of the kiln.
This situation is very normal in antique tiles.
The glazing can, however, remain without any problems although some fissures, invisible to the naked eye, in time can appear.

8. As a final note, we can conclude that all the characteristics referred to in the process of fabrication add to the personality of craft made tiles, which make them different to any others.


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