DIY PORCELAIN PLATE

March 10, 2014 | Written by Katie | Artwork & photos by Katie

My latest creative pursuit comes in the form of decorative porcelain plates! 

I have seen these babies just about every where on Pinterest (clearly I spend too much time on Pinterest). 

Once again I was trying to create an innovative gift idea, this time for my sister, that was different to what I usually create for Lunacandy. 

As I had to search through several blogs to get a simplified/australian idea of materials and methods I thought I would let you in on my process.

Have a read yourself of the post by Craftaholics Anonymous and distinguish the facts.  It's also great to have a read about everyone else's experience. Based on reading the article I'm considering trying out Pebeo Porcelain Fine Tip Markers. They are a little bit more expensive but have great reviews!

Another note on the crockery, according to ALL blogs, the cheaper the better as there is less glaze to work with. I went with antique store because I loved the pre-existing floral pattern. A great example of what you can do with a plain white plate is by Nervard Yerkanian that I found on Behance.

Nervard Yerkanian Porcelain Plate (Behance)

Materials:

- Plate & Teacup: I realised after I bought two pieces from Treasures 4 You in Stones Corner that I had in fact bought a plate and teacup, rather than a teacup and saucer. 

- Sharpie: There was a lot of discussion that the Sharpie you use also has to be oil-based. To be honest I used the one that I had at home and it worked fine.

- Oven: You need access to a conventional or fan forced oven. Once you have finished your design you need to bake your creation!

Once you have the materials then you can begin creating!

- Wipe down/clean your porcelain to ensure there is no residue/dust/price stickers.

- Get drawing! People suggest stencils however I went free hand. There were a few mess ups but I covered them up (almost)

- Once completed place your plate in the oven when cold and then turn it on to 220 Degrees. I let the oven heat up to the required temperature and then let it bake for 30-40 minutes.

- Turn the oven off after the specified time and allow it to sit in the oven until it cools. When the plate cooled I wiped it with a chux wipe and no colour lifted.

- As this was a gift I don't know how many times you could wipe it before the colour lifts but others suggest it lasts forever (obviously a dish washer is not a good choice).

I plan to make more porcelain pretties as soon as I get the chance. Next time I think I shall trawl the vintage stores for a bit longer to see what treasures I can find! 

I love that this project allows you to create any design, from a personalised plate to an art deco piece.  

Happy crafting!