The secret is ; six natural materials: Kaolin, sand chalk for whiteness, quartz for brightness and to clays for plasticity were mixed, milled, dampened and strained through silk to make the refined with substance (MUD) that was thrown on the wheel for hollow ware, jiggered on the wheel for plates and patted in to molds for tiles.
After this phrase, it had put in to the kiln, pushily the heat rose slowly and held steady at a point approximately 1000-1100 C degree. On to these forms which fired, the painters work start. Works are painted in 2 stages. First the charcoaled design is painted over in black. This is called "tahrir" or "kontur" means the act of drawing. The next step is called `painting` The mineral colors are mixed with slip, generally containing glaze and sharing elements with the body. The pointer uses a special brush (hair from the lower mane of a female donkey). The colored workings put in to the 850 - 950 C degreed fie again after brightness with quartz, glaze and sodium carbonate. This step has risks because if the heat is too low, the glaze will not convert, the ware will shine. If the heat is too high, the colors run, smudging the design if the kiln cools to quickly, the glaze will crack. So Cini craftsmanship (cinicilik) is filled with difficult & risk. It must be done patiently & slowly .Its a technology so complex that it entails much loss but after all these steps a real art is being completed.
PRODUCTION IN DETAIL.
Throwing (Kundeleme)
The plastic body needs to be seperated to different sizes according to the size of articles to be produced. It needs to be kneeded for better performance. This preparation is known as "Kundeleme". In order to assure the size consistancy or articles "kundeleme" plays an important role. The artist which performs this should be very careful not to leave air bubles inside the plastic body, otherwise the body in the kiln will breake.
JIGGERING
This is a process which is used in the preparation of plates and bowls. The plastic bodies are prepared according to the size. They are now placed on plaster molds. For each bowl and plate there are different molds.The plates and bowls which is formed on the mold are kept in a place where there is no air circulation. If there is an air circulation in the medium the article will crack.
Throwing Department
The technique is used to form articles like vases, jars,ewers etc. is a process even more difficult then jiggering. The plastic body is shaped by the skillfull hands of the masters called "throwers". The mastership of the throwers can be judged by looking at the sizes of the articles that they produce. The throwers can produce articles ranging from 1.9" to 40" in sizes. The biggerarticles are exremely difficult to make.
Engobing
The
dried articles are engobed by a slip which has a white burning
property. Engobing is performed by brushes. It fills the porous pars
on articles and and ensures a smooth surface.
Biscuit Firing
In this stage the articles are ready for firing at 1000 celcious. They are fired in electric or LPG kilns are also called "biscuits" last 24 hrs (firing is 10 hrs and 14 hrs to cool down). This is a very tedious process s the problem faced during firing is breakage or cracking of articles. Therefore the articles are controlled for hidden cracks. This is done by tapping on the article by finger and listening to its sound. If the sound is even and continous all around the article that means the article is normal if not it is cracked. This needs experience and skill.
Outlining & Painting
This is a 2 steps process. The
first step (outlining) of decoration is contouring (oulining). The
design is first drawn by skillfull hands on translucent papers. The
designs are prepared by using the traditional Ottoman motifs or modern
cini designs. The designs which are srawn on tanslucent papers are
perforated by needles. The paper is placed on the article and the
drawer copy the design on to the article by padding charcoal which is
put in a piece of bag made of clotch and the outline of the design is
painted by using ceramic stains on the article by only the ladies
called Outliners. Inthe process outliners also use sable fur brushes
and ceramic stains.
In the second step (painting) outlined articles are glazed by dipping
in a slip which is made by a kind of crushed glass. Glaze gives glossy
and bright color also protects the article and design. Before it looks
like milk after baking it gets a glassy, shiney look. Glazing is very
important step. if it is too thin or too thick all the labor and the
prevous steps go waste. Color variations, color leakings and mattness
are due to improper glazing.
Glost Firing (Final Step)
The glazed articles are now ready for baking for the second time at 900 celcius. The articles placed in the kiln should not touch eachother because the glaze becomes fluid at 580 celcius and they stick to eachother. The baking lasts for 21 hrs. 9 hrs are needed for to reach maximum temperature. Thekiln cools down in 12 hours. The cooling processed must be controlled as the temprerature dirstibution within the kiln must be even. If not the it will breake or crack all the articles.
