Cold porcelain do-it-yourself: cooking recipes +100 photos

Porcelain is a separate subspecies of ceramics. The material is obtained by firing at high temperatures clay of different grades (mainly kaolin) with the addition of feldspar, quartz and other impurities (depending on the recipe). The finished product of white color turns out to be solid, it does not let water through, it makes a special ring when tapping. The material is non-porous. A thin layer of porcelain has a slight transparency. Production of the material takes place in several stages, that is, repeated calcination. Approximately 25% of the resulting porcelain is eliminated as a marriage, which is explained by the complex manufacturing technology. The birthplace of the material was Ancient China. The first Chinese porcelain had a light blue and green tint. Milky white, he became much later.

Later, new types of material began to appear: glazed (an alternative to "biscuit" without glaze), bone, soft (European idea without kaolin). The Chinese eagerly exported china to other countries, but the secret of material production was kept strictly in order to maintain a monopoly. Even a separate “closed” city of Jingdezhen appeared at that time in the Celestial Empire. It worked pottery artels only on the production of porcelain. To protect secrets from spies, the city was literally closed for the night, leaving military patrols on the streets. Although Jingdezhen was the china center, other provinces were also involved in the material production process. For example, in Jiangxi mined "porcelain stone", consisting of a mixture of quartz and mica. In the same province, a special clay, kaolin, was first discovered. The one that gave porcelain whiteness. Finished products covered with glaze and painted. At first there was a fashion for blue tones, then for green and pink. The secrets of Chinese porcelain were so carefully guarded that many of them were irretrievably lost. The skill of the potters of the Celestial Empire was so high that many of their products, which have survived to our days, are striking in their beauty, but continue to keep the secret of their manufacturing technology. And even modern techniques do not allow to find the exact "recipe". For those who are engaged in modeling at home and is not able to burn the workpieces in special furnaces at extremely high temperatures, a special material was invented, called cold porcelain. Consider a series of workshops on its production at home and options for subsequent use.

Cold porcelain - what it is: the characteristics and properties of the material

Beginners sometimes confuse cold porcelain with polymer clay. The materials are actually completely different. The only thing that unites them is the ability to harden (clay during firing, and porcelain when in contact with air) and compliance during the molding. Argentina is considered the birthplace of cold porcelain. In the nineteenth century, for the first time a special composition for artistic modeling was invented here. In the original recipe, oil, corn starch, glycerin and glue were used as ingredients.

The modern composition of the finished cold porcelain is very different from the original. The material is absolutely safe and suitable even for contact with children's handles. There are references to another inventor of cold porcelain, now about our compatriot. He created the original material at about the same time as the Argentine masters, but the innovators acted independently. Someone, Pyotr Ulyanovich Ivanov, who worked at the Imperial Porcelain Factory, made flowers that amazed with subtlety of work and elegance. For his products, he used a special material, which is also called cold porcelain. Many of his works have survived to the present day, which cannot be said about the secret of the technology for making the basis, which was lost immediately after the death of the master. Not so long ago, they tried to recreate the recipe using modern methods of analyzing the composition of Ivanov colors. These attempts were even crowned with success, but the technology was never announced to a wide audience. Many will have a question, what does this mass for modeling have in common with real Chinese porcelain?

Visually, the material is incredibly similar to the "original". Only a professional with a trained eye can distinguish a product made of porcelain that hardens in air from a genuine one. Material is used for sculpting small-sized products (mostly realistic colors). High-quality cold porcelain is not afraid of short-term contact with water, but some compositions may soften if the product from them is put into water for more than 30 minutes. In the cold, it becomes very fragile and brittle, and therefore requires careful handling. It is necessary to store the material only in a tightly closed container or tightly tied bag, so as not to harden ahead of time. During operation, cold porcelain easily assumes any shape, it can be rolled out and applied with a stack the finest patterns on the surface (for example, streaks of a leaflet). The material is quite strong and not covered with cracks. It has a margin of flexibility and well rolled sheets can even be slightly twisted in a hardened form.

Like any other material that dries out due to moisture loss, cold porcelain shrinks. This must be taken into account when working so that the finished flowers do not turn out too small.

Independent production of material

Cold porcelain is available in any store where there is a wide range of materials for creativity. If for some reason the master decides to save money, then you can make this material at home. It really is not so difficult as it may seem at first glance. Consider more than five popular ways, among which will definitely find the right one for you.

Classic recipe

The classic recipe corresponds in almost everything to that used by Argentinean masters of molding. To work will require:

200 grams of corn starch.
200 g of PVA glue.
2 tbsp. spoons of glycerin.
1 tbsp. spoon of baby cream (instead of butter)

Glue is poured into a container (not just aluminum) and a spoonful of baby cream is added to the liquid. Pot put on a slow fire. Now you need to add glycerin and starch. In parallel with the heated mass should be thoroughly knead with a wooden spatula. Preparation for the test "cold porcelain" will be ready when its consistency approaches the cottage cheese. As soon as it thickens, remove the saucepan from the heat and extract the contents from it. A lump of hot dough is placed on a wooden board, generously smeared with the same cream. He is allowed to cool slightly and proceed to kneading. The process does not differ from the preparation of the usual dough from flour for pies or dumplings. The mass should be homogeneous and volatile. Homemade cold porcelain is ready.

Original recipe

This original recipe allows you to get perfectly white dough, through the use of lemon juice and sodium benzoate. To work you need to take:

500 g of glue.
250 grams of rice or wheat starch.
1 tbsp. spoon of sodium benzoate.
1 tbsp. spoon of lemon juice.
1 tbsp. spoon of stearin.
2 tbsp. spoons of glycerin.
2 tbsp. spoons of vaseline liquid consistency.
1 tbsp. spoon of special emulsion, whitening dough.

Cold porcelain is cooked in a pan with high sides. First mix the glue and starch. Then add the rest of the ingredients in the mass and put on a slow fire. At first, the dough will be watery, and as it boils it will begin to thicken gradually. The main thing is not to let him "burn", stirring in time. Then the mass will resemble cottage cheese, and eventually will become elastic, like children's modeling clay. The main condition of "readiness" of cold porcelain is free sticking from the walls of the pan.

Corn Starch Recipe

Corn starch is used in almost every recipe. The same ingredient was present in the original composition of the first Argentine cold porcelain. Corn starch cannot be called indispensable. Instead, you can take potato, wheat or rice, but you should take into account the characteristics of the paste that comes out of it. The first option, obtained from potato tubers, when in contact with the liquid will give an almost transparent mass with high viscosity. Clays and corn starch are similar in many respects. They have a milky tint. In comparison with potato starch, have a lower viscosity. Powder from rice as if "bleaches" mass, like chalk. Corn starch is considered ideal for cold porcelain precisely because of the special properties of the paste, which give the product the desired elasticity, but do not make them too hard or, conversely, pliable. For this reason, almost every recipe (with rare exceptions) contains exactly this ingredient.

Production in the microwave oven

To prepare cold porcelain in the microwave will require:

200 g of glue.
1 tbsp. spoon of glycerin.
1 tsp citric acid.
1 tbsp. spoon baby cream or body milk.
200 g of corn or rice starch.

All ingredients, except for starch, are thoroughly mixed in transparent glass containers. After that, the mass is sent to the microwave oven. The time of its heating will have to be determined individually empirically, since the power of the microwave may be different. The main sign of the "readiness" of the batter is the active formation of bubbles, which create a "cap" that creeps up quickly, like in milk. After that, the tank needs to be removed urgently. Not allowing the dough to cool, pour starch into it and slowly knead it. First, with a spoon, as the mass is compressed, they begin to work with their hands. When the dough becomes elastic and dense, it is almost ready, it remains only to give it a little time to "relax."

Formaldehyde recipe

For this recipe, not formaldehyde is used in its pure form, but its solution called formalin, which is freely sold in pharmacies. This compound is notorious as one of the best embalming solutions. It is toxic, therefore it is impossible to allow contact with mucous and open sites of skin. You can only work in gloves. Do not inhale the vapors of formalin. Keep out of the reach of children. In the following example, a formaldehyde solution will also be present, so the same precautions should be observed there. Below is a recipe for making a large piece of dough. If the masses for modeling need a minimum, then you can take fewer ingredients, but with respect to the proportions given. So, for work will be required:

600 grams of corn starch.
600 g of vinyl based adhesive.
150 g cold water.
1 tbsp. spoon baby cream.
1 tbsp. spoon of vegetable oil.
1 tbsp. spoon of stearic acid, which will save the finished product from cracks.
1 tbsp. spoon formalin.

If desired, a food dye or a mixture of 1-2 tbsp can be added to the composition of cold porcelain. spoons of rice starch and 1 tsp of sodium benzoate, if you need to bleach a lot. Ingredients mix:

First, starch and baby cream, butter are added to the glue.
Then water, stearic acid and formalin are mixed into the mass.

The dough should be tight, but elastic.

Cool way

For the preparation of cold porcelain prescription without cooking will need:

200 g of rice starch.
200 g dry chalk.
400 g of vinyl-based glue.
6 tsp of vaseline liquid consistency.
6 drops of formalin.

First you need to mix starch and chalk. Then the powder is poured with glue and petroleum jelly is added to it. The dough is thoroughly kneaded, after which formalin is added. Mass knead again to the last ingredient evenly distributed. If the finished dough turned out too "cool", you can add a little cold water to it. If the mass, on the contrary, is too ductile and keeps its shape poorly, then a little more starch or chalk is added to it. In the process of mixing ingredients, you can pour food coloring, if you want to get the dough of a particular color.

Recipe without glue

You can make cold porcelain and without the use of glue. The laconic list of ingredients for such mastic includes:

100 corn starch.
100 g of soda.
100 g of cold water.

All ingredients are mixed in an enamel saucepan or in a frying pan with high sides. Capacity put on a small fire. When the mass starts to bubble, it is slightly stirred, holding small lumps together into one big one. After evaporation of water and thickening of the dough, the container is removed from the heat. Carefully, a special tool (preferably a large spoon), which is removed from the pan and put on a wooden board to cool. You can not take mastic hands, as it is hot. When the temperature of the dough drops, it should be carefully kneaded to the consistency of soft clay. It is better to work with the mass after it “has a rest” for a couple of hours, and not immediately after cooling.

Rules and features of work with the material

When working with cold porcelain should follow a number of rules:

Do not leave material in an open container or package. It will quickly harden on contact with air. Soften it back is no longer possible.
Porcelain of various shades hardens even faster than regular white. If you decide to cook the mass with your own hands, then it is better not to stock it for future use, but immediately make the amount you need for one product right now.
When working with acids and formalin, wear rubber gloves.

Do not leave children alone with cold china. The material may remind the child of the usual dough, which is why he wants to try a piece to the taste.

Necessary tools for work

To work with cold porcelain, you need the same tools as for modeling from polymer clay, clay or mastic. The minimum set of devices includes:

Special board or rug, which will save the surface of the table from contact with the "" test "."
A set of incisors and stacks.
Stencils, shapes, catheters.
Additional decor.

For staining using brushes with bristles of varying degrees of "fluffiness". " Some elements of crafts will have to be bonded together with glue. To do this, you need bristles (a brush of increased rigidity).

How to paint cold china

Cold porcelain can be painted in two ways:

Add dye at the stage of kneading dough. Then the finished mass will get a uniform shade.
To paint the product after the curing of porcelain. The option is suitable for those crafts that need to be painted in different colors, with contrasting borders and smooth transitions, where the shades are mixed.

In the process of making cold porcelain, dry tempera or food coloring is added to it. After curing, the products also use tempera paints, acrylic, gouache and even watercolor, pastel. As is known, the last type of dye is similar to chalk and showered with the product. For the composition to be fixed, the craftwork is held for about 5 minutes over the steam, which slightly softens the surface of cold porcelain and “absorbs” the paint. You can fix the color with varnish.

What can be done

They make hairpins, costume jewelry, three-dimensional paintings (murals), jewelry for clothes, statuettes, small sculptures, animal figurines, doll faces and hands / feet, bowls, bowls, little trunks, miniature houses and toys, decorative dishes from cold porcelain. This material is perfect for creating kitchen utensils in the dollhouse or to decorate the table "crazy tea" in the best traditions of Lewis Carroll. The list of options can be continued for a very long time. Consider a few examples that clearly demonstrate the capabilities of cold porcelain.

Flowers

Porcelain was presented to us by China, and ceramic floristry by Japan. Both countries have made a huge contribution to the development of "fine art". The main task of the master when creating flowers is their maximum realism. Cold porcelain is ideal for creating delicate buds and the finest petals. In addition to the basic material, the work will require floristic wire, which will play the role of a skeleton, and a special latex-based glue for fastening individual parts of the composition.

Figurines / toys

Cold porcelain makes great miniature toys. Such figures can decorate the home collections of lovers of ceramics, shelves with books and photographs, culinary masterpieces of the hostess. For example, the material can be used to make the bride and groom for a wedding cake or the characters of the favorite cartoons of a child to celebrate a birthday. Another option for using the material is the face, arms and legs of large rag dolls. They will help to convey subtle emotions in the face or face, but they will not give the composition additional weight. Fix the "mask" of cold porcelain with glue on the stuffed head base. The palms and the feet are placed on the wire of the trunk frame.

The use of porcelain for decoration

Cold porcelain can act not only as the main material for the product, but also to decorate some of its parts. Small flowers, butterflies, twigs, figurines made from this material are often used in decorating ready-made vases, photo frames or paintings, coffee and tea cups, bottles, teapots. Fix porcelain decoration with glue. Материал подходит к любым поверхностям: деревянным, пластиковым, металлическим, керамическим.

Bijouterie

Из холодного фарфора получаются необычные украшения: медальоны, брошки, серьги, клипсы, браслеты, кулоны, заколки. Of course, the material only decorates the base, but the detail of the image looks truly elegant and stylish, especially in conditions of high demand for handmade products. Cold porcelain is usually made miniature flower buds, leaves, dragonflies, butterflies, fruit slices, berries, beads.

How to dry the finished product

Dry porcelain from cold porcelain can be a natural way and accelerated. The first one takes a couple of days to a week. To speed up the drying process, the product can be placed in the oven (average temperature of 180-200 degrees). After "baking" crafts for several hours, it still needs to be left for 12 hours to cool and dry yourself.

Conclusion

So we met with such wonderful material as cold porcelain. It will become a worthy alternative to polymer clay, to which so many masters have become accustomed. Of course, with this porcelain (except for appearance) it has almost nothing in common. Perhaps those who gave the name to the new material decided to display irony. Only rich people could afford natural porcelain of high quality earlier, while its “cold” namesake was widely available, and, as we already understood from the master classes, it is easily made at home. Two "" porcelain "", which occupy completely different niches in the pottery and modeling, but at the same time both at the hand of the master turn into ornaments of amazing beauty and grace.