How it’s made
If you’re not familiar with how ceramics are made, this page will hopefully show you how special and unique each handmade piece really is & tell you all about the journey your vessel goes through before it makes it’s way to you.
The process depends on what you order, so please read through what is relevant to you.
THE JOURNEY - CUSTOM MUGS
- One i receive your order, the first step is throwing the mug body. Wheel throwing is the technique of shaping round ceramics using a potters wheel & that’s the technique I use to create your mug.
- Once the piece is slightly dry, it can be trimmed & the shape can be refined. This is the stage at which i attach the handle & decorate your mug, to make is uniquely yours.
- The motifs are then painted using an underglaze & the mug is then left to dry. Once bone dry, the mug undergoes a quality check for warping, cracks or any other imperfections which can occur during the drying stage. Handmade ceramics are unique & individual, each piece may therefore hold it’s own small differences & imperfections. If any significant imperfections, such as cracks are present, the clay is reclaimed & I have to create your piece from scratch (in case of any delays, it's important you know this).
- The next stage is the first firing. Once your mug has been bisque fired, i can now wash it with glaze to give it that perfect, shiny finish & fire it again.
- Your mug then 'bakes' at approximately 1200 degrees celsius (wild, I know) & due to the high temperature the kiln reaches, the process of firing & cooling down takes around 2 days.
- If you chose to opt for the iridescent or gold lustre, this will be applied after the 2nd firing, and fired for the 3rd & final time.
- Your mug will then be packaged & sent out to you, to be forever yours!
TIMEFRAME
Because of the nature of how ceramics are made, every stage in the process is essential & can’t be rushed. At every stage, there are many opportunities for mistakes & accidents - often outside of human control.
The approximate time for your mug to be dispatched is 1-3 weeks, with a chance of a delay if your piece has to be remade for any reason. Please keep this in mind when placing any custom orders & I promise, it will be worthwhile!
For delivery timeline once the mug has been shipped, please enter your shipping location when placing your order.
THE JOURNEY - BESPOKE ORDERS
Each beautiful item starts with a good idea…
- The first step is designing your vessel/s per your vision.
- The second step is wheel throwing each individual piece. Wheel throwing is the technique of shaping round ceramics using a potters wheel & that’s the technique I use to create your unique pieces.
- Once the piece reached the leather hard stage, it can be trimmed, personalised and a handle/s or other hand built aspects can be added (where applicable).
- Your piece is then left out to dry for up to a week.
- Once bone dry, they undergo a quality check & are checked for warping, cracks or any other imperfections which can occur during the drying stage. Handmade ceramics are unique & individual, each piece may therefore hold it’s own small differences & imperfections. If any significant imperfections, such as cracks are present, the clay is reclaimed & I have to create your piece from scratch (in case of any delays, it's important you know this).
- If the piece is perfect, the next stage is the first firing.
- Once the piece has been fired & cooled down, it can now be glazed to give it that beautiful finish you envisioned. Once it has been glazed, it can be fired for the last time & voila! The order can be packed & delivered to their new forever homes.
TIMEFRAME
For bespoke orders, the timeframe will be communicated to you based on the quantity of your order.
If you have any questions or require an update on your order, please email me at info@toricera.com.
Thank you so much for reading x