I was thinking about painting plates as a birthday party activity (but at home, not at a pottery studio like Color Me Mine.) I‘ve been looking at ceramic bisque online, but I was wondering if you could just paint on a white ceramic dinner plate or is ceramic bisque different than a finished plate. Also, do the plates need to be fired to be food safe or is there another way to do it? I read something about using underglaze and a clear overglaze on top of it, but does that still need to be fired or does the overglaze protect you from the underglaze? If it‘s too much trouble, maybe we‘ll just paint something that isn‘t used for food, but I still want to make sure it‘s non-toxic. Also, any ideas of the cost of firing ceramics? Where is the best place to do this?
Billy Squire - everybody wants you?
Bisque is after the first firing, the process changes the clay from mud to stone basically. It is dull and porous because it has not been finished with the second process - glazing. A glazed plate is shiny and non porous. You can't use underglaze on a finished plate, and without firing bisque it will not be sealed and safe. Nothing else is food safe. I'd just go for something else. Too much trouble.
First off you can not paint on finished plates and use them for food. The only way you can do this is on bisque, preferably stone ware. The best place to contact is Placid Ceramics. They are in Washington Pa. Phone number (724) 225 6778. If they can not provide you with bisque stone ware I am sure they will know where. When you buy green ware from a ceramic shop (not been fired yet) you pay for the slip and 10% of the cost of the mold new. i.e. 1 Qt of slip is lets say $1, the mold cost $50 new, your piece will cost you $6. When it is fired the first time it is another 10% of the mold. If you want it food safe you must use under glaze paint. This is paint designed to be fired to set it to the piece. Once the paint is set it must be over glazed, you must use a lead free glaze. (food safe). remember, each time you fire it, it is another10%. For your party you can have the bisque plates and the under glaze paint ready. Once the paint is dry it needs fired again. The food safe glaze can now be applied, and once dried fired for the last time. Your plates are now food safe.
Thank you all for your answers and opinions.
