Creation
Process:
Art Form
Studio is an important word when referring to porcelain
art. It is an art form which benefits from the talents of
a number of artists working together to create a sculpture
just as the members of an orchestra combine to interpret a
composer's melody.
Design
The creation of each Cybis sculpture is the result of
weeks or even months of painstaking effort after years of
research and study. Most porcelain sculptures begin as a
sketch followed by a sculpture in plasteline, a clay-like
substance. This model is then dissected into various
segments from which a series of molds is made using a
complicated positive/negative process.
Molding
The porcelain itself is created by mixing different types
of clay, including kaolin, with water until a silky smooth
liquid the consistency of heavy cream is formed. (The
exact proportions are a closely guarded secret.) This
liquid, known as slip, is the poured into the various
molds. As the plaster of paris molds draw the moisture
from the slip, a thin shell of partially hardened
porcelain begins to form on the inside of each mold.
When the mold master has determined that
the proper thickness has been achieved, the excess slip is
poured off and the porcelain shell is carefully removed.
Another artist joins the various sections to form the
shape of the original sculpture. This must be done both
deftly and quickly since the porcelain begins to dry when
exposed to air, making the sculpture as delicate as a
piecrust.
