Painting Porcelain In The Meissen Style (Schiffer Craft Book)

How to Paint Porcelain in the Meissen Style: A Guide for Beginners

If you are looking for a new and creative hobby, you might want to try painting porcelain in the Meissen style. Meissen is a famous German porcelain manufacturer that is known for its exquisite and intricate designs. Meissen porcelain is highly valued by collectors and art lovers around the world.

Painting porcelain in the Meissen style is not as difficult as it may seem. You just need some basic materials, a steady hand, and a lot of patience. In this article, we will show you how to paint porcelain in the Meissen style using the Schiffer Craft Book as a reference. The Schiffer Craft Book is a comprehensive guide that covers everything from choosing the right porcelain pieces, preparing the surface, applying the colors, and finishing the work. It also includes hundreds of illustrations and examples of Meissen-style paintings.

What You Will Need

To paint porcelain in the Meissen style, you will need the following materials:

White porcelain pieces. You can use any shape or size of porcelain that you like, such as plates, cups, vases, figurines, etc. Make sure they are clean and free of cracks or chips.

Porcelain paints. You can use either oil-based or water-based paints, depending on your preference. Oil-based paints are more durable and glossy, but they take longer to dry and require solvents for cleaning. Water-based paints are easier to use and clean, but they are less resistant to scratches and fading. You can find porcelain paints in craft stores or online.

Paint brushes. You will need a variety of brushes with different sizes and shapes to create different effects. For example, you will need a fine brush for details, a round brush for curves, a flat brush for filling large areas, etc. You can also use a sponge or a cotton swab for blending or dabbing.

A palette or a plate. You will need something to mix your paints on. You can use a plastic or metal palette, or simply a disposable plate.

A pencil and an eraser. You will need these to sketch your design on the porcelain before painting.

A clear glaze or varnish. You will need this to seal and protect your painting after it is done. You can use either a spray or a brush-on glaze or varnish.

An oven. You will need this to bake your porcelain after painting and glazing. This will make your painting permanent and waterproof.

How to Paint Porcelain in the Meissen Style

Once you have all your materials ready, you can start painting your porcelain in the Meissen style by following these steps:

Choose your design. You can either copy an existing Meissen design from the Schiffer Craft Book or create your own. Meissen designs are usually inspired by nature, such as flowers, fruits, animals, birds, insects, etc. They also feature elements of rococo and baroque art, such as scrolls, shells, ribbons, lace, etc. You can also add some gold accents for extra elegance.

Sketch your design on the porcelain. Use a pencil to lightly draw your design on the porcelain piece. You can use the Schiffer Craft Book as a guide for proportions and placement. If you make a mistake, you can erase it with an eraser.

Paint your design with porcelain paints. Use your brushes to apply the colors on your sketch. You can use the Schiffer Craft Book as a reference for color combinations and shading techniques. You can also mix your own colors on your palette or plate. Start with the lightest colors and work your way to the darker ones. Use thin layers of paint and let them dry between coats. Be careful not to smudge or overlap the colors.

Add some gold accents if desired. If you want to add some gold accents to your design, you can use either gold paint or gold leaf. Gold paint is easier to apply and more affordable, but it may not look as shiny or realistic as gold leaf. Gold leaf is more expensive and delicate, but it gives a more authentic and luxurious look. To apply gold paint, simply use a fine brush and follow the outlines of your design or add some highlights where you want them. To apply gold leaf, cut out small pieces of it with scissors and use a aa16f39245