Re: Porcelain Sundial Faces

[Thierry van Steenberghe]

John Carmichael wrote: Hello all:   I've been investigating the best and most durable materials for the sundial faces of my sundial cupola design.   I've discovered this:   1. Even the best enamel paints chip, wear off and fade. 2. Baked powder coat paints are much more durable but you can not easily paint more than one color or a design on top of another color. You can not overglaze, (put another layer of powdercoat over a base layer). 3. Porcelain has a great advantage in that it can be overglazed with different colors of vitreous paints and refired.  So porcelain painting is similar to glass painting in that you can paint it with a permanent overglaze of different colored paints that do not fade, chip or flake off.  It's practically weather-proof!   Many old clock faces were made on painted porcelain for these very good reasons.    There are companies who will paint and fire your sundial design on porcelain. They can make stencils from your design drawings or they can paint by hand.  I even found one company that has a photographic technique of applying paint to porcelain. (and it's here in Tucson!)   Have any of you ever seen a painted porcelain sundial? Yes: a friend of mine once offered me a reproduction of an ancient ceramic tiles sundial, and he himself made at least two of them which are on walls in Spain. There also happens to be one close to where I live, here in Brussels, Belgium. (I might be able to find back pictures). I also remember to have seen at least one on the 'Shadows' site and some others but I can't remember where: probably looking up sundials directories would yield several interesting examples. Cheers, Thierry -- __________________________________ Thierry van Steenberghe Bruxelles / Belgium __________________________________   Here are a couple of good websites about porcelain painting (also known as "china painting").   http://www.china-painting-list.com/fullsrch.html http://www.porcelainpainters.com/ http://www.porcelain-industries.com/porcelain-industries/porcelain-industries.htm   John L. Carmichael Sundial Sculptures 925 E. Foothills Dr. Tucson AZ 85718-4716 USA Tel: 520-6961709 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]   My Websites: Sundial Sculptures: http://www.sundialsculptures.com Stained Glass Sundials: http://www.stainedglasssundials.com -