Large Porcelain Flowers Hanging Piece- Help!

[audreyllegalley]

Hello! I hope someone with more experience out there can help me! I am making a wall hanging piece that is essentially a collage of flowers within a round frame, probably around 18 by 24 inches. I am in need of advice on the logistics of this project. I am unsure if it would be more effective to make a large slab and attach the flowers to it before firing (this option scares me!) or if I should divide the overall piece into 4 quadrants and arrange the flowers so when the pieces are put together on the wall- you cant see the seam. The other approach I was thinking of would be making individual flowers, firing them and then adhering them to a wooden backing. Lots of options and things to think about. I will be using cone 5-6 Leguna Frost Porcelain.  I attached a photo shopped image for reference.. 

 

Thanks!

 

Audrey

[Chris Campbell]

I would make twice as many flowers as you think you need, then attach them to a backing board after firing.

The reason I say this is that it would be a shame to have highly visible ones crack and ruin your whole arrangement.

 

The round frame ... I would make two of those also. Try adding paper fiber to the porcelain so it will have better strength at the greenware stage when you will need to handle it or move it. It is easy to make your own paper clay.

 

http://ccpottery.com/paper.html

 

Looks like a beautiful project ... good luck!

[audreyllegalley]

I would make twice as many flowers as you think you need, then attach them to a backing board after firing.

The reason I say this is that it would be a shame to have highly visible ones crack and ruin your whole arrangement.

 

The round frame ... I would make two of those also. Try adding paper fiber to the porcelain so it will have better strength at the greenware stage when you will need to handle it or move it. It is easy to make your own paper clay.

 

http://ccpottery.com/paper.html

 

Looks like a beautiful project ... good luck!

 

Thank you so much for the advice! How would you suggest attaching the flowers to the backing? I was thinking some sort of epoxy or possibly wiring the pieces some how. Whatever I do I know I dont want it to be visible.

[Chris Campbell]

I sometimes use the indoor/outdoor clear sealant from a hardware store ... some are even marked as adhesive. I find they dry very clear and with just enough flexibility to be forgiving of sudden movement. They feed out in a wide bead so you can position your flowers easily. Takes about 24 hours to dry clear.