The color process of porcelain tableware

Ceramic tableware has diverse shapes and colorful colors. "Glaze", as an essential component of porcelain, is actually a thin layer of glass attached to the ceramic body. The color process can be divided into three types: overglaze color, underglaze color, and underglaze color.
① Overglaze color
Overglaze color is one of the main decorative techniques of ceramics, which originated in the Song and Jin dynasties and matured in the Ming dynasty. Draw various patterns on the surface of fired white glazed porcelain or monochromatic porcelain glaze using materials, and then solidify them at low temperature (600-900 ℃) after secondary entry into the cellar. There are a variety of porcelain varieties including single glazed, five glazed, and a combination of underglaze blue and white and overglaze colors, such as doucai, enamel color, and powder color.
Advantages: Its dyes are widely used, the glaze color is bright, the variety is rich, the price is not expensive, and the artistic value is strong.
Disadvantages: The hand feel is not smooth enough, and the pattern feels raised when touched. Due to the colored painting applied on the glaze, it is easy to wear and tear, and is susceptible to corrosion such as acid and alkali.
② Underglaze color
Underglaze color appeared relatively early, dating back to the Three Kingdoms period, and was widely popular in Tang Dynasty underglaze decoration. Underglaze color is a type of decorative material used to draw various patterns on a formed and dried blank, then covered with transparent glaze or other surface glaze, and fired in a kiln at high temperature (1200-1400 ℃). The pattern of the finished product is covered by a transparent glaze film at the bottom, with a bright and smooth surface that is crystal clear and translucent. The commonly seen blue and white porcelain, underglaze red porcelain, underglaze tricolor porcelain, underglaze five color porcelain, etc. are all underglaze colors.
Advantages: Good color preservation, less prone to shedding of patterns, harmless to the human body, and long-lasting.
Disadvantages: High requirements for pigments, fewer types of colors compared to glaze colors, and relatively expensive prices.