The vessel form is thinly thrown in porcelain on the potters' wheel. Each piece is treated individually, although the surface decoration may be part of a continuing theme of atmospheric landscape with skies.
    When stiff to remove from the wheel without distortion, the vessel is inverted on to wooden bat and allowed to dry further. The base is trimmed and turned on the wheel when leatherhard to make an elevated foot ring within which I inscribe my signature at this stage.
    After bisque firing to 1000℃,the vessel is thoroughly smoothed with sand paper and wiped clean with a damp sponge, before applying tapes in sections around the vessel. The tapes are attached to a cutting board in lengths of about 40cm long. These are cut from rolls of paper masking tape 5cm wide. Guidelines are drawn on to the tape that is then cut into various trips and shapes with a very sharp, narrow-bladed knife. Because most of the vessels are circular in sections, long strips are difficult to control precisely enough for my purpose, shorter strips are used to compensate for the curving surface and to achieve clarity and precision.
    Selected underglaze colors, metallic oxides and ceramic stains are mixed together with water and carefully passed through a 200s mesh cup sieve before they are spayed through a 200s mesh cup sieve before they are sprayed through the airbrush attached to an electric compressor. It is important to wear an efficient facemask while using these materials in a proper spray booth that is vented to the outside of the studio or , as in my case, in a "wet back" spray booth. This is a booth that uses an electric pump to recycle water from its own reservoir up to an inclined rear panel. The constant stream of water collects any over-sprayed pigments or glazes so that the dust does not escape into the studio to become a health hazard.
    Normally, the darkest colors are sprayed on to the piece first. Drying the colors between applications is accelerated by the use of a hot air gun or paint stripper. The airbrush must be carefully cleaned between each and every color to ensure that all traces of the previous color have been removed and to avoid blockages that will cause unsightly splatters and spots that can mar the design. Further masking tapes are cut and applied according to the intended image before the next color is sprayed on . The process is repeated until the painting is completed satisfactorily. The inside of the vessel is sprayed with gradations of some of the colors used on the outside surface.
    The final firing is conducted in an electric, top-loading kiln to 1280℃ and allowed to cool to about 40℃ before opening. The piece is then" polished" until satin smooth with a fine grade of silicon carbide sandpaper under running water.
       

MOUNTAIN SKY:EVENING

1、Refining the interior of a vessel form on the wheel

2、Preparing and cutting masking tapes with a sharp knife

3、After bisque firing to 1000℃,the vessel is smoothed with sand paper and wiped clean with damp sponge, before applying tapes in sections around the vessel.

4、Underglazes and ceramic stains are mixed with water and carefully passed through a 200s mesh cup sieve before the colors are sprayed through the airbrush. It is important to wear an efficient facemask while using these materials in a proper spray booth

5、Peeling away the first masking tapes.

6、The airbrush must be thoroughly cleaned with water when changing to another color to avoid blockages, More tapes are then applied and further colors are sprayed on to the surface.

7、More colors are applied inside and outside to complete the piece. It is then fired in an electric kiln to  1280℃。