Reproducing a fireplace tile - part 2 - formatting the image

As I walk you through the process of reproducing a Victorian tile, I'll try not to leave any of the steps out - which I'm finding is actually hard for me since I zip through the first steps without much thought!

Scanning the tiles.

After cleaning the tile to see the details, I scan the tile to Photoshop, where I need to  increase the size of the image by the amount that the clay will shrink after glaze firing. Our clay body shrinks 10%, so that's what I increase the image by. Then I print the image out to use as a starting guide for my wax carving.

Scanned image increased in size by 10%.

I've also cut and pasted the image at the bottom as a guide for making corners. Since the clients didn't have any corners in their original fireplace set, and I can't find an image of the original tiles anywhere, I'll be designing them myself. It always adds a nice detail to have the design wrap the edges.

At the carving table with image and original tiles.

At this point I get to head over to my carving area - my most creative and challenging spot in the whole building. As I look at the photo and the original tile, my brain begins to tell my hand how to carve it......no, not that way, this way....watch out, not too deep, make it a smoother line....

Wow, I'm glad that internal dialogue doesn't really exist!

The 10% shrinkage that I'm compensating for.

So now that the formatting is all done.....I need a nice clean piece of wax to carve the design into. Join me tomorrow when we visit with Madame Tussaud and get the secrets of making great wax!