Approving a sample decal.

Jump start. Because support for this project was strong from the start, I’ve gone ahead toward production. The first step is to approve proofs of the decals. That’s what happened this week. Hooray!

Why is yellow magic? Decals are made by printing special vitreous inks on a carrier sheet and covering them with the magical yellow layer you see above. To apply the image to blank porcelain, it is soaked in water. This allows the image and the magical layer to float free from the carrier sheet. A specially trained artist, called a decorator, positions the image precisely on the plate and squeezes out ALL the moisture and air. The magical layer holds all the elements of the design in their correct positions during this step. After drying, the item can go into the kiln. The extreme heat of the kiln burns off the magical layer and melts the vitreous inks into the plate’s top glaze. Ta da!

What happens next on this project?The decals were perfect, so I’ve authorized production of all eight bowl and small plate prototypes. They should arrive early in April. This will be the last chance to confirm that the details are perfect before production starts. These prototypes will also give me an opportunity to do some serious dessert testing. I’ll share photos with you as soon as I put down my fork.