A handmade çini tile is the product of weeks of patient work. These are the main production stages followed in our workshop:
- Preparing the clay body: Clay, quartz and kaolin are mixed in specific proportions to prepare the çini body.
- Shaping: The paste is shaped in moulds or on the wheel into tiles, plates or vases.
- Drying and bisque firing: The dried pieces are fired for the first time to obtain a solid body.
- Slip coating: The surface is coated with a white slip that makes the patterns look bright.
- Pattern transfer (pouncing): The pattern drawn on perforated paper is transferred to the surface with charcoal powder.
- Outlining (tahrir): The outlines of the motifs are drawn with a fine brush.
- Painting: The motifs are painted by hand with natural pigments.
- Glazing and glaze firing: The piece is coated with transparent glaze and fired a second time at high temperature; the colours become glossy as glass and permanent.
This process turns every tile into a durable and unique work of art.
