Courtyard House: Starting in a Ceramics Factory

Chapter 207 Master Deng's Arrangements for the Future

Yuan Xin, along with Li Feng and Han Ming, brought out the new colored porcelain plaque of the Eighteen Arhats. This plaque was placed on the outermost edge during firing.

Anyway, this ceramic slab is just for firing once to fix the lines. As long as the temperature reaches the minimum of 600 degrees Celsius, it will be fine. Once it is colored, it can't be left like this.

Therefore, the kiln master must place the porcelain being fired in a proper manner.

That's all Yuan Xin is learning right now.

After taking out the porcelain plaques of the Eighteen Arhats, Li Feng touched the still warm, raised lines on the plaques.

Ah!
It's already fixed.

Now, even if Li Feng tries to scratch it off with his fingernails, he can't get it off.

If you use a flathead screwdriver instead, it will be very difficult to pry it off.

In other words, this is the effect after firing.

In the past, Li Feng didn't usually apply the color directly with the first coat of fire, but this time he did it this way to be on the safe side.

In the new color group, this kind of thing is very common.

Whether it's Master Fan, Master Liu, or other apprentices, they usually light the first fire. Currently, the only ones who don't often light the first fire are Master Deng and Li Feng.

The painting techniques used in the new polychrome porcelain are completely different from those used in famille rose and blue and white porcelain.

Because blue and white porcelain only needs to be fired once, while overglaze enamels require two firings. For example, famille rose porcelain requires two firings, but new overglaze enamels require three firings.

That's what makes it special.

After the blue and white porcelain is painted on the porcelain body, it is glazed and fired at a temperature of 1,000 to 1,200 degrees Celsius.

As for famille rose, it is painted on the glazed and fired porcelain blank, then the colors are filled in and finally fired at a temperature of about 800 degrees Celsius.

As for the new overglaze enamel, it involves an additional firing process to fix the lines, compared to the previous famille rose enamel.

Therefore, the new overglaze decoration needs to be fired three times.

The others only need to be burned once or twice.

This is one of the reasons why new polychrome porcelain is expensive.

After all, each firing requires a large amount of pine wood to fill the pot.

Li Feng touched the lines on the porcelain plate and felt that each line had stood up and reached the standard of pastel painting.

This time, the painting of the Eighteen Arhats is a combination of new and old styles, so it has to be painted with great flavor.

Li Feng had never painted Buddhist or Taoist figures similar to the Eighteen Arhats before, so this can be considered an attempt by Li Feng. There are many themes related to porcelain painting.

For example, a snow scene.

When Master Deng was studying in Jingdezhen, someone painted a snow scene picture. The main character in the picture was Emperor Qianlong enjoying the snow scene in the courtyard outside the palace.

This also falls under the category of new color.

The palaces were all drawn using a ruler.

Although some are entirely hand-painted, this requires a high level of drawing skill from the workers.

However, most people choose the ruler drawing method.

However, Li Feng had never encountered a drawing that required the use of a ruler when he was an apprentice, so he had never used a ruler before. But it was only a matter of time before Li Feng used a ruler.

In case I encounter blueprints for pavilions or towers in the future.

Li Feng will definitely use these techniques at that time.

At this moment, Li Feng and Han Ming placed the porcelain plate against the wall.

Li Feng just touched the lines and found no problems. Now Li Feng is here to check the overall effect.

At this moment, Han Ming looked at the eighteen Arhats drawn by Li Feng and couldn't help but sigh.

“Li Feng, your Eighteen Arhats are almost catching up with the master craftsmen. The master craftsmen of pastel figure painting are about the same as you.”

Upon hearing Han Ming's words, Li Feng couldn't help but respond modestly.

"How could I possibly catch up with the master craftsman? It was only because Master Deng helped me revise the ink draft that I was able to create this antique style."

"As you know, the antique feel is the most difficult to capture."

"As it stands, the lines are fine. Let's hurry back now. After I finish coloring this morning, I need to go outside the factory to collect materials this afternoon."

After hearing Li Feng's words, Han Ming nodded and then worked with Li Feng to lift the porcelain slab.

After Li Feng and Han Ming lifted the porcelain slab, they said goodbye to Yuan Xin and then left the kiln.

By the time Li Feng and Han Ming carried the porcelain slab to the new color section, it was already around 9:10.

After seeing the two return, Master Deng checked the overall effect of the porcelain slab and then asked Li Feng to continue coloring. He instructed Li Feng to finish coloring within the next two days, as Master Deng knew that Li Feng would be going outside the factory to collect materials in the afternoon, so he did not limit Li Feng to finish coloring today.

However, Li Feng simply nodded to Master Deng and said...

"Master Deng, don't worry, I'll finish coloring this morning and I guarantee it won't delay me from picking up materials this afternoon."

Looking at Li Feng's confident expression, Master Deng nodded to him and said...

"Okay."

"After all, you're almost an intermediate-level artist, and you can manage your own affairs now."

"Recently, you should organize the things you need to do."

"Then you just need to know what you need to do."

"You'll need to understand these things when you advance to intermediate or advanced levels."

Li Feng nodded to indicate that he understood.

At this moment, Li Feng also knew what Master Deng's purpose was in saying this to him, because Li Feng also knew that Master Deng was about to retire, just like Director Wei.

Li Feng is unsure whether Master Deng will be rehired by the ceramics factory. In the past, many craftsmen were rehired and returned to the factory, but Director Wei is also retiring. Li Feng doesn't know if the next director will continue the previous policy.

Generally speaking, the person who fills the factory director position is either promoted from among the deputy factory directors or parachuted in.

As for what kind it was, Li Feng didn't know, because he hadn't reached that level.

Most importantly, these things are probably only known to the factory's Party Secretary and Director, and maybe the Deputy Director with some connections.

As for the middle management in the factory, they were basically clueless.

Therefore, whether Master Deng can be rehired by the ceramics factory depends on what the new factory manager says.

Moreover, it also depends on the individual's willingness. If Master Deng is unwilling to be rehired, then even if the factory agrees, it won't matter.

But these are things that Li Feng cannot control.

After receiving instruction from Master Deng in the new coloring group, Li Feng continued to color at his workstation.

As for Han Ming, he continued painting.

After instructing Li Feng, Master Deng went to Director Zhou's office for tea.

Since Li Feng, Han Ming and others joined the new color group, Master Deng has been much more relaxed. At this moment, Master Deng has already finished painting the porcelain in his hands ahead of schedule.

So he didn't have anything to do at the moment, and went straight to the director's office.

Actually, Master Deng could still make the porcelain that his apprentices could make, but he handed all of these porcelain pieces over to Li Feng and others.

For example, the porcelain piece for the ethnic dance that Li Feng had just taken on was supposed to be painted by Master Deng.

But now that Master Deng has handed the job over to Li Feng, he has nothing to do anymore.

So it's normal to go and sit in Director Zhou's office.

Moreover, he will retire next March.

Now he is gradually handing over some of the more difficult tasks to Li Feng, as well as the two masters of the new color group, Zhang Jiefang, and Jiang Fei.

However, at the moment, Master Deng has not handed over all the tasks to Li Feng.

Master Deng knew that Li Feng was going to take the college entrance exam, and if Li Feng got into university, he would have to wait four years to come back, so it was impossible to hand everything over to Li Feng.

Therefore, he will still train Zhang Jiefang and Jiang Fei.

Otherwise, Master Deng wouldn't have allowed Zhang Jiefang and Jiang Fei to graduate after October and take the Level 1 worker exam.

All of this was arranged by Master Deng.

The same applies to Li Feng, of course.

As for Han Ming and the others, they were only temporarily transferred, so Master Deng didn't say anything to them. After Master Deng left, Li Feng began to color the eighteen Arhats.

The first thing Li Feng had to do was to give the faces of the Eighteen Arhats a makeover.

The term "opening the face" is generally a term used in traditional Chinese painting, and it is also used in the porcelain industry.

Regarding the facial features, the method used to depict the faces of these eighteen Arhats is different from that used to depict ladies and children.

In paintings like those depicting infants at play, the children's cheeks are lightly rouged, while the ladies' cheeks are rendered using the "three whites" technique from traditional Chinese painting.

However, for the Eighteen Arhats, the method of using light and shadow was used to depict the wrinkles and cheekbones of some elderly people, and some even had their cheeks painted in an exaggerated manner.

of course!

Li Feng only paints normally; he didn't try any exaggerated styles.

Li Feng spent more than an hour on the facial features of the eighteen Arhats. The rest was simple; he just needed to apply the color and blend it with a sponge.

So for the rest of the time, Li Feng was using various pigments to create transitions and color combinations.

Most importantly, you need to use a scraper to work out the details.

After all, for paintings like this, paying attention to details is very important.

By the time Li Feng finished filling in the colors, it was already 12:30.

Looking at the eighteen Arhats in front of him, Li Feng finally breathed a sigh of relief.

To be honest, painting these eighteen Arhats was more tiring than painting the previous subjects. After all, it was a new subject to try, so it's normal for Li Feng to be a little tired.

After that, you can just take these eighteen Arhats and inscribe them with your own names.

Li Feng doesn't need to worry about these things.

After all, the factory also has skilled workers who specialize in writing signatures.

Moreover, writing is not done in that way. Although they also take on apprentices, it takes them much longer to graduate than when they are engaged in ceramic painting.

Because writing is the ultimate test of one's skills.

If your writing is too bad, then there's no point in writing it at all.

Unless you reach a certain level of skill, the master calligrapher will not let you write on porcelain.

Next.

Li Feng went to the cafeteria for lunch.

The food today is pretty good; they even have meat dumplings.

Li Feng believes this should be another record high in ceramic sales.

Moreover, based on the conversation with Yuan Xin...

The blue and white porcelain must have sold quite a lot.

Otherwise, so much blue and white porcelain wouldn't have been produced recently.

After all, these things can be seen by firing the kiln.

If there weren't so many orders, then certainly not so many porcelain pieces would have been made.

At this moment, Li Feng was thinking about these issues. Just as Li Feng was thinking about these things, Ge Ming walked in from outside the cafeteria and immediately saw Li Feng eating.

Since Li Feng was the only one eating in the cafeteria at that time, it was easy to find.

So Ge Ming ran to Li Feng's side, and then he took a breath and said to Li Feng.

"Li Feng, Brother Zou from the sales department is here."

After hearing Ge Ming's words, Li Feng asked Ge Ming with some doubt.

"Huh?"

"Are the liaison officers under the management of the sales department?"

Upon hearing Li Feng's words, Ge Ming quickly shook his head at Li Feng.

"The sales staff in the sales department all act as liaisons, didn't you know that?"

"After all, in our factory, only the sales department staff go out frequently."

After listening to Ge Ming's explanation, Li Feng felt that Ge Ming was right. So Li Feng nodded to Ge Ming, then ate a few more mouthfuls of rice and finished the rice in the lunchbox.

After covering his aluminum lunchbox, Li Feng picked it up and left the cafeteria with Ge Ming.

As for the lunchbox, Li Feng wasn't in a hurry to wash it.

After all, the sales department liaison was waiting for him, and Li Feng didn't want to make them wait any longer.

When Li Feng returned to the New Color Group, he saw a man who looked to be in his early twenties.

He had slightly long curly hair, somewhat defined features, and a tall stature, reminiscent of Fei Xiang. He was dressed in work clothes.

However, this outfit paired with this curly hair looks a bit odd.

At this moment, Zou Bin from the sales department saw Li Feng, walked up to him with a smile, and introduced himself to Li Feng.

"Is this Master Li?"

"I am Zou Bin from the sales department."

"You're so young, yet you've already reached the position of master craftsman. That's much better than most people in our factory."

Zou Bin immediately started praising Li Feng.

Li Feng was taken aback by what Zou Bin said, and then smiled at Zou Bin.

"Zou".

Just as Li Feng opened his mouth, Zou Bin smiled and said to him.

"If you don't mind, you can call me Brother Zou."

After hearing what Zou Bin said, Li Feng felt that since Zou Bin was a few years older than him, it wouldn't be wrong to call him Brother Zou.

So Li Feng nodded to Zou Bin.

"Brother Zou, please don't call me Master Li. It feels awkward to be called Master at my age. Please just call me by my name, Li Feng."

Zou Bin nodded, then smiled at Li Feng.

"That's definitely no problem."

"Brother Li Feng, thanks to you today, I can finally ride in a car."

"Let me tell you, back in the day, I hardly ever had the chance to ride in a car all year round."

"By the way, I heard from your colleague that you went to eat just now. Did you not finish your meal?"

"How about we go out and get something to eat?"

"It's my treat."

After Zou Bin finished speaking, he tried to pull Li Feng out to eat.

When Han Ming, Ge Ming, and the others saw Zou Bin's actions, they couldn't help but exchange bewildered glances.

At this moment, they couldn't help but wonder, are all the people in the sales department really this enthusiastic?

The kind of person who invites you to dinner as soon as you meet someone.

However, they have little contact with the sales department, so they don't know much about the sales staff.

As for Li Feng, he was a little confused.

So Li Feng quickly explained to Zou Bin.

"No, it's not necessary."

"I already ate in the cafeteria."

"By the way, when are we leaving?"

"Let's not delay things then."

When Zou Bin heard Li Feng's words, he smiled and replied to Li Feng.

"It's okay, my section chief told me we'd leave at 1:30, there's still time."

(End of this chapter)