Truly Experience Delft Blue at Royal Delft, Delft, Netherlands (B)

It looks so easy. It is just a small circle in a corner. But at that moment when my brush reaches a sort of inflexion point and its hairs suddenly switch side, it all goes wrong and I break the regular contour. There is no room for a single mistake though: the porous material absorbs the paint and I cannot correct my lines. My only option is to somewhat transform it into another motif, which, given my drawing skills is not really an option either!

A few moments ago, before visiting the earthenware factory, I observed a master painter decorating a large vase with such dexterity. No wonder it takes a minimum of 8 to 10 years of practice to an already gifted artist to reach this level. I focus back on my small tile on which I try to reproduce the typical Dutch boat that I thought was very adapted to this Royal Delft workshop here at the factory where the Delftware has been made for centuries. Thankfully, I had a bit of help with the design that was transferred onto my tile in light pencil patterns by my patient teacher. Still, following the lines and respecting the shades by diluting the paint properly is such a challenge… and I am only facing one of the many aspects of the complexity of crafting the precious Delft Blue earthenware! ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).