So this project is going to be both complex and time consuming. It is due mid August for the Krae Glas baronial birthday event, Gionnata de honnor (or whatever it is this year). I started it about a month ago, but accidently knocked my heater over and smashed it (above) . As I'm starting over (and I have a phone, with camera now) I've decided to document all the steps I can...
Extant plate: 1525, Italy. The Met Museum, item no. 41.100.277
(Pre-step - rummage in the Met, V&A, British museum and all other resources to find extant pieces that fit your requirements. Eventually settle on one main design, print sections of this for reference later.)
Step 1: Take some tracing paper and trace around the outside of your dish. The fold this in half and trace the design elements you like onto one half of the sheet. Reverse the fold and trace over your half design. This results in a lovely mirror image. It took me three hours to get the shapes and balance right on the smashed plate. I'm not completly copying the extant piece as I don't like the creepy cherub faces or the random fruits. I wasn't entirely happy with some of the elements on the smashed plate, so I spent another hour tweaking them while doing the tracing (thus the chunkier left dolphin)
Step 2: On the wrong side of the tracing, rub a 6B pencil, as shown in the top half of the above image. Ensure all lines are covered in pencil dust THEN go wash your hands.
Step 3: Lay the tracing paper on the plate, pencil side down. Carefully draw over your original design. When you remove the paper, the pencil rubbings should have transfered your design across. Don't worry about the rubbings, they'll burn off in the kiln.
More steps to come as I complete them, stay tuned....
Very interesting idea! Do you have a finished product picture?
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