The use of paraffin on ceramic surfaces

Human beings would always like to interpret, modify, internalize and appreciate, in other words, adorn themselves, their lives and their environment on account of internal or external factors. In this sense, they need decoration/ornamentation to convey a message first to themselves and then to their lives, properties and environment and they also need it to form a bond with them or for visual pleasure. Decoration/ornamentation in the broadest sense is an arrangement on the surface of a form made with some plain or raised, painted or unpainted patterns. The effect of decoration/ornamentation exists in all disciplines of art because any form is not adequate on its own. Yet, the form which gains importance through the effect of decoration/ornamentation perfects the aesthetic impact by including the shape. It is closely related to decoration/ornamentation that ceramics gain value in terms of not only formal but also surface assessment. Enhancement of the form through surface ornamentation, different and novel effects of the clay - beyond its basic qualities - which constitute the main body of ceramics and commercial factors have made decoration / ornamentation highly significant in the ceramics. The early attempts made in the ceramics include the patterns made on the ceramic surfaces with fingers and various tools. Worldwide explorations, important steps taken in every area and the growth of the technology have affected the ceramic decors positively. Painting, scraping, carving, adding, removing, the discovery of clay, in-glaze, on-glaze and underglaze decorating, inclusion of the computers and printing mechanisms in the process thanks to rapid advances in technology have made the impact of decoration/ornamentation indispensable for both ceramic arts and ceramic industry. Along with these advancements, the organic paraffin obtained from petroleum has also begun to have a place in ceramic arts. Paraffin used in the ceramics for centuries was first used to create a stencil on the surface while coloring the ceramics. This procedure involves applying hot and liquid paraffin to the areas on the ceramic that won't be colored. The constant attempts to find different techniques for surface decoration in ceramics have increased the uses of paraffin. Besides stencils, the use of paraffin has continued to increase by creating low-high effects on the surface of ceramic, building relationships with ceramic decoration/ornamentation techniques and involving coloring oxides. Today, the paraffin technique has become very popular with the use of substances in the ceramics such as emulsion, latex, glue and various adhesives that can be alternatives to paraffin in terms of their use on ceramic surfaces. In this research study, the definition, history and classification of ceramic was examined in general and the element of decoration / ornamentation was researched not only in the scope of ceramic arts but also its inherent characteristics. Decoration / ornamentation was evaluated within the ceramics art and its definition, history and classification was studied. Being an organic substance, paraffin was examined in an applied way with its uses as a decoration / ornamentation technique in ceramic arts. Ceramic works created by the researcher using paraffin were presented. Some examples by ceramic artists in Turkey and in the World using paraffin on ceramic surfaces were also presented in the study