Parian:
This is the most widely used body in earlier times for making figures. The raw materials used for making this body are China Clay, Ball Clay, Feldspar, Flint Glass. It produces a vitreous body with a marble like sheen which does not glazing.
The China Clay, Ball Clay, Feldspar and Flint Glass are mixed in a Ball mill to produce a liquid slurry. This slurry is passed through sieves and magnet and filter pressed to produce body cakes. The filtered cakes are pugged in a pug mill and the plastic body at a semi-solid state is used for making the figures. The moulds are made out of either plaster or wood or metal. The prepared plastic body is pressed into the mould and the figures are taken out directly from the moulds. It is further dried and fired in a Kiln to produce the final ware. In some cases where the shape is more intricated, slip casting process is used for making the products. The liquid slurry is poured into plaster moulds and the figures are obtained after the casting.
….to be contd
