Sir Peter Blake Tea Set Recipe

Wear cotton gloves. Inspect each blank bisque or pre-fired fine bone china piece for defects, chips or hairline cracks. Lightly sand any rough rims with a fine abrasive if required and blow off dust. Wipe each piece with a lint-free cloth dampened with isopropyl alcohol and allow to dry completely.

Apply a thin, even coat of the transparent base glaze over each piece if they are supplied unglazed. Use dipping, spraying or brushing depending on workshop setup. Remove any runs and ensure the glaze covers the body without pooling in the foot ring. Allow to dry according to glaze manufacturer instructions.

Bisque pieces that have already been glazed and fired at the factory can skip this step and move directly to decoration registration.

Prepare silkscreens for each motif (bullseye, star, heart, stripe) and for each colour separation (CMYK or spot colours) using prepared art and emulsion exposures. Ensure registration pins are set so each colour lines up consistently on curved surfaces.

Position the teapot, cup and saucer on a rotating jig or support to allow even contact with the screen. Secure with low-tack tape or masks to avoid slippage. Test-registration on a spare tile or test piece before printing on final units.

Silkscreen-print the first colour layer (usually the lightest) for each motif on each piece. Cure each colour layer as required — either air-dry briefly then low-temperature flash or follow the pigment manufacturer's instructions for inter-color drying.

Repeat printing for each subsequent colour layer (e.g., cyan, magenta, yellow, black or spot colours), allowing appropriate drying between layers. For stripes, use straight-edge masking or a dedicated stripe screen for crisp lines. For bullseyes, use concentric screens or hand-registration to create layered circles.

After the main coloured motifs are printed and fully dried, inspect pieces for any minor imperfections. Use fine brushes to touch up edges of motifs if needed with matching ceramic pigments. Allow touch-ups to dry.

Gold Luster Application

Using a fine brush apply the gold overglaze to the teapot handle, spout rim, lid edge, cup handles, and saucer rims and any small decorative highlights indicated by the Sir Peter Blake design. Work in thin even strokes to avoid heavy build-up. If the gold product requires mixing with an overglaze medium, mix according to manufacturer instructions before application.

If the coloured pigments used are underglaze (fired under a clear glaze), apply a thin final clear glaze coat over the decorated surfaces, ensuring not to glaze the foot ring. If pigments are overglaze enamels that require a lower-temperature firing, do not apply the full clear glaze over gold areas unless specified safe by the manufacturer.

Place pieces in the kiln following safe stacking practices with kiln furniture and stilts where necessary. Use the kiln firing schedule appropriate for the materials used: typical sequence — bisque (if starting from raw clay) ~ 980–1000°C, glaze fire ~ 1220–1250°C for bone china glost, and a separate low-temperature lustre/gold firing at 700–800°C (or as recommended by the gold luster manufacturer). Refer to product datasheets for exact temperatures and hold times. Record each firing in the kiln log.

Allow the kiln to cool to a safe handling temperature before opening. Remove pieces with gloves and inspect for glaze defects, pinholes, or color shifts. Repeat minor retouch and low-temperature re-fire only if the piece can safely withstand additional firings without loss of quality.

Carefully check each teapot, cup and saucer for consistent colour registration, smooth gold application and absence of firing faults. Confirm that the teapot lid fits securely and the spout pours without drips. Clean any kiln wash residue from the foot rings with a soft abrasive or fine stone.

Polish gold accents gently with a soft, dry cloth to bring out shine. Ensure cups hold 230 ml and teapot holds 850 ml (fill test with water).

Wrap each piece individually in silk tissue and secure with protective padding inside the presentation box to prevent movement. Include the printed certificate explaining the Sir Peter Blake collaboration, production in Stoke-On-Trent, and note that 10% of profits are donated to The House of St Barnabas.

Close and seal the box, affix any external labels or care instructions (hand wash recommended for gold-accented china). Prepare for shipping or display.