shrink-plate

A design that takes advantage of porcelain’s characteristics. When ceramics are fired, extreme differences in the thickness of the clay make the other side of the clay shrink away. Potters usually try to prevent this through a variety of techniques such as controlling the thickness of the clay and using curved rather than flat surfaces. The shrink-plate, on the other hand, makes what’s usually seen as a problem into a design feature. By increasing the thickness of the decorative elements and making the slab of the plate particularly flat and thin, the plate’s decoration stands out in relief.