Hand Painted Ceramics And Tiles - Visiting A Workshop In Lisbon
This is where Lisbon's tile magic happens! By chance, we walked by the little workshop of Cerâmica São Vicente and walked inside, asking if we could return some day to take some pictures, and document how these beautiful tiles are made. Read the full article below, which was published first on our Lisbon Travel Blog TODAY.
I wouldn’t have guessed it before arriving, but a big part of our Lisbon experience has had to do with tiles. They cover the facades of the city’s buildings, decorate its churches and palaces, and are even the subject of a popular museum. So it seemed natural to visit a workshop, where they’re still being made the old-fashioned way. The family who runs the Cerâmica São Vicente was kind enough to invite us inside and introduce us to their craft.
In this day and age, most of Portugal’s azulejos are produced by factories, but there’s still a huge demand for hand-crafted tiles. And that demand is actually growing, according to Cristina and Miguel: the mother and son team we met at Cerâmica São Vicente. Not only are tiles are back in fashion for home decoration, but there’s been a current upswing in the restoration of tiles inside Lisbon’s historic buildings. And the trend has been good for business.
We stepped inside the small studio on a Monday, just after lunch, and had the chance to watch them work. While painting, Cristina described the colors they were using: mostly cobalt blue, but also copper (green), iron (red) and sulfur (yellow). After making an outline of the pattern with a carbon stencil, they would paint right onto the prepared tile. Once the paint has dried, the tiles are baked in a small oven in a corner of the workshop, for sixteen hours.
Cristina and Miguel demonstrated a couple techniques, and then showed us pictures from one of the churches whose tiles which Cristina helped restore. Except for a slightly more-vibrant color, you would never be able to tell the old tiles from the new.
The Cerâmica São Vicente is small, and because it’s their workshop, it’s not really a great spot for big tourist groups. I think the last thing they’d want is twenty people cramming inside to gawk and take pictures while they worked. But at the same time, Cristina and Miguel are very friendly and happy to answer questions for those who are curious about what they do.
P.S. We actually sell some Lisbon Ceramics Souvenirs via this link. (Disclosure: This is an affiliate link)
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Did you try to paint as well? 😊
Not this time .... but we visited a ceramics workshop in Valencia and we got to paint and produced these beauties:
Wow! it's beautiful.
Do you have to purchase it before you can paint?
It's part of a class you can take. It was so much fun.
okay, I've seen ceramics class when I went to Myanmar but I didn't try it.
I will try it next time. :)
What a great post and pics. It's interesting to see their process. And I like how you introduce the workers there. I've never been to Portugal, but if I ever go to Lisbon, this place will be a must. I especially like the Obey Giant tile at the end.
Yes, loved the Obey Giant as well, that's the work of her son, he does some modern stuff! Thank you for stopping by.
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Wow, never knew that tiles can be hand crafted we usually buy them as is. The photos are amazing.
Thank you ... it was a neat little place with super talented, friendly people. Thank you so much for time to leave a comment.
Do they take on apprentices as it would be a pity for it to die out?
Btw, you have a typo in your last paragraph
Fixed .. thank you !!! I think many of them hand down their talent and business to their kids.
Magically @for91days :) Happy are people who have talent and who can live by doing what they like, creating with their own hands. Delightful story! :)
Expression of art comes in infinite ways. Beautiful it is that you find significant to share this rare piece of art creation with all of us. Thank you.
Namaste.
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Absolutely beautiful, very interesting to know how these ceramics are made so colorful and vibrant.