HOW TALAVERA TILE IS MADE:
The process begins in the hills near the Mexican town of Dolores Hidalgo. Two types of clay are gathered to be blended by hand.
The clay is soaked in water for 24 hours. This improves their quality and usability.
The water is drained and the clay is filtered to remove all debris and impurities. What is left is 50 % of the original volume of clay.
The clay is placed in a large form to be worked by the potter’s feet. This allows all air bubbles to escape and forms the clay into a malleable consistency.
The Talavera tiles are formed in molds and left to air dry for up to 12 weeks.
The pieces of tile are then baked at 850 degrees Celsius, which turns the grayish tiles to the brick red you know.
The tiles are then glazed by dipping them into an earthenware glaze which gives them their unique characteristics and color.
Each piece of tile is then hand painted using colors prepared from mineral pigments. The Talavera tile is then fired a second time at 1050 degrees Celsius for many hours.
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