Custom Fabrication and Commission Ceramic Art and Reproduction Projects

Cergamics Custom Art Tiles

Custom Designed Decorative Ceramic Bas Relief Art Tiles , Panels and Murals

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Custom Fabrication and Commission Art Projects and Reproduction Pieces

Along with Cergamics existing vast collection of custom ceramic design bas relief tile, accent tiles, borders, panels and murals, also comes the ability to create and fabricate custom designed ceramic bas relief tile, borders, panels, murals, commissioned art pieces or possible reproduction pieces to suit individual needs. Below are just a few commissioned custom design projects that Cergamics has done over the years. The custom designed ceramic projects vary from custom made art pieces or custom plaques and custom ceramic reproduction pieces.

Reproduction ♦ Custom Design Service ♦ Commissioned Art Piece

Custom Ceramic Tile ♦ Custom Ceramic Design ♦ Custom Fabrication

Cristo Rey Project

Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago commissioned us to custom design and produce 5 large multiple piece ceramic bas relief Award Plaques measuring 22" in diameter, to be displayed on a kiosk in their school. Along with the custom ceramic bas relief plaques to be displayed they also wanted matching custom ceramic bas relief keepsake plaques to be given to award recipients as gifts. A total of 200 keepsake plaques were produced. (These are yearly awards so they ordered a supply to last for many years.)

Custom design drawings were done and approved. From the custom design drawings, carved models were made. The models were then cast in plaster and when the plaster was dry enough the model or plug was removed. The plaster cast was then adjusted, cleaned and left to dry. When the plaster casts were dry enough a terra cotta slip (liquid clay) was pored into the plaster casts and when they were leather hard, they were removed from the cast and left to dry flat. The custom plaques were cleaned up and then bisque fired. After the pieces cooled they were fired again in a glaze firing with only a clear matte glaze.

22" Kiosk Custom Ceramic Award Plaques

The custom ceramic Award Plaques that are displayed on the kiosk are made of 5 pieces. The center of the custom ceramic plaque is approximately 14" in diameter with a 4 piece custom ceramic outer ring approximately 4" wide making the total diameter approximately 22".

8" Custom Ceramic Keepsake Award Gifts

US Post Office & Court House, 271 Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn NY Project

Built in the late 1800's this building was designated a National Landmark in 1966. In 1974 it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Renovations were done on the building between 1999 and 2005. During these renovations, Cergamics was commissioned to reproduce a ceramic tile that was used for a fireplace surround in one of the rooms in this building. The original tiles had been made in the late 1800's.

Original Tile Reproduction

For multiple reasons, the original tile could not just be cast in plaster to make a copy. We needed to fabricate a custom design template. The template was made of one section of the tile and traced on a carving medium. That piece was cast to make 9 duplicate pieces. The 9 pieces were put together cast again to make the tile reproduction. Of course this is a simple description of a very long and exacting process.

MADE, LLC Project

Cergamics was commissioned by a company called MADE. MADE commissioned us for reproduction of various custom ceramic bathroom fixtures for one their clients with a period bathroom they wanted reproduced. Because clay shrinks as it dries, it was not possible to just make plaster casts of the original ceramic bathroom fixtures. Several 3-D imaging models needed to be produced and made larger then the original pieces to accommodate the shrinkage of the clay in the drying process. These models or plugs were provided to us by MADE. From the models we reproduced the desired pieces.

Here, the bottoms of models or plugs of these 2 Tray Tiles having been cast in plaster. The tops of the models/plugs are being prepared for the 2nd portion casting by smoothing and filling in areas that would be under cut preventing the plaster cast from releasing from the plug. A release agent is also applied to both the plug and the existing portion of the plaster cast. The second portion of the plaster cast is then pored. Once the plaster is dry enough the plaster cast is separated and the plug removed. The plaster molds is then adjusted, cleaned up and left to fully dry before use.

When the plaster molds are fully dry, then can then be clamped together and slip (liquid clay) is poured into the cast's cavity.

The result are greenware pieces that must then be cleaned and adjusted and made ready for bisque firing.

This is a 2-part hump mold for a Soap Dish. a rolled out slab of clay is formed around this mold. When the clay is leather hard the upper portion of this hump mold is pulled out so the bottom portion could be lifted up over the outcroppings. The soap dish is then adjusted and cleaned and left to dry.

This is the Soap Dish greenware with a white underglaze that has been painted in the interior. It is now ready to be bisque fired.

These are the final custom Tray Tiles to be mounted on the wall over the bathroom sink and below a mirror. They will be mounted a foot or 2 apart. Between the Tray Tiles a glass shelf is to will be placed.

This is the final custom Glazed Shower Soap Dish.

Gregopoly Art Piece Project

Cergamics was commissioned by an individual to custom design and create an art piece commemorating a friends life achievements for a 50th birthday gift. The client provided the idea and specifications for the project and Cergamics produced the art piece.

	The idea provided was to do a popular board game motif and in the spaces, insert life events. This is the art piece in it's leather hard or green form prior to the painting of underglaze.
This is the board game art piece with the painted on underglaze prior to firing.

Above is the finished board game art piece.

If you have an idea for a custom designed ceramic tile, plaques, borders, panels, murals, art piece or need a possible reproduction piece, please inquire about our custom design service at 631 653-4245, e-mail us at info@cergamicstile.com or visit our custom design services page and commission us for your next art project.

Custom House Plaques

The above house plaque consisting of 3 15" wide by 5.5" high plaques.

Reproduction ♦ Custom Design Service ♦ Commissioned Art Piece

Custom Ceramic Tile ♦ Custom Ceramic Design ♦ Custom Fabrication