Black figures and red figures vases

For the production of the vases in ceramic, the so-called "black figures", they began by "cartoons" that they used to guides for marking the contours of the figures on the vases. The corresponding spaces were painted with clay enriched by lead oxide that assumes a black shiny colour with baking. At the start the vases were taken to a temperature of around about 800 degrees, until it assumes a red colour, afterwards raising the temperature and using fresh wood that created smoke, which blacken the object.

For the production of vases so called "red figures", the process was reversed or also simply applicated red paint on the figures after, the first stage of baking.