FICA Editions is a creation of FICA Oficina Criativa. Established in Lisbon in 2016, FICA Oficina Criativa promote and preserve artisanal crafts including ceramics, screen printing, and woodworking through community-focused workshops and knowledge sharing. Launched in 2024, FICA Editions brings together their passion for screen printing and ceramics through the creation of a collection of handmade, silkscreen tiles. Every tile in the collection features an original design, created by FICA or through collaborations with artists and illustrators. Celebrating individuality and creativity, each tile tells its own story, blending artistic expression with technical craftsmanship.
Before creating their screen printed tiles collection, FICA spent years exploring ceramics and screen printing separately. Combining these two crafts was a natural progression, driven by curiosity and experimentation. This journey led the team to specialise in screen printing on ceramics, a process that has opened up endless creative possibilities. Along the way, they’ve discovered the potential to print at different stages of the clay process, using various coatings to achieve a variety of aesthetics.
Screen printing on ceramics has added a further layer of complexity to FICA’s craft. Unlike traditional substrates, clay demands coatings that can withstand the intense conditions of firing (around 1000°C/1832°F). This calls for adaptability, accuracy, and a deep understanding of both materials. Thus, FICA must meticulously plan each print, with careful consideration of timing and technique.
Each tile’s creation begins at the plastic stage of clay, where every piece is crafted individually by hand. Depending on the desired outcome, they print on the clay at various stages, tailoring the coatings and timing to suit the design. Each piece undergoes a careful, multi-step process to ensure both visual appeal and durability. Printing is then a hands-on practice in their Lisbon workshop. Here, every edition is hand-pulled, one colour at a time. The design is then manually applied using traditional screen-printing techniques, requiring patience and precision at every stage. This approach highlights the artisanal nature of FICA’a work and reflects the care they put into every piece.
Combining the two crafts has involved processes of adaptation. For example, different coatings need to be applied at different stages of the clay process. This can occur either before or after the first firing, meaning the printing can take place when the clay is still raw or already transformed into ceramic. FICA use ceramic inks, engobes, glazes, and even varnish to create their designs.
Due to the handmade nature of screen printing on ceramics, no two tiles in their collection are exactly alike. Subtle variations in colour, format, and finish are inherent to the process, emphasising the uniqueness of each piece. These imperfections are not flaws, but marks of authenticity, reflecting the artisanal character of FICA’s production.
www.ficaeditions.com
@ficaeditions
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