COLLABORATION! JOIN THE PARTY!
YOUR TILE, ON YOUR TERMS.
We’re excited to help you create your very own custom tile at no cost to you.
If at any point you have questions, feel free to reach us directly at info@wolfybank.com, we’re always here to help.
Creating custom tiles is a labor of love. It can take from 2 to 5 weeks to complete, so please keep this in mind and plan accordingly. (The sooner you submit your design, the better!)
Read more about the process and use the form below to submit your idea.
Conceptualization – everything starts as an idea. Through dialog and your direction, we’ll first create a 2D image of the design to be created and then send it to you for review.
Sculpting – after we establish the 2D conceptual image that you are happy with, we begin the sculpting process. We use both traditional and digital sculpting techniques to produce a master tile. When the master tile is finished, we send images for your review.
Mold making – once a master tile has been created, we then create a plaster mold for production. The plaster mold is an inverse creation of the master tile. To produce a quality production mold, a delicate balance of water and dry plaster are carefully mixed together in a controlled environment. After the mold is created, it allowed to dry for 4 days. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the process, the master tile is often destroyed during this step.
Production – with the mold now created, we begin the actual production process. We use a process called slip casting. Slip casting is a method where a special liquid clay is poured into the plaster mold and then allowed to dry. Production rates using this process are slow but very reliable. Typical yield for this method is approximately 1 tile every 24 hours.
Finishing – after the tile has been demolded, it is allowed to dry for another week. It is then bisque fired in our kiln. The action of bisque firing transforms the piece from a fragile greenware state, to stoneware. The stoneware is then removed from the kiln, painted with glaze, and fired once more to produce the final piece or art.
Considering the amount of effort that goes into producing each tile, it’s understandable that we can only select a limited number pieces from the submissions we receive, however, don’t let that discourage you! We’d love to hear your ideas!
If your submission is selected, you’ll have the option of either us selling your tiles directly in Wolfy Bank store or purchasing the tiles wholesale and selling through your own venues.
All tiles sold through the Wolfy Bank store include built-in royalties that are set by you, and paid to you, or a party of your choice, including charities and other organizations.
If you wish to skip the submission process and prioritize your design, please simply select the Custom Tile option in the Wolfy Bank store. This will fast track your order and ensure your tile is created as quickly as possible.