The Encuentro con barro y fuego hosted a large gathering of professionals from the world of pottery and ceramics that attracted more than 100 people to Fresno de Cantespino, Segovia, at the end of October. Among the workshops and interventions included in the programme, the ARTEC researcher Bibiana Martínez presented the tinajAR project, an experience based on Augmented Reality (AR) that enhances the value of this artistic heritage through virtual content in three dimensions, in which the user and the jugs and jars chosen from a coded card are displayed on a screen.

The soul of this first meeting was the potter Juan Carlos Martín next to his large wood-fired kiln, which he built 40 years ago with his potter father and the whole family. Lighting the large kiln and filling it with a ton of jars and works made for the occasion was the way to celebrate one of the most unique kilns left in Spain due to its large size and age.

To accompany the exciting event, a series of talks were held on the world of pottery and ceramics in Castilla y León, an ancient discipline that is not about to fall into oblivion, as demonstrated by the reinvention proposed by ARTEC's initiative linking ceramics with technology.

The tinajAR application, developed by computer engineers Lucía Vera and María Vidal, combines the real world, in which the spectators and the augmented reality markers are found, a code they hold linked to a piece of pottery; and the virtual world, in which the image of the person is displayed and, on that card, the digital representation of the corresponding object appears accompanied by animations, sounds, music or special effects.

Researcher Martínez pointed out how the properties of AR are applied as a mechanism to focus user interaction, connect with an audience accustomed to the physicality of ceramics and pottery, and create an immersive experience through tinajAR.

In this sense, Martínez defined the tool as a new form of expression and creation within the field of art; an artistic work inspired by the ancient knowledge of the craftsman and in which augmented reality is applied, which reinterprets the legacy of a potter's people and highlights the value of their ceramic culture.

The researcher also reviewed the evolution of ceramics since its origins and pointed out how virtual reality makes it possible to transfer forms of experimentation such as sculpting and painting to a digital environment. ARTEC's tinajAR project is another example, designed as a series of experiences that pay homage to the world of pottery.