Porcelain, known for its inherent strength, becomes a paradoxical medium when artists deliberately evoke fragility. Master ceramicists employ several techniques to create this striking contrast. Thin-walled construction pushes the material's limits, with some pieces achieving eggshell-like thinness that belies their fired durability. Strategic crackle glazing introduces fine web-like fractures, suggesting age and vulnerability without compromising structural integrity.

Some artists incorporate deliberate imperfections - uneven edges, asymmetrical forms, or visible seams - to undermine the material's industrial perfection. Others use translucent porcelain in thin layers, allowing light to emphasize the work's delicate nature. Contemporary practitioners often combine porcelain with more fragile elements like gold leaf or organic materials to heighten the tension between durability and vulnerability.

The most skilled artists manipulate surface textures, creating visual fragility through matte finishes that absorb light differently than traditional glossy porcelain. Some even employ optical illusions, crafting pieces that appear precariously balanced or partially collapsed. These techniques transform porcelain's inherent robustness into a meditation on transience, proving that perceived fragility often requires the greatest technical mastery.