Glazing
Glazes come in a range of styles and textures, providing an endless stream of creative possibilities.
Some glazes produce a crackled texture while others offer a pearly, gloss finish. There are glazes that
have a rough, sandy feel or ones with a smooth, soft, watercolor look. The variety of glaze options is
endless, as are the techniques used to apply the glaze. While most glazes are applied with a brush,
other techniques can provide a more unique look.
Burnishing is the technique of polishing clay to a beautiful sheen without the use of glaze. Ancient
potters used these techniques to produce their wares before glazes and kilns were developed.
Under-glaze is a low-fire glaze that can be painted underneath a coating of transparent glaze. Underglazes are more permanent and adhere to the clay and the transparent coating. Under-glazes may
need to be thinned with water to get a smooth painting consistency, and colors may be mixed to
create other shades and colors. Using under-glazes on bisque-fired clay is just like painting.
Thin under-glazes to a consistency for painting onto your pottery item. Using a pencil, sketch your
design onto bisque-fired clay. Paint the design with brushes. Areas left without paint will be the color
of the clay when finished. If you don't like the look of the under-glaze paint, you can wash it off with
water. When you are finished painting, apply a coat of transparent glaze by brush, sponge or by
dipping dry pottery. When the pottery is dry, it is ready to be fired.
Brush glazing is a good option to add detail to a ceramic piece. Brush glazing is also used if there isn't
enough glaze for dipping.
Select the color of glaze desired and use a soft-bristled brush to apply a thin coat of glaze with even
strokes. If you want to create areas of color or detail, apply paint in sections or paint on a design. Black
outlines can be added to define areas if desired. Apply three coats of glaze to ensure solid, even glaze
color.
Sponging: Using sponges to apply glaze is another technique. After two coats of a base glaze has been
applied and dried, another color of glaze is applied with a sponge to give the pottery some texture.
Different sponges, such as sea sponges, will give different textures. Sponges can be cut into shapes and
used like stamps to apply a design. Sponges are also a good way to blend colors and give subtle color
changes.
Stamping a design on the pottery and then painting the design with glaze is another technique that can
be used.
Masking is the process of covering selected parts of your bisque piece to protect areas where you want to
maintain the white background or underlying color. Once the mask is in place, you apply underglazes. There is
no need to wait for underglaze to dry, it is better to remove masking tape while underglaze is still moist.
Sgraffito (in Italian "to scratch") is a decorating pottery
technique produced by applying layers of color or colors
(underglazes or colored slips) to leather hard pottery
and then scratching off parts of the layer(s) to create
contrasting images, patterns and texture and reveal the
clay color underneath. The layer(s) of color can be
underglazes or colored slips. Below is an example of one
technique and what can be achieved.
Apply 2-3 coats of underglaze, apply additional coats in
alternate directions, and wait to dry before starting the
scratching-off process. The tools and the pressure you
decide to use is dependent on the affect you wish to see
on the clay. If looking for rougher surface texture, push
the tool a bit harder and take more material using more
pointy tools. NOTE: Only use a soft dry brush to remove
debris to avoid damaging the colored areas.
Apply underglaze evenly (2 coats)
Insure tracings can be seen
Remove color where desired
Unwanted colored areas removed