Ways to use underglazes

Five Ways to Use Underglazes

Underglazes are one of the most versatile tools in a ceramicist's kit. They're colour you can paint, line, wash, scratch through and layer, all before a clear glaze goes over the top. Whether you're brand new to decorating pottery or have been at it for years, there's a technique here to try. Here are five of our favourite ways to put underglazes to work.

1. Banding: Use Your Wheel to Apply Stripes

Banding is the classic way to get clean, even stripes around a bowl, mug or plate. Place your piece on a banding wheel (or your potter's wheel), load a brush with underglaze, rest your hand steady against the piece, and let the wheel do the work as it turns. The result is crisp, continuous bands of colour that would be nearly impossible to paint freehand.

A few tips:

  • Use a soft, full-bodied brush that holds plenty of underglaze so the line doesn't break up halfway round.
  • Keep the wheel turning at a slow, steady speed and brace your hand for control.
  • Apply two or three even coats, letting each one dry, for solid, opaque colour.
  • Leave small gaps of bare clay between bands for that handmade, striped look, or overlap colours for a bolder effect.

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2. Sgraffito: Scratch Your Design Through the Colour

Sgraffito comes from the Italian word for "scratched", and that's exactly what it is. You coat your piece in underglaze, then carve a design through the colour to reveal the clay body beneath. Mayco's Fundamentals Underglazes suit the technique: apply layers of colour on bisque or clay, then carve through them for depth and contrast. The contrast between the dark layer and the lighter clay shows off every fine line, whether you go for flowing leaves, geometric borders or tiny dots.

A few tips:

  • Apply the underglaze evenly, and let it dry to the right stage for carving. Check what works best for your clay and product.
  • Use sharp loop tools, needle tools or specialist sgraffito tools for different line weights.
  • A strongly contrasting colour, such as black over a pale or terracotta clay, makes the design pop.
  • Work slowly and plan your pattern first. It's easier to add than to fix.

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3. Patterns on Clay: Geometric Tiles, Silkscreening and Stamping

Three ways to get a pattern onto clay. Tiles are the most common place to try them, but they work just as well on plates, mugs and bowls.

Geometric tiles

A flat surface makes patterns easy to plan and paint. Make your own tiles with a slab roller or a rolling pin, or buy bisque tiles. Sketch a grid in pencil (it burns away in the kiln), then fill your shapes with bold, flat colours.

  • Sketch your pattern lightly before you paint.
  • Use masking or a small, firm brush to keep edges sharp. Mayco's Fundamentals Underglazes won't move, so layered colours and thin lines stay crisp.
  • Stick to two to four colours so the pattern stays clean.

Relevant products for block colours:

Silkscreening

Silkscreening prints the same design again and again. AMACO Velvet Inks are made for silkscreening and soft stamping onto clay, so keep them separate from your everyday underglazes.

  • Test on a spare tile first to check how much ink and pressure you need.
  • Keep the ink layer thin and even, and clean your screen straight away so ink doesn't dry in the detail.
  • Prefer to use underglaze? Mayco's AC310 Silkscreen Medium can be mixed with Fundamentals Underglazes for screen printing.

Relevant products for silkscreening:

Stamping: soft stamps vs impression stamps

Stamps work differently depending on the type.

  • Impression stamps are hard and made for pressing a physical pattern into the clay. Use one for texture or relief.
  • Soft stamps are for glaze patterns. Many makers cut their own from foam, sponge the glaze onto it, then press it onto the piece for a handmade, printed look.

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4. Designer Liners and underglaze pencils

If you love intricate work, designer liners are for you. Mayco's Designer Liner is a clay-based, heavily pigmented underglaze in a bottle with a metal writer tip, so you can draw ultra-fine or bold lines with the control of a pen. Underglaze pencils are another great option for shading, sketching, drawing fine lines, and marking or signing your work. Apply the pencil to bisqueware, dust lightly with a brush to remove any loose particles, then sponge on your first coat of clear glaze to prevent smudging and let it dry before applying any more. Most pencil colours fire up to 1300°C (cone 10), while red and yellow are limited to 1100°C (cone 02). Designer Liners are ideal for outlining shapes, adding dots, cross-hatching, lettering and mandala-style designs like the one pictured. You can outline first and fill in with colour afterwards, or add the linework over the top of painted areas. You can also brush Designer Liner on for a watercolour or ink-wash effect.

A few tips:

  • Practise your lines on a test tile first to get a feel for the flow.
  • Hold the bottle at a consistent angle and keep a steady, even pressure.
  • Rest your hand on the table or a towel to keep your lines smooth.
  • Use black for graphic outlines or a coloured liner for a softer look. Keep the layer thin, as Designer Liner isn't a dimensional product and can crack or pop off if applied too heavily. It's also handy for signing the base of your work without sticking to the kiln shelf.

Relevant products:

5. Watercolour Style: Painterly Effects with Underglaze

If you'd rather your pottery look like a watercolour painting, underglazes can do exactly that. Dilute them with water to make a thin, watercolour-like wash, then layer the tints for seamless blending and soft shading where the strokes overlap. Mayco's Fundamentals Underglazes can be used much like oil or watercolour paint, so rendering, shading and blending bring dimension to florals, botanicals and landscapes, even portraits. Designer Liner can also be brushed on for a watercolour or ink-wash effect.

A few tips:

  • Dilute the underglaze with water and start with your lightest tints. One coat stays translucent, and extra coats add opacity.
  • Use a good quality, soft brush that holds water well.
  • Let each layer dry before the next so colours stay clear and don't muddy.
  • Left unglazed, underglazes fire to a soft matte finish. A clear glaze brings out the colour and gives a glossy finish, and is needed for dinnerware. Check the product label for your intended use.

Relevant products:

Before You Start: Underglaze Basics

A few things apply to all five techniques:

  • Always check the product label. Application methods, drying times, firing temperatures and food-safety guidance vary between brands.
  • Test first. A quick test tile saves you from surprises, as colours can shift in the kiln.
  • Finish with a clear glaze where a glossy or functional surface is needed.
  • Keep your tools clean so colours stay true.

A note on firing Mayco Fundamentals Underglazes: they can be applied to wet clay, greenware or bisque, and two to three coats gives full opacity. Low-fire is cone 06-05 (999°C to 1046°C) and mid-range to high-fire is cone 5-10 (1196°C to 1305°C). Many colours hold up at the higher range, but some can turn glossier, so test on your own clay body and in your kiln first.

[PRODUCT LINK: underglaze starter set] [PRODUCT LINK: clear glazes] [PRODUCT LINK: brushes and tools]

Ready to Get Started?

Whichever technique you try first, underglazes are a forgiving, fun way to bring colour and personality to your pottery. Browse our full range of underglazes, brushes and tools, and tell us what you make.

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