A Beginner’s Guide to Underglaze
A new year brings fresh opportunities for creativity, and what better way to kick things off in your pottery studio than by mastering an exciting new technique?
Our team will walk you through underglaze, how to do it, and different application techniques you can try. With a little practice, you’ll become a pro at applying underglaze to your ceramic creations.
Let’s get started.
What is Underglazing?
Underglaze is a decorative technique that pottery artists can use to add color and intricate designs to their ceramic art before applying a final glaze.
Unlike traditional glazes, which create a shiny finish when fired, underglazes are typically matte until they are covered with a clear glaze that gives them a glass-like finish.
Underglaze is specifically formulated to withstand the heat of firing without losing its vibrancy or ruining details. This is why it’s an excellent option for artists looking to add patterns, illustrations, or layers of color to their ceramic creations.
How to Underglaze
Now that you know what underglaze is, it’s time to learn how to implement it in your work!
Preparation
Before starting, you want to make sure your pottery piece is at the stage of leather hard clay, bone dry clay, or bisque-fired clay. Working with the clay body at this stage reduces the risk of smudging as you apply your underglaze.
To prepare, grab brushes of various sizes, sponges, carving tools, stencils, and your underglaze.
Underglaze Techniques
Brushing
Fine brushes can help you paint detailed designs. Depending on the size or design of your piece, you can also use brushes with a broader width to cover a larger area. We recommend applying multiple thin layers of underglaze for consistent color coverage. Make sure to allow each layer to dry before adding the next layer.
Sponging
If your ceramic style is organic or abstract, sponging is a perfect method. Use a sponge to dab underglaze onto or off of the surface of your clay piece for textured or gradient effects.
Stamping or Stenciling
Stamps or stencils can help you create repeating patterns or intricate details in your underglaze that you may not be able to accomplish freehand.
Our team recommends using our Impression Stamps — there are 40 shapes to choose from!
Sgraffito and Mishima
These techniques have been around for centuries and for good reason. Sgraffito refers to scratching through the underglaze to reveal colors underneath, and Mishima means to inlay or underglaze pre-carved designs.
Try using DiamondCore® Sgraffio tools or fine point carving tools to perfect these skills.
Layering and Blending
This underglaze technique allows you to experiment with different combinations of layering colors to create depth or blending for gradient effects. Although this technique is a bit more advanced, you can create beautiful works of art with practice!
Use a damp sponge or brush for smoother transitions between layers.
Drying
Allow your underglaze piece to dry thoroughly before firing your work. Drying times can vary depending on the thickness of the application and your studio environment. On average, our team recommends that you wait several hours to a full day before firing.
Firing and Glazing
Once the underglaze is dry, you can fire the piece according to the underglaze manufacturer’s temperature recommendations on the packaging.
After firing the piece, apply a transparent glaze to seal the design and enhance its color. Fire again at the appropriate temperature for the clear glaze. The final firing brings out the vibrancy of the underglaze while providing a durable and glossy finish.
Start Creating Your Underglaze Creations
It’s time to try out your own underglaze ceramic art!
Shop all DiamondCore® tools to create a stunning new piece of underglaze pottery. Once you’ve finished your pottery project, share your work with our team @diamondcoretools on Instagram and Facebook! We would love to see what you create and how you used underglaze in your project.
Happy creating!
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