How To Use Underglaze: 14 Creative Ways to Use Underglaze
Underglazes are an exciting medium to work with. Most polished potters know how to use underglaze to give color to their pieces and create masterful designs. However, using underglazes can be challenging and sometimes confusing for beginners.
So, how do you use an underglaze? You can apply it on greenware (unfired pottery) or bisqueware (fired pottery before it’s glazed.) Usually, a layer of transparent glaze is applied over the underglaze. There are a number of ways to put this paint-like substance on pots: dipping and brushing as well as drawing with tools like pens and crayons.
In this article, we will discuss ways of applying underglaze to your pottery and some tips to help you master Underglazing. But first, let’s read about the composition of underglazes and their purpose.
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What’s the Purpose of Underglaze, and How Does It Work?
Underglazes are used to make designs on pottery and give it color. This color and design shows up on the final result. Underglazes are more vibrant and hued than regular colored glazes so that they can give a more bright and detailed look to pottery.
Underglazes contain a lot of colorants (stains and oxides), water, plus a little clay and frit (a mixture of silica and flux) to help the underglaze fuse to the pottery. Also may contain CMC, Veegum, or both. The amount of clay, CMC, or Veegum depends on the underglaze manufacturer.
If you want a finished look and to make it safe for use as dinnerware, it’s essential to coat your underglaze work with a layer of clear glaze. The clear does NOT have to be applied to the outside but must be applied to the inside of the vessel to make it food-safe.
14 Ways You Can Apply Underglaze
There are multiple techniques to apply underglazes. Unlike glazes, you can use various colors of underglazes in a single layer and even Mix Colors to Produce Interesting Results. It’s all about ideas and creativity.
These methods enable artists to achieve a wide range of visual effects and detailed imagery on their ceramic pieces. Here are 14 popular ways Underglaze can be applied offering versatility in the creation of patterns, textures, designs, and colors.
Brushing
The most popular way to apply underglaze is by brushing. This Underglazing method has no specific rules or limits.
Brushing on Underglazes is so easy. It’s very similar to painting, and the underglaze dries REALLY FAST! You can use various brushes to achieve different looks.
Flat brushes can be used to color in different areas. Fan brushes can be used to add texture and nature-related patterns. Mop brushes can be used for blending. Round brushes can be used for detailing, drawing, and blending. Smaller brushes are used for delicate designs, and larger brushes are used for painting backgrounds.
Find your glaze brushes on my Best Glaze Brushes Page
You can create anything from a butterfly to a landscape with brushes. You should start with something simple, like a five-petalled flower. Apply a couple of layers.
Dipping
One of the easiest ways to apply underglaze is by dipping the piece in a bucket of underglaze. Dipping gives one whole layer. While underglazes are mainly used for accents and decorations, they can also be used to cover your whole piece. The underglaze used in dipping is supposed to be quite fluid.
Here’s a simple dipping method:
- Select a bucket large enough to accommodate the size of your pottery. Then fill with the right amount of underglaze.
- Make sure the underglaze is sieved. You may also have to water down your underglaze a bit to make it more fluid.
- Using tongs, grab your pottery piece and slowly dip it inside the bucket upside down.
- Make sure the whole piece is inside.
- Wait for 4-5 seconds and quickly pull out. If there’s any fluid inside the pottery, pour it out.
- Keep the pottery in the air above the bucket for a minute so that all drips fall down.
- Go over the Dipping Tong marks and inaccuracies with cotton.
Use can underglaze the whole piece. You can either wipe off or apply wax resist on the part that will touch your kiln self. (Don’t forget to wipe off any glaze that sticks to the wax resist) That’s the great part of underglaze: you can put it on the bottom of your pottery, and it will not stick to your kiln shelf unless the underglaze is too thick. Only one coat on the bottom that touches the kiln shelf is recommended.
Spraying
You can also apply underglazes by spraying. This can be done with spray guns or electric airbrushes. You can use spraying to create color blocks, gradient effects, splatter effects, spatter effects, and patterns. You might have to apply a couple of layers as fine mist doesn’t show up very quickly.
Spraying is pretty straightforward. You have to load your air gun with liquid underglaze, attach a nozzle, and spray. Underglazes do need to be thinned down with water because it will clog the gun if it is too thick.
Putting your pottery on a banding wheel helps immensely. Hold the air gun steadily when spraying. A great idea would be to use stencils. Put a stencil over your pottery and spray various colors to get a gorgeous effect.
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Important Note: Make sure to wear a Dust Mask, and spray in a well-ventilated area or outdoors. Wearing goggles and latex gloves is also recommended.
Bubble Underglazing
This is a fun unique way to use underglaze. The Bubble glazing process involves mixing underglaze with soap and water and then blowing through a straw to create bubbles. These bubbles are then gently transferred onto the surface of the pottery.
To learn more about underglazing with bubbles, read Bubble Glazing Technique.
Also, watch my Bubble glazing Video
Scraffito
Sgraffito is a pottery technique produced by applying layers of Underglaze 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.
Once the underglaze has dried to the right consistency, I use a tool to carve away parts of the underglaze.
Mishima Or Inlay
The process of Mishima (also called Inlay) is the oppiste of Scraffito. It involves carving the design while the clay is leather-hard first. The underglaze is then applied over the entire surface, ensuring it fills the carved lines.
Once the underglaze has been allowed to set slightly, the surface is scraped or sponged off, leaving the inlaid material in the incisions and a clean surface elsewhere.
Sponges
Using sponges is another way you can apply underglaze. Sponge glazing is popular amongst Potters because it gives them the flexibility to create unique patterns and multilayer glaze. This technique only requires a synthetic or natural sponge with different cutout shapes or patterns.
For more information on this fun and easy technique, Read Sponge Glazing Techniques.
You can also watch this YouTube Video below: How to Underglaze with a Sponge.
Trailing
Trailing is a technique where slip or a denser underglaze is used to form elevated lines and designs. This method is particularly effective on greenware, allowing for artistic expression through the thickness and style of the lines, which can be adjusted by changing the pressure applied to the Applicator Bottle and the size of the nozzle.
I have found that Slip Trailing with Underglaze on Bisqueware can be successful.
Marbling Underglaze
Marbling with Underglaze can be successfully applied with shave cream method or the split cup method, it is best to apply this on Bisqueware. This ensures that the underglaze adheres effectively to the clay’s surface.
To create the marble effect, you can go to Underglazing with Split Cups For a Marbling Effect – A Step-by-Step Guide
Stamping
Stamping is a versatile method often employed in the creation of unique designs, lettering, and various patterns, notably leather on clay, which involves impressing stamps into the surface of the clay.
Once the pattern is stamped in the underglaze can then be applied. Rubber stamps are also used to create patterns onto clay by dipping the stamp in underglaze then onto the pottery piece.
Masking or Tape Resist
Potters use tape for masking, which helps in creating clean, sharp lines or specific designs on the ceramic piece. The reason why this process is preferred during the bisque stage, as opposed to the greenware stage, is due to the surface properties of the clay.
The bisque-fired clay does provide a better grip for the Washi Tape, ensuring that the masked areas remain clean and the edges of the designs are crisp. This technique is essential for achieving intricate patterns and precise decorative elements in ceramic art.
For more information on masking, you can check out this video, How to Tape Resist and Glaze Pottery – Cool Pottery Glazing Techniques
Drawing Underglaze Pencils and Markers
Underglaze Pencils are used just like a pencil to create detail and a more precise design. Underglaze pencils are great for drawing on pottery.
The Underglaze Markers will create a similar effect. They work just like regular markers, and no sharpening is needed. These markers are also recommended to be applied to bisqued pots (ceramic).
Underglaze Transfers and Decals
Underglaze Decals and Transfers consist of underglaze colors printed onto paper or tissue and can be applied to various stages of clay. Wet the transfer, apply to your piece, go over the transfer with a rib, wait a few mintunutes and remove the paper.
When applying to leather-hard clay, the moisture in the clay helps the transfer to adhere smoothly, allowing for a seamless integration of the design.
Watercolor Painting
Watercolor painting is done with watered-down underglaze or A Set of 8 Semi-Moist Underglaze Pans. This approach results in beautifully soft effects, making it a favorite among ceramic artists who want to achieve a watercolor aesthetic on their pots.
Watercolor painting is best done on bisque-fired clay, as the porous surface of the bisque absorbs the watery underglaze, allowing for subtle blending and gradation of colors, much like traditional watercolor on paper.
Tips for Using Underglazes
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist, these tips aim to improve your underglazing skills, ensuring your ceramic pieces come out beautifully decorated and professionally finished.
When Can You Apply Underglaze?
Most underglazes are suitable for both greenware and bisqueware. For detailed information as to when to apply underglaze for different methods go to: Applying Underglaze on Greenware vs Bisqueware: Which is Best
The color of the underglaze does change during the firing process.
This means it’ll show up with the color it had when it was in the container but a little more vibrant. Adding a transparent glaze layer on top makes the color of the underglaze even more vibrant.
For an easy application of Underglaze on Bisqueware.
Bisqueware loves to suck in the moisture. When working on a bisque-fired surface, you can go over the pottery with a damp sponge before you apply underglaze so that it adheres better to the surface. This also helps your applicator from sticking to the bisque ware that is quickly drying out the underglaze.
A banding wheel helps in applying underglazes.
A Banding Wheel is a surface on a turntable that is flat. You can place your pottery on it and turn it around easily. You wouldn’t have to worry about touching the surface and ruining it.
A solid, opaque underglaze result needs at least two layers
Most labels recommend three layers. You can apply one to two layers when making intricate, detailed patterns. Depending on the desired outcome, you can change the number of layers in each part of your pottery.
Avoid applying underglazes on coarse or rough surfaces
Underglaze works best on smooth pottery. You can use sandpaper to clean rough edges. You should wear a Dust Mask while sanding. To reduce the amount of dust, wipe the pottery with a slightly wet cloth.
To learn more about Underglazing Pottery, read Underglazing Tips Tools and Ideas.
Conclusion
Underglazing is a fantastic way to add color to your pottery. It shows more color than glazes and gives otherwise dull-looking pottery a vibrant effect. Most professional potters underglaze their pottery, and it is also fun and easy for beginners.
Underglazing basically demands your creativity. You can use brushing, spraying, dipping, carving, etc. to decorate with underglazes, but the design idea has to be yours. And don’t worry if you mess up a little bit or don’t get the desired outcome; underglazing is a learning process, and skills take time to develop. Just don’t forget to have fun.