Ceramic Decorating: Tool Techniques

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org
ceramic decorating
tool techniques
decorating pottery
with wax resist, slip trailers,
clay stamps, carving tools and more
Ceramic Decorating Tool Techniques
Decorating Pottery with Wax Resist, Slip Trailers,
Clay Stamps, Carving Tools and More
We all love tools, especially pottery tools, and we normally think about forming when we talk about tools for ceramics, but the
most useful clay tools we have, besides our hands, are tools for decorating our ceramic work. A decorative surface, of course,
is the first thing noticed about a piece of pottery, and as with all things made by hand, the right tools make all the difference.
Ceramic Decorating Tool Techniques: Decorating Pottery with Wax Resist, Slip Trailers, Clay Stamps, and Carving Tools
explains those tools in detail and shows you how to use them for the greatest effect for your own ceramic surfaces. Make
your own ceramic colored pencils, or try using a combination of dry and wet decorating techniques to get maximum depth
out of your work. For a more traditional approach that has your own personal touch, try making your own brushes!
Decorating Pottery with Clay Pencils, Wax

Resist, Glaze Pens, and Slip Trailers
By Robin Hopper
There are so many ways to decorate the ceramic surface, and this overview of several
decorating tools used to apply color to clay includes recipes for making your own pencils
and crayons, as well as how to approach using each type of decorating tool.
Great Clay Stamps in 30 Minutes

By Virginia Cartwright
Making your own stamps is a great way to personalize and expand your pottery tool kit.
Polymer clay makes it simple and fast, so you can get ideas into clay quickly.
Using Simple Tools to Decorate Ceramics

with Complex Designs
By Molly Hatch
Sometimes the simplest objects are the best tools for decorating pottery. Using a pencil
and laminated paper stencil, Molly Hatch walks you though how to transfer a design to a
pot and then layer color onto the surface for a striking result.
Making Brushes for Pottery Decoration

By David Gamble
There is nothing more satisfying than making your own pottery decorating tools, and this
step-by-step project shows you how to make personalized glaze brushes.
Decorating Wheels
By John W. Conrad
Rolling stamps are a really fun way to add texture to a piece. There are lots of commercial
clay rollers out there in a wide variety of patterns, but making your own clay rollers gives
you the opportunity to make your own mark. In this article, John Conrad explains how he
makes rollers out of furniture casters.
www.ceramicartsdaily.org | Copyright © 2016, Ceramic Publications Company | Ceramic Decorating Tool Techniques | 1
Decorating Pottery
with Clay Pencils,
Wax Resist, Glaze Pens,
and Slip Trailers
By Robin Hopper
F
or those who are excited about the graphic pos-
sibilities of the ceramic surface and enjoy using
drawing implements that have something of a
sharp, scratchy or linear nature, the marks made
by pencils, pens, crayons and trailers likely will make them
favorite tools of expression. These tools are the founda-
tion of written or pictographic communication in Western
civilization, whereas the brush is the foundation of mark
making for most Eastern civilizations. Those raised in the
Western traditions usually feel more affinity with scratchy
drawing tools than with the soft, calligraphic brushes. For-
tunately, the range of ceramic decoration tools encompass-
es both soft and hard possibilities.
Ceramic Pencils
Regular pencils, with what we call “leads,” actually are
made from graphite of various degrees of hardness from
6H (extremely hard) to 6B (extremely soft). Marks made Jack Sures, Canada, Wide Bowl (detail), ceramic ink draw-
with graphite pencils on ceramic surfaces will burn out ing on porcelain. Private collection. Photo: Judi Dyelle.
in the firing, which can be very convenient, as the firing
ing on patterns and designs in ceramic pigments. Guide-
erases the guidelines or grids used for painting or draw-
lines also can be painted on with vermilion watercolor
paint, which also burns away.
Pencils for ceramic use (to make marks that don’t burn
out in firings) are made with combinations of refractory
materials, clays, and colorants and are usually only com-
mercially available in one level of hardness that would
probably equate to the HB rating of a graphite pencil. HB
hardness is midway between 6H and 6B. Companies that
produce ceramic pencils have a habit of coming and go-
ing, but most ceramic supply houses usually will be able
to find and supply them. Pencils are commercially avail-
able in a very limited variety of colors.
Ceramic pencils are normally used on bisque-fired
clay that has been sufficiently hardened to withstand
the pressure needed for satisfactory mark- making.
Since the pencil “lead” may be quite fragile in use,
Trailers, ceramic pens, and pencils the smoother the clay surface, the better the drawing.
blending. For color, you can use
mineral oxides, carbonates, and
prepared stains. A variety of com-
binations will produce a wide range
of colors, although it’s important to
select colorants that won’t burn out
at high temperatures; not many will,
but cadmium/selenium and potas-
sium dichromate are likely to do so.
The amount of colorant can be up
to 15 percent. More than that will
cause loss of plasticity in the raw
state, making it difficult to form the
pencils. The more colorant used, the
more intense the color.
Mix the dry materials with approx-
imately 45 percent water, to which
1 percent of sodium silicate per 100
grams of dry material mix has been
added. This will slightly defloccu-
late the slip, giving additional green
strength while also intensifying some
of the colorants.
Form the pencils by drying the col-
ored slip to a plastic state, and then
either rolling out coils or extrud-
Verne Funk, California, USA, Split—Portrait of the Artist, 18 in. (46 cm) in diam- ing lengths of the desired thickness.
eter, wheel-thrown whiteware, underglaze pencil, glaze, 1996. These then can be left as pencil
lengths or cut into shorter 1–2 inch
Bisque surfaces can be smoothed can be fired on unglazed high-fired lengths. When dry, fire the pencils
by sanding with wet and dry silicon clays, such as porcelain or stoneware, to between 1472°F (800°C) and
carbide or aluminum oxide papers, without the need for a glaze coating. 1742°F (950°C), depending on the
or the surface of the greenware may The selection of colorants or mix- desired hardness. A lower firing will
be sprayed or brushed with a terra tures of colorants used in the color- produce softer “lead”; higher firing,
sigillata coating prior to the bisque ing of the “lead” will control the harder “lead”. The short lengths
firing to provide a harder working effectiveness of the drawings at high can be placed in a claw grip draft-
surface. Ceramic pencils may be temperatures, but most will tolerate ing pencil (the Koh-I-Noor No. 48
used on the ceramic surface just like cone 10. drafting pencil can hold leads up to
their graphite equivalent on paper. To make ceramic pencils and ¼ inch in diameter).
Although sharpened points tend to pastels, use a porcelain-type slip with Pastels normally are used from the
wear quickly on the abrasive ceram- 50 percent white firing ball clay or greenware state and are not prefired
ic surface, the combination of pencil plastic kaolin. For dry strength in the unless they prove too friable for
tip marks, side-of-pencil marks, green state, 3 percent macaloid or 5 convenient use. To make pastels, use
and the opportunity to create tones percent bentonite should be added. the basic recipe above and simply
through finger-rubbing or smudging Ceramic Pencil Slip Recipe form the clay into coils or extrusions
the soft image gives wide potential White-Firing Ball Clay. . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 % to the desired size for use. If they
for drawn imagery development. Potash Feldspar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 prove too fragile, they can be fired to
If the commercial underglaze Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 between 1112°F (600°C) and 1472°F
pencils are too soft for satisfactory 100 % (800°C) without making them exces-
use, it is quite easy to make your own Add: Macaloid (or 5% bentonite). . . . 3 % sively hard. Ceramic pastel drawings
and harden them to a more satisfac- Colorant (maximum) . . . . . . . . . 15 % should be fired on the ceramic object
tory and less friable state. Ceramic to harden them before a glaze is ap-
pencil drawings can be fired onto The materials, including colorants, plied; otherwise, the powdery surface
the bisque-fired clay to harden them should be dry sieved through an likely will be spoiled in glaze applica-
before glazing, or, alternatively, they 80-mesh screen to ensure thorough tion or handling. Surface powder also
might cause crawling through lack of Ceramic Watercolor Recipe
glaze adhesion. White-Firing Ball Clay. . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 %
Potash Feldspar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Crayons Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

25
100 %
To make wax crayons, mix the dry
Add: Macaloid (or 5% bentonite). . . . 3 %
recipe above with ordinary com-
Colorant (maximum) . . . . . . . . . 15 %
mercial wax resist. Form the crayon,
and let it dry. Since the crayon will
contain some latex, it also will have For watercolors, the materials are
a slight resist effect on the work, mixed together, then enough water is
particularly when used on bisque- added to make a slip, which is passed
fired ware. For a crayon with greater through an 80-mesh sieve and poured
resist qualities, stir colorants into onto a plaster surface. When dry to
wax, let cool, roll the wax into rods the touch, watercolor cakes can be
of different widths, and cut the rods made by forming rounds or squares
in convenient lengths. of the colored slip and letting them
dry completely. They then can be
Underglaze Pens used like ordinary children’s water-
Underglaze pens are like super-fine colors by wetting the surface with
trailers containing an “ink” that water and applying with a brush.
gives good flowability for drawing.
They are available commercially Trailers
from a number of producers, or you A wide range of trailers for slip, ink,
can make your own with the fine glaze or overglaze uses are avail-
trailers that are available. You can able from ceramic suppliers, kitchen
also dip any form of “nibbed” pen, stores, and drugstores. They usu-
from fine-pointed mapping pens, to ally consist of a rubber or neoprene Lynda Katz, USA, Bayou Boogie Woo-
quills or sharpened bamboo, into bulb or container and a nozzle with gie, 13 in. (33 cm) in height, thrown
ceramic ink. a fine-aperture tip, or sometimes and faceted porcelain, underglaze pen-
cil drawing with luster glazes, 1984.
multiple tips. The simplest to find is
Black Ceramic Ink Recipe usually either a hair coloring appli-
Calcium Borate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 % cator bottle or a child’s nasal bulb
Potash Feldspar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 aspirator from a drugstore.
Ball Clay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Ceramic suppliers often have fine-
100 % tipped trailers, sometimes with inter-
changeable tips of differing aperture.
Add: Bentonite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 %
Mason Stain 6600
The aperture of the tip required de-
or other black stain . . . . . . . . . . 10 % pends on the thickness of the material
being squeezed through. Thin inks will
Thoroughly dry-mix these ingre- go through a fine tip without clogging,
dients, then add a mixture of water but a wide tip may be needed for slips
and 5 percent sodium silicate (100 or glazes to flow properly.
milliliters water to 5 grams sodium As with any tools, you’ll need to
silicate). Pass it through a 100-mesh practice to get the correct “feel” to
sieve twice. Thin the ink as appro- achieve the best results. Keep a thin
priate for your use. This ink should needle tool nearby when working
work at all temperatures up to cone with trailers, because the fine ones
12. It can be thinned to produce tend to clog quite easily.
pen and wash-like drawings or used
Lynda Katz, USA, Covered Jar, 8 in. (20
with a ceramic watercolor or glazes. This article was excerpted from Robin Hop- cm) in height, thrown, altered, and
Other colorants also can be used per’s Making Marks published by The Ameri- hand-built porcelain, glaze-trailed deco-
with this base. can Ceramic Society. ration, 1997.
Great Clay Stamps
in 30 Minutes
by Virginia Cartwright
When making a stoneware stamp using regular clay,
stamps
you need to let it dry then bisque fire it before you can
put it to use, which could take several days to a week.
Polymer stamps, by comparison, are ready for use in
about 30 minutes. You can then take those stamps,
press them into another piece of polymer clay, and
quickly get a negative version of your designs.
Polymer clay does not crack or crumble as easily as
stoneware or earthenware clays, and scraps can be eas-
ily recycled. Since it’s not water based, the clay doesn’t
dry out. This property also makes polymer clay an
ideal material for making impressions from a variety of
objects, including antique furniture, kitchen tools, but-
tons, Indian wood blocks and tombstones.
Polymer clay can be used to create a variety of clay stamps As I began to explore the possibilities of this mate-
in a short period of time. rial further, I discovered that I could use my inlaid
colored clay techniques to make the stamps beautiful
S
tamps enhance your work by adding interesting as well as functional. By layering and blending colors,
textures to your pieces and depth to your glazes. I can create an endless variety of intricate patterns.
For years, I carved stamps from small plaster
blocks or from leather-hard clay that was then bisque The Process
fired before use. I wanted a way to make stamps more Condition the polymer clay by rolling it ten times
quickly so I could share them with my students and through a pasta maker on the thickest setting (figure 1).
workshop participants and found that polymer clay If you do not have a pasta machine, manually roll the
(available at most craft stores) makes a clean, crisp im- clay into coils in your hands. Your body heat will soften
pression that can be cured and ready for use in almost no the clay. If you want to mix your own colors, make coils
time at all. of two or three colors, roll them into one coil and twist
Supplies
There are several brands of polymer clay available
(Sculpey, Fimo or Premo), all of which are good.
Sculpey has a product called “Super Sculpey” which I
use because it is a strong, shatter-resistant material.
Super Sculpey is only available in a tan color, so I com-
bine it with about 25% of another color of polymer
clay if I want to change the color.
You’ll need a clean, non-porous surface to work on,
and a Plexiglas roller made just for polymer. You can
substitute this roller with an 8-inch piece of plastic pipe.
You should also buy a 6-inch long cutting blade and
an inexpensive pasta machine (both available at craft
stores or garage sales). The pasta machine is used to
soften the clay and to blend the colored clays together. Polymer clay stamps are best when used on slight-
If you’re just making a few stamps, you can use ly firm slabs of ceramic clay. If the stamp sticks to the
your hands and roll the clay into coils until it softens. clay during use, baby powder or cornstarch can be
I find it helpful to attach handles to the stamps. Buy used as a release agent. These embellished slabs can
a bottle of liquid polymer clay and use this as glue to be used to make handbuilt vessels and sculptures, or
attach the polymer handle to the top of the stamp. left flat for tile work.
the coil like a candy cane. Cut the twisted coil in half, it will bake at 275°F for fifteen minutes, though you
join the two pieces and twist them again, repeating this may increase the time by five minutes if the stamps
process until the colors are blended. are very thick. Be careful not to overheat the poly-
You can make stamps using several layers of polymer clay. You can cover your pieces with aluminum
mer clay by first rolling it out into a slab that is about foil to prevent scorching and blistering (figure 4). If
¼ inch thick. Thin polymer clay slabs take a deeper, you smell a strong odor while cooking the stamps, it
clearer impression than a thick one. Put a pinch of means that they are getting too hot. Turn off the oven,
baby powder or cornstarch on one side of the clay. and ventilate the room.
Next, press the clay (powder side down) on top of
a textured object. Place the polymer clay over the tex-
ture and press it with your thumbs, rather than press-
Note
ing the texture down onto the polymer clay (figure 2). These stamps are not as strong as ceramic
Leave the polymer clay on the textured surface and or wooden stamps. If you have trouble
add a second layer of Super Sculpey clay (figure 3). with your stamp breaking, try making the
layers of the stamp thicker.
Press the layers again with your thumbs. Remove the
clay and trim the edges.
Bake the polymer in a small toaster oven, follow- Finally, add a top decorative layer and a handle.
ing the directions given on the package. Typically, I join everything together with a thin coat of liquid
polymer clay and cure the piece again. The heat fuses
the layers and handle together.
Tip
Virginia Cartwright has taught ceramics for 22 years, and has
If you plan to make a lot of pieces, buy a toaster shown her work in numerous exhibitions. She currently lives in
oven dedicated just to curing polymer pieces. Fallbrook, California.
1 2
3 4
Using Simple Tools to
Decorate Ceramics with
Complex Designs
By Molly Hatch
I
have always been interested in draw-
ing. As an undergraduate, I focused on
drawing for the majority of my time in
school. It wasn’t until my final year that
I was shown surface decoration techniques for
clay that are similar to printmaking and draw-
ing processes. It was this marriage of drawing
and clay that has driven the development of my
current work.
There’s something magical in the ability
to interpret what I see through my hands.
I think of drawing as a visual language
similar to writing; both can be communica-
tion tools. I am often surprised by the small
narratives that appear in the patterns I draw on
the surfaces of my pots. Each bird has its own
distinct personality and expression . . . . A moth
will buzz around a peony. The patterns I draw
are always my interpretation and representa-
tion of an already existing pattern. I sometimes
combine elements of different patterns, in turn
creating new patterns. I play with the scale of the pat- Finch Cup with Baroque Frame,
tern on the pot. How the pot frames the image often 13 inches (33 cm) in width.
dictates the pattern itself.
I spend a large amount of time looking at historic
fabrics as source material and I’m always collecting Throwing a Blank Canvas
new patterns to add to my repertoire. I pull out new When I’m throwing, I think of the pots and their
patterns when I need a challenge and I draw the pat- forms as that blank piece of paper. I strive to keep
tern on paper a few times to familiarize myself with it my forms simple, quiet, and uncomplicated. This
before experimenting on my pots. I use porcelain for simplicity allows the drawing to become the major
my work for its durability and translucence. I love the focus of each pot, rather than a competition between
similarity of pure white porcelain to a blank piece of form and surface.
paper. My forms are inspired by contemporary prod- The simplest and most popular pot I make is a
uct design, 18th century European factory ceramics tumbler form that I refer to as a beaker. I use about
as well as the English ceramics of the Leach/Cardew a pound of clay to make the beakers pictured in this
studio tradition. article. When throwing, I use very few tools other than
1 2
When throwing, use the crook of your finger to shape the Laminated paper template of drawing can help maintain
lip of a tumbler. consistency in a design when transferring images to a set.
3 4
Gently wrap the laminated pattern around the cup and Remove the template to reveal the transferred tracing im-
use a quill or pencil to trace the image. age now impressed into the clay.
5 6
Use the transferred image as a guide for drawing deeper Finish off the rest of the drawing freehand, using the tem-
lines into the surface. plate as a visual reference.
my hands. I use the crook of my forefinger and middle for trimming. When using this trimming technique, it
finger to shape the lips of my pots. When I do use helps to keep one hand on the pot at all times to catch
tools, my favorite rib is a square rib fashioned after it in the event that the suction gives way.
a Michael Cardew design and made for me by my
husband who is a woodworker (figure 1). I’m careful Image Transfer
to use the rib as little as possible because I enjoy the Mishima is a traditional Korean slip-inlay technique.
pots much more when there’s evidence of my hand in The Korean pots you see with mishima decoration
them. When I’m trimming, I usually use a bat damp- typically use several colors of slip inlaid into the same
ened slightly with a sponge. I tap the pot I’m trimming piece. I basically use the same black slip recipe for all
on center and then, using the slightly damp surface of of my mishima drawing. I always refer to a pattern
the bat, I apply pressure to the base of the pot, which when I’m drawing on my pots and sometimes use a
creates a slight suction and secures the pot to wheel template to transfer a detail of the pattern (figure 2).
7 8
Apply a layer of stained slip over the drawing using a Wipe the excess slip from the surface of the pot using a
wide brush. clean sponge.
9
Use a vitreous engobe mixed with a brushing medium to
create color accents.
10
Though it fluxes a bit at higher temperatures, the engobe Tumbler, 5 3/4 inches (15 cm) in height, porcelain,
can be used to fill in color areas on the bottom. mishima slip inlay, vitreous engobe, fired to cone 6.
In this case, I am using the template to transfer the bird

in the pattern onto the cup surface. I make my tem- Drawing Tools
plates by laminating my own drawing of a found pat- There are many tools you can use to incise the sur-
tern. This is helpful if you are trying to make multiples, face of the pot for mishima. I have gone through
but still requires a lot of drawing and interpretation stages of preferring particular tools —pencil-style
because you’re drawing on a three-dimensional surface. X-Acto knives, commercial stylus carving tools (sold
in ceramic supply stores), African porcupine quills
Inlaying the Color (available at Santa Fe Clay) among others. My cur-
All of my mishima is done when the pots are a firm rent drawing tool of choice is a calligraphy pen with
leather hard. Usually they are ready to draw on just interchangeable metal tips. It’s the same kind of pen
that you dip in ink and would use to do traditional
after trimming is finished. To follow this technique,
calligraphy; I just use it on clay instead.
start the transfer by gently wrapping the laminated
pattern around the cup, taking care At this point let the pot dry com-
to position the image exactly where pletely and then bisque fire it.
you would like it to be on the cup. Recipes
Then, using an African porcupine Adding Color
quill (dull-tipped pencils work well On many of my pots, I add color
too), transfer the image by tracing accents to the mishima pattern Andrew Martin’s Brushing Slip
through painting. I do all of my (up to Cone 10)
over the lines on the template with
Ferro Frit 3110 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 %
enough pressure to draw into the painting after the pot has been
Ball Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
surface of the pot underneath (figure bisque fired and before I do any
Mason Stain 6600 (black) . . . . . . . . . 50
3). Remove the template (figure 4) glazing. For the color, I use a cone 100 %
and use the transferred image as a 04 vitreous engobe that I mix
Add: CMC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 %
guide for drawing deeper lines into myself, but commercial underglazes
also work well. If you use an en- This is the slip I use for the mishima inlay ar-
the surface of the pot (figure 5). You eas on my work. Be sure to mix it thin enough
don’t need to draw very deeply into gobe, combine it in a 1:1 ratio with that it fills in all of the fine lines. If using a
the surface for mishima to work. brushing medium using a palette coloring oxide (like iron oxide, manganese
dioxide, chrome oxide, cobalt oxide, cobalt
I often feel as though I am just knife until it is well mixed (figure carbonate or copper carbonate, for example)
scratching into the surface of the 9). The mixing-medium helps make instead of a commercial stain, the amount
of colorant needed may be less than in the
clay. After going over the tracing, the engobe more brushable and above recipe.
finish off the rest of the drawing thins it out so that you can build up
freehand, using the template pattern color in layers, similar to painting Vitreous Engobe
as a visual reference (figure 6). on canvas. This layering makes for (Cone 04–6)
Just before you apply the slip to more solid colors with less visible Talc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15.3 %
the surface of the pot, use a soft- brush strokes. Ferro Frit 3110 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18.4
bristled brush, such as a shaving The engobe recipe that I use tends Kentucky OM4 Ball Clay . . . . . . . . 15.3
brush, to get rid of as many crumbs to flux a bit at cone six but it can still EPK Kaolin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.1
as possible. If you don’t remove be used to fill in the line drawings on Glomax (Calcined Kaolin) . . . . . . . 25.5
the crumbs, they can often stick to the bottoms of pots (figure 10). After Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20.4
I finish adding the color, I use a clear 100.0 %
the pot and create problems when
removing excess colored slip from glaze over everything except the bot- Add: CMC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.0 %
the surface later. tom of the pot, then fire the work in Macaloid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.0 %
Using a wide brush, apply a oxidation to a hot cone six. Add stains to the above base at a ratio of 1:1.
layer of stained slip to the drawing I use this on bisque ware.
Molly Hatch is a full-time studio potter in
(figure 7). I tend to use a thinner Northampton, Massachusetts. She studied
slip so that it has an easier time ceramics as an undergraduate student at Brushing Medium
getting into the small details of the the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in To make a brushing medium for use with
Boston and received her MFA from the the Vitreous Engobe, slake a 50/50 mix of
drawing. Thicker slips tend to only University of Colorado, Boulder. To see Macaloid and CMC in hot water and blend
partially fill in the drawn lines in more of Hatch’s work, visit her website at together until smooth. To combine the en-
gobe with the brushing medium, start with a
the surface. Once the pot has dried www.mollyhatch.com.
small amount of each and use a palette knife
back to the dry leather-hard state to mix them together. Add more medium or
engobe until you get the right consistency
and any sheen on the slip has dis- for brushing.
Photo Credit: Jeff Machtig. Courtesy of the John Michael Kohler Arts Center.
appeared, begin to wipe away the

excess slip from the surface of the
Val Cushing Clay Body
pot using a clean sponge (figure 8). (Cone 6)
You need to clean the sponge often Nepheline Syenite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 %
during this process to avoid leav- EPK Kaolin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
ing streaks of color on the surface Tile 6 Kaolin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
of the pot. As you work, you’ll XX Sagger Ball Clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
see your design emerge. The slip Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
remains in the recessed lines of the 100 %
drawing, creating the inlaid design. Add: Bentonite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 %
Tip: If you are using a clay with a
I use a commercial cone 6 porcelain from Shef-
lot of grog, it’s a good idea to alter- field Ceramic Supply, however, this Val Cushing
Molly Hatch working in her studio
nate between using the sponge to while she was a resident at the John cone 6 body is great.
remove the slip and smoothing the Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboy-
surface with a rubber or metal rib. gan, Wisconsin.
Making Brushes
by David L. Gamble
U
sing the right tool for the job
is always a good idea, but in
ceramics, using the right brush
is critical for creating certain
marks on your pots. You’d have a diffi-
cult time trying to use a short flat brush
to create a long thin line, yet when using
the right brush, you can create that line
without any effort at all.
Brushes are made from a wide variety of
either animal hair or synthetics. The mate-
rial affects how the brush loads and dis-
perses a medium. For example, red sable
hair is the best choice for watercolors and
washes even though less expensive brushes
can be made from camel, squirrel or horse
hair. Stiff boar or hog bristles are good for
oil paint, while in ceramics we tend to use
hairs that load a lot of glaze, so we choose
goat and China bristles (the industry term
for hog hair). China bristles are normally
longer and stiffer than goat hair.
By making your own brushes, you can
control the qualities that are important
and unique to you. Though manufactured
brushes are made to perform well with cer-
tain media, as artists we tend to use what-
ever will work to make the marks we want.
I’ve been constructing brushes on and
off for many decades, and have presented
workshops over the years, first along with
potter Steve Howell, and most recently
with my wife Tracy who is also a ceramic
artist. We have participants make brushes
on the first day of our two-day presenta-
tions, and use them on the second day.
During one demonstration at Atlantic Pot-
tery in Florida last year, Bob Kirk, a high
school art teacher, was demonstrating
making brushes and told me he has made
brushes in classes with his students. I think
that everyone from students (at all levels)
to seasoned artists can appreciate the qual-
ity of a good brush after spending the time Your surface decoration is one of a kind. So why not make brushes customized
making their own. to exactly fit your techniques and style?
1
Tie the base of the hair with floss.
2
From left to right: Gray squirrel, deer (natural), deer
(dyed red), and red squirrel.
Trim the hairs at the base.
Materials List
n Bamboo: Select pieces ¼–½ inches in diameter.
There are more than 1450 species with 450 spe-
cies sold in the US, so there’s a wide variety avail-
able! If you cut fresh bamboo, allow it to dry for a
month before using for handles.
n Hair: I’ve found that deer and squirrel tail hair work
well to hold and disperse the glaze. Squirrel and
deer tails can be purchased at any fishing store
that sells fly fishing materials to tie flies. Deer tail is
packaged natural and in a variety of bright colors to
imitate the color of insects. Also try dog, skunk, elk,
fox, goat, etc. Note: Human hair is too limp to use. 3
n Dental floss: Use strong dental floss to tie the Dip the cut end in glue.
hairs together. Waxed dental floss is a bit more
sticky and easier to tie. Non-waxed dental floss
is a bit harder to tie but accepts the glue better. I
prefer the waxed dental floss.
n Masking tape
n Sandpaper
n Hacksaw with fine blade
n White glue
n Needle tool
Small drill bit (1/8–5/32 inch in diameter)
4
n
n Cotton thread/string
Wrap and tightly tie the rest of the floss.
Process cut the hair to 1½ inch. Dip the cut end of the brush hair
into a puddle of white glue (figure 3). Allow the hair to
To begin making your brush, select the hair you’re going
soak up the glue. Wrap and tightly tie the rest of the floss,
to use and get an extra long piece of dental floss to wrap forcing the base of the hairs together into a tightly bound
the bottom of the hairs. Four hands work best for this so tube-like shape (figure 4). Allow to dry before gluing into
get someone to hold the hairs as you tie them (figure 1). the handle.
Do not trim the floss yet. Next, cut the hairs at the base. Choose a piece of bamboo that your brush hair will fit
Start with at least one inch of hair. If you want a longer into tightly. Hold the bamboo behind a node like a brush
brush, deer tail hair can be 3–4 inches in length or longer to make sure it’s comfortable. Bamboo is hollow between
if you use most of the tail. Remember that you’ll need the nodes so decide how long you want the handle, and
to leave about ¼- to ½-inch of hair to glue and wrap to- leave about ¾ of an inch before you reach the node to cre-
gether (figure 2), so if you want a 1-inch-long brush tip, ate a natural ferrule you can fill with glue.
5 6
Cut bamboo with a fine tooth saw. Sand both handle ends smooth.
7 8
Test fit the brush then add glue. Insert brush then use a needle tool to shove it in tight.
9 10
Drill a hole in the top of the handle for hanging. Split the bamboo end with a knife.
Wrap masking tape around the end of the bamboo where hair to fit in (figure 10). This works well if the opening
you plan to cut and use a fine-toothed hacksaw or jeweler’s in the bamboo is a bit too small for the brush hair to fit
saw to cut the bamboo (figure 5). The tape keeps the bam- in. Place glue inside and insert the brush hair. Wrap the
boo from splintering. Sand both ends smooth (figure 6). end tightly (figure 11) then place the end of the thread
Test fit the brush hair in the handle then fill the ferrule through the loop you have left at the top and pull the
space with glue (figure 7) and force the brush hair into it. bottom thread until the end is pulled into the wrapping
Use a needle tool to shove it in tight so that the dental floss (figure 12). Trim off excess thread and add a thin amount
wrapping cannot be seen (figure 8). Let it dry. of white glue over the wrap. I’ve also heard of thin cop-
Drill a hole through the bamboo at the end of the handle per wire being used.
using a small drill bit so you can add a thread to hang the With either method, once you’ve secured the brush
brush up (figure 9). You can also sand flat a section at the hairs into the ferrule and the glue has dried, thread a
top of the handle so you can write your name on the brush piece of ribbon, twine, string or a leather strap through
with a permanent marker. Tung oil can be used on the han- the hole at the end to create a hanging loop (figure 13).
dle for a finishing touch. No other finishing or waterproof- This finishing touch is just one more way to create your
ing is needed. Over time, the oils from your hand will give own special brushes.
the brush handle a nice patina.
David L. Gamble is a frequent contributor to PMI. He holds
As an alternative, you can also split the bamboo fer- degrees in fine arts and education and currently serves as an educa-
rule with an X-Acto knife deep enough for the brush tion consultant for Skutt.
11
Wrap the end with thread or wire, creating a loop with the
beginning of the thread and wrapping around it to secure.
12 13
Place the end of the thread through the loop and pull the Thread a cord for hanging the brushes through the hole
bottom end of the thread down to pull the end through. drilled at the end of the handle.
Decorating
Wheels
by John W. Conrad
People have used rolling stamps on pottery forms for make several different designs based on the angle of the
centuries. A similar, but ready-made texture tool is a cog- roller as it’s pressed against the clay, producing a narrow
wheel, which was used to make bands of subtle texture V shape, wide band, or wave patterns (if tilted back and
circling on 15th-century German steins. Early English ce- forth while rolling). The face of the wheel can be altered
ramic tankards have roller marks around the bottom and by cutting, grinding, filing, sawing and/or sanding various
top edges, and early Japanese clay sculptures also have forms to create texture patterns. The plastic wheels are
decorative texture designs rolled on. often too thin to be deeply carved or cut and the metal
A furniture caster can be an effective tool for creating wheels are difficult to work with unless you have the right
interesting textures by altering the wheel’s surface so it es- tools. I’ve found that rubber and wood are the best media
sentially becomes a rolling stamp. Various size commercial to work with to shape and cut. Drills, files, rasps, an elec-
casters are available, ranging from ¾–4 inches in diameter tric power sander, small hacksaws or jeweler’s saws, bench
and made of rubber, plastic, metal, or wood. The advan- grinders, chisels, other hand tools, and rotary tools (with
tage of the commercial caster is that it has a firm metal cutting, sanding, and grinding tips) work well to reshape
handle to hold when rolling it against the clay, and it’s and alter the wheel.
inexpensive and readily available. The unaltered roller can Make scale drawings of potential patterns (figure 1).
1 2
Make scale drawings of potential patterns. Use a felt-tip marker to fill in all areas to be removed,
then carve away the marked sections using power tools
and hand tools.
3 4
Reductive patterns can be simple or complex. Alternatively, add texture by gluing upholstery tacks/nail
5 6
This large pattern was created using an altered caster in A collection of carved casters for creating a variety of
Tip: For ideas, check out the Pottery Illustrated article on A second way to give the wheel texture is to attach items
roulette patterns in the September/October 2011 issue of like decorative upholstery nail heads to the roller. Pound or
Pottery Making Illustrated. The drawings in figure 1 show the glue the nail head onto the rubber or wood wheel surface
possible designs that can be made on the clay. Next, us- (figure 4). Grind the nail head to fit the curved surface of
ing carbon paper or another transfer material, trace the the roller. A variation is to epoxy decorative buttons, nuts/
design onto the caster wheel when you’ve settled on a bolts/rivets, sections of old truck inner tubes, bike tires, or
pattern. other items to the wheel.
Once the design is transferred, use a marker to completely Using hot glue to create raised textures and patterns on
fill in all areas on the wheel that need to be removed. Black the roller is a third way to construct design This is useful
areas become voids or negative space on the roller, but will to create tree bark, lace, rock, and zigzag patterns.
be raised areas when used on clay. Use a vise to hold the Sculptural forms, thrown shapes, or flat platters have sur-
wheel steady as you work, Carve away the marked sections faces that can be decorated using the caster with or without
using a combination of power tools and hand tools (figure texture. Patterns range from the very simple line or dimple
2), then use sandpaper and files to finalize and smooth the to big and bold slashed patterns (figures 5–6). Once glazed
form. Take care not to create any undercuts as you carve, (transparent glazes work best) the three-dimensional pat-
these areas will tear the clay as it gets stuck in the roller, terns give additional visual interest.
or make the pattern incomplete. Make tapered cuts rather
John W. Conrad lives in San Diego, California. He is the author of
than straight cuts into the wheel to avoid undercuts. This
nine technical ceramics books and several articles for ceramic art-
works to create a variety of patterns, from simple to com- ists and potters. He is a retired professor and now a guest profes-
plex (figure 3). sor at Luxun Academy in China.

Ceramic Decorating: Tool Techniques

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ceramic arts dail y.

Decorating Pottery with Clay Pencils, Wax

Great Clay Stamps in 30 Minutes

Using Simple Tools to Decorate Ceramics

Making Brushes for Pottery Decoration

In this case, I am using the template to transfer the bird

appeared, begin to wipe away the

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