Sgraffito
Sgraffito in Italian is “to scratch with a stylus” Sgraffito is a pottery decorating technique produced by applying layers of color or colors in the form of 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.
1. Apply underglaze or slip to leather hard clay. It best to have you clay in a finished shape with all of the sides smooth and clean. Paint three layers of underglaze or slip allow drying between each layer.
2. When the last layer is dry use a wire stylus or loop tools or mini ribbon sculpturing tools to scratch through the colored layer to expose the clay underneath.
3. Keep the surface clean by brushing off any clay burs with a soft dry brush. You can use rubber shapers or wooden tools to clean fine lines from debris.
4. Bisque fire when bone dry. 5. Finish with clear glaze and glaze fire.