Ceramic Surface Design Techniques on a Plate (2024)

Ceramic Surface Design Techniques on a Plate (1)

Plates are an ideal form on which to play around with ceramic surface design techniques. That flat, blank canvas is just begging for surface decoration. But to create successful decoration on a plate, you need to consider principles of design.

In today's post, an excerpt from his video Unifying Form & Surface: How to Complement Your Pots with Pattern, Color, & Design, Sean O'Connell shares some simple underglaze techniques, which when used together, create a beautiful surface with depth and nuance. Have a look and then play around on some plates in your own studio! - Jennifer Poellot Harnetty, editor

This clip was excerpted fromUnifying Form & Surface: How to Complement your post with Pattern, Color, & Design, which is available in the Ceramic Arts Network Shop.

Ceramic Surface Design Techniques - Principles to Consider

Ceramic Surface Design Techniques on a Plate (2)Formany ceramic artists, the surface is the most challenging part of the ceramic process. Because the forming techniques are challenging on their own, often beginning potters just slap any old glaze on their work when it comes time to finish the pot. Butin the most successful ceramic work, principles of design are used every step of the way - from forming through glazing.

The principles of design describe the ways that artists use the elements of art in a work of art and are very important for the ceramic artist to consider. These principles include balance, emphasis, movement, pattern, rhythm, repetition, variety, and unity.

For some additional ceramic surface design techniques and tips, check out this post from Linda Arbuckle, who explains her design choices with the majolica glaze technique. The principles of design are always top of mind for Linda when forming and decorating her pots and Linda is very good at explaining her choices!

If you are looking for more geometric rigid decoration, check out Yoshi Fujii's techniques for carving designs in clay. Yoshi uses a flexible ruler and a decorating disc to make sure his repetitive geometric designs are precise.

Ceramic Surface Design Techniques on a Plate (2024)

FAQs

What are surface design techniques in ceramics? ›

There are also a range of techniques used to apply texture to clay to create a decorative surface, these include impressing, piercing, rouletting , incising, stamping, making marks made on the wheel and burnishing.

What are 3 ceramic techniques used in pottery making? ›

The most common handbuilding techniques are pinch pottery, coil building, and slab building.

What are 2 ceramic techniques an artist might use? ›

Ceramic objects can be built by hand using slab, coiling, and pinching techniques. Potters also use wheel throwing to create symmetrical pottery and slip casting to create multiples of one object.

What are surface design techniques? ›

In the art world, Surface Design can be seen as any technique that manipulates or changes the surface of a fabric, including embroidery, weaving, and felting.

What makes a good surface design? ›

Make sure your design is balanced

Balance within a design can be considered in many ways including: Colour- making sure your colours are well balanced and work together. Texture- make sure your choice of textures work together. Layout- choose a layout that works with the motifs you are using and desired outcome.

What are the basic pottery techniques for beginners? ›

Pottery for Beginners Techniques

Another pottery for beginners technique is “coiling.” For this method, you begin with a slab of clay to form the base of your vessel. Then, you roll another piece of clay into a long, skinny cylinder which you then coil on top of the base to create your vessel.

What are the three types of building techniques used to make ceramic objects? ›

The three methods of handbuilding are pinching, coiling and slab building. Once you have experience with these three methods, you can make just about any object out of clay. It helps to start with pinching, and build upon the technique with coiling, before moving onto to slab construction.

What is an example of a ceramic method? ›

There are many forming techniques to make ceramics, but one example is slip casting. This is where slip or, liquid clay, is poured into a plaster mould. The water in the slip is drawn out into the walls of the plaster mould, leaving an inside layer of solid clay, which hardens quickly.

What are the 5 basic building techniques in clay? ›

Forming Clay
  • Hand-building. Handbuilding is exactly what it sounds like; using your hands to form an object out of clay. ...
  • Slab Building. ...
  • Coiling. ...
  • Throwing. ...
  • Extruding. ...
  • Slip Casting.

What is ceramic design? ›

Ceramic art is art made from ceramic materials, including clay. It may take varied forms, including artistic pottery, including tableware, tiles, figurines and other sculpture. As one of the plastic arts, ceramic art is a visual art.

What are three techniques in applying color ceramics? ›

Colour Application Techniques
  • Airbrushing. Underglazes need to be thinned with water for airbrushing. ...
  • Antiquing. Thin colour and apply to bisque surface. ...
  • Banding. Apply with brush or sponge. ...
  • Brushing. Apply to clean, dust free greenware or bisque surface. ...
  • Feather Combing. ...
  • Majolica. ...
  • Paper Resist. ...
  • Polishing.

What are the three ceramic techniques? ›

TL;DR This ceramics guide breaks down the three major types of pottery techniques — wheel-throwing, slipcasting, and handbuilding — and which types of clay each technique is best for. We also discuss the main types of glazes — satin, gloss, and matte — and share which glaze is best for which type of vessel.

What is the oldest technique in pottery? ›

Hand-building: This is the earliest forming method. Wares can be constructed by hand from coils of clay, combining flat slabs of clay, or pinching solid balls of clay or some combination of these. Parts of hand-built vessels are often joined with the aid of slip.

What technique is used in pottery? ›

There are three main methods of pottery making - hand building, wheel throwing and slipcasting. In this post, we will be covering the method that has been around the longest - hand building. Hand building is the simple technique of using your hands and simple tools to create the ceramic pieces.

What is a surface design? ›

Surface Design Defined

Surface design is any type of artwork (pattern, illustration, hand lettering, etc.) made by a designer that is intended to be applied to a surface to enhance its visual appearance and/or functionality.

What is surface ornamentation techniques? ›

Surface ornamentation refers to the process of adorning a fabric's surface after it has been formed using a variety of techniques like tie-dye, block printing, batik, embroidery, etc. It currently plays a huge part in fashion design. In order to draw in and keep clients, surface decoration is preferred.

What are surface treatments for ceramic? ›

Generally ceramic surfaces can be treated in the following manner to impart bondability. (1) Degreasing and cleaning. (2) Roughening of the surface by grit or powder blasting. (3) Acid etch usually using hydrofluoric (HF) or phosphoric (H3PO4) acids.

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