Sgraffito work on ceramics

Greetings!!

I had a tough time deciding what I wanted to write about today as I have so many things going through my little pea brain, LOL. But I spent the last two days taking and editing photos for my web site and thought that would be a good idea to share a little bit about what I do. I still need to finish revamping the site but I thought I would post some pictures of some of my more popular items.

These are all done using the technique called sgraffito. Sgraffito literally means "the scratching away". Sgraffito can be done in a variety of ways. You can use two or more different colors of clay and scratch away the top layer to create a design. You can use underglazes or glazes on greenware or bisque and again scratch away your design. Or even a combination of slips and underglazes. What I have been doing is using underglazes on bisque.

A real easy one to do it one color on white bisque. Apply 3 - 4 good coats of the underglaze. I let mine dry well. Some prefer to start etching while the paint is still wet. But I find for the finer lines I like it dry. I do not use the normal sgraffito tools but rather jeweler carving tools. I can get a pretty fine line that way. And then I have more intricate patterns.

I enjoy the intricate work and the fine detail I can put in using the jewelers tools. I prefer to make pieces that are functional but will at times make pieces that are primarily decorative to hang on a wall or display.

Recently I made some little decorative plates that could also be used for serving snacks or desserts. All my ceramics are food, microwave and dishwasher safe. I only use American made, certified non toxic glazes.

So there is just a little peek of what I do when I am not on Steemit, LOL.

Until next time,,,,,