Welcome to my second installment of Ceramics and Pottery: Facts and Fancies. In Part 1, I gave a general overview of the scope of the Ceramics and Pottery Category. From raw material to building and finishing, ceramics is a wondrous medium, as rewarding as it is challenging. In this installment, I will explore the processes of ceramics in greater depth, taking you into the studios and shops of some of Etsy’s most talented ceramics artists to see how they decorate and finish their work.
The term decoration refers to the finishing and embellishment of an object, meant to increase its beauty. The approaches to decoration are as widely varying as the individuals who do it. Standard methods are adopted, personalized and expanded upon. Methods can be combined in new ways, and new processes are invented in attempts to get just the right look.
A common method of decoration employs the use of colored slip, clay that has been mixed with water and ceramic pigments — either metallic oxides or special stains. This slip allows for colored designs that occur below the surface of the glaze. Reminiscent of the paper snowflakes of childhood, Eleanor Hedriks of studioelan cuts stencils from folded paper. The paper is laid out on a plate. Colored slip is carefully applied, the paper acting to protect part of the surface from the slip. After a little bit of drying, the paper is removed to reveal her design. (See more of this process on her blog.)
In a method called sgraffito, Jeff Martin applies black slip to white porcelain forms and then carves his dark yet whimsical drawings through the slip and into the clay beneath. The contrasting colors allow for a boldly graphic decoration. (Find out more about this artist on his blog.)
The opposite of sgraffito, Monica Bodnar employs a method called slip inlay. A drawing is carved into the clay when it is leather hard, a stage of dryness in which the clay will hold its shape but is not yet completely hardened. The piece is bisque fired, or fired at a low temperature to the point where it will absorb moisture but not turn back into a malleable (or plastic) material. Colored slip is wiped into the carved lines and then the surface is cleaned off before glazing. Liquid latex is used to protect the areas that are meant to be left clean. (Learn more about this artist’s process on her blog).
Using a method known as slip trailing, chARiTyelise uses a small hand-held squirt bottle fitted with a needle tip to apply a colored slip design of small dots to the surface of her Down Under Rectangular Tray. The pattern appears in both vivid color choices and a tactile dotted texture. 
Using a combination of carving and colored slip trailing, GraceSheese of Gracesheese.com painstakingly applies her opulent surface. 
Choosing the slip trailing method strictly for the texure of it, Kristen Kieffer of KiefferCeramics trails white porcelain slip onto her white porcelain pots. This process is combined with her use of texture stamps. In her blog she discusses, “I work with dozens of stamps I both design and make. I also embellish with slip trailing, liquid slip squeezed through a trailer, like small scale cake decorating. Both of these methods of patterning allow for the glaze to break and accent the patterns, further enhancing the piece as a whole.” As shown below, Kieffer’s glazes highlight the patterns and imagery that has been stamped into and squirted onto the underlying surface. 
In a similar fashion, my own pots employ a clear colored glaze, designed to highlight the surface decoration. Each pot is cut apart and reassembled, resulting in a pattern drawn through, not on, the pot. The lines created by the seams are accentuated with pooling glaze, causing them to appear darker.
Using texture alone as a decorative element, Seaurchin presses tools into the clay and leaves the surface unglazed, showcasing the beauty of the material itself. In her profile, she explains, “I do not fight with the clay to make neat edges and smooth, even surfaces, preferring instead to leave the tool marks, the raw edges and the natural texture of the clay.” 
In making her stunning fruit bowls, isabelleabramson employs piercing and cutouts as an effective and functional decoration. The holes that permeate the bowls allow for moisture and gases to escape from the fruit while lending an exquisite, ethereal quality to the piece. 
Perhaps some of the most humorous and witty of the decoration techniques found on Etsy involve overglaze decoration – enamels, lusters, or decals applied to glazed and fired work, which is then fired again to a much lower temperature so that they can fuse with the glaze beneath.
In her outrageous “Vandalized Vintage” line, trixiedelicious adds her quirky, sometimes blunt reinterpretations to old vintage dinnerware.
In her store Foldedpigs, Meredith Host gives restaurant china a macabre twist involving cockroaches, jolly rogers, and anatomical hearts and brains. (You can find out more about Meredith on her website.)
Keith Phillips of KHPhillips discusses his decal process on his blog, “I picked up some great vintage pages torn from an old French encyclopedia right here on Etsy. They had some nifty illustrations on them, which I scanned in and manipulated a little bit and used them to embellish this mug. I print on decal paper with a laser printer, slide them onto glazed ware and fire.” 
The laser toner melts into the glaze, yielding a permanent and functional decoration. When applied to his hand thrown and wood fired pottery, the work is given an antique, almost Victorian ornamentation. 
A constant explorer, Keith has delved into other image making equipment, such as CraftRobo Stencils and Gocco print transfers.
Using real 23K gold luster, Re Jin Lee of Baileydoesntbark hand-paints her minimal four seasons designs on white glazed plates and cups for an elegant and luxurious result.
When purchasing items with onglaze decoration, it is important to read the description and the profile. Some items are intended for function, such as khphillips‘, while others are meant purely for decorative purposes, such as trixiedelicious. Luster is made for use, but cannot go into the microwave, as it will cause miniature lightning bolts to occur inside the microwave!
Thank you for joining me on this tour through some of the many incredible objects found on Etsy. I would like to stress that even with all of the pieces and sellers shown here, I have barely scratched the surface. If you find this interesting, I encourage you to set out on your own Etsy treasure hunt, through the Ceramics and Pottery Category.
Further Resources:
The National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts, NCECA — A community of more than 4,000 ceramic artists in the United States.
DigitalFires Ceramic Library — An encyclopedic guide to the ceramic process, including a glossary of terms, material, and articles on the technical side of glaze chemistry.
Artaxis.org — An evolving independent network of artists, includes several Etsy sellers and a variety of other contemporary ceramic artists who define the field (sculpture and pottery) today.
AccessCeramics — “A growing collection of contemporary ceramics images by recognized artists enhancing ceramics education worldwide,” operated by Lewis and Clark College, Portland, OR. Features many large images and a very user-friendly interface.
Read Part 1 of Ceramics and Pottery, if you missed it. Big thank you to Jeff for sharing his expertise!
Learn about more of Etsy’s Categories with our Facts and Fancies Reviews, our tours through Etsy’s Categories.
Visit the MUD Team’s Shop | Shop the Ceramics and Pottery Category
102 comments
Sign in to add your ownIcingOnTheCupcake says:
Gorgeous fruit bowl!
3 years ago
SeaFindDesigns says:
EVERY bit stunning!!!
3 years ago
neawear says:
Gahd, I want everything! :)
3 years ago
gloilocksandbody says:
Ohhh, absolutely fantastic pieces! Wow, now I have some ceramics I gotta buy! <3
3 years ago
adoreneko says:
I love the intricate handiwork of Etsy ceramic artists. Informative and extremely interesting behind-the-scenes article. I have even more respect for these amazing artists and their creations.
3 years ago
baconsquarefarm says:
Incredible workmanship by ceramic artists, admire there talent.
3 years ago
katiearms says:
Ah, great post! Working with ceramic is such a rewarding process.
3 years ago
asundrynotion says:
isabelleabramson's work is phenomenal. Reticulated vessels are so difficult to create. Well done!
3 years ago
HibouCards says:
great great pick! beautiful works, I'm going to bookmark some of these. I really like the how you make it part of the article too, it's really informative!
3 years ago
bellasparty says:
Wonderful works! I love the four seasons designs!
3 years ago
singlestonestudios says:
Truly talented artists. Every piece featured is fantastic!
3 years ago
ModernMetalJewelry says:
Great article about the different techniques. Just love all the sample of work!
3 years ago
fineartstoneware says:
Great article. Loved it!
3 years ago
Allthatglistens says:
Great article that shines some light on very talented etsyians!
3 years ago
mythunderstood says:
Love the post!
3 years ago
VintageEye says:
the tray by chARiTyelise is to die for! thanks for the continuing education as well!
3 years ago
jenniferlynnstudio says:
I have been waiting for the part 2..and enjoyed it, also! We have tons of talented artists...good to see some of them highlighted.
3 years ago
warmnfuzzies says:
Interesting read! Thanks.
3 years ago
taylorseclectic says:
Fascinating glimpse into the world of ceramic artists! I greatly enjoyed this article.
3 years ago
worksofwhimsy says:
Another thoroughly enjoyable and informative read. Thank you for sharing your expertise.
3 years ago
JDWolfePottery says:
Great article! Thanks for taking the time to write it.
3 years ago
BrazanDesign says:
So much incredible work here! This is my favorite section to peruse on etsy!
3 years ago
paperpatternsilk says:
Lots of gorgeous, interesting pieces here. : )
3 years ago
seedknits says:
So beautiful!
3 years ago
juditavill says:
super!
3 years ago
Threemoons says:
Wow, not only do I want almost everything in this list, I want to find my local studio and TRY all of this fun stuff! :) Wish I had this list back in the day when I was a student and got a seat and 30 lbs. of clay for $100! :)
3 years ago
katerinadamilos says:
fantastic, makes me want to take up pottery...
3 years ago
mostlyart says:
Great! You chose some of my favorite pieces for this article :)
3 years ago
SleepDreamPlay says:
Nice! I love ceramics.
3 years ago
shoshonasnow says:
More fab ceramics!
3 years ago
shopgoldmine says:
Oooooh, those SAINT and SINNER plates are fantastic ;)
3 years ago
foxpots says:
Nice article - good coverage of techniques, and lovely work as examples!
3 years ago
StudioElan says:
Beautifully done!
3 years ago
pengpengs says:
great article, i must study this.
3 years ago
ireneagh says:
Great article! :) i love all these pics!
3 years ago
lovelygifts says:
Interesting article! Unusual items!
3 years ago
copperlilly says:
Fantastic, I love Etsy pottery!
3 years ago
worksandfinds says:
Beautiful, always wanted to learn that.
3 years ago
JudyBFreeman says:
Really comprehensive article and great follow-up to the first!
3 years ago
recycledwares says:
oh my, you gave me a great idea with the colored slip and the paper cut-out, thanks for sharing!!
3 years ago
aquintostudio says:
Thanks for the marvelous article, Great work!
3 years ago
pogoshop says:
The white isabelleabramson bowls are stunning!
3 years ago
sandali says:
AWESOME article with beautiful featured items -- LOVE them all -- happy days ;)
3 years ago
foxaz says:
Very nice! Please have more articles like this- very interesting!
3 years ago
vivilian says:
Very cool creations!! I always want to create that. keep up the good works. http://www.vivilian.etsy.com 　　　◢████████████◣　　　　　　　 　　 ███████████████　　　　　　　 　　　██　　　◥██◤　　　██　　　　 　◢███　　　　◥◤　　　　██◣ 　▊▎██◣　　　　　　　　◢█▊▊　　　 　▊▎██◤　　â—　　â—　　◥█▊▊　　 　▊　██　　　　　　　　　　█▊▊ 　　 　◥▇██　▊　　　　　　▊　█▇◤ 　　　██　◥▆▄▄▄▄▆◤　█▊　　　◢▇▇◣ ◢██◥◥▆▅▄▂▂▂▂▄▅▆███◣　▊◢　█ █╳　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　╳█　◥◤◢◤ ◥█◣　　　˙　　　　　˙　　　◢█◤　　◢◤　 　　▊　　 　　 â–ˆ ◢◤ 　　▊　　 　　　　　　　 ▊　　◢◤ 　　▊　　　 　⊕　　　　　　█▇▇▇◤　　　 　◢█▇▆▆▆▅▅▅▅▆▆▆▇█◣　　　　　　　 　▊　▂　▊　　　　　　▊　▂　▊　　　　　　　 　◥▆▆▆◤　　　　　　◥▆▆▆◤
3 years ago
vaeda says:
Lovely!
3 years ago
KreatedbyKelly says:
I am so impressed by these pieces *smiles* Awesome work!
3 years ago
Xenotees says:
Incredible to learn more about how these artists produce their wonderful work! Love these articles!
3 years ago
barbaradunshee says:
Some amazingly detailed work you've covered here. Such skill and love in each piece.
3 years ago
sharonclancydesigns says:
Wow, this is so interesting! Very impressive work from these talented artists!!
3 years ago
GoldhawkPotteryEtc says:
Thank you once again for a great overview of the wonderful diversity of pottery. I'm a fan of Grace Sheese and hope someday to try her techniques. So glad that Etsy is promoting the potters out there.
3 years ago
hannahfaerie says:
Beautifully written. You have really covered a lot of the diverse ceramic work here on etsy. Its great to see, this kind of information can be so very useful to a buyer. And what stunning examples!
3 years ago
ClaycrazyPottery says:
wonderful article very informative especially for the not-so-clay-inclined
3 years ago
Misspottery says:
Great article and fabulous examples!
3 years ago
jemmetals says:
The Pierced fruit bowls are absolutely gorgeous, I am a jeweler and I can't imagine the patience that requires! Brava!
3 years ago
Littlepigpottery says:
Lovely. The article is as lush as the ceramics it shows.
3 years ago
ArtMind says:
I simply love this! Missed the first part so I'll go and read that now! Thanks heaps for sharing - what a great series! :)
3 years ago
LomaPrietaPottery says:
Terrific article! Enjoyed reading about all of these techniques. Thanks!
3 years ago
reiddamnit says:
Meredith is pretty much a genius, I have several of her designs
3 years ago
anakim says:
Wonderful article - thanks so much.
3 years ago
DeBonisOrquera says:
Great article!
3 years ago
FebystanDesigns says:
Amazing to see the work in progress and wonderful selection!
3 years ago
SpiritedEarth says:
yea clay
3 years ago
BellaLili says:
Now I am lusting after the pierced ceramic by Isabelleambramson. It would look perfect in my new apt!
3 years ago
jenniferladd says:
What beautiful work from everyone!
3 years ago
MadisonReeceDesigns says:
What gorgeous work! I love the four seasons.
3 years ago
dahlhaus says:
Great job and highlights of this amazing work- You've found some real treasures here!
3 years ago
CampanaCeramics says:
There's so many awesome ceramic things on etsy, I could go on, and on, and on... Thanks everyone for reading this and thanks for the wonderful comments!
3 years ago
RubyStudios says:
Man, this was great. I have to bookmark this one because there are too many wonderful things look at right now!! Thank you CampanaCeramics and Vanessa!
3 years ago
patspottery says:
This is a truly well thought out and informative article:>)
3 years ago
glyntpottery says:
Thanks for such a great article!
3 years ago
TianaCHE says:
Awesome treasury! Love ceramics and your choice too!
3 years ago
RedGateCeramics says:
Another fantastic article. Love the extensive use of links to take us on a tour of the processes involved.
3 years ago
Creativewithclay says:
Great follow up article. Great techniques! Awesome job putting it all together.
3 years ago
chARiTyelise says:
another great article! thanks a lot for more behind the curtains information about a lot of really cool techniques!
3 years ago
artractions says:
great article! thanks!
3 years ago
merlinsbarkproducts says:
Absolutely GORGEOUS items! I am completely blown away by Kiefferceramics flower vessel. Wow!
3 years ago
theaxx says:
This is just crazy fabu! I want to redeck out all my kitchen ceramincs now! thea. xx www.forthevisionaries.tumblr.com
3 years ago
GlazedOver says:
Again, another informative, well written piece. Thank you for whetting the appetite so eloquently!
3 years ago
NewMoonStudio says:
Wonderful creations! I congratulate you all!
3 years ago
MAKUstudio says:
These artists do incredible work! Great article!
3 years ago
mossyrockpottery says:
Love the article, it features some of my very favorite potters. Vehry nyce...
3 years ago
Studio111 says:
Beautiful items!
3 years ago
ancientfragments says:
Great Article. Thanks for giving ceramics a boost!
2 years ago
ApplewoodHandwovens says:
MORE wonderful show and tell, great followup, informative and nicely done!
2 years ago
CenterHillClayWorks says:
Great article. Just amazing all the creative ideas.
2 years ago
freeforged says:
Beautiful and very comprehensive!
2 years ago
Tina669 says:
So beautiful!
2 years ago
underoakstudios says:
These are so beautiful! I forgot I hated ed hardy for a second.
2 years ago
TimmerysBebeBling says:
AWESOME pieces!!! Thanks for sharing all the info.
2 years ago
brianarose says:
BAAAH! I absolutely love all of thos ideas!
2 years ago