My THREE BIG SECRETS for Painting Realistic Images on Pottery!

Ann shares some of her best tips on how to paint on pottery. She shares her 3 BIG SECRETS that can make a difference in how to illustrate with underglaze. Enjoy friends!
Link to Butterfly Templates: imgur.com/a/Qh3r9MW
Answers to questions we get all the time:
We typically bisque to Cone 04 and fire to Cone 5-6
Ann uses Standard English Porcelain no. 365 unless specified otherwise in the video
Here is a link to Ann's White Liner Glaze: imgur.com/a/w8PP8Gy
If you would like to learn how Ann paints with underglazes - check out her Video Workshop Series. These workshops are very detailed (typically 1.5 - 2 hours in length) where Ann provides step by step instruction and are designed to help potters take their work to new levels of craftsmanship and artistry. vimeo.com/showcase/6725318
If you would like to BECOME A MEMBER of the the LSP Research Facility team and earn a cool title that you can put on your resume, we invite you to hit the "SUPER THANKS" button or the "Buy Ann a Coffee" button to help us unite the world through pottery. We so appreciate how generous you have been - THANK YOU!!!
Links to some of the tools Ann uses:
Hand Extruder: amzn.to/3soifWK
Polymer Clay: amzn.to/3DNpnyd
Loop Carving Tool: amzn.to/42jo1W6
Pottery Tott Aprons (Love These!) : amzn.to/3LznhXz
Laser Level: amzn.to/40y9Lsc
Plastic Pastry Mat: amzn.to/430oTjI
Sugarbelle Icing Bottles: amzn.to/3VPslup
Needle Point Tracing Wheel: amzn.to/3LRrtkB
Banding Wheel I use: amzn.to/3KssUXc
Diamondcore Tools: diamondcoretools.com/
LINK TO ATOMIZER: amzn.to/3eA5mT2
Styrofoam Bowl Mold: amzn.to/39KoL0U
Painters Trim Guard: amzn.to/39C5TAX
Hole Punchers: amzn.to/3JutWyu
Brushes Ann Uses: amzn.to/3SqfZGk
Xiem Tools X-Bevel Bevel Cutter for Pottery and Ceramics:
amzn.to/3rZnmKi
ProPlus Sponge: amzn.to/3zkVy64
Best Red Ribs: amzn.to/3nEoQda
Good Cheap level Tool: amzn.to/3lT8MnE
The Cameras we use: amzn.to/3JJfGCd
Best Cheap Lens we film with: amzn.to/3I6Eljy
Best Good Lens we film with: amzn.to/3s1NuUW
All of our music is LEGALLY LICENSED!

[@corynneful]

This is one of the most comprehensive and easy to follow tutorials that I’ve ever seen. Please keep it up. Your work is amazing and I would cherish any opportunity to learn more about your process

[@annruel1982]

Hi Corynne. Wow, thanks so much. I really tried to touch on everything I could think of the help you understand my thought process from specific supplies I am using to opaque/ transparent, warm/cool, primary colors, design etc. thanks for noticing. 🙂

[@mooran227]

Ann you’re an amazing teacher. I learned more about clay than taking the real classes in town. You truly inspire creativity and curiousity… sharing knowledge of the proper steps to create the pieces that bring joy in pottery… thank you!

[@annruel1982]

Aww...thanks so much Mooran. One thing I was taught when I first started is that to appreciate the pottery community which has done so much to inspire and help me learn. The best way to do that is to give back. 🙂. Happy potting!

[@denisenoble4010]

Ann, thankyou for an indepth video, your teaching style and artistic flare are just amazing, so well thought out and taught, I'm in ore, as usual, with your work, thankyou for an insight to your artistic talent x😊

[@LittleStreetPottery]

You are so welcome!

[@barbarab285]

Excellent tips and teaching. Some of your tips might be self evident to a skilled artist, but are wonderful for those of us with very little artistic knowledge. Thank you!

[@annruel1982]

that is so sweet Barbara. I really appreciate you saying that. Give it a try. 🙂

[@debbiemurphy9144]

My favorite video yet! Thank you Ann!

[@annruel1982]

Awww you are so sweet Debbie!!! Thanks so much!!!

[@barbaragilson4852]

Thank you Ann!

[@annruel1982]

Hey Barbara!! It is totally my pleasure. Thank you so much for watching. 🙂

[@nickize3146]

Hi Ann. I love your channel. Thank you for your videos. I'm a new potter and I'm excited to try your designs. ❤

[@annruel1982]

Aww...you are too kind!! Thank you so much for watching. Happy potting to you!

[@krisbehringer3642]

What a great video showing your process. Thanks for sharing!

[@annruel1982]

Hi Kris. That is so nice of you. thanks for watching!

[@cherylfarrens7528]

This was full of inspiring ideas. My vase came out of the firing perfectly. I used bisque, glaze, and china paints. This was my first time to use vinyl cutouts.

[@mirandadavis5887]

Just beautiful Ann!

[@annruel9142]

Aww...thanks Miranda!! We appreciate you watching!!

[@TheRavenBlack1-cw1sr]

❤ Thank you, Ann! Your work is always beautiful!!

[@annruel1982]

Hi RavenBlack. That is so nice of you to say. Im glad you like it. Cheers!! 🙂

[@cristinad4835]

Very beautiful.

[@annruel1982]

Aww...thanks so much Cristina!!! Im glad you like it.

[@ilonasemenko6683]

Наче справжні, такі гарнюсінькі метелики! Анна, дуже- дуже Вам вдячна!❤ Дуже доречний та цікавий майстер клас!

[@annruel1982]

Дуже дякую! Я дуже ціную, що ти дивишся. Привіт вам із Флориди. 🙂

[@ilonasemenko6683]

❤️❤️❤️

[@CallUsTemily]

Butterflies are my favorite!!!!❤

[@annruel1982]

Hey Em! Yeah!! They are some of my faves too and a great subject to learn painting with. thanks so much for watching!! Take care, my friend.

[@elconsultoriodecandida7304]

Really beautiful!

[@alilaforce7233]

Super pretty! Thank you for sharing your process.

[@annruel1982]

Hi Ali! Thank you so much not only for the kind words but for always supporting us. Happy potting!

[@karenpalen9851]

Thanks!

[@annruel1982]

Hey Karen!! Wow, that is so generous of you!! You are so wonderful!! Thank you so much. Jim and I really appreciate you!! And dont forget to watch our future videos where we will feature your name and as always Jim will give you your own unique title. For people who have given before, it will be a promotion, haha. Take care Karen!!

[@jeanine1976]

Hi, Ann. Thank you so much for the design instruction. I'm not a natural illustrator, so it's very helpful to me. I'm curious to know how long it took you to do the surface decoration on your butterfly jar. Judging from my past projects, I'm sure it would take me weeks. ~;^D

[@annruel1982]

Hey Jeanine! Thank you so much for watching. Im glad the video could be helpful to you. When I first started the jar, it took me a few tries to get the butterfly just the way I wanted it so that I could recreate it for the video in a way that was easy to understand, elegant and eye catching. But once I figured out a rhythm, then I was able to speed up the process and do several butterflies at a time using the layering process I describe in the video. I can say that I started the painting process like on a Saturday and then finished it up on Sunday....but I was tired of painting butterflies at the end, haha. I probably should have picked like a mug to do this on, haha. .... but I am super proud of the vase, so it was worth the extra work.

[@heididerksen8227]

Wow thanks that is so beautiful

[@annruel1982]

Hey Heidi!! Im so glad you like it!! thanks as always for watching and for your support!!

[@ozzyols75]

Love it!

[@annruel1982]

Hey Ozzy! Yeah! thanks so much!!

[@freedomtrailamerica2981]

You are the best! Thank you for your generous sharing!! How many hours did you spend on that piece??

[@annruel1982]

Hey Free! That is so nice of you to say. Thank you for watching. You are right that it did take me a while to finish all of the butterflies. I was butterflied out by the end but also I was so happy with it when it came out of the kiln, so it was worth the extra work. As far as hours it took, the first few butterflies took the most time as I was still trying to figure out a good process so I could not only teach it to everyone but also so it looked eye catching. Once I figured out my rhythm, I started doing several butterflies at a time so I can say that I started like on a Saturday for a few hours and then went back on Sunday to work on it for a few more hours to finish it up.

[@Sheepdog1314]

.....thank you !!....if you press hard-ribbed leaves or pine btanches into clay and then paint...?

[@annruel1982]

Hey Sheep! I have seen people do various forms of this technique usually washing the underglaze over the impressed areas, letting it dry, then wiping back the underglaze on the top so the initial wash stays in the grooves. But it would also be a challenge to impress the leaves and then come up with a way to paint it realistically like the butterflies that I painted. Experiment!! Go for it!!

[@diysbydar]

When you apply your glaze over the top of your colorful underglaze painting, doesn't it run. Do you dip the pieces in glaze, brush or spray.

[@annruel1982]

Hi Dar, I was doing all the peel and sticking and the painting on a piece that was still in the greenware stage and had not been bisque fired you. I think I forgot to add that in to the video. Sorry about that. Doing it that way, gives me the opportunity to still carve into the clay, plus i think that painting on greenware is much more forgiving. If I mess up it is easier to sponge off mistakes. Once the piece is bisque fired, it is much harder to sponge away underglaze. Once the piece was painted how I like, then I bisque fired it to cone 04. Then I brushed on Amaco C-11 clear glaze over the whole thing with three coats. Thank you for watching!

[@NancyStrahinic]

I have this same question

[@annruel1982]

@@NancyStrahinic Hi Nancy. I think you are asking whether or not the underglaze under the clear glaze will run when you apply the clear glaze. Is that right? the answer is that I paintd the butterflies when the clay was in the greenware stage before any firing. After I painted it and everything was totally dry, I bisque fired the piece to cone 04. This burned the underglazes to the surface. Then I brushed the clear glaze on the surface without any fear that it would run. I hope that helps. Thanks so much for watching.

[@NancyStrahinic]

@annruel1982 yes. Thanks for replying.

[@annruel1982]

@@NancyStrahinic My pleasure. Thanks for watching. 🙂

[@crunchybeen4263]

Would engobe work if I don't have ink?

[@sefkatcubukcu]

Hi Ann. Are you making it into biscuits or dry clay? Thank you ❤

[@annruel1982]

Hi Sef. I am painting on bone dry clay that has not been bisque fired yet. Good question. Give it a try.

[@sefkatcubukcu]

Thank you Ann ❤

[@Atliermia]

I used a shelf linner adheasive sheet for any stencil cut out. Very inexpensive smdeorks very good.

[@annruel1982]

Hi Atliermia. Oh, Wow, Thanks for letting me know. I have to give that a try....and it is so affordable and available everywhere. Great tip!!! Happy potting to you. 🙂

[@irenaostrowska7049]

😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@annruel1982]

Hi Irene!! Aww...thanks so much!!

[@1812coffee]

Thanks!

[@annruel1982]

Hey Sharon!! Wow, hugs to you, my friend. You know how much Jim and I both appreciate you!! You are awesome and one of the most generous people that I know. Take care!!!

[@1812coffee]

Ann, Sorry it took me so long to reply! You are so sweet and generous as well as talented! I look forward to the videos that you and Jim put together. Even though I don’t have my hands in the clay, I can imagine how it would feel and how fun it would be to be creative again. I hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead! I appreciate you so much💜

[@nickize3146]

Thanks!

[@annruel1982]

Wow, Nickize. Jim and I really appreciate your generosity!! dont forget that this makes you one of the newest members of our Little Street Research Facility. Keep an eye on our future videos were we will feature your name and Jim will give you a fun title. Thanks so much!!!