Underglaze Painting for Beginners - Learn how to QUICKLY draw and paint basic elements!

[@Worrier629]

This process is certainly simpler and faster than your detailed bird demonstration. Thanks so much for thinking of ways to help learners.

[@annruel1982]

Hi Jyoti! You are right about that. It is faster so I could highlight this project in a 10 minute video. I am hoping this technique will whet some appetites for people to want to explore painting a little more and perhaps they might want to try their hand at doing more intricate painting like the birds :-). Hopefully people wont be as intimidated to try this method first. Then move on to the birds 🙂

[@freedomtrailamerica2981]

Oh Anne, thank you thank you thank you! I was just sharing at studio how much I wish I learned to draw early in life! This was such a blessing!

[@annruel1982]

You are too kind!! Drawing just takes practice and. it is never too late to start. I just draw a little every day. These simple designs are a great way to strart. Thanks again for watching 🙂

[@fruitlessbeast]

I'm always keen to show your videos to my students. So useful in teaching them good craftsmanship with so many techniques. Many many thanks!

[@annruel1982]

Wow, that is so nice of you!! I love to hear when I our videos are used for teaching. Awesome. Thanks for letting me know!! We love the teachers!

[@denisenoble4010]

Gonna need to save this one, lots of info, good visual skill with step by step talk is perfect for someone who was at the far far end of the talent queue, when skill was handed out. As always, thanks for sharing you talent and skill. With us meer mortals who stand in ore of you talent and unending stream of ideas

[@annruel1982]

You made me laugh out loud Denise. Thanks for the kind words. I think this is one of the easiest painting projects to get people started.

[@denisetritcak6800]

Thanks! This was such a great help and exactly what I needed. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge.

[@annruel1982]

Wow, thanks so much Denise!! Jim and I really appreciate that!!....and dont forget to watch our future videos as now you are a member of the Little Street Pottery Research Facility Team. We will welcome you and Jim will give you your own unique title. 🙂

[@shirleycirio6897]

Another truly helpful video! The seemingly easy way of turning leaves is something I am excited to try. :) One day I will own one of your fabulous creations!!!

[@annruel1982]

Hi Shirley, Thanks so much. I really think this is a very easy way to start underglaze painting for sure....and I am flattered that you would like to own one of my pieces. 🙂

[@pennyfitzgerald9883]

You are SO KIND!

[@annruel1982]

Aww....thanks so much Penny!! I really appreciate that!

[@tegannottelling]

Thank you Ann, what a beautiful result (As always) your video's ALWAYS teach me something. I'm more inclined to try more detailed painting with my pottery now. I have previously just tended to block paint sprigs etc.

[@annruel1982]

That is so kind of you! Im glad the videos can be helpful. You were block painting sprigs? That sounds like fun too and seems to have been your gateway to painting. Funny how the pottery journey twists and turns, right. Happy potting to you.

[@embee7434]

The final outcome of the self-made rib video cups is gorgeous! Great instruction. Thank you, Ann!

[@annruel1982]

Hey Em. I was so happy with how those mirrored cups came out that I wanted to find an elegant way to decorate them. Im glad you like them.

[@candystamping4552]

Very pretty! Thanks Ann 😊

[@annruel1982]

Hey Candy! Im glad you like it. Thanks as always for watching!

[@vzeimen]

I'm going to have to find a way to get good underglaze colors at cone 10 since that's all I have access to at this point. I always think I'm going to try this and then I remember that so many of my underglazes burn out at cone 10. If anyone has any success with this, please reply here. Thanks again Ann, listening to you and watching you work is a highlight of my week.

[@annruel1982]

Hi Vicki! I use the Amaco Underglaze Velvets. I have heard people talk about using them at cone 10, but it is always a good idea to test first. Time to get out your test tiles, right. 🙂

[@MammaRoub]

So talented, thank you. Love all your videos. I have a question, when you paint with underglaze and then clear glaze your pieces, it is common that after the fire glaze, the painting has losen some of the undertones, some colors disappear after the fire. How do you do it so that those strokes of color don’t burn off? (I hope I’m explaining myself correctly) Thanks again. Your video transmit peace to me. 😊

[@annruel1982]

Hi MammaRoub. There are some underglaze colors that dont do as well as others when either fired to the higher temperatures or covered over with certain glazes or if applied thinly. You are right. I would suggest doing test tiles with your underglazes to get a good sense of how they behave with your particular glaze and your particular firing...and test how the underglaze with both one layer of that certain underglaze vs three layers of it . The underglazes along with the glaze I used in the video work great for me. I fired these pieces to cone 5 with a 5 minute hold just because I fired them with other pieces which dont like the heat going all the way up to cone 6, but I think they would have looked just as nice at cone 6. Always test! good luck!

[@MammaRoub]

@@annruel1982great advice. Thank you so much!

[@Spinquilter]

This is a great video - I think I can do this - thank you!!

[@annruel1982]

Hey Spin! You can! Go for it!

[@joanpcloutier5897]

Love this video!

[@annruel1982]

Hey Joan. Thanks so much!! I tried to make it as simple a project as I could so people wouldnt feel intimidated.

[@margotpenney8608]

Awesome! What make of underglazes do u use? Only 1 coat? Fire temp? The ones I use need 3 coats or else they burn away, so time consuming and keeping track of numbers of coats for diff colours!!!😅

[@LittleStreetPottery]

Hello, check out my underglaze painting 101 video to see how I typically glaze. Thanks.

[@WildAcornsArtStudio]

So pretty! ❤

[@annruel1982]

Aww...thanks so much. Happy potting!

[@doloressims5677]

would you please do a video on how you glaze the interiors of your food safe vessels? I'm especially curious on how you do pieces that you have painted the outsides and/or rims of.

[@annruel1982]

Hi Dolores. Are you asking about what glaze i use so that it is food safe? Or are you asking perhaps how many layers of glaze i am using or what glaze I used on these pieces in particular? As far as food safety is concerned, my pieces are fired hot enough so they are vitrified almost completely waterproof so even if I didnt glaze it at all it would be food safe. Without the glaze there could still be staining from teas or coffees of course. I made my own white liner glaze that I use for the interior. There are no metal colorants in it so there is nothing to leech out into whatever drink you put into it. As far as layers of glaze on the inside. I brushed three layers of glaze on the interior. As far as the rim of these cups, I glaze clear glaze over the whole thing except the carved green section. They have a heavy underglaze color on them and I was afraid the clear glaze would cause streaking or fading, so I applied Spectrum Chamois glaze over the top. I only brush 2 thinner layers of that glaze over that band (if it is too thick or has thicker areas, it may run). I hope I answered your question. Thanks for watching!

[@doloressims5677]

@annruel1982 thank you... that answered all my questions. 🙂

[@RebeccaRoseS]

Do you ever use Stroke and coat? I understand they are glaze not underglaze, but I am wondering how they compare to painting with underglazes?

[@embee7434]

I'm not, Ann, but I use both Mayco Stroke & Coat and the AMACO VUG. 😊 Hopefully, you don't mind my cutting in before she answers. I like both for different reasons, and I find them to be similar as far as application/painting. They have similar covering opacity, that is, they both need multiple coats or THICK application to be fully opaque. I've found the S&C to need less 'babysitting' over time to stay in usable consistencies. (And newly purchased S&C has never seemed 'old' immediately upon opening.) Both lines have colors that fade at higher cones (which adds a layer of complication with opacity). Both lines can be mixed with fairly true-to-color-theory results. Both can be watered down to get thin, watery-color effects, and both can be left to be a little thicker, but I've found that VUG trends to get thick and clumpy much faster. I usually use VUG on pre-bisqu pieces (so my clear glaze application has no chance to blur or run the design) and S&C on bisqued pieces.

[@RebeccaRoseS]

@@embee7434 great thank you. So when you have a choice of which to use, what influences your decision? I'm just asking as I am starting out and got a few S&C's as that way I skip the clear glaze step, but wonder what I might be missing out on 😄

[@annruel1982]

@@embee7434 Thanks for answering this question Em. I havent used the Mayco S&C's so this is great information for me too, haha.

[@annruel1982]

@@RebeccaRoseS Great question Rebecca. Im glad that Em jumped in as I dont have much experience with the Stroke and Coats 🙂

[@embee7434]

@@RebeccaRoseS There are four reasons I reach for VUG. (1) I will use the VUG on a pre-biqued piece with an idea I'm not quite sure I want to commit to. If I don't like how things are looking after the bisque fire, I dunk it in one of my opaque dip glaze buckets, and presto! No ugly final piece! (2) I use the VUG when I want some pattern or design or color under translucent glazes (like the AMACO Celedon line) but I want to minimize glaze mixing on the piece. (3) I'll use VUG if I want some color and some 'bare clay' in the final piece. I'll color up what I want to have color, leave uncolored where I want the clay color to show true, then clear glaze the whole piece. (4) If I have a NON-FOOD-SURFACE that I want colored and matte, I will use the VUG. Without a clear glaze on top, the VUG have especially rich, dark colors that are super pretty. But again, non-food-surfaces only there. I am MORE OFTEN reaching for my S&C for the following reasons (1) They are cheaper (by a LOT). (2) Due to the single step application, they are simply faster. (3) I have had more consistency with S&C fading than VUG at my cone 6 firing schedule. What I mean is S&C is consistent between firing days. My S&C Blueberry Hill always fades to the same lighter shade, while I have the VUG Cinnamon that I LOVE when it works, but sometimes it fades almost completely and sometimes it doesn't. Also, Mayco provides pretty spot-on warnings and images of what their glazes are going to do at low, mid, and high fire. I love that. And of course, most colors in both lines don't fade at all in my cone 6 firing schedule. (4) I CAN put S&C under clear and translucent glazes. There isn't much blurring (but there IS some!) I used my S&Cs trying Ann's wax-paper-beading-up-then-apply-to-a-clay-slab-pre-hand-building technique (great video if you haven't seen it!) I bisque fired it, applied a clear glaze over top, and I love the results! In summary, I find both lines to be very similar with little functional advantage one over the other, except for very specific use cases (like my fourth point above for VUG). The difference in price and the single step application means I'm reaching for my S&C more often. Plus, the S&C names are super cute. There's something fun about reaching for "Just Froggy" instead of "Dark Green" 🤭 I'm privileged to have both. If I was restricted to one, I would go with S&C despite the sqeeze bottle packaging. Note also, that I'm only reaching for either when I want a PAINTING effect or intricate designs. If I just want a red cup, I'm not using my S&C Apple Red. I'm going to my Minnesota Clay Co's Dragon Breath. Three seconds down, up, wipe the bottom, and done. Sixty to eighty percent of the time I'm not using either, but that is absolutely due to differences in style and approach.

[@hasanahmed7972]

Thank you very much you are the best. Your videos are very helpful. I just want to make 3 ceramic or porcelain flower buzzes with some traditional drawing and designs under the glaze. Can you make a video about how to make that easily at home?

[@LittleStreetPottery]

we have videos on this on our channel...you can search

[@darrellmelton1215]

This is a wonderful tutorial Ann! I know you use porcelain but what cone are you firing to? We have a lot of problems with the colors burning out when using your watercolor techniques. I usually fire to cone 7 but can adjust that when we are using underglaze.

[@annruel1982]

Hi Darrell. Are you putting clear glaze over your underglazes images. A lot of time, that is the culprit for why thinner underglaze colors fade when fired. When I am doing my watercolor techniques on the outside of my mugs, I dont use any glaze over top of them. I usually use Amaco Velvet Underglazes and test my colors to make sure they can survive whatever technique I am using for whatever firing schedule I choose. so whichever underglaze you use, do some test tiles ...testing for the number of layers of underglaze, what they look like without the glaze over the top and also how they look with the glaze over the top..on the clay you are using. The reason I can use clear glaze over my imagery on this particular project is because the black underglaze I used to outline and to do the detailing on the inside is very consistent and doesnt fade under the clear glaze so it doesnt really matter how much of the muted colors I use under them, they can fade way down if they want, but my image will still be visible and the color just warms up and softens the final visual. Does that make sense?

[@darrellmelton1215]

@@annruel1982 Hi Ann, thanks for answering my question. We will do some testing as you suggested. We have been using a clear glaze over our underglaze application as you suspected so that may be our issue. I suppose we should have done more testing, which we will now do.

[@annruel9142]

@@darrellmelton1215 Oh good Darrell. Good luck!!

[@jennycaldwell1]

Do you usually only use one coat of underglaze? Whenever I use one coat, it comes out very uneven and streaky. Any advice?

[@annruel1982]

Hi Jenny. Very true. It is the clear glaze over the underglaze that I find seems to either wash out the color or give streaky results. On my more intricate and detailed work, I just dont use clear glaze over the painted imagery so as to avoid that problem. The good news with this technique is that you are working on very small imagery where the black outlines work to not only define the boundaries but also highlight the detail within each image, so even though some of my colors did fade a little or get streaky, it was okay as long as the black outlines were constant. The color in this case just warms up the imagery from the cool clay color so that it works visually. I hope that makes sense.

[@jennycaldwell1]

@@annruel1982 it does, thank you!

[@brousd1]

Hello, I LOVE your videos. I am so excited to start on a project of my own, drawing, underglazing my own kitchen tile mural backsplash. I would love your advice on a few things. 1. If I am making 30+tiles can I go ahead and do the 3 coats of white underglaze ahead of time and store them till I draw on each one, or will it scratch off? 2. I am doing this in all shades of blues..like the Spanish tiles. I have a dark blue, medium blue and the baby blue. I am fearful of diluting the color of one as it may not be consistent over the 30+ tiles, as I am sure I won't get them all done at the same time. I have photos if you are interested in helping me with my questions. You can respond if yes and how to contact you. Thanks. A beginner watercolor pottery painter. Diana

[@MaryLamb-d3j]

The brushes from the link of brushes you use are no longer available. Do you have another suggestion for brushes? I'm finding my lines are too wide with the brushes I currently have. Thanks.

[@LittleStreetPottery]

Thanks we will check and update!

[@nickb8791]

Thank you for this!

[@annruel1982]

Hey NIck. You are welcome. Thanks for watching.

[@kathygodfrey3158]

Wonderful video! Please advise - are you using the underglaze on bone dry clay or bisqued clay? Thanks 😊

[@LittleStreetPottery]

Greenware always for me. THanks.

[@HATSALGARDEN]

Good 👍

[@annruel1982]

Thanks so much!! I appreciate you watching!!

[@GlendaReid-mz3dv]

Is underglaze the same as low fire glaze...just apply the glaze 3 coats and then a clear coat?

[@LittleStreetPottery]

No, UG is another animal. They do not have the glassy component as most glazes - usually matte...it allows you to glaze over it.

[@GlendaReid-mz3dv]

@@LittleStreetPottery ty for the reply. Do you know of a good tutorial for low fire glazing by brush for beginners?

[@atraveldiary1]

This such a great learning video thank you for sharing

[@donotneed]

What paint is the underglaze paintings made from?

[@LittleStreetPottery]

Amaco underglazes - check out their website. Thanks.

[@donotneed]

@@LittleStreetPottery Great. Thank you!

[@Gingy50]

I’m not a fan of these colours, but I like everything else❤