Pottery pieces are painted with a special paint called glaze, which needs to be fired in a kiln before it’s finished. For projects at home, you can purchase to go glaze. Other kinds of paint and decoration are not suitable to use with glaze and are not safe to go in our kilns.

No acrylic, watercolor, oil or other types of paint.
No pencil, crayon, pens, or permanant markers.
No glitter or glue.

Washable markers can be used to sketch on your piece or on hardened dry glaze. Their marks will burn off completely in the kiln.

Keep in mind that what you see while painting is different from how they look after they are fired. The final color may change in hue and tone, and will turn shiny and smooth. When choosing glazes at the shop, look at the tile swatches in front of the bottles. You may want to take photos of the tiles for reference at home while CREATING.

When CREATING at home, you’ll need brushes, a water cup, paper towels or craft sponges, and a paint palette. Glaze is very easy to clean and will wash off clothing and surfaces easily with just water, however placemats and smocks can help protect them while you CREATE.

Glaze dries fairly quickly, however if you desire to speed up the process, you may choose to use a small fan or a hair dryer on the cool setting. Be advised that drying too quickly or with high heat can cause firing issues.cription text goes here

If needed remove any dust with a dry sponge or paper towel.

Start with your light colors first and work up to dark colors for layers or designs on top. Light colors generally do not show as well on a dark background.

To get a solid or opaque color, paint with 3 or 4 generous coats, letting them dry to the touch between each. Otherwise, your brush strokes will be visible and colors will appear lighter. Keep track of your coats! Your glaze may look solid before it’s fired even if the application too thin. On the other hand, if your glaze is too thick, it can negatively impact firing in a way that cannot be fixed.

You may intentionally use thinner coats to CREATE several effects including blending/shading, adding texture, or making a watercolor appearance. The key to these techniques is to be attentive to your brushstrokes, using them to your advantage. Thinner coats are common for younger painters.

CREATE Pottery Shop will dip your pieces in a clear glaze before we fire it. If you do have a thin application or leave any areas unpainted, your piece will still be food safe and safe to hand wash . Note: party animals or other items with small openings may not be glazed inside. If your item chips or has any exposed bare bisque, it will not be food safe or washable.

We do not recommend using these items in the dishwasher or microwave.

If you need to step away from your piece to continue working on later, you piece and the glaze will keep. Unused glaze can dry out after extended periods of time. Storing your to go cups in an air tight container will help preserve it. If you notice it has thickened, you may add a few drops of water at a time to return it to the correct consistency.

Return to CREATE Pottery Shop at your convenience for firing. Your items will be ready 7 days after it is returned for firing. You may use a paint pen at the store to finish off small details and add your name or initial to the piece for staff to identify when preparing for pick up.