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 make clean up easier after 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.

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. Thin or less coats will result in visible brush strokes lighter colors. Keep track of your coats! Your glaze may look solid before it’s fired even if the application too thin. It’s important to note that 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 brush strokes, using them to your advantage. Thinner coats are also 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.

Stoneware are pottery pieces made from a different clay body that is fired to a higher temperature than our regular, or low fire, bisque. This results in a more durable, oven safe, dishwasher safe, and microwave safe finished piece.

When painting a stoneware piece, there are a few important differences in how you approach the painting process.

Stoneware must be completely glaze free on the bottom of your piece. Our staff can tape off the bottom at time of purchase to make this easier and give you a clean line. If you accidentally get any glaze on the bottom, it can wash off easily with a wet sponge. We have a special pencil that will be used to write your name or initials on the bottom of your piece rather than using the glaze.

We do not dip stoneware in clear glaze. Bare bisque surfaces will be completely water tight and safe to wash. We do still recommend painting the sides, top, and insides of mugs and bowls for a more finished look and to prevent potential staining over time.

Painted areas must have 3-4 coats to ensure a smooth and shiny surface. Thinner or less coats may feel rough after firing.

Our regular glazes (Stroke & Coat) are safe to use on stoneware. Since these items are fired to a higher temperature, many colors will have a different final result. A few colors burn off and are not recommended.

Stroke & coat glazes are recommended for detailed designs or for writing words on your piece.

Special stoneware glazes are also available. These are best for an overall texture or effect, and are less suitable for details, images, or words. Our staff can help you as you pick out stoneware glazes to know what effects can be expected of our stoneware glazes.

Wet clay needs special care to do at home. Clay should be stored in an airtight container to prevent drying before you are ready to make your piece.

After CREATING your piece as it dries, your piece becomes very fragile. Store and transport your item with care to prevent breakage.

THICKNESS: Clay will be very fragile before it is fired. Your pinch pot or slab and other pieces should be at least 1/4”  thick to avoid breakage. Clay that is thicker than 3/4” may not dry thoroughly and can cause it to explode in the kiln.

ATTACHMENTS: Score and slip your clay to attach your details. Use the scoring tool to deeply scratch both areas where  it will attach together. Gently dab a fingerprint of water over the scratches. Wiggle scratched areas together to form attachment. Details will fall off if not attached properly. CREATE cannot guarantee these pieces can be fired or reattached.
Optional: For some attachments you can use the popsicle stick or your finger to close the seam to strengthen the seal.

Attachments should not stick out more than 1/2” from your piece. Longer attachments may break off.

ETCHED DETAILS: The skewer and fork can be used to etch designs in your clay. Pointy spots and rough areas can get sharp after firing. Tap your finger over these areas to round off these pointy spots.  Be careful not to dig too deep with these tools, but etch shallow lines to avoid breakage during the firing process.

OVER HANDLING THE CLAY: Over handling the clay will cause it to dry out. Only work the clay to create your project. If you have trouble areas, do not ball the clay up to start over. Your clay will get dry and crumbly and unusable. Ask staff for assistance. Do not use more than a fingerprint of water to touch up cracks. Most often no water is needed to seal cracks. Too much water will cause your clay to get muddy and soft and difficult to work with.