A little less scrolling. A little more painting.
Your colours. Your ideas. Your little masterpiece. ✦
✦ Your pottery painting companion

Your pottery
painting guide.

Colours, coats and finishing touches — everything you need to get painting. Start with the guide, then try your ideas on the practice pot below.

From first idea to finishing touch.

Everything you need, in the order you’ll need it.

Keep this handy ✦
01 · Meet your materials

A little colour know-how.

The paints you’re using are called underglazes. The numbered colours on the fired test circle match the numbers on the paint bottles, so use the circle to choose your shades.

Paint now, colour magic later. ✦

Wet paint can look different from its fired colour — that’s part of pottery painting. Don’t worry if the red looks a little pink as you paint: it will fire to the colour shown on the test tile.

Use paint sparingly. Squeeze a small amount onto your palette to start; you can always add more.

02 · Plan your design

Background first. Details next.

✎

Sketch lightly.

Light pencil marks vanish during firing, so you can sketch a simple guide for your design.

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Want a background?

Paint it first, then add your pencil design. Underglaze covers pencil, so a background coat can hide an earlier sketch.

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No white base needed.

All our pieces fire white wherever you leave them unpainted. You don’t need a white base coat.

03 · Build your colour

One coat, two coats… what changes?

Tap a coat below to explore the effect. For a solid, opaque finish, aim for 3–4 coats.

A light wash. Brush marks will show through.

Illustration of coverage only — use the fired test circle for colour.
1 coat Light wash; visible brush marks2 coats More solid coverage3–4 coats Solid, opaque colour

Let each coat dry before adding the next. One coat dries in seconds; more coats take longer to dry.

Stop at four coats. More than four makes the underglaze too thick and can cause it to bubble in the kiln.
04 · Layer your design

Let the lighter colours shine.

Lighter colours won’t look as bold when painted over darker colours. Try leaving gaps in the darker colour where you want your lighter details to go, so they can show through more clearly.

Rinse your brush when changing colours to keep your shades clean.

05 · Add the little details

Meet the slip trailer.

Slip trailers are great for fine lines and lettering. A little underglaze goes a long way.

  1. Open & fill. Take the lid off and squeeze a small amount of your chosen paint into the tube. You can top it up if needed.
  2. Close & check. Put the lid back on and make sure the fine nib is pressed on tightly.
  3. Practise the pressure. Test it on your palette or in the water tub before moving onto your piece. Squeeze gently — not too hard.
  4. Add your details. Usually one coat is enough, because the underglaze comes out quite thick.
06 · Paint, paint, paint

There’s more than one way to make a mark.

You can apply underglazes in a range of different effects. Try a technique that suits your design.

Splatter

A playful scattering of paint.

Sponge

Soft, textured marks.

Finger paint

Dots and personal touches.

Brush

Lines, washes and bold strokes.

Need a starting point? Try the tab or have a play on the virtual pot below.

07 · Finish, fire & care

We’ll take it from here.

At the end of your session, leave your pieces with us. We dip them in a transparent glaze, then put them in the kiln. This brings the colours to life, makes your pottery shiny and gets it ready to eat and drink from.

Brushes stay on the table.

Please don’t put dirty brushes back in the holder. Leave them on the table and we’ll take care of the rest.

A little care goes a long way.

Your pottery is hand wash only. It isn’t suitable for the microwave or dishwasher.

Check the expected ready date and collection arrangements with the team before you leave, then wait for your ready-to-collect message.

What if I’m not artistic?

Dots, stripes, tiny flowers and a single bold colour all look lovely. Your pot doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s! For inspiration, browse pieces painted in our studio ↗, or try the “Inspire me” tab here for a fresh idea.

Can I paint underneath or inside?

Yes! You can paint anywhere on your piece — including underneath and inside. Make every side your own.

Oops! Can I fix a mistake?

Yes — let the mistake dry first, then either paint over it with the colour underneath, or use sandpaper to sand the error off once the paint is dry. Ask a staff member for sandpaper if you need it.

✦ A little extra play

Let’s have a play.

Got an idea? Try it on a virtual mug, bowl or plate. Pick a colour, draw some shapes and see where your imagination takes you.

No sign-up. No timer. No right way to be creative.

A little wonky is a little wonderful. ↗
The practice potMake your mark ✦

Pick a colour, then draw on your pot.

Your imaginary palette

Just for ideas — screen colours aren’t a fired paint chart.