doodlebug Blog

Paint Pottery

Sets of plates, platters, bowls, cookie jars, tiles or flowerpots – the possibilities are almost endless. You can bring the items to the children and we’ll lend you a selection of colors (we usually recommend a palette of 4-5 colors at most so that the piece(s) “hang together”) and provide some tips on how to obtain the best results – we can also brainstorm “theme” ideas. Then you bring the items back to us, we’ll fire them and have them ready in five days.

Occasionally people use special clay carbon paper to transfer drawings the children have made onto the items – this can work very well when they are of varying sizes – but, heads up, it can take awhile.

This is a great Fundraising Idea!

Pottery Glazing, Painting, & Drawing

Getting Started

Wash your hands! Oil or grease can prevent glazes from sticking

Remove dust by wiping your piece with a clean, damp (NOT wet) sponge

Choose your paint (underglaze) colors – they are located at the front of the store – the tiles beneath each color show 1, 2, and 3 coats of that color as it will appear after firing

Squeeze a SMALL amount of each color (about the size of a dime) onto the shiny white tile provided as a palette

Handprint Pottery Project

Choose your item

Be sure it is large enough to accommodate the hand(s)/foo(ee)t (we would point out here that feet are generally easier than hands with babies who tend to “clench” – just something to think about!

This is easier to do on a flat item (things like bowls and mugs can also work but choose something convex versus concave)