Adding Colour and Texture to Pottery

Rolling out a rope of clay and fashioning it into a simple design is often where young students begin to learn how to create pottery, but there are plenty of other ways they can fashion it if their love of working in this amazing substance continues. Many clay items are thrown on a pottery wheel, but some are sculpted by hand. No matter how the pottery originally fashioned their piece, they will often want to finish it with a colourful glaze or texture. Adding colour and texture to pottery can make each piece unique, but it will take vision to get it just right.

A vase can look beautiful if the overall shape is pleasing, and adding a coat of glaze before firing can make it a quick and easy step that enhances its beauty. For those looking for a piece that does not have a completely smooth finish, adding texture can be done before the piece dries. Some artists have found using leaves or twigs to imprint a piece is what makes it perfect, and others have found wrapping a rope around their item to create a pattern is best. A stamp can be used to imprint a pattern, and the student can use several different small tools to create a unique pattern by hand.

Adding colour to a piece often makes it more attractive, so glazing will be a good step to seal and colour a piece that has already been textured and dried. Selecting a glaze with the right properties is important. While many people admire a shiny finish, a textured piece could look better with a matte finish. Choosing a glaze that will help highlight the impressions on the piece could be important, so taking the time to explore the properties of different glazes might be a good idea.

A finished piece should look like what the creator envisioned, so it can take time and effort to add both texture and colour to a piece of pottery. Those who have the necessary patience to invest will often find their pieces are very pleasing to their eye, and it will encourage them to continue pursuing their creative side.