Does Anybody Paint their Bisqueware?

[Claybot]

I am tempted to paint some of my bisqueware pots. Very, very tempted. The pots are decorative, so they don't need to be food-safe.

 

Any tips?

 

I'm wondering, what paint would work best on bisqueware? Or would any liquid media be fine - oil, acrylic, gouache, inks?

 

Also, should the bisqueware be prepared with gesso first, like a canvas, or is that step unnecessary?

 

I am a bit concerned about durability; I wouldn't want the paint to scrape off easily. I'm thinking the painted pots should be protected with a layer of some sort of varnish, brushed or sprayed. Right?

 

Does anybody here paint their pottery? If so, do you have any insights you can to share with me?

 

Does anybody know any potters who paint their pots/sculptures instead of glazing them?

 

Does the paint ever peel off after ten, twenty, thirty years? A hundred years? (I hope not!)

 

Thanks for any feedback.

[DAY]

"Bisqueware" is an open ended word, with many definitions; what clay, what temperature? Stoneware @ cone 06 is a bit fragile, earthenware ("terracotta") @ cone 04 is fully mature. And, yes, you can "paint" the surface with anything you desire. Do some googling of 'polychrome terracotta'.

Try this: paint your greenware with AMACO Velvet Underglazes, and fire. Plan B: paint your bisqueware with Velvets, and re-fire.

[Claybot]

Thanks for the reply. I've been experimenting with a lot of clays, but I think I'll probably settle on red 04 earthenware once I've used up the other clays laying around.

 

I have a BFA in Painting and reaaaaally want to paint my bisqueware with paint.

 

But I don't want to sell anybody a piece of pottery that is "experimental" in the application of paint. I want to know for sure that the paint will last for ages.

 

I put oils on a pot 16 years ago and it seems fine today, but I don't remember how I went about doing it, unfortunately (gesso? underpaints? mediums? varnish?).

[Marcia Selsor]

I had some students [painting their large sculptures because they seemed intimidated to put the work back into a kiln. The acrylics are very flat. Oil paints or better yet, car enamels work better.

Google Tom Rippon who used car enamels on his sculpture.

 

Marcia

 

 

[banders]

Google Curt LaCross (Michigan). He paints all of his sculptures. I know for a fact that he uses gesso first- a lot of it. Then, he paints with chip brushes and fan brushes and sometimes uses an air brush for final touches.

[macdoodle]

One creative woman in our classes is using underglazes and many other nontraditional finishes and then heading to the fish store for fish safe sealer to finish it all off. No word on the long term reliability of the finish, but I would assume it's good. A sealer that works in a salt water tank should cover most possible environmental attacks on the work.

 

I learned the first semester (well in the second when the effects showed) the hard way that an underglaze painted and clear sealed piece in cone 10 clay at low fire will leak water and mold through eventually crackling the whole surface . I sure won't waste all that good creativity and materials for what will be very a temporary piece of work again. I would have been mighty embarrassed if I gave that one away too!

 

Looks like there are lots of great suggestions above too that I will also keep in mind !

Happy experimenting!

[lynny]

Hi

I too have a painting background and had that desire to paint the clay surface.

My steps are - first make form and fire to maturity (ie to suit clay chosen)

then gesso the surface with 2 coats and paint away with usual techniques. Personally, I have used JoSonja gauche for 25 years (originally created for the folk art hobby market).

It has a system of many mediums, designed to be used with the product, and like any brand chosen I would recommend using a complete 'one brand system'.

So with JS I use 'glaze medium' when I need a transparent wash and 'flow medium' to make the gauche spreadable and 'retarder' for more open time. All acrylics have a medium system

to use with their pigments- I would never mix brands.

After layering the paints, and the painting is complete always seal!

With JS I use 'sealer; for a tough gloss finish- some of my pieces have been outside over 20 years with no problems.

For interior use the satin varnish is used.

If you have a 'system' already in your studio just use that with the same mediums you would use for painting + a final sealer. This could be oils or acrylics.

Saying all of that, try all your painting techniques using underglazes, matt-satin-gloss clear glazes and overglazes and fire the work. A very permanant outcome

where you can explore your usual painting techniques and get fantastic outcomes.

cheers Lyn

[scoobydoozie]

Applying acrylics and oils to ceramic items has been around for years and is something I have done for many years. Check out Ilovetocreate.com maycocolors.com or dochollidayceramics.com for a complete line of bisque compatible acrylic stains. No gesso coat is required. They also sell spray sealers. If the piece is going outstide, be sure to use a spray sealer with UV protection so it doesn't fade. I live in Florida and plenty of people have great results putting acrylics outside as long as it is adequately sprayed with a UV sealer. For oils options, check out www.fashenhues.com. They are wonderful for all kinds of detail work and follow the same rules of using a UV spray sealer. Have fun experimenting!