Pottery Painting Techniques

use our pottery painting tips & techniques to create a masterpiece!

Here at The Sketching Pad, one of our core beliefs is that when people are given a few very simple techniques, they can create a beautiful work of art and make their artistic dreams come true. Below, we've demonstrated some of our favorite pottery painting techniques so you can become a pottery painting expert!

marbling

In this tutorial, Laura shows us how to use a common household product to create a gorgeous marbling effect using acrylic paint or kiln-fired glazes!

scales

Creating a scales texture can be a fun way to add interest to a monster, dinosaur, or fish to give it some extra pizzazz!

Follow along with Laura as she shows you how to create this texture through a few easy techniques.

fur texture

Puppies, kittens, monsters, and more look so much more precious with a fuzzy, furry texture painted on them!

In this video, Laura shows us how to create a really nice fur texture on a dog and makes it so simple!

blending

Everyone loves a gorgeous ombré effect, and in this video, Laura shows us how to blend from one color to another! A lovely gradient adds beauty to any pottery item.

footprints

Blaise and Jenn are here to show you how to get a great footprint for your artwork with a baby or toddler! If you need to hear some toddler giggles today, this is the video for you!

accent lines

Adding a few quick accent lines adds just as much life and fun to pottery as it does to the wood shape that you see in this tutorial!

Thumbprints

In this video, Kairi and Jenn show you how to ensure that you get great thumbprints on your pottery. It's super simple, but we want to make sure that you have great success!

finger print animals

Once you have the perfect thumbprints or fingerprints, it's time to turn them into something cute! In this tutorial, Laura shows us how to create several adorable animals using fingerprints.

finger print bugs

In this video, Jill shows us how to turn finger prints into adorable bugs that look great on flower pots, mugs, and more!

tile inspiration

These large pre-lined 6" tiles make it so easy to create a masterpiece!

Remember to do three coats of glaze for smooth coverage.
Add additional designs and patterns to get even more advanced.
Blend from one color to another in certain shapes to create a 3D effect!

Mini figurine inspiration

These irresistible cuties are fun for kids and adults!

Paint them to look like your own pets!
Paint them with fun, creative colors!
If you're using kiln-fired glazes, remember to do three coats of glaze for smooth coverage.

mug inspiration

We know how hard it can be to pick the perfect design for your mug, so we've compiled some inspiration for you!

Ideas:

Create an ombré effect by blending from one color to another.
Paint your favorite inspirational phrase! (You can write it on your mug with pencil and then trace over it with glaze!)
Your favorite character!
Abstract designs like stripes, polka dots, and more!