Sgraffito

Italian: “scratched”

How is it done?

1. Allow clay to become a moist leather-hard

2. Paint glaze over the entire piece or over an area of the piece

3. Scratch away glaze in areas you wish to remain white

examples—textural and geometric

Textural

Leave glaze where shadows appear; remove glaze for highlights

•Line/geometric designs

•Variation of line thickness

Examples—organic

Example of painting an area of a piece vs. the whole thing. Lots of blank clay

Positive/negative space

Positive space = occupied space (glazed)

Negative space = unoccupied (white)

Line drawing

Positive space is glazed; negative space glaze has been removed

Your Assignment

● Set of 4 sgraffito coasters, with a sgraffito container

● Steps:

– Use design sheet to plan your coasters and box

– Start building

● Coasters can be any shape, as long as they will be functional. Box should match.

● Coasters and box walls should be approx. 1/4” thick. Coasters OK thinner

● Completely flat for stability

● Smooth surfaces and softened edges on coasters AND box

Storage and timing for paint

● Keep clay ON a wood board, in contact with the wood

● Keep pieces covered well with plastic (plastic should be stuck to coaster surfaces)

● Keep them sprayed well

● You CANNOT paint the same day that you build for sgraffito to work. Must wait at least 1 day.

Coaster examples

Tips

● Once glaze is dry, lightly draw or trace design on using a pencil

● Keep carved lines VERY clean and precise

● Remember: leave what you want to be on the piece behind; take away what you want gone

● Try not to carve too deeply into the clay, but make sure carved areas are clean

● Use small loop tools and needle tools

● This is a glazing technique you can use on other projects!