Scratching the Surface - Glaze on Glaze Technique

by AMACO brent

Students will: Draw a design that transfers well to the sgraffito technique; Study the history of sgraffito and the various mediums used; Study contemporary artists using the sgraffito technique today; Learn how to use glazes in the sgraffito technique

Fun Fact! Sgraffito was first used as another way to decorate walls. Layers of tinted plaster in contrasting colors were applied to the wall, then scratched through to show the color beneath.

See the full project here:

Glaze

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Apply two coats of Teacher's Palette glaze to a glazed and fired tile.

Create Design

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Sketch your design on a sheet of paper. Once glaze is dry, us a graphite pencil to lightly trace or redraw your design onto the tile.

Spritz

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Spray tile lightly with water. The moistened glaze will help with improved line quality.

Etch

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Following your penciled design, use a stylus to etch the unfired glaze. Make sure to scratch through to revel the fired glaze surface below.

Sgraffito

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Create a contrasting design by scratching away at the rest of the glaze. Student can create simple line drawings or play with positive a negative space for interesting results.