Three possible mug decorating techniques were summarized: 1. Underglaze painting allows for creative designs to be painted on mugs and can be combined with carving or sgraffito techniques to add texture. 2. Image transfers using underglaze or clay slips can imprint printed designs onto mugs. Homemade stencils can also be used. 3. Colored clay slips applied in different ways can create unique textures and patterns when added to mug surfaces. Combining techniques can yield varied results.

1. MUG DECORATING
TECHNIQUES
MR. TRANDELL-SMOKE
BEGINNING CERAMICS

2. WHAT DO YOU WANT YOUR MUG TO LOOK
LIKE OR REPRESENT?
While the overall form and function of your mug is the most important for this project. We
need to keep in mind how various decorating techniques can really elevate your work.
Consider what features of your design will lead you to enjoy the piece and encourage you to
want to use it.
Could you solve a problem with the creation of your mug? Are there aspects of a cup or mug you
have at home that you wish you could improve (think color, size, shape, etc).
Content Area Standards:
Prof.VA:Cn10 Document the process of idea development, form early-stage ideas to fully elaborated ideas
Prof.VA:Cr1.1 Use multiple approaches to begin creative endeavors.
Acc.VA:Cr1.1 Individually or collaboratively formulate new creative problems based on students’ existing artwork.
Acc.VA:Cr2.1 Through experimentation, practice, and persistence, demonstrate acquisition of skills and knowledge in a chosen
art form.
Adv.VA:Cr2.1 Experiment, plan, and make multiple works of art and design that explore a personally meaningful theme, idea, or
concept.

3. VARIOUS DECORATING TECHNIQUES
The various possibilities to decorate your mugs are virtually limitless however all processes directly
relate to your surface treatment of the clay.
Some of the questions you will need to ask yourself and address will be things like, What theme am I
trying to create? What do I want the finished design to look like/represent? Will I be applying things
like color, texture, or sculptural elements and motifs?
Some of the various decorating techniques at your disposal will include (but may not be limited too)
• Glaze colors/Stain choices
• Underglaze
• Clay Slips
• Carving
• Image Transfer
• Research/Discover your own not show in class!

4. LET'S KEEP IN MIND
THE STAGES OF CLAY
We need to keep in mind the various stages of clay not
only for creating the overall work but for decorating it
as well!
Some techniques can only be accomplished while the
clay is at a specific stage of the ceramic process, here
are some examples to keep in mind.
• Glazing/Staining can only be performed once the
mug has been bisque fired.
• Clay slips, textural elements, carving, or attaching
other pieces of clay to your mug must be done while
the clay is either plastic (wet) or at the leather
hard stage.
• Underglazes and some image transfers can be
applied either at the leather hard stage or after the
bisque firing.

5. GLAZING/STAINING
• You may wish to decorate your mug by simply choosing one of
our glazes available in the classroom, or even a combination of
two glazes that may or may not overlap!
• Keep in mind that different affects can be achieved by how it
is you combine glazes and apply them.. (Can anyone think of a
different way to apply glaze aside from the traditional
brushing or dipping method?)
• You may also choose to simply apply a stain like iron oxide to
your mug but remember the mug must be functional! So, if you
decide to stain your mug you will need to glaze it with clear to
ensure that it is food safe.
• You may also investigate and purchase various glazes offered
from ceramic suppliers that we do not have in our classroom,
but keep in mind they must be food safe and match our firing
temperature (Cone 5). However, some accommodations may be
made for alternative firing temperatures.
Mug by Mr. Trandell-Smoke

6. UNDERGLAZE
• Underglazes are a wonderful option for decorating work as they offer a wide
variety of application methods and decorative flexibility.
• If you have painting experience you can apply underglaze with a brush much
like creating a painting, colors can also be mixed like paint to alter hues.
• Creating gradients can also be achieved through the use of underglazes.
• They also don’t have to be covered with a clear glaze if they are on the
outside of your mug below the rim. (Keep in mind that you will want your mug
glazed where your lips encounters the mug)

7. SGRAFFITO/CARVING
• If choosing to apply underglaze you can carve through
the chosen color to etch and essentially draw in designs
or lines into your mug.
• This is a great technique not only to add drawn on
imagery but also juxtapose your chosen underglaze or slip
color with the color of the clay body.
• This can be done freehand or by tracing over cut out
stencils and designs
• Additionally, you do not have to apply an underglaze or
slip to the body of the mug before you decide to carve
lines or shapes into it.

8. CLAY SLIPS/COLORED SLIPS
• Referring back to our stages of clay, a
“Slip” refers to ground up clay particles
that are suspended in water
• They can be mixed with various mason
stains to create a “Colored Slip”
• Slips can be applied in various ways to
create different textures and surface
treatments onto the body of your mug
Colored Clay Slip Mug
By Mr. Trandell-Smoke

9. STAMPING/APPLYING TEXTURES
• Applying designs with stamps can be an engaging way to imprint designs and repeated
motifs onto your mug. You can accomplish this by creating bisque fired clay stamp or
using “Found Object” to explore the various marks it makes on the clay.
• You can also look up various clay stamps from various ceramic suppliers.
• You will need to keep in mind the clay stages where stamping is the most appropriate
(generally leather hard) as you do not want to distort or even break your mug.
• You may also need to consider how your chosen construction method of your mug can
affect how it is you will go about stamping your mug (For example, if you want to use a
stamp over the entirety of the mug it may be best for you to choose that hand-built
method)

10. APPLYING SLABS, COILS, & SCULPTURAL
ELEMENTS
• You can choose to hand build different
features with things like coils, slabs, and
even pinch pots to add raised three-
dimensional forms onto the body of your
mug.
• This is a great way to attach various design
elements if you are not interested in the
two-dimensional applications like painting
on an underglaze/slip or carving in designs
by hand.
Picture via Instagram, Mug Made by Tania Goldberg

11. IMAGE TRANSFERS
• There is a wide variety of ways we can transfer
printed/drawn images onto clay although some of
the most common techniques would be to use an
underglaze transfer, these can be purchased as
well as made on your own
• Another option would be to slip trail clay slip onto a
piece of newsprint and transfer the image that way
• You may also decide to create your own stencil that
you can paint over with underglaze or slip to create
your image
Transfer and Underglaze Cup
By Mr. Trandell-Smoke

12. MOCHA DIFFUSION
• Mocha diffusion is a technique dating back to 18th
centaury England which exploits a reaction
between an alkali (the slip) and acid (the mixture)
• It involves creating a specially formulated clay slip
and an acidic mixture commonly referred to as
“Mocha Tea”.
• The process involves coating a leather hard piece
of pottery in the slip and then applying the mocha
tea to create a reaction that forms dendritic
formations of the colorant into the slip Image courtesy of Kevin Kowalski

13. RESEARCHING YOUR OWN TECHNIQUES
NOT SHOWN IN CLASS
• Please feel free to research and discover new
decorative techniques not shown in class.
• They can come from any platform of your
choosing, YouTube, Instagram, ClayShare, etc.
• Make sure you find and instructional video or
written down process
Featured Found Video:
Marbling With Underglaze On Pottery
By: The Pottery Wheel

14. ARE THERE WAYS YOU CAN ALTER SOME
OF THE TECHNIQUES DISCUSSED?
• I encourage you all to think outside of the box if there is any particular way
you can alter or change any of these decorating methods shown during this
lecture.
• Some things like application method can be straight forward but if you have a
more abstract idea or thought we can discuss the various ways we can go
about achieving your idea.
• Also think of ways you can combine and use multiple decorative elements and
techniques on the same mug.
• You may also wish to test or practice your idea on a separate piece of work or
slab before applying it to your mug.

15. GATHERING INSPIRATION ACTIVITY
• For this short activity I want all of you to start compiling source imagery and notes/bullet
points of some of the things that interest and inspire you that can be used as potential
decorative inspirations for your mugs.
• The parameters of this assignment are very broad, and I encourage you all to gather as many
different (school appropriate) materials as possible.
• These can include printed images, personal images, organic materials, and even other drinking
vessels.
• Once you have all your materials, I would like them to be compiled onto a piece of paper no
smaller than 8.5x11. Going larger is fine if you have a lot of imagery.
• On a separate piece of paper, you will include any short notes and bullet points completed as
well as a short paragraph writing about some of the materials and images you have gathered.