Color me mine. Easy ceramic painting ideas.
When Sasha was little I didn’t get as much time as I would have liked to, to indulge in a beautiful little project for myself. For me, making and creating is not just a pleasurable past time, it’s absolutely necessary to keep myself on an even keel physically and mentally. As an introvert I need this time to recharge my batteries. The focus the activity demands calms down my nervous system, keeps my mind from running wild and allows me to be present in the moment.
So when I felt I needed a focussed 30 min during a busy day looking after a little one I steered us down to a ‘Pottery Painting Cafe’ as it’s called in the UK or Ceramic Painting here in the US (‘Color Me Mine’ is a well known chain). At the pottery painting cafe you get to chose from a variety of different plain ceramic objects, such as plates, mugs or figurines which are then decorated using the glazes and utensils supplied.
Sasha ADORED pottery painting, as many kids do, so it was a win-win situation for both of us. It’s amazing to see how much more invested little ones are when you paint with them. But hey, everyone is different and it’s likely that you won’t be able to finish completely. You can always take a little glaze with you and finish at home before you take it back to be fired.
It has to be said that this isn’t the cheapest activity on the planet, especially with several kids. We didn’t get to do it as often as we would have liked, in fact exactly 8 times, since I painted a bowl to add to my collection each time we visited. Even with just a visit a year, I’ve compiled a lovely breakfast bowl collection in the end, complete with lovely memories attached.
Here are a few tips, tricks and ideas on how to paint yourself a beautiful set of bowls.
Utensils:
Everything you need is usually provided, but be aware that the paint brushes are more often than not in dire straits and you may also not find the size you want. I’ve usually painted with what was on offer, purely for a lack of being organized enough to plan and bring my own brushes. That being said, I do like the random results an imperfect brush will produce. But bring your own set, especially if you’re planning to work in fine detail.
Choosing your item:
If you would like to build up a small collection, make sure you choose an item that you can find at every ceramic painting studio such as plates, bowls or mugs. I’ve visited many different studios in the UK, Canada and the US, so my sizes and shades of glaze are all a little different. I love those slight differences. The collection as a whole still works because of the consistent way I’ve painted them. If you’re a fan of a rustic yet sophisticated aesthetic like me, then this is the way to go.
What to do to keep a consistency:
Shape
Color
Pattern
Make sure that you adhere to 2 elements in each item. Either shape/pattern, color/pattern or color/shape.
In my case I kept to one color and the same size/shape. This way I was free to explore different patterns.
If you prefer to use different colors, you may want to keep the same pattern on each bowl for consistency. Keep to a single color and pattern if you plan on using different objects (i.e. plate, mug & bowl)
Painting Tips:
For a rich deep color you’ll need to apply a minimum of two thick layers of glaze. This is especially important on large areas if you’d like to achieve an overall unified tone. In my case I’ve done that for the inside of the bowls, but you may want to paint your item with a background color first. None of the details on the outside are doubled up though and the results are perfect.
How to build up the designs: Once the inside of the bowl is painted, turn it upside down on a flat surface or a turning table. In most cases start in the middle around the bottom ring moving outward. (See sketches below)
The designs are very simple. Don’t be afraid of imperfection. It’s a good thing if the dots are not uniform or if a line turns out extra wonky. It will create a beautiful texture that’s so much more interesting to look at.
When working with repetition, try to work in ‘clusters’ i.e. make families of dots/lines that are similar in thickness/size then follow with an area where you change either the size and/or distance of the next cluster. I hope that makes sense.
Follow from left to right
Like with many of my other projects the emphasis of the exercise is on slowing down and to work with intent. These days, we don’t like to do things leisurely and meticulously. The repetitive nature of drawing patterns requires concentration without having to employ much ‘brain power’. You may think: “I don’t have time for this… what’s the point when we’re used to quick & easy solutions. Over the last half century our lives have been made ‘easier’ and more convenient by the invention of useful things such as dishwashers, readymade meals and of course in recent years handheld devices. So in theory we should have so much more time on our hands. We’re not down by the river scrubbing dirty linens, so shouldn’t we be relaxing with a good book whilst the washer/dryer is doing the work for us? Well, we all know that we’re more stressed out and pressed for time than ever. Can we sustain this fast paced exponential growth much longer? For me it has been essential to find an ‘anchor’ something that could slow my mind and calm my blood pressure. Only when my brain chatter has quieted can I start looking at things objectively and (if needed) have the mental space I need to re-prioritize things in my life. So please take a little quality time for yourself. You may not feel like it for the first time, but do it when you normally pour yourself that glass of chardonnay whilst vegging out in front of Netflix. You may feel calm, inspired and newly engergized :-)
