Surface Decorating Techniques

A handmade decoration attached to clay with slip.

• applique
• mishma
• combing
• sprig

Gently drawing a comb through contrasting rows of wet clay slip or glaze.

• scratch or incise
• mishma
• combing
• impressing

A mold made decoration attached with slip.

• wax resist
• sprig
• scratch or inscise
• applique

Scratching through one layer of clay, slip, or glaze to reveal the color underneath

• mishma
• sgraffito
• impressing
• wax resist

Method of decorating by stamping into a clay surface

• applique
• stamping
• mishma
• impressing

Pressing an object that will leave its mark into the clay.

• impressing
• mishma
• stamping
• stencling

Wax is used to prevent slips or glazes from sticking to a clay surface.

• sponging
• slip trailing
• sgraffito
• wax resist

Carving a decoration into unfired clay. To remove the clay.

• scratch or incise
• applique
• sprig
• mishma

Filling a design impressed in clay with a different colored clay slip

• sgraffito
• scratch or incise
• mishma
• stenciling

A syringe is used to apply slip to a clay surface.

• slip trailing
• burnishing
• wax resist
• stamping