Using Watercolor Pencils On Ceramics

Apply pencil to the outside edges of a shape then fill in with a wet paint brush.

Using watercolor pencils on ceramics.

This will feel the most like watercolor painting except that instead of dipping your brush into watercolor paint you re using water to spread pigment already on the paper. But once you get used to that you can create beautiful watercolor like surfaces. Use smooth strokes as you use the brush to spread the pigment from the watercolor pencils. Apply pencil lightly over very large areas and use the wet paint brush to fill it in.

Typically water is applied with a brush but sponges and other tools can be used as well. Watercolor pencils are similar to colored pencils but use water soluble binders to hold their components together rather than non water soluble wax or oil. This process is called activation. Guidelines also can be painted on with vermilion watercolor paint which also burns away.

This results in darker colors. Using this type of underglaze can achieve painterly effects. Pencil sets are compact and easy to carry. Marks made with graphite pencils on ceramic surfaces will burn out in the firing which can be very convenient as the firing erases the guidelines or grids used for painting or drawing on patterns and designs in ceramic pigments.

Use watercolor pencils as portable paints. As you apply the water mimic the shape and direction of the pencil strokes. Ceramic stains and underglazes mixed with water painted on unfired white glazed bisque is pretty similar to watercolor painting on paper. When using watercolor pencils you will need for sure some brushes.

Watercolor underglazes work best on bisque fired pieces since a great deal of water is needed to apply them. Much more so than paint sets. Once the pottery piece is fired in a kiln it will look like it was painted using watercolor paints. This allows the colors to spread like watercolor paint when painted over with water but it also makes them more difficult to blend without the use of water.

I love water brushes as they are perfect to have for when you are on the go and inspiration strikes you. Once the material has been activated it behaves like watercolor. The main difference is that the glazed bisque surface absorbs the color and water mixture more quickly. On the test tile above you can see the difference one coat of clear glaze makes to the watercolor surface.

Apply water to an area then color in with a pencil. Just create your desired colors on the page first and mix in water to get your paint. For example although you cannot apply actual watercolor paints onto ceramic clay pottery you can apply ceramic glazes onto the unfinished pottery work to look like it was painted with watercolor paint. The image above shows arteza s water brush pens.