Stamps and textures

We can create textures and reliefs on soft clay in several ways. From using everyday objects, organic elements found in the field, stamps or tools, any object when pressed into clay will leave its mark, and the possibilities are limitless.

These marks and impressions will create reliefs and the shadow of these reliefs makes them more evident. The reliefs can be enhanced through washing, as these will further highlight the low and high reliefs, bringing new possibilities of colors and personalities to the marks made on the clay.

Washes are done by applying color (high-fire paints, oxides, underglazes or colored glazes) to the already bisqued piece. This paint, underglaze, etc., is applied in liquid form and will be deposited in the low reliefs, rather than in the prominent areas, increasing the contrast of the design/pattern created with textures or stamps. Depending on the consistency of our paint, we can then wipe the surface with a damp sponge, removing the color from the high reliefs and leaving the low reliefs more heavily loaded with paint. If we do this on raw clay, we can drag the clay and lose details or definition, which is why the ideal would be to apply the washes to the pieces that have already been bisqued.

There are several types of stamps that we can make, including clay (bisque before using), whether small wedges, rolls or plates.

We can also use rubber plates , draw and dig the desired motif. A few years ago I came across rubber sandwich plates, where a rubber plate is covered with a thinner layer of rubber. By marking lines on the surface rubber with a stylus, we can then peel it off, creating stamps easily and with some precision. I became a fan and that's why I make these erasers available on this website, for anyone who wants to try them.

More recently I discovered that we can engrave through exposure to UV light, just like in screen printing, photopolymer plates . In this case, by placing a photolith with an image/pattern/etc on the photopolymer and exposing it to UV light, the photopolymer resin will cure and remain fixed where the light reaches the plate; on the other hand, where the black of the photolith print does not allow light to pass through, the resin will not react or set. Then we wash the plate; The resin that was not exposed will come out with the water, leaving the relief of the image that was on the photolith. To illustrate this process, nothing better than watching the videos on @GRAPHICCLAYSTUDIO , by Jonah Harjer . It was by watching his videos that I discovered and learned this process; I find his work super inspiring and fun. Thanks for sharing, Jonah!

Whatever your method for creating reliefs, do what you enjoy most and be surprised!

Search suggestions : pottery textures; ceramic seals; pottery wash; photopolymer stamp making; carving rubber stamps