HOW DO I PAINT ON POTTERY?
Here's how to paint your one-of-a-kind
masterpiece:
Step 1
Pick a piece of pottery - There's so much to choose from at Clay Café, that this may be the most challenging part of your visit! We carry all of the latest new pottery designs, and new shapes arrive every month. Whether you're looking for a dinner plate, a vase, a fairy, or a frog, we've got all sizes and shapes of pottery to paint. We're also happy to special order anything available in our catalogues. When you've picked out your piece, come to the front desk to pay for it - we accept cash (of course), checks, debit, Visa, or Mastercard.
Step 2
Decide on a design for your piece - Do a free-form design, bring an idea from home (magazine, wallpaper, a drawing) or use our design center for inspiration. We have pattern books from around the world! Images can be adjusted to the right size on our copy machine and traced on with carbon paper, and all pencils marks burn off in the kiln. Perhaps you'd like to choose from our large selection of stencils and stamps, or browse through our "technique tiles" - there's lots of help with the creative process!
Step 3
Choose your colours - We have over 100 non-toxic, bright colours to choose from, and our large tile colour wall shows you what each colour will look like with 1, 2 or 3 coats, once it's fired in the kiln. All our colours are compatible with each other, so you can mix and match our standard colours with our Specialty Glazes - "Neons," "Earthtones," "Bursting," or "Matte." Try our "puff" paints for a puffy accent, outlining bottles for creating a fine line, and our glaze pencils for a natural "penciled" look!
Step 4
Sit down to paint! - You're welcome to use as much paint as you like, and stay as long as you wish - it's all included in the price of your pottery piece. It's best to plan at least two hours for your painting experience, and we've got lots of colourful tables in the studio we offer on a first come basis. There are brushes on each table, and a menu card to help you with the painting process. You'll find our staff members are all experts in the painting process, and they're there to help you with general instructions, painting techniques, and colour suggestions.
Step 5
Fire 'em up! When you're finished - write a description for your piece, pay for it (cash, check, debit or Visa), and we'll give you a time and date for pickup (usually 2-3 days later). We'll then dip your masterpiece in a clear glaze, and fire it in our "size large" kilns, and have it ready for you to enjoy!
Not enough time? You don't have to finish your piece in one sitting. We'll keep it for you for up to a month. You can come back to finish anytime during our regular studio hours.
