Pottery made to order | repair and restoration studio in Southern Delaware
Sgraffito Pottery Technique Step-by-step Tutorial Artist: Patty Storms

Octopus sgraffito vase

How Sgraffito is Created on Pottery

Sgraffito, from the Italian word “sgraffiare” meaning “to scratch,” is a traditional pottery decorating technique. The process involves applying layers of underglaze or colored slip to leather-hard clay, then scratching through the surface to expose the natural clay beneath. This reduction process allows potters to carve images, patterns, and textures, creating high-contrast designs. Sgraffito can be applied to functional pottery, tiles, or sculptural forms, and works beautifully for both simple and complex designs.

Below are three example projects at different difficulty levels:

  1. Basic Sgraffito Project - Ceramic Tile
  2. Simple Sgraffito Project - Mug
  3. Complex Sgraffito Project - Urns

Collection of sgraffito projects


Tools and Materials

Wire Stylus Tools for Sgraffito
We recommend fine-point wire styluses for clean, detailed carving. Kemper wire stylus Sgraffito tools are widely available online and through ceramic supply stores.

Mini Ribbon Sculpting Tools
Mini ribbon sculpturing tools are excellent for controlled line work and removing underglaze.

Wire stylus tool: where to buy
kemper wire stylus sgraffito tool

Mini ribbon sculpturing tool
mini ribbon sculpture tools for sgraffito

Clay: The clay should be at the leather-hard stage, firm enough to hold its shape under light pressure but not so dry that it cracks or resists carving. This stage provides the best surface for clean, sharp lines and prevents accidental gouging or smudging. For stronger contrast, we us Standard's clay 181 white stoneware

Rubber shaper for clean up
rubber shaper tools for clay clean up
Leather hard clay (tile / coaster)
clay tile leather hard


Transfer design to tracing paper and then use sharp pencil and trace design to clay. Tracing paper is flexible and able to withstand the wet clay and multiple tracings. If using black underglaze, we like Amaco V-370 or LUG-1 (V-370 has slightly better coverage). Both perform well up to cone 6 glaze firing.

Design pattern on tracing paper
design pattern for sgraffito

Trace pattern on clay with pencil
applying design to leather hard clay
Lift tracing paper and verify
design on leather hard clay for sgraffito
Use underglaze or colored slip
amaco velvet black underglaze v-370




1. Basic Sgraffito Project - Tile


Apply 2-3 coats of underglaze, apply additional coats in alternate directions, and wait to dry before starting the scratching-off process. The tools and the pressure you decide to use are dependant on the affect you wish to see on the clay. If looking for rougher surface texture, push the tool a bit harder and take more material using more pointy tools. Scratches can have uniform or random patterns. NOTE: Only use a soft dry brush to remove debris to avoid damaging the colored areas.

Apply underglaze evenly (2 coats)
apply underglaze to leather hard clay

Insure tracings can be seen
underglaze on leather hard clay tile
Remove color where desired
using wire stylus tool to scratch clay

Unwanted colored areas removed
finished sgraffito design on clay tile
To refine your lines and keep the surface clean, use rubber shapers or wooden modeling tools to gently clear away burrs and rough edges. Once the carving is complete, thoroughly clean the surface with a dry brush to remove any loose debris before firing or glazing.


2. Simple Sgraffito Project - Mug

The cups below use a slightly different technique than above. Only the traced pattern is painted on and the outline and lines within the pattern are scratched off.

Same process applied on a cup
sgraffito technique on clay mug

Remove all debris with a brush
brushing off clay dust
Ready for drying and bisque firing
finsihed sgraffito on clay mug
Once bisqued, touch up underglaze
touch up bisque

Note: After your design is bisque fired, you'll have another opportunity to touch-up with underglaze before applying clear glaze and glaze firing.

Firing underglazes to cone 6 firing - Tips

Apply clear glaze without smearing **
applying clear glaze gently on bisque

Glazed mugs
glazed sgraffito mugs - black and white

** We use brush-on AMACO Sahara HF-9 cone 6 clear glaze. Use soft brush and be careful with 1st coat to avoid underglaze details smearing.



3. Advanced Sgraffito Project – Two Urns

This project shows how Sgraffito can be used on curved surfaces with detailed designs. Working on urns requires careful planning, steady carving, and attention to drying stages. The steps below illustrate how layered underglaze and precise line work create bold, intricate patterns that elevate a simple vessel into a refined decorative piece.

urn made using 1/4 slab rolled in in slab-roller
Using 1/4 slab rolled in slab-roller

glazed sgraffito mugs - black and white
Urn made and in a leather-hard state

Draw design on a tracing paper
Draw design on a tracing paper

Draw design on a tracing paper
Carve outline first
Carve outline first

Scratch off within the outline
Scratch off within the outline
Patty Storms hard at work
Patty Storms hard at work

Sgraffito partially done
Sgraffito partially done

Done, drying ready for bisque firing
Done, drying ready for bisque firing

glazed sgraffito mugs - black and white
Cone 6 glaze fired




Finished Sgraffito Pottery Examples
Sgraffito owl vases
Sgraffito owl vases

Vases with geometrical design
Vases with geometrical design
Sgraffito fern design vase
Sgraffito fern design vase

Sgraffito house lantern
Sgraffito house lantern

Sgraffito octopus
Sgraffito octopus

Sgraffito vase with red and black
Sgraffito vase with red and black

Salmon fish  sgraffito vase
Sgraffito fish vase

Olives sgraffito vase
Sgraffito olives vase

Glazed-fired Sgraffito - Patty Stroms
Glazed-fired Sgraffito - Patty Stroms

Sgraffito mushrooms vase
Sgraffito mushrooms vase

Sgrafitto box with lid
Sgraffito container with a lid

Sgraffito  crane vase
Sgraffito Ostriches vase

Sgraffito turtle vase
Sgraffito turtles vase

Sgraffito  vase
Sgraffito geometrical pattern vase

Fish sgraffito bowl
Sgraffito fish bowl

Sgrafitto octopus bowl
Sgraffito bowl with three Octopuses

sgraffito salmon fish bowl front
Sgraffito Salmon bowl

sgraffito salmon fish bowl rear
Sgraffito - back of Salmon bowl

sgraffito manta ray bowl
Sgraffito manta ray bowl

Sgraffito mushroom and fern vases set
Sgraffito mushroom and fern vases set

Frogs sgraffito vase
Sgraffito tree frogs vase

 sgraffito vases
Sgraffito vases

sgraffito octopus bowl
Sgraffito octopuses bowl

sgraffito lidded boxes
Sgraffito boxes with lids

Sgrafitto octopus bowl
Sgraffito octopus bowl


sgraffito salmon fish bowl front
Sgraffito salmon bowl

sgraffito bees bowl
Sgraffito honey bees bowl

sgraffito manta ray bowl
Sgraffito manta ray bowl




Finished Sgraffito tiles:
sgraffito fish tile sgraffito lizard tile
sgraffito bees tile Sgrafitto frogs tile






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