- Damp sponge the surface to remove any dust.
- With low-fire terra cotta pots from garden centers, you will use the natural color of the pot. If you are working with stoneware, you can color the background with Terracotta Engobe. Apply three coats to the entire surface, except the bottom. Apply only two coats to the bottom. Applying more than two coats can cause sticking to kiln washed shelves.
- Determine the design and lightly sketch outlines if desired.
- Determine what colors you want on your cactus or mushrooms. Use the Snow Gems as they are designed, or you can tint them with Stroke & Coat colors. Mix small amounts on the tile. Only a few drops of Stroke & Coat are needed to tint. Remember, the base of Snow Gems is white, so it will always lighten the color you add to tint.
- Apply two to three coats of Snow Gems in the colors of your choice to the cactus or mushroom designs. Allow to dry.
- Use any of the Stroke & Coat colors to outline and shade the cactus or mushrooms. Notice how Stroke & Coat colors can be used right on top of Snow Gems with no fear of movement. Use a damp brush to blend any harsh edges of color. Add dots or patterns. Use the Just Froggy and detail liner to add come blades of grass coming up from the bottom.
- The top clay pot has drips of color coming down from the top. This was done by dabbing large amounts of Stroke & Coat colors of choice to the top edge and allowing it to run down before firing. Stroke & Coat does not move on low fire bodies and will have slight movement on stoneware.
- Dilute a small amount of Tuxedo with water and use the stiff fan brush to speckle the surface of the pots.
- Fire to cone 06.
Additional Adaptations and Tips:
- The pots shown in this method are clay pots purchased at a garden center and were low fired to cone 06. This same method could be done on stoneware shapes as well.
