# Mishima Inlay: Clean Lines in Five Steps

Cluster: Decorating Techniques
URL: https://claybook.studio/blog/mishima-inlay-pottery/

# Mishima Inlay: Clean Lines in Five Steps

Mishima is a decorating technique where you carve a design into leather-hard clay, fill the lines with a contrasting slip or underglaze, and scrape the surface back so the color remains only in the carved grooves. The result is crisp, flat, graphic lines that look inlaid.

It is related to sgraffito, which scratches through a color layer. Mishima does the opposite: it carves first and fills second. Our [sgraffito guide](/blog/sgraffito-pottery-step-by-step/) shows the difference.

## What you need

* A leather-hard pot
* Carving tools: a needle, a V-shaped tool or a fine loop tool
* Contrasting slip or underglaze, thick like cream
* A soft brush or sponge to apply
* A metal rib or flexible scraper
* A damp sponge

## The five steps

**1. Carve the design.** Work on a pot that is firm enough not to deform but not so dry that it chips. Cut lines about 1 to 2 mm deep. Keep the walls of the grooves clean and slightly angled so the slip locks in.

**2. Fill with slip.** Brush a generous layer over the whole carved area, pushing slip into the grooves. Don't worry about the mess: the slip should sit proud of the surface.

**3. Wait.** Let the slip stiffen until it is dull and leather hard, matching the pot. This waiting step decides how well the next step works. If you scrape too early, the slip smears. Too late and it chips.

**4. Scrape back.** Hold a metal rib at a low angle and scrape across the surface to remove slip from the flat areas. Only the grooves keep their color. Wipe the rib clean often.

**5. Smooth and clean.** Use a barely damp sponge to polish any slip film left on the surface. Take care not to smear color back into the clay.

See [executing mishima step by step](/learn/executing-mishima-step-by-step/) for photos of each stage.

## Pick the right contrast

Mishima works best with strong contrast:

* White slip on dark clay
* Dark slip on white or buff clay
* Colored underglaze on any plain body

Test any slip on your own clay first. Slip needs to shrink at a rate close to your clay, or the inlay may crack or lift. Commercial slips and underglazes labeled for your cone are the safest start. Read [underglaze for beginners](/blog/underglaze-for-beginners/) for tips on thickness and coats.

## Timing is everything

Everything hinges on moisture. The pot should be leather hard for carving. The slip should be firm when you scrape. See [pottery clay stages](/blog/pottery-clay-stages/) if you are not sure how to judge.

Practice on a flat test tile first, as in [carve and inlay a test tile](/practice/carve-and-inlay-a-test-tile/).

## Glazing and firing

Dry the pot slowly, then bisque fire. Apply a clear or transparent glaze over the whole piece and fire to the cone for your clay and glaze. The inlaid lines show through the glaze, clean and sharp.

## Common problems

* **Fuzzy edges.** Scraped too early or carved with a dull tool.
* **Lines look shallow.** Not enough depth, or too much sanding after scraping.
* **Cracks in the inlay.** The slip and clay shrink at different rates. Try a different slip.
* **Slip lifts.** The pot was too dry when you filled the lines.

## Ideas to try

* A band of repeated lines around a mug rim
* A border on a plate
* Small dots or leaf shapes across a bowl
* A geometric grid on a vase

Keep photos of your tests and note which slip and clay you used. A project log in Claybook is a good place to keep them so you can repeat what works.