# What Is Sgraffito?

Unit: Surface Decoration (Pre-Bisque)
Topic: Sgraffito: Scratching Through Slip
URL: https://claybook.studio/learn/what-is-sgraffito/

# Drawing by Scratching

Sgraffito (from the Italian word for "scratched") is one of pottery's oldest and most direct decorative techniques. You coat the pot in a layer of colored slip or underglaze, let it firm slightly, then scratch through that layer to reveal the clay body color beneath. The contrast between the coating and the clay creates the design.

## The Beautiful Contrast

The magic of sgraffito is the two-tone quality. For example:

*   A dark brown clay pot coated with white slip: scratching through reveals warm brown lines on a white field.
*   A white stoneware pot coated with black underglaze: scratching reveals bright white lines against black.
*   A red earthenware pot coated with a terracotta-colored slip: subtle, tonal work.

The color combination determines the character of the whole piece, so choose deliberately.

## The Setup

1.  **Apply the slip or underglaze coating** to leather-hard greenware. Apply it thickly enough to be opaque: two coats is usually sufficient.
2.  **Let it firm slightly** but not dry completely. The slip should be dry to the touch but still slightly flexible, not powdery. This stage is sometimes called "stiff slip."
3.  **Scratch through** with a sgraffito tool, a pin tool, a dental pick, a nail, or any pointed implement.

## Sgraffito Tools

Almost anything with a point or edge works. The width of the tool determines the line width. Try:

*   Pin tool: fine, precise lines.
*   Loop tool: wider, textured strokes.
*   Fork: parallel lines.
*   Rubber-tipped tool: removes small areas cleanly.

## Contrast Planning Checklist
Before coating:
* Choose high-contrast clay and slip pairing
* Test line width on sample tile
* Decide which areas stay coated vs revealed

Good contrast decisions make designs read clearly after firing.

## Keep Exploring

Sgraffito has a rich history well beyond the pottery studio. The Wikipedia article on [sgraffito](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sgraffito) covers its use on Renaissance building facades and Greek island villages, where entire walls are decorated with scratched geometric patterns. The technique works on any layered surface, and the article on [earthenware](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthenware) explains why red clay bodies are a classic choice for the high-contrast reveal that makes sgraffito so striking.

## Check your understanding

### Question 1: What creates the design in sgraffito decoration?

- [ ] A. Painting over the slip with a brush
- [x] B. Scratching through a coating to reveal the clay color beneath
- [ ] C. Pressing a stamp into soft clay
- [ ] D. Carving into leather-hard clay with no slip

Tip: Scratching through a colored slip or underglaze coating reveals the contrasting color of the clay body beneath.

### Question 2: At what stage should you scratch the sgraffito design through the slip?

- [ ] A. Immediately after applying the slip while still very wet
- [x] B. When dry to touch but still slightly flexible and not powdery
- [ ] C. After bisque firing
- [ ] D. When the slip is completely bone dry

Tip: When the slip is dry to the touch but still slightly flexible, not yet powdery. Scratching at this stage produces clean, crisp lines.