Celebrate With a Plate

Even with businesses reopening around the Space Coast, some may not yet feel comfortable spending time out and about. So you can continue your love of art at home. Check with your nearest paint-your-own pottery studio to pick up a dinner plate… or a few, and gather the supplies needed for this project you can do in studio or at home. It will be a nice addition to your home and also makes a great gift.

Supplies:

• Large-rimmed dinner plate
• Six or seven glaze colors
• Masking tape in various widths, all under ¾”
• Masking dots if available
• Flat paint brush and liner brush
• Stick pin
• Bowl of water and sponge (to clean brushes between colors)
• Various “doodads” with stick-ons

1. Tape off sections of plate’s outer rim using various width masking tapes. Start by putting one piece of tape on each of the “compass points” north, west, east and south edges of the plate. Then work toward the center of those points on the rim.
2. In the larger sections, you can add a masking dot or two. This project looks great with a variety of spacing all around the outer edge.
3. Paint three coats of glaze in each section, varying the colors. Let each layer dry between coats. Glaze dries much lighter than the colors it “fires” to in the kiln. Reds will look pink, blacks will look grey. But don’t worry, the firing process brings out the true vibrancy.
4. After three coats are completely dry, insert a stick pin into the center of the masking dots to gently lift them off of the plate. Don’t try to push the pin under the sides of the dots as that will leave marks that will show after firing. Remove all masking tape by hand prior to firing.
5. Using your smaller or liner brush, add more details to the spaces where the tape was removed. Watered-down black glaze can be used to make stripes, dots are fun for inside the circle areas. Get creative!
6. If you choose a ceramic “doodad,” paint it with three coats of glaze and return to the studio with your plate for firing. You can purchase multiple “doodads” to make sure every celebration has a personalized plate.
7. After firing, attach both pieces of the hook-eye sticker onto either the plate or the doodad where desired, and then remove the outer peel for the back side and push the doodad onto the plate. Our hook-eye is marine grade so that it can go through the dishwasher.

Paint Your Own Pottery Studios

ClayZ Arts, Rockledge: clayzarts.com, 321-453-4848

Get Fired Up, Melbourne: getfireduppottery.com, 321-729-0222

Mimi’s Crafts, Satellite Beach: mimiscrafts.com, 321-779-3266

Laurie Knisley, known as the ClayZ Lady, encourages young and old alike to get their art on. Whether it's pottery, painting, crafts, mixed media, journaling or needlework, she believes that art is the cheapest therapy available and the most fun. Laurie owns ClayZ Arts in Rockledge.

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