DIY Underglaze Pencils

As much as I enjoy the underglaze pencils, I want something thicker, and more raw, like the equivalent of oil pastels, to use on my next ceramic, which will probably be my final pieces. Thankfully I could make some of my own, using ingredients from the ceramics department! We found a recipe online, which was then mixed with the relevant colour powders.

Underglaze pencils recipe (https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/daily/article/Drawn-to-Surface-How-to-Make-and-Use-Underglaze-Pencils-Crayons-Pens-and-Trailers)

We mixed this with 50ml of water, and whisked until a pourable, play-dough texture. You can see in the video down below. We poured them onto flat plastercasts which were quickly heated in the kiln room, to encourage quicker drying.

The result was rollable dough, that was breakable. But if you mushed it together, it would make a pliable dough ball ready for shaping! We made long, pastel-like shapes that could be broken, depending on they draw.

I used most boxed colours in the cupboard, including a purple, black, blue, orange-yellowed mustard-yellow, and dark green. We fired a first batch at 759 degrees which would mean softer pastels, and could increase hardness with higher temperatures.

I’ll be using these on my next piece. I can’t wait to use them!