When inspiration strikes, the last thing you want to do is stop and set up your work space and materials. Try this tip for organizing and using dry underglazes to create portable, ready-to-go palettes.
Working with multiple underglaze colors can quickly become chaotic—especially when you’re layering, experimenting, or searching for that one elusive shade. Constantly shaking bottles or hunting for colors interrupts the creative flow. My solution was to condense all those jars into compact, portable palettes and explore a dried underglaze technique that lets me paint wherever inspiration strikes.
Palette Containers
The idea for my palette boxes began after watching Lisa Schutte Koester of Wild Acorns on YouTube demonstrate smart storage solutions for her liquid materials. Inspired, I adapted the concept using adjustable tool organizers from my local hardware store.
My first version measured 12 × 7 inches (30.5 × 17.8 cm) and had thirteen adjustable compartments, each sealed with caulking to prevent leaks. The next generation evolved into presealed 10½ × 7-inch (26.7 × 17.8-cm) boxes with 18 compartments—ready to use right off the shelf. Because most of my underglazes are dry to semi-thick, spills aren’t a concern. For those who prefer a looser mix, a tightly sealing box works well. Using these palettes for dry underglazing makes organizing and painting quick, clean, and wonderfully travel friendly.
Filling and Drying
I fill each compartment (liquid, thick, or dry), and each compartment holds roughly a 2-oz. bottle of underglaze. I leave the lids open until the moisture evaporates, usually about a week or two for liquid colors. Note: Since these types of containers aren’t airtight, they will slowly dry over time. When the surface hardens, a few drops of water on a brush or sponge reactivates the color.
I label each box lid with a permanent marker for quick color referencing. The lid’s interior doubles as a mini mixing palette, perfect for small blends. My working boxes are far from pristine—drips, specks, and smudges tell the story of constant use—but any contamination is surface-level and easy to clean up.
Underglaze Brands and Behavior
Dried underglazes reveal their individual personalities when reactivated. Some colors stay smooth and intense; others become gritty or watercolor-like. Even within the same brand, each shade behaves a little differently. Testing helps you learn what to expect, and with a bit of practice, every color can find its place in your designs.
My palettes include underglazes from Amaco, Mayco, Speedball, Western, Leslie’s, Kiwi, and a few vintage Duncan bottles. After testing at both cone 04 and cone 6, these are my overall observations:
Amaco: Intense, smooth, and easy to rehydrate—excellent for layering.
Mayco: Consistent and vibrant with strong coverage.
Western & Leslie’s: Budget-friendly and reliable, especially in blues and pinks.
Speedball: More transparent and slower to dissolve, but soft and painterly.
Duncan (vintage): Variable, sometimes gritty, but full of charm.
Kiwi: New to my collection, offering bright, punchy hues—especially pinks.
Overall, texture and behavior vary more by color than by brand. Once you test them, each can shine in your palette.
Application and Layering
Though my palettes resemble watercolor sets, my finished pieces are anything but pale. They’re bright, saturated, and full of life. Using round brushes, I build color gradually—some shades cover in one coat, others need three to five. Photographing test tiles before firing helps me consistently recreate color and thickness.
I prefer painting on bisqueware rather than greenware. Bisque absorbs pigment evenly, making layering easy and crisp. Greenware’s moisture can repel underglaze, while bone-dry clay can dull colors.
When painting, I rehydrate only the surface of the dried color, then lift excess water back into the brush. Soft brushes hold water for smooth blends (I use round brushes); stiffer ones add texture. Because underglazes shrink slightly as they dry, heavy layers can crack or flake—so a few thin coats are better than one thick coat.
Tips, Hero Box, and Glazing
Before filling a palette, test each color to curate your favorites. My “Hero Box” holds my go-to combinations—colors that harmonize beautifully, whether layered or used alone. Each box condenses a full set of underglazes into one compact, grab-and-go kit that fits easily in a studio bag.
After decorating and adding linework, I wax the foot, then dip glaze in a zinc-free clear glaze for cone 6 or Duncan’s Pure Brilliance for cone 04. If I need to brush instead of dip, I let the underglaze dry completely, then load a natural fan brush generously and make as few passes as possible to preserve detail.
Mixing, blending, and layering with color becomes a joyful process of discovery, keeping design work fresh, and inspiring. The possibilities are endless—each new palette opens another world of color waiting to be explored.
the author Tammy Jo Schoppet is a ceramic artist who shares her ongoing pottery journey on YouTube and Instagram @hobbypotter. She is best known for documenting her learning process in the YouTube video series 365 Days of Clay Cups, and is the author of 365 Days of Clay Cups: A Cup, A Day for A Year, which chronicles that experience. She also creates expressive, purpose-driven pottery for EXPRESSives Art.
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When inspiration strikes, the last thing you want to do is stop and set up your work space and materials. Try this tip for organizing and using dry underglazes to create portable, ready-to-go palettes.
Working with multiple underglaze colors can quickly become chaotic—especially when you’re layering, experimenting, or searching for that one elusive shade. Constantly shaking bottles or hunting for colors interrupts the creative flow. My solution was to condense all those jars into compact, portable palettes and explore a dried underglaze technique that lets me paint wherever inspiration strikes.
Palette Containers
The idea for my palette boxes began after watching Lisa Schutte Koester of Wild Acorns on YouTube demonstrate smart storage solutions for her liquid materials. Inspired, I adapted the concept using adjustable tool organizers from my local hardware store.
My first version measured 12 × 7 inches (30.5 × 17.8 cm) and had thirteen adjustable compartments, each sealed with caulking to prevent leaks. The next generation evolved into presealed 10½ × 7-inch (26.7 × 17.8-cm) boxes with 18 compartments—ready to use right off the shelf. Because most of my underglazes are dry to semi-thick, spills aren’t a concern. For those who prefer a looser mix, a tightly sealing box works well. Using these palettes for dry underglazing makes organizing and painting quick, clean, and wonderfully travel friendly.
Filling and Drying
I fill each compartment (liquid, thick, or dry), and each compartment holds roughly a 2-oz. bottle of underglaze. I leave the lids open until the moisture evaporates, usually about a week or two for liquid colors. Note: Since these types of containers aren’t airtight, they will slowly dry over time. When the surface hardens, a few drops of water on a brush or sponge reactivates the color.
I label each box lid with a permanent marker for quick color referencing. The lid’s interior doubles as a mini mixing palette, perfect for small blends. My working boxes are far from pristine—drips, specks, and smudges tell the story of constant use—but any contamination is surface-level and easy to clean up.
Underglaze Brands and Behavior
Dried underglazes reveal their individual personalities when reactivated. Some colors stay smooth and intense; others become gritty or watercolor-like. Even within the same brand, each shade behaves a little differently. Testing helps you learn what to expect, and with a bit of practice, every color can find its place in your designs.
My palettes include underglazes from Amaco, Mayco, Speedball, Western, Leslie’s, Kiwi, and a few vintage Duncan bottles. After testing at both cone 04 and cone 6, these are my overall observations:
Overall, texture and behavior vary more by color than by brand. Once you test them, each can shine in your palette.
Application and Layering
Though my palettes resemble watercolor sets, my finished pieces are anything but pale. They’re bright, saturated, and full of life. Using round brushes, I build color gradually—some shades cover in one coat, others need three to five. Photographing test tiles before firing helps me consistently recreate color and thickness.
I prefer painting on bisqueware rather than greenware. Bisque absorbs pigment evenly, making layering easy and crisp. Greenware’s moisture can repel underglaze, while bone-dry clay can dull colors.
When painting, I rehydrate only the surface of the dried color, then lift excess water back into the brush. Soft brushes hold water for smooth blends (I use round brushes); stiffer ones add texture. Because underglazes shrink slightly as they dry, heavy layers can crack or flake—so a few thin coats are better than one thick coat.
Tips, Hero Box, and Glazing
Before filling a palette, test each color to curate your favorites. My “Hero Box” holds my go-to combinations—colors that harmonize beautifully, whether layered or used alone. Each box condenses a full set of underglazes into one compact, grab-and-go kit that fits easily in a studio bag.
After decorating and adding linework, I wax the foot, then dip glaze in a zinc-free clear glaze for cone 6 or Duncan’s Pure Brilliance for cone 04. If I need to brush instead of dip, I let the underglaze dry completely, then load a natural fan brush generously and make as few passes as possible to preserve detail.
Mixing, blending, and layering with color becomes a joyful process of discovery, keeping design work fresh, and inspiring. The possibilities are endless—each new palette opens another world of color waiting to be explored.
the author Tammy Jo Schoppet is a ceramic artist who shares her ongoing pottery journey on YouTube and Instagram @hobbypotter. She is best known for documenting her learning process in the YouTube video series 365 Days of Clay Cups, and is the author of 365 Days of Clay Cups: A Cup, A Day for A Year, which chronicles that experience. She also creates expressive, purpose-driven pottery for EXPRESSives Art.
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