How to Use Templates and Slip Transfers to Decorate a Wide-Rimmed Bowl Alec Hoogland

For Alec Hoogland, making rice bowls with wide, flared rims makes sense functionally by allowing ample room for lots of rice and fresh ingredients. The wide rim also is a great space for decoration. Alec's decorating technique of choice is transferring hand-drawn and painted images onto the rim of a bowl using templates and slip transfer.

In this excerpt from the May/June 2025 issue of Pottery Making Illustrated, Alec shares all their steps for making crisp, layered surface decoration on a wide-rimmed bowl. –Jennifer Poellot Harnetty, editor

PS: Check out the full article, from the May/June 2025 issue of Pottery Making Illustrated, to pick up Alec's tips for throwing a wide-rimmed bowl. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today!

Create a Template

For the transfers, I have found it best to use 31-pound newsprint paper. This thicker paper allows for easier mark making and handling, and you can be a touch rougher with it when burnishing it on your pot.

On the paper, draw a circle the same diameter as the rim’s outer edge. Measure the depth of the flared edge to draw out the diameter of the interior bowl. Cut out your template; cut out and remove the interior diameter as you will not need it. Fold then cut the ring template in half to work in smaller sections since your paper may warp depending on the shape of the rim.

Decorate the Template

Using a pen or pencil, draw images onto the paper (1). Crossing patterns helps give a well-rounded image with more depth. Next, use underglazes (I use a mix of Speedball and Amaco) to fill in the drawings with three to four coats (2). Tip: Be sure not to move the paper too much as it dries, or the underglaze may flake off. For any images that overlap, the image you want to be on top, or seen over another image, paint first. Painting underglaze over top of each other can cause the image to look muddy when transferred. Let the transfer dry completely.

Apply Slip

For the slip, I use Standard Clay’s 213 Porcelain dry mix. Mix a gallon of slip to a consistency between liquid plaster and sour cream. The thinner the slip, the more translucent it will be—showing the clay underneath. To color the slip, use about a tablespoon of Mason stain per pint of slip and adjust as needed. For the porcelain slip, add about 3–4 tablespoons of white Mason stain to aid as a binder for the clay, otherwise the slip may bubble on the surface. Be sure to wear a respirator and gloves when working with dry materials. When mixing small portions, use an immersion blender to ensure a smooth slip.

After your template drawings have dried, apply an even coat of slip over the top of the painting (3). It’s best to use a gesso brush or a wide bamboo brush to establish an even coat. Once the slip has been applied, wait for it to dry to about leather hard. Carefully pick up the paper on each end and gently set it on the rim of the bowl; be sure the bowl is at a leather-hard state as well. Once placed, use a rubber rib to burnish the transfer on the pot and be sure to remove all air bubbles (4). Slowly peel the paper away, going back to any spots that don’t stick and burnishing them until they do (5).

Finishing Touches

Once the transfer has been applied, use a dull X-Acto knife to outline all the images (6). Stamps add a layer of depth and texture and help fill some of the negative space; be sure to add a supporting hand under the flared rim and gently, but firmly, press into the clay (7). For the bee stamp, I add a trailing effect by using a stitching roller (8).

Finally, take a scrap piece of newsprint and firmly press in the transfer. This flattens any burrs left from the knife and removes any remaining air bubbles. Set the bowl aside to slowly dry, leaving the bowl slightly covered to ensure even drying. If the bowl dries too quickly, it can cause the slip to separate.

Glazing

After your bowl has been bisque fired, lightly sand away any rough bits of slip. Be sure to wear a respirator when sanding. Wipe away any dust with a damp sponge, do not blow on it. After you have sanded the bowl, apply an underglaze wash to fill in all the line work, stamps, and small creases and wipe the excess away with a wet sponge. An underglaze wash can be any color; the darker the better to highlight the motifs that were outlined. To mix the wash, use 4 parts water to 1 part underglaze and mix well.

I fire my pots to cone 4 in an electric kiln with a 30-minute hold. I find that this gets the kiln close to cone 6 and limits the amount of blistering that may happen with certain underglazes.

Process photos: Evan Cobb.

Alec Hoogland (they/them) is a potter living and working in South Bend, Indiana. They graduated with a degree in ceramics in 2016. In 2023, they opened Highland Studio & Gallery where they have their personal studio space, teach classes, and run a gallery space that represents over 30 artists from around the country. You can learn more about Alec by visiting Instagram @alechooglandceramics or www.alechooglandceramics.com.