10 Beginner Pottery Painting Ideas: Make it on your own!

Have you always wanted to design your own pottery? Not everyone has the space or funds for their own pottery wheel and kiln, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create beautiful pieces of your very own pottery! If you’re a new potter or are simply interested in starting a new hobby, painting and decorating pottery is a great way to start!

Painting your own pottery pieces not only provides you with a creative outlet, but also gives you a fun way to make both functional and decorative pieces for your home! Hand painted pottery also makes a wonderful and thoughtful gift for almost any occasion. From fruit bowls to flower vases, the possibilities are endless when painting pottery.

How can I paint my own pottery if I don’t have a pottery wheel or kiln?

While it is amazing to own your own pottery wheel for throwing your own pottery, you can absolutely create your own ceramics without this piece of equipment.If you have access to a kiln, you can make your own forms to paint by hand building. If you don’t have a kiln available to use, you can actually purchase premade pottery forms such as plates, bowls, mugs, and even vases to paint on. These pieces can either be bisque fired or glazed. What type you want to choose depends on what type of paint you’d like to use and whether or not you want your end result to be food safe.

How are painted and glazed pottery different?

When designing pottery, it is very important to know the difference between glazed pottery and pottery that is painted with traditional paint. If you’re looking to create pottery that can withstand the wear and tear of everyday life as well as functional use, you want to decorate bisqued pottery with glaze.

When pottery is first fired, it undergoes something called a bisque firing. This makes the clay harder than unbaked clay, but not so hard that it won’t soak up glaze. Glaze is sort of the standard pottery paint. It is a type of finish that you coat on your pottery that acts like both a glassy surface and a paint. It is made up of various elements that give it different colors and textures depending on what glaze you choose. When most bisqued pottery is painted with ceramic glaze and then glaze fired, it is safe to use for food and drink. Ceramics that have been glazed are pretty durable as far as ceramics go. The glaze that has been painted on will not chip off or wear away.

Painting premade pottery with traditional paints such as acrylic paint, enamel paints, or oil-based paints is definitely the easiest thing to do if you don’t have access to a pottery wheel or kiln. You can absolutely paint beautiful pots with these traditional paints that would make lovely decor or gifts.

Acrylic paint and oil-based paints are extremely versatile and a little bit more user friendly to use in comparison with ceramic glazes. You can mix colors however you please without potentially creating a strange glaze chemistry. Acrylic paints also give stunning, bright colors that look lovely on outdoor pots and planters. This is also the safest option for projects intended for small children as these paints are less toxic than ceramic glazes.

While it is the most convenient option by far, there are a few things to consider When you paint a piece of pottery with paint instead of glaze, the functionality of your pottery becomes limited. Plates, cups, and bowls that are painted instead of glazed are not food safe.

There is a chance that paint could leach into your food or beverage because the paint isn’t sealed the way that glaze is. There is also a chance that paint could flake off into your food or when you wash your pot after use. You can definitely seal your paint with mod podge to protect the design you create, but it is still not safe or suitable to use for food or drink.

Don’t let this discourage you from painting pots with traditional paints. Flower pots, vases, and even fruit bowls would be great projects to paint on! As long as the pot is intended for decorative use only or for plants, the options are endless.

10 Creative Pottery Painting Ideas

So let’s get into it! Here are 10 ideas for painting on ceramic mugs, plates, flowerpots, and more!

Mugs

When it comes to painting mugs, you’re going to want to use ceramic glazes that will allow you create a piece that is food safe.

1. Solid colors with ceramic glazes- there is nothing easier to do when glazing a ceramic mug! Although solid colors are a simple design, it allows the glaze to be the show stopper. It’s a classic look and anyone can achieve it! For beginners, I’d recommend purchasing a commercial glaze intended for pottery. Follow the instructions on the glaze . It should indicate whether applications should be done with a paintbrush or by dipping your cup into the glaze. If you’re dipping, be sure not to glaze the bottom of your mug or it will stick to the kiln shelf. The glaze will also indicate what temperature, or cone, you should glaze fire your mug.

2. Create a Striped or Polka Dot Pattern- while these may seem like simpler designs, they make a big impact! You don’t have to have a ton of artistic skills to create a funky mug that you’ll love to drink out of! There are so many variations to using simple straight lines or dots on a mug. You could cover the exterior in dots or lines, and glaze the interior a solid color. The dots or lines could cover the entire mug. You could even mix the two together for a little modern flair.

3. Two Tone Mug with Different Colors- Another simple idea, and yet beautiful design is using two different colors of glaze together! You could glaze the interior and exterior two different shades. Your glazes could contrast like black and white, or they could give a fun multidimensional look with different hues of the same color! I love using multiple blues or greens on my pots. It’s understated while still being visually interesting!

Plates

Decorating plates is such fun! Plates make excellent gifts, serving pieces, or even wall decor. Here are a few plate painting ideas!

4. Create a keepsake platter with personalized last name. This is such a great gift idea for newly weds or family members! It is also a fun idea as a piece of kitchen wall decor. For this project, I’d recommend using underglazes to paint the name or design on, they act like a true paint but are still food safe when they are sealed with clear glaze. Simply paint on your name and add any other embellishments in underglaze. Once dry, coat with clear glaze, and fire! It can be as minimal or decorative as you’d like!

5. Design an embellished rim. Plate designs can be intricate or they can be simple. A delicate design on the rim can do a lot when elevating the look of a plate. A ring of gold luster or a rim of contrasting glaze can create a very classic looking plate with minimal effort!

6. Floral designs- an earthy, yet classic idea for decorating plates is to use floral patterns! Florals can be whimsical, earthy, simple, or bold. Choose some inspiration photos that suit you and go to town! Florals can take over your entire surface or you can have a single, understated flower as your focal point! The options are endless.

Bowls

When designing bowls, they aren’t much different from plates or mugs! You can use all of the design ideas mentioned above on bowls as well. Below are a few other examples of how to create fun ceramic bowls.

7. Paint a fruit bowl inspired by fruit itself! Paint the exterior of the bowl to resemble the outside of the fruit. Glaze the interior to look like the inside of the fruit!

Flower Pots/Vases

Flower pots and vases are excellent pots to paint with more traditional paints like acrylics. These pots don’t need to be food safe because simply put, they aren’t used for food! Like with the bowls, you can use any technique mentioned above with regular paints too. You just subtract the kiln! Here are a few fun additional ideas to use when painting a flower pot or vase.

8. Go with bright colors! Nothing pops in a garden quite like a brightly colored flowerpot. Grab the paint of your choice and light up your garden!

9. Use paint pens! Metallics, bright colors, you name it and it comes in a paint pen. This is an easy way to get little details or quickly decorate a pot or vase if you aren’t too handy with a brush.

10. Paint quirky faces on your flowerpots or vases. Adding faces to a pot is a simple way to add personality to your ceramics! Turn your little plant or floral friends into fun creatures or pot people for a fun, eclectic look.

You don’t need expensive equipment or advanced pottery painting skills to design and paint your own beautiful pottery. All you need is a sprinkle of creativity, a few simple supplies and a can do attitude. I hope you’ve enjoyed this roundup of ceramic paint designs! From simple patterns with paints to glaze combinations, the possibilities are endless. Be sure to tag me in your creations. I can’t wait to see what you’ve made. I can’t wait to make things again with you soon!