Behind the Scenes: The Art of Handcrafted Pottery
Watch how raw clay transforms into unique functional art through patient Sgraffito carving and hand-painting at my North Bangalore studio.
Creating art is all about patience. This video shows one of the most meticulous parts of making a large mural, placing hundreds of tiny, hand cut clay pieces one by one. This is the dedication that goes into every custom art piece.
The journey of a hand painted plate begins with a clean, blank canvas. This is a stoneware plate that I have shaped and smoothed, ready for its design. Every beautiful piece starts with this simple, humble step.
The next step is to apply the base colors. For this plate, I chose a bold combination of orange and blue over a dark background. This layering of colors is what creates the vibrant final look.
After the base colors are applied, I begin the sgraffito process. Here, I am carefully carving away the top layer of color to reveal the white clay underneath, creating the outlines of the leaves.
A close up look at the texture created by the sgraffito technique. You can see how the carved lines give the leaves definition and depth. It is these small, handmade details that make each piece special.
This video shows the sgraffito process in action on a different piece. I am carving delicate veins into these colorful leaves, a meditative process that requires a steady hand. This surface decoration technique is one of my favorites.
Sgraffito is a versatile technique that works beautifully for creating detailed illustrations on clay. Here, a student in my workshop is carving a beautiful snake and moth design onto a plate.
This is a technique called slip trailing, where I apply liquid clay in fine dots to create a raised, textured pattern. I am using it here to create the center of a large, abstract ceramic flower.
These are hand carved and painted ceramic tiles, ready to be used in a mural or as decorative accents. Each tile has a unique floral design, showcasing different carving and painting styles.
Here I am using the sgraffito technique on colored clay. By carving through the surface, I can create intricate line drawings, like this detailed floral mandala.
About Behind the Scenes: The Making Of
Every piece you see here involves hours of Sgraffito carving, not just a quick press in a mold. Because I handle the shaping, glazing, and firing (at 1200°C) all by myself, I recommend reaching out a few weeks in advance for custom work so I can give your piece the time it needs.
When I pull a piece of stoneware off the wheel, it is just the beginning. The real story happens in the details. Whether I am using slip trailing to create raised textures on a floral mural or spending hours with a fine carving tool to expose the white clay beneath a layer of colored glaze, the goal is always the same: to create something with a soul.
My Sgraffito process is meditative. I carve each leaf, vein, and petal by hand, ensuring that no two plates are ever truly identical. I do not use mass-production molds. This means your dinnerware or custom wall art will not have that factory-perfect finish, but it will have a distinct history. It carries the weight of the effort, from the initial shaping to the high-fire kiln process.
If you are looking for something specific, like a personalized nameplate or a set of hand-painted bowls, we will start with a sketch. We will discuss the motifs—perhaps something inspired by traditional Kalamkari or a wild floral design—and iterate until it feels right. This is about making objects that are not just decor, but an essential part of your daily life.
Oriri Studio
I am the person behind the clay. At my studio, I do not just teach pottery; I pour my heart into making pieces that last. If you appreciate the mark of the artist's hand and want something with meaning, you are in the right place.
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