What is Sgraffito Pottery?

Sgraffito is a pottery decoration technique, which involves incising or scratching a sgraffito design into the surface of a pot. The word sgraffito, derived from the Italian word ‘graffiare’, literally means “to scratch”. Contrasting coloured slip is applied to the surface of the pot, and once the slip has dried, but still retains some dampness, a stage which is called hard leather, the upper surface of slip is scratched to reveal the clay colour underneath. The sgraffito technique can be traced back to the ancient Greek and Roman pottery, in which it was used to create narrative scenes, tell stories, and depict myths and historical events among other things. All the following pots have been made in our pottery classes, some of which were made as a first pottery make and beginner sgraffito design.

A sgraffito pottery coil pot of a flying bird made in a Manchester pottery class by a graphic designer
A blue oval plate with an intricate sgraffito design, made in a class at 7 Limes Pottery
A coil pot depicting an octopus made in a pottery class at Seven Limes Pottery Manchester
A triangle sgraffito designed coil pot made in a class at 7 Limes Pottery
Wheel thrown mug with drawn and pottery sgraffito design made at 7 limes pottery
sgraffito pottery coil pot with bold tribal patters, made in a pottery class
2 sgraffito drawings of woodland scenes on pots made in a pottery class at 7 limes pottery Manchester
Black and terracotta coil pottery with etched sgraffito design made in at class at 7 Limes Pottery
A drawn sgraffito woodland design on a pottery jug, made in a craft course at 7 limes pottery Manchester
A white and terracotta sgraffito plate design with a wiggle and blob pattern, made in a pottery class
A sgraffito coil pot made in a class at 7 Limes Pottery
Pot made using the coiling method, at 7 Limes Pottery Manchester
Slabbed sgraffito pottery cylinder made in a beginner pottery class
A white and terracotta beginner sgraffito design on coil pottery
Yellow terracotta sgraffito coil pottery with Aztec-like design.
A coiled pot with sgraffito design
Curvy coil pot with sgraffito design by Frasier
A wheel thrown stoneware pot with white leaf sgraffito design

Examples of sgraffito from professional potters and 7 Limes Pottery classes.

Where to get inspiration for your Sgraffito design

Where can you get inspiration from for your sgraffito design? Inspiration for pattern can be taken from nature, geometry, art, architecture, culture and everyday objects among other things. Traditionally narratives, mythology, stories and history have been told in sgraffito on ancient pots around the world. Textile designers spend their lifetimes creating patterns and so are a good source of inspiration. Here are some examples of contemporary creative pattern designs we’ve picked up that could form a source of inspiration to develop your own patterns: