What is Sgrafitto? With Sarah Anderson
At Tao of Clay, we’re always drawn to artists who treat clay not just as a material, but as an opportunity to communicate.
Our newest guest artist Sarah Anderson does exactly that transforming her pieces into a world of characters, texture, and narrative through the intricate technique of sgraffito. Equal parts illustration and sculpture, her work blurs the line between object and story, inviting you to look closer, and then closer still.
In this conversation, we dive into the process of Sgrafitto, her love of carving, and the slightly chaotic, deeply imaginative universe that lives inside each piece.
1. For someone completely new to ceramics, how would you describe sgraffito in your own words?
Sgraffito, the Italian word for scratching, is quite literally taking any tool and scratching it into the surface of clay. If you’re familiar with print making techniques, picture a woodcut print but on clay! It’s a fantastic way to incorporate illustrations or patterns into your surface design!
2. What drew you to sgraffito specifically, versus other surface techniques like painting or glazing?
It all started with wanting to incorporate bright colors into my work when I found the lovely world of underglazes. My work slowly morphed into clay coloring books when I discovered carving tools. I found that the repetition of carving lines was very meditative, and here we are nearly 7 years later still using the same technique!
3. Your work is beautifully illustrative and whimsical, tell us about what the characters and themes in your work mean to you.
I find myself starting with the gesture of a character. I focus on exaggerating features and elongating their forms to create a bit of separation from our immediate reality. Frogs and rats are typically categorized as non-desirables, so naturally that’s what I’m drawn to. I enjoy a bit of grunge and chaos mixed into the worlds and stories that I build with each new character. Usually there is a moment where beings are meeting for the first time in a foreign landscape, and it’s the beginning of their adventure. Everything I carve on my pieces is part of a larger story line.
4. Can you walk us through your process, from a blank leather hard piece to a finished surface?
I begin painting underglaze onto the surface of the clay, one solid color. The characters have all been immortalized in paper, which I trace to keep consistency throughout my series. The rest of the background is free-handed with a pencil, and then carved over top to create the first initial outline. I then create a second line around the outside of this, which I’ve deemed the “halo” technique. This gives the imagery a little boost of extra color and space. I finish with carving the negative space away in the background, revealing the white clay underneath the underglaze. Each piece is finished with secondary colors added to each character, acting like a coloring book of sorts.
5. What’s one mistake beginners make when trying sgraffito for the first time?
Take your time. This process is NOT a race, and it will require patience. Most beginners will try to rush the process, so just relax and settle in for a carving meditation.
6. What tools (or unconventional tools) do you love for carving, and why?
I’ve used a number of excellent tools, and your tools will make or break your process. Unfortunately I love an incredibly thin carving tool that’s on the verge of breaking. I’ve used the Kemper Wire Stylus tool, FP1 Diamond Core tool, and mostly recently have been using the fine tip carving tool from BuschKraft!
7. What can we expect at your Tao of Clay workshop!
I’ve taught over 100 sgraffito workshops throughout the United States and Europe over the last four years. And now, I’m excited to bring my workshop 2.0 to Tao of Clay! We will learn all things sgraffito, practice with a variety of tools, and incorporate printmaking and stamp techniques into this workshop!
Join Sarah's Sgrafitto Workshop!
