How I Choose Designs, Slips & Glazes for My Ceramics

Every ceramic piece I make begins with an idea and slowly transforms into a sketch.

More often than not, it begins with something I have seen, remembered, or felt connected to a landscape, a flower, a quiet moment in nature, or a memory of a place that stayed with me.

Over time, I have realized that the designs, colors, and glazes I choose are all connected. They are different parts of the same process of translating what inspires me into something I can hold in my hands.

Starting with nature

Nature is one of my biggest sources of inspiration.

I am naturally drawn to earthy colors, organic forms, and the quiet variations you find in landscapes. Mountains, valleys, trees, wildflowers, birds, animals and changing skies often find their way into my ceramic work, sometimes quite literally and sometimes in a much more abstract way.

But not every design is a direct representation of something I have seen.

Sometimes I start with my own imagination and combine it with memories of the natural surroundings I have experienced. A landscape may become a pattern. A memory of a valley may turn into a combination of colors. A small detail I noticed on a journey may eventually become a hand-painted motif on a mug.

That is what makes the design process quite personal for me. I am not simply trying to recreate nature - I am interpreting the way I remember it.

Choosing the right design

Once I have an idea, I think about how it will translate onto clay.

Not every design works on every form. A motif that looks beautiful on a flat plate may feel too busy on a mug. Some designs need to be carved or inlaid, while others work better as hand-painted details.

I often go through several versions before arriving at the one I want.

There are pieces that don't work the way I imagined them. Some experiments get changed completely, while others teach me something that becomes useful in the next piece.

For me, that trial-and-error is an important part of making ceramics. The final design is often the result of several small decisions and experiments rather than one perfect idea from the beginning.

Why I gravitate towards earthy colors

Color is another important part of how I build my collections.

I naturally find myself returning to earthy shades - burnt terracotta, warm browns, sage greens, soft whites, muted oranges and other colors that feel connected to the natural world.

I like colors that feel warm and grounded rather than overly bright. They allow the ceramic form and the handmade details to remain the focus.

At the same time, I don't want every collection to look exactly the same. Sometimes I introduce a darker shade, a contrasting color, or an unexpected combination to give a piece a different character.

The colors are usually chosen alongside the design, rather than separately. I think about what the colors should make me feel and how they will work together once they become part of a ceramic piece.

Finding the right glaze

Choosing a glaze is where the process becomes a little more experimental.

A glaze can completely change the way a ceramic piece looks. The same design can feel very different depending on whether it is paired with a soft, translucent glaze, a deeper earthy shade, or something with more variation.

So I don't choose a glaze simply because I like the color on its own. I think about how it will interact with the colored slip design, the clay body and the overall feel of the piece.

Sometimes the glaze I have in mind doesn't turn out exactly as expected after firing. A color may become softer, darker, more muted, or completely different from what I imagined.

And that is part of the beauty and unpredictability of ceramics.

Formulating glazes in my home studio

I formulate and experiment with my own glazes in my home studio.

This means there is quite a bit of testing involved before I use a glaze on a finished ceramic piece. I make small batches, test them on tiles, observe how they behave after firing, and make adjustments when needed.

The process can be slow, but I enjoy this part of ceramics because it gives me the freedom to create colors that feel right for my work rather than simply choosing from a ready-made palette.

Sometimes a glaze experiment works beautifully on the first attempt. Sometimes it takes several adjustments.

And sometimes, an unexpected result becomes the starting point for something completely new.

Bringing it all together

For me, a finished ceramic piece is where the design, colored slips and glaze come together.

The design carries the story or inspiration, while the colored slips add depth, detail and character. The glaze then brings everything together, adding its own variation and character through the firing process.

This is why I spend so much time thinking about what may seem like small details - a particular shade of green, the placement of a flower, the warmth of a brown, or the way a glaze settles into a carved line.

These decisions may look simple when you see the finished piece, but they are often the result of many experiments, adjustments, and trying things again.

Ultimately, I want my ceramics to feel connected to the natural world that inspires me-earthy, warm, imperfect and quietly personal.

And perhaps that is why I keep coming back to nature, memories and experimentation every time I begin making something new.