All the Underglazes

Every underglaze on the shelf, from Amaco and Speedball. This is the stuff you draw with.

Glazes
105
Makers
2
All the Underglazes at The Clay Hole

An underglaze is not a glaze. It is closer to a very fine slip with a lot of colorant in it, and the single most useful thing about it is that it does not move in the firing. Put a line down and the line stays exactly where you put it.

That one property is what makes everything else possible. Sgraffito, mishima, screen printing, fine brushwork, hard edges between two colors, lettering that stays legible. None of that survives in a glaze that flows.

Here is the rule that matters most, and it is ours rather than the makers'. Underglaze goes on raw clay in this studio, never on bisque, and every underglazed piece is bisque fired before any glaze touches it. Both Amaco and Speedball allow either. We do not, and that is worth knowing before you plan a piece around it.

Bare underglaze fires matte and chalky. For anything functional it needs a clear glaze over the top, which is also what makes the color come alive.

Where to start

105 is a lot to look at. If you want three, these are the three.

1

Jet Black

Amaco Velvet Underglaze

The one most people reach for first, because line work is what underglaze is for and black is what a line wants to be.

2

White

Amaco Velvet Underglaze

Less obvious and more useful. Put it down first and any color over it stays bright, even on a dark clay body.

3

Flame Red

Speedball Underglaze

Reds are difficult at this cone in a glaze and easy in an underglaze, which is one of the better arguments for painting rather than dipping.

By color, both makers together

Amaco and Speedball sit side by side in every group, so you can compare two makers' greens without scrolling between two lists.

White

7
Blush underglaze test tile
Blush

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Blush fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Coral underglaze test tile
Coral

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Coral fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Ultra White underglaze test tile
Ultra White

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Ultra White fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

White underglaze test tile
White

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

White fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

White underglaze test tile
White

SpeedballUnderglaze

🟪 Purple Level

No Tile

An opaque white, and the one to reach for when you want a light color to stay light over a darker clay.

Swipe or use the arrows, 7 in this row

Cream

3
Ivory Beige underglaze test tile
Ivory Beige

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Ivory Beige fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Salmon underglaze test tile
Salmon

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Salmon fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Tan

1

Brown

5
Red Brown underglaze test tile
Red Brown

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Red Brown fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Teddy Bear Brown underglaze test tile
Teddy Bear Brown

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Teddy Bear Brown fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Terra Cotta underglaze test tile
Terra Cotta

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Terra Cotta fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Yellow

6
Chartreuse underglaze test tile
Chartreuse

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Chartreuse fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Intense Yellow underglaze test tile
Intense Yellow

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Intense Yellow fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Yellow underglaze test tile
Yellow

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Yellow fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Swipe or use the arrows, 6 in this row

Orange

15
Bright Orange underglaze test tile
Bright Orange

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Bright Orange fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Deep Yellow underglaze test tile
Deep Yellow

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Deep Yellow fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Flaming Orange underglaze test tile
Flaming Orange

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Flaming Orange fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Nectar underglaze test tile
Nectar

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Nectar fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Orange underglaze test tile
Orange

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Orange fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Peach underglaze test tile
Peach

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Peach fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Real Orange underglaze test tile
Real Orange

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Real Orange fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Straw underglaze test tile
Straw

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Straw fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Swipe or use the arrows, 15 in this row

Red

11
Bright Red underglaze test tile
Bright Red

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Bright Red fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Cinnamon underglaze test tile
Cinnamon

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Cinnamon fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Light Red underglaze test tile
Light Red

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Light Red fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Maroon underglaze test tile
Maroon

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Maroon fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Radiant Red underglaze test tile
Radiant Red

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Radiant Red fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Red underglaze test tile
Red

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Red fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Swipe or use the arrows, 11 in this row

Pink

5
Rose underglaze test tile
Rose

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Rose fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Ultra Violet underglaze test tile
Ultra Violet

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Ultra Violet fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Purple

8
Amethyst underglaze test tile
Amethyst

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Amethyst fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Lilac underglaze test tile
Lilac

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Lilac fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Purple underglaze test tile
Purple

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Purple fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Violet underglaze test tile
Violet

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Violet fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Swipe or use the arrows, 8 in this row

Blue

13
Baby Blue underglaze test tile
Baby Blue

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Baby Blue fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Electric Blue underglaze test tile
Electric Blue

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Electric Blue fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Indigo underglaze test tile
Indigo

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Indigo fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Lavender underglaze test tile
Lavender

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Lavender fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Medium Blue underglaze test tile
Medium Blue

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Medium Blue fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Royal Blue underglaze test tile
Royal Blue

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Royal Blue fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Slate underglaze test tile
Slate

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Slate fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Teal Blue underglaze test tile
Teal Blue

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Teal Blue fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Swipe or use the arrows, 13 in this row

Teal

5
Blue Green underglaze test tile
Blue Green

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Blue Green fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Turquoise Blue underglaze test tile
Turquoise Blue

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Turquoise Blue fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Green

13
Avocado underglaze test tile
Avocado

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Avocado fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Cactus underglaze test tile
Cactus

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Cactus fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Dark Green underglaze test tile
Dark Green

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Dark Green fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Hunter Green underglaze test tile
Hunter Green

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Hunter Green fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Light Green underglaze test tile
Light Green

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Light Green fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Pistachio underglaze test tile
Pistachio

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Pistachio fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Sea Glass underglaze test tile
Sea Glass

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Sea Glass fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Swipe or use the arrows, 13 in this row

Gray

9
Elephant underglaze test tile
Elephant

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Elephant fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Iceberg Blue underglaze test tile
Iceberg Blue

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Iceberg Blue fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Morning Fog underglaze test tile
Morning Fog

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Morning Fog fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Pearl Gray underglaze test tile
Pearl Gray

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Pearl Gray fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Ultra Black underglaze test tile
Ultra Black

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Ultra Black fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Grey underglaze test tile
Grey

SpeedballUnderglaze

🟪 Purple Level

No Tile

A neutral mid gray. Speedball spell this one Grey and Cool Gray with an a, which is their inconsistency and not ours.

Swipe or use the arrows, 9 in this row

Black

4
Chocolate Brown underglaze test tile
Chocolate Brown

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Chocolate Brown fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Jet Black underglaze test tile
Jet Black

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Jet Black fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

Velour Black underglaze test tile
Velour Black

AmacoVelvet Underglaze

⬛ Black Level

No Tile

Velour Black fired on our test tile two ways. The left half is the underglaze on its own, matte and chalky the way bare underglaze reads. The right half is the same color under a clear glaze, which deepens it and adds a little gloss.

The brushes matter more than the color

Underglaze rewards a good brush more than almost any other material in the studio. A soft wide brush for laying flat color, a fine liner with a long belly that holds enough load to finish a stroke, and a small round for filling. Cheap stiff brushes leave streaks that fire in permanently.

Three liberal coats is the standard for solid color, and the trick is to let each one lose its shine before the next. Brushing into a wet coat lifts what you already put down.

Six techniques worth knowing

Sgraffito: coat the leather-hard pot, then scratch back through to the clay. Mishima: carve a line first, flood it with underglaze, then scrape the surface clean so only the line holds color. Watercolor: thin it heavily and build in washes. Screen printing and stencils for repeats. Mono printing off a slab. And plain painting, which is the one everybody underrates.

All six work because underglaze does not move in the firing. That single property is what buys you every one of them.

The clear glaze is not an afterthought

Bare underglaze fires matte and chalky, and it is not a food surface. The clear glaze over the top is what makes the color deepen and the piece functional, and it changes the result enough that judging your work before it goes on is a mistake.

Look at the Speedball tiles on this page: each one is half bare and half under clear. The difference is not subtle, and it is the reason you should always test a color under the same clear you plan to use.

One studio rule belongs here, because it changes how you plan a piece. Underglaze is one of the most expensive things on our shelves, so ours is not for broad coverage. Use it for line work, detail, lettering and drawing. The single exception is sgraffito, where a solid coat is the whole technique and covering the pot is the point.

If you want to cover a whole piece, buy your own and use it to your heart's content. We carry Amaco Velvet and Speedball, so match either brand and it behaves exactly like ours on our clay at our cone.

Common questions

Can I put underglaze on bisque here?

No. In this studio underglaze goes on raw clay, and the piece gets bisque fired before any glaze touches it.

How many coats?

Three liberal coats for solid color. Fewer reads as a wash, which is a legitimate effect if you meant it.

Do I need a clear glaze over it?

For anything functional, yes. Bare underglaze fires matte and is not a food surface.

Will the colors run together?

No. They do not move or flow, which is exactly why this is the range for drawing.

Can I mix them?

Yes, within a range. Both makers list their colors as intermixable.

What is the difference between underglaze and engobe?

Roughly, how much clay is in it. Engobes carry more and shrink more, which is why they crack on greenware if you get it wrong. Underglazes are safer for detail work.

If you are painting a picture on a pot, this is the page. If you want the surface to do something you did not fully plan, almost every other page on the Bible is a better bet.

Also worth a look

Studio FavoritesThe glazes we keep coming back to, chosen on behavior rather than looks. Translucent GlazesThe glazes you can see through. The clay underneath stays part of the finished pot. Good for TextureThe glazes that show your carving instead of filling it in.
Back to the Glaze Bible
About these images and what your pot will actually look like

We have done our best to represent every glaze here accurately, and you should still expect your pot to look different from what is on this screen.

Our glaze tile images are digitally created. They are built to show the character of a glaze, not to be a color match.

A screen is not a printout, a printout is not a test tile, and a test tile is not a finished pot. Each step in that chain shifts what a glaze looks like, sometimes a lot.

On top of that, the pottery itself changes the result: the clay body, how thick the glaze went on, whether it was brushed, dipped or sprayed, what was layered under or over it, where the piece sat in the kiln, how hot that spot ran, how fast it cooled, what was fired next to it, and how much texture the surface had. Two pots glazed from the same jar on the same day can come out different.

Treat every image here as a starting point, and treat a test tile fired on your own clay as the real answer.

Download the Glaze Bible PDF