Ceramic Modeling and Illustration with Watercolor
A course by cayagutierrez · Claudia María Gutiérrez, Illustrator and Ceramic Artist
Joined February 2015
Learn to model ceramic pieces with your own two hands and discover the techniques to illustrate captivating stories about them
Joined February 2015
Ever wanted to dress your table with your own handmade creations? Join ceramic artist and illustrator Claudia María (CAYA) Gutiérrez and learn how to create your own plate and mug or plate and bowl set. Let your creativity flow as you illustrate them with a captivating character story. CAYA, who won the 2011 Tragaluz Illustration Award and was recognized in the Latin American Ilustración -LAI2- competition, specializes in weaving her illustrations into the world of ceramics.
In this course, learn to model functional ceramic pieces with your own two hands and illustrate them with a character-based story. CAYA teaches you how to create it all from scratch and decorate it with ceramic pigments using a technique equivalent to the delicate subtlety that watercolor offers.
What will you learn in this online course?
18 lessons & 29 downloads
What's included in this course?
Claudia, better known as CAYA Gutiérrez, starts off by telling you a little bit about herself and her artistic background, her influences when it comes to creating, and what the final project entails: a ceramic set comprising a plate and mug or a plate and bowl featuring illustrated characters.
Meet your new best friend: clay! See how to work with it and learn what a bisque-fired piece is before getting to know the materials you need for the modeling process. CAYA introduces you to watercolor and the different ceramic pigments there are, as well as ceramic glaze and the importance of using it to make functional pieces.
Discover how to get inspiration for choosing your characters, the sentence that is going to accompany them, and the composition of the pieces for your final project, then move on to creating the sketch.
Time to get to work! Learn how to model the clay by hand, making sure to avoid any potential bubbles that could cause problems in the oven, and create your set using slabbing and pinching techniques.
Find out how to control watercolor washes by calibrating your strokes and create your own color palette. See how to transfer the illustration onto your pieces and how to illustrate text and images, adding color and all the extra details.
Learn how to protect your pieces in preparation for their first and second firing. CAYA wraps things up by talking about ceramic glaze and gives you some recommendations for looking after your pieces and prolonging the life of your creations.
- 100% positive reviews (59)
- 2,327 students
- 18 lessons (3h 38m)
- 29 additional resources (9 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: Spanish, German, English, French, Indonesian, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish
- Spanish · English · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish · Romanian · Indonesian
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Create a set of ceramic pieces comprising a mug and plate or a bowl and plate on which to narrate a story with illustrated characters.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone drawn to the world of ceramics and illustration who'd like to enjoy the practice of using their own two hands to create functional items for their everyday life.
Requirements and materials
You don't need any previous experience to take this course, just the desire to learn how to create delightful ceramic pieces.
In terms of materials, you need a pencil and paper, paintbrushes, watercolors, a basic pottery kit, modeling tools, pigments, and ceramic glaze.
Reviews
cayagutierrez · Claudia María Gutiérrez
A course by cayagutierrez · Claudia María Gutiérrez
Claudia María Gutiérrez, @cayagutierrez, is an illustrator and ceramic artist who originally studied social communication, a profession she practiced for several years. She has illustrated books for multiple publishing houses, completed illustration commissions for public and private organizations, and undertaken many personal projects. While looking for ways to transfer her own drawings onto objects, she discovered the fascinating universe of ceramics, an ancient craft with infinite possibilities. Since then, she has merged the two worlds together.
She won the 2011 Tragaluz Illustration Award (Colombia), was a runner-up at the 2013 Latin American Ilustración -LAI2- competition (USA), got a special mention from the jury of the 2013 Ibero-American Illustration Award (Argentina), and participated in the 2015 Bratislava Illustration Biennial.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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Presentation
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Influences
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U2
From paper to ceramic piece
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Materials and tools
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Inspiration process: visualize your characters
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Inspiration process: visualize your phrase
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The sketch
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Composition: locate the sketch on paper
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U3
Manual modeling techniques
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How to wedge the clay
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Slab technique for modeling a plate
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Pinch technique for shaping a bowl or bowl
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U4
Illustrate your piece step by step
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Watercolor and ceramic pigments
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The color palette
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Calligraphy of your phrase
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Composition: transfer the drawing to the part
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How to illustrate with pigments 1
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How to illustrate with pigments 2
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U5
Final process: final details
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How to protect and transport your pieces for the first burn
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Glazed and second burning
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FP
Final project
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Ceramic Modeling and Illustration with Watercolor
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
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Learn from the best professionals
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Meet expert teachers
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Certificates
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Get front-row seats
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Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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Connect with a global creative community
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FAQs
You’ll learn how to hand-build ceramic pieces from scratch and decorate them using watercolor techniques, brush lettering, and ceramic pigments—combining illustration and text to create expressive, personalized artworks.
No prior experience is required, though basic knowledge of art or crafts is recommended. The course is designed for intermediate learners but covers fundamentals step by step.
You’ll need clay, basic modeling tools, brushes, ceramic pigments, watercolors, pencils, sketch paper, and access to a kiln. It’s also recommended to have clear glaze and materials for transferring drawings.
You’ll learn to mix ceramic pigments and apply them with a brush on shaped pieces, using techniques similar to traditional watercolor to achieve transparency, shading, and expressive effects on ceramic surfaces.
Yes, the course teaches how to select phrases, adapt them visually, and transfer texts using brush lettering and calligraphy techniques—blending words and images into unique ceramic pieces.
You’ll master hand-building techniques like slab and pinch methods, as well as kneading, cutting, and shaping clay to create items like plates, bowls, and mugs from scratch.
Yes, the course guides you in making custom functional objects by combining illustration, text, and ceramics to turn everyday pieces into artistic, practical works.
Ein ganz wunderbarer Kurs, der jede und jeden Schritt für Schritt zu einem persönlichen Ergebnis und Erlebnis führt... Vielen Dank!
Didática excelente. Um curso com tudo o que é necessário para um bom res7ltado.
Cours très complet et très bien expliqué ... Un vrai plaisir de l'avoir suivi !
Más de 5 años tomando clases con profesoras de cerámica, con más de 3 profesores y en este curso he logrado aprender de forma profesional pintar sobre cerámica. Caya es una auténtica crack. Su explicación además de ser clara y sencilla, me ha permitido obtener os resultados deseados. Super recomendado!!!
Muy buen curso, me gustó mucho porque da valor a lo artesanal, a lo hecho a mano, las explicaciones fueron muy clara