One of the easiest and nicest ways to apply images to your pottery is to use transfers.  The images on pottery transfers are most often made out of underglaze.  Therefore, they can be applied to your pottery when it is greenware or bisque ware.

Underglaze transfers consist of underglaze patterns that are mounted on thin absorbent tissue-like paper.  You can usually buy them in sheets and cut out individual images from the sheet.  Or you can choose a selection of images and apply them as a group or strip to your work.

Equally, the transfers can be used as stand-alone decorations on your piece.  Or you can incorporate them into a bigger design using underglaze painting, or drawing too. 

You can also make your own transfers out of ceramic stains. This process is simple and effective. If you’d like a full step-by-step overview with images and a video on how to transfer images onto clay, you can check out my guide here.

Applying Ceramic Transfers

The transfers are easy to apply.  Simply select the image you want to apply and cut it out from the sheet of tissue. 

Hold the image up against your pottery, with the dull side of the tissue paper facing outwards. 

Then use press a damp sponge against the tissue paper.  You don’t need to rub the paper with the sponge.  Simply press and dab the transfer to make sure the paper is thoroughly wet. 

You can carefully peel off a corner of the paper to make sure that the image has transferred to your pot. If some of the image has been left behind on the paper, place the transfer back in place and continue to dab until all the image is on your pot. 

Then carefully remove the tissue paper with a needle tool and your fingertips and allow the image to dry. 

Although underglaze decals can be used on greenware, I find they work best on bisque ware. 

This seems to be because the bisque is very absorbent and soaks up water.  As a result, the image seems to stick to the bisque more easily.

Reference -  thepotterywheel.com -