What is sgraffito pottery?
A look at the hand-carving technique behind every piece April Dupuis makes — and why a single mug can take days to finish.
Sgraffito — from the Italian for "scratched" — is a decorating technique where the artist carves through a layer of contrasting slip to reveal the clay beneath.
April coats a wheel-thrown stoneware piece in a layer of white porcelain slip, then carves her design into that surface by hand. Where she cuts, the darker clay shows through — so the pattern is part of the pot itself, not painted on top.
How a piece is made
Throw
The form is wheel-thrown in stoneware and left to firm up to leather-hard.
Slip
A contrasting layer of white porcelain slip is applied over the surface.
Carve
The motif is drawn freehand and incised line by line, revealing the clay below.
Glaze & fire
A food-safe glaze is applied and the piece is high-fired to set it for daily use.
Sgraffito questions
How is sgraffito different from painted pottery?
A painted design sits on the surface. In sgraffito the design is carved through a layer of slip, so every line is cut into the piece itself before it is glazed and fired.
How long does a sgraffito piece take to make?
Much longer than a painted piece. Carving a single mug can take days, depending on the detail.
Is every piece one of a kind?
Yes. Each piece is wheel-thrown and carved by hand, so even pieces from the same collection differ in line, color and detail.
April's motifs
Her carving draws on Southern gardens and faith — flowers at their peak, leaves, and quiet symbolic touches, each one drawn by hand so no two pieces are ever identical.
- Magnolia, dogwood, and cotton blossom
- Camellia and garden florals
- Lilies and blooming vines
- Faith-inspired and symbolic imagery