Disc as an iced cookie: a white icing edge and sprinkle dashes in three colorsTan, white, red, green, yellow. Tan base; a wavy white border; short dashes scattered inside it. Liner brush.
Village shop with a striped awning and a wreath on the doorCream, red, white, green. Awning in red and white bars over the window; a green ring on the door. Liner brush.
Twelve small stars around the rim like clock hours, the top one goldNavy, gold. One star at each hour position on the rim; only the star at twelve is gold. Stencil.
Candle in the well, rings of glow widening out to the rimRed, yellow, orange, cream. A short red candle low in the well; three pale rings around its flame. Round brush.
Candy-cane stripe twisting around the rim, the well left whiteRed, white. Slanted red bars all the way around the rim, evenly spaced; nothing in the well. Flat brush.
Cookie rounds ringing the rim, one with a bite goneTan, brown, white. Eight rounds spaced around the rim, chips dotted on; one has a bite out. Round brush.
Fir branch across the well, two cones hanging toward the rimDark green, olive, brown. The branch runs edge to edge through the well; cones hang off it. Fan brush.
Plate wrapped as a parcel: two ribbons crossing the well, a bow where they meetWhite, red, gold. Ribbons run rim to rim both ways; the bow sits in the center of the well. Flat brush.
Poinsettia in the well, its red tips just reaching the rimRed, dark green, yellow. Yellow dots at the center; red leaves fan out and stop at the rim. Round brush.
Red bird perched on the rim, its tracks hopping across the well to one crumbRed, black, gray. Bird at the rim; small forked prints cross the well to a single crumb. Liner brush.
Sleigh tracks and hoofprints crossing the well from rim to rimPale blue, gray. Two runner lines and paired hoofprints cross the well and run off both rims. Liner brush.
Snow angel pressed into the well, boot prints leading off over the rimPale blue, gray, white. A winged outline fills the well; a line of prints walks out across the rim. Round brush.
Snowman seen from above: three rings in the well, the carrot pointing outWhite, pale blue, orange, black. Three rings nest in the well; the carrot points at the rim. Round brush.
String of colored bulbs looped all the way around the rimBlack, red, green, yellow, blue. A thin cord circles the rim; a bulb hangs every two fingers. Liner brush.
Twelve small stars around the rim like clock hours, the top one goldNavy, gold. One star at each hour position on the rim; only the star at twelve is gold. Stencil.
Mugs 12
Chimney mug: brick courses all around, a snow cap along the rimBrick red, cream, white. Staggered bricks around the body; a wavy white band at the rim. Flat brush.
Family set: one ornament on each mug in a different color, the name at the footOne bright per mug, gold. A single hanging ornament opposite the handle; the name lettered at the foot. Liner brush.
Fir garland winding around the mug from foot to rimDark green, red. One spiral of short needle strokes climbs twice around; red berries on every turn. Fan brush.
Gingerbread person hugging the mug, hands almost meeting at the handleBrown, white, red. Body opposite the handle; arms reach around both sides and stop short of it. Round brush.
Lump of coal on the inside base, one white glint on itBlack, charcoal gray, white. A faceted nugget fills the inside base; one small white glint. Round brush.
Marshmallows floating around the inside wall just under the rimWhite, pale gray. Rounded squares in a ring inside, a finger below the rim, each with a shadow. Round brush.
Orange slices, cinnamon sticks and small stars tossed around a cider mugOrange, brown, cream. Slices, sticks and stars at angles around the body, none touching. Round brush.
Santa hat mug: white fur band at the rim, a pom-pom on top of the handleRed, white. Body red; a stippled white band under the rim; a white dot on the handle's top curve. Sponge.
Scarf wrapped around the mug, its fringed ends hanging beside the handleRed, white. A striped band around the middle; two ends drop from a knot next to the handle. Flat brush.
Sleigh team circling the mug, the lead reindeer catching up to the sleighNavy, white, brown, red. Sleigh starts at the handle; the team runs around and ends behind it. Liner brush.
Stockings hung in a row from a mantel line under the rimRed, green, white, brown. A brown line a finger under the rim; a stocking for each person hangs from it. Round brush.
Two gold bells hanging from a bow where the handle meets the rimGold, red, dark green. Bow at the upper handle join; a bell hangs on each side of it. Round brush.
Ornaments 12
Angel ornament in pearl white, the gown one pale color, wings lined in goldWhite, pale blue, gold. Gown pale blue; wings white with fine gold feather lines; no face. Liner brush.
Ball as a colored light bulb: the cap as its socket, one white streak down the sideOne bright, white, silver. Ball in one flat color; a curved white streak; silver around the cap. Round brush.
Ball as a pine cone: rows of brown scales from the base up, tips in whiteBrown, tan, white. Overlapping U-shaped scales in rows up to the cap; each tip touched white. Round brush.
Ball as a toy drum: gold bands top and bottom, cords zigzagging betweenRed, gold, white. A gold band near the cap and one near the base; a white zigzag between them. Liner brush.
Ball split at the middle: night sky above, snow below, a treeline betweenNavy, white, dark green. Navy to the widest point, white below it; small firs stand on the join. Flat brush.
Disc as an iced cookie: a white icing edge and sprinkle dashes in three colorsTan, white, red, green, yellow. Tan base; a wavy white border; short dashes scattered inside it. Liner brush.
Flat disc as a gift tag: TO and FROM lettered in red, the hanging hole as its eyeletCream, red, gold. Disc cream; a gold ring around the hole; two lettered lines below it. Paint pen.
Orange studded with rows of clove dots, a red ribbon band around itOrange, dark brown, red. Ball orange; brown dots in four lines from cap to base; a red band across. Dotting tool.
Snowflake ornament with each arm tipped in a different blueWhite, three blues, silver. Ornament white; each arm's tip another blue; a silver dot at the center. Round brush.
Snowman on a flat disc: buttons on the front, the scarf knot on the backWhite, black, red. Front: eyes, carrot, three buttons. Back: the scarf's knot and two tails. Liner brush.
Star with a sleepy face in the center and a rosy dot on two pointsYellow, black, pink. Two closed-eye arcs and a small smile in the middle; pink on the side points. Liner brush.
Tree-shaped ornament with the hanging hole as its gold starGreen, gold, red. A gold star painted around the hole; green below it with a few red dots. Round brush.
Trees and village houses 12
Cottage with yellow painted around each window opening, as if litCream, yellow, red. A yellow band around every opening; a red door; cream walls. Liner brush.
Every bulb hole ringed in a different color, so the tree looks lit when it is offGreen, five brights. A colored ring around each hole, no two neighbors the same. Dotting tool.
Green tree with white dry-brushed on the top of every branchDark green, white. Whole tree green; a nearly dry brush dragged down over the branch tips. Flat brush.
Navy night tree with gold branch tips and a white starNavy, gold, white. Navy all over; gold touched on each branch tip; the star on top white. Round brush.
Red garland painted in a spiral between the rows of bulb holesGreen, red, gold. One red line winds from tip to base between the holes; gold dots along it. Liner brush.
Small dish as the village pond: ice blue with white skate loopsPale blue, white. Dish pale blue all over; looping white lines cross it like skate marks. Liner brush.
Snow piled on the same side of every roof, as if blown by one windWhite, pale blue. Thick white on the left slope of each roof in the set, thin on the right. Round brush.
Tree base painted as a red skirt with a white scalloped hemRed, white. Only the base: red all over, white scallops along its lower edge; the tree any color. Round brush.
Village church in gray stone, the window openings left bare for the lightGray, white, brown. Stone blocks in two grays; a brown door; nothing on the window edges. Flat brush.
Village post office in brick red, a tiny wreath on its letter slotBrick red, white, green. Red walls, white trim; a green ring painted around the slot in the door. Liner brush.
Village shop with a striped awning and a wreath on the doorCream, red, white, green. Awning in red and white bars over the window; a green ring on the door. Liner brush.
White tree with only the bulb holes ringed in goldWhite, gold. Tree left white; a thin gold ring around each hole and a gold star on top. Liner brush.
How it works
Bisque is pottery fired without a glaze: the blank you paint before a paint-your-own studio glazes and fires it. These 48 Christmas pottery painting ideas are sorted by piece, and many start from the rim, the well, the handle or the hanging hole.
Read the full guide
Rim, well and handle
A plate's rim frames whatever sits in the well, so the picture goes where a cookie will not hide it, as in Cookie rounds ringing the rim, one with a bite gone. A mug adds a handle to play with: Scarf wrapped around the mug, its fringed ends hanging beside the handle.
Trees and village houses
Where a ceramic tree has holes for bulbs, the holes can be the design: Every bulb hole ringed in a different color, so the tree looks lit when it is off. A Christmas village is a miniature village set up for the season, and Snow piled on the same side of every roof, as if blown by one wind, makes separate houses one street.
Questions and answers
Is a painted Christmas plate safe to eat from?
The glaze decides, not the design. At a studio, ask whether the glaze fired over your painting is made for food. At home, read the label on your paint or glaze, and treat a plate painted with craft paint as decoration.
What can I paint on a Christmas mug?
Something that uses the handle, the rim or the inside. Two gold bells hanging from a bow where the handle meets the rim starts at the handle; Lump of coal on the inside base, one white glint on it, waits under the cocoa.
How do you paint a ceramic Christmas tree?
Decide whether the tree or its lights carry the color. Green tree with white dry-brushed on the top of every branch colors the tree; White tree with only the bulb holes ringed in gold leaves it bare. Ask the studio about coats.
Which Christmas pottery designs are easy?
By our own judgment, the ones made of flat bands and repeated marks: Candy-cane stripe twisting around the rim, the well left white, and Ball as a toy drum: gold bands top and bottom, cords zigzagging between.