Underglaze crayons are pastel-like sticks of dry ceramic color for drawing and shading on bisque. In the US they are sold as AMACO Underglaze Chalk Crayons and as Chrysanthos Underglaze Chalks. You draw, blend or wet the marks, cover the work with clear glaze and fire once. This guide is research-based, built from AMACO's tutorial and the maker directions US dealers publish, checked October 2026; we have not fired the crayons ourselves.
What underglaze crayons are
An underglaze crayon is underglaze in solid form. The color is pressed into a dry stick instead of being suspended in liquid, so you hold it like chalk and draw straight onto the pot. AMACO's product text, as published by its dealers, calls them "individual dry underglaze sticks" measuring 2 3/4 x 7/16 in, and says to use them "like pastels on bisque pottery."
After firing, the color behaves like any brushed underglaze: it sits under a clear glaze and does not run. What changes is the mark. On rough bisque a crayon leaves a grainy, broken line that AMACO calls a "pebbled appearance." You can leave that texture, rub it into soft tone, or pull it into a wash with a wet brush. For the basics of the material, read what is underglaze.
Crayons and underglaze pencils do different jobs. A pencil has a thin core for crisp lines, writing and hatching, while a crayon is a fat, soft stick for shading, filling shapes and blending; our underglaze pencils guide covers pencils in full.
The crayons you can buy are chalk-like. Homemade wax-based crayons, described by Ceramic Arts Network, also resist glaze; they are a studio project, not a dealer product.
Underglaze crayon sets you can buy
Two lines are stocked by US pottery dealers in October 2026. Both are made for bisque, and both have color limits you need to read before you plan a firing.
AMACO Underglaze Chalk Crayons (Set 208, Set 209 and single sticks)
AMACO sells its crayons in two sets of eight and as individual sticks, according to Seattle Pottery Supply's listing. Set 208 holds yellow, brown, black, white, dark green, dark blue, turquoise and rose. Set 209 holds lilac, yellow-green, gray, medium green, light brown, blue-green, dark brown and medium blue. Together the two sets give all 16 colors. Check Set 209 on Amazon.
The spec that matters most is the top firing temperature, which changes by color. AMACO's text, as reproduced by Krueger Pottery and Seattle Pottery Supply, sets these limits:
| AMACO crayon colors | Maximum cone | Approx. temperature |
|---|---|---|
| Black, brown, dark blue, dark green, white, gray, medium blue | 10 | 2,345°F (1,285°C) |
| Turquoise, yellow, dark brown, blue-green, light brown, medium green, yellow-green | 5 | 2,167°F (1,186°C) |
| Rose, lilac | 05 | 1,888°F (1,031°C) |
Temperatures come from Orton's chart for self-supporting cones heated at 108°F per hour. In practice, Set 208 works at cone 5 except for rose, and Set 209 works at cone 5 except for lilac. At cone 10, only seven of the 16 colors are listed as holding.
- Format: dry underglaze sticks, 2 3/4 x 7/16 in
- Sets: Set 208 and Set 209, eight colors each; single sticks sold too
- Surface: bisque
- Maximum cone: 10, 5 or 05 depending on color
- Covering clears named by AMACO: LG-10, F-10, DC-10, HF-9
- Food surfaces: tested dinnerware safe only under AMACO LG-10 clear
- Price: sets typically $45 to $60 and single sticks about $5 to $8 at US dealers in October 2026; check the live price
Pros
- 16 colors across two sets
- Sticks can be sharpened for finer lines
- Single sticks let you replace one color
Cons
- Rose and lilac stop at cone 05
- Seven colors stop at cone 5
- AMACO's own product page would not load for us, so the specs come from dealer copies of AMACO's text
Who should skip it: cone 10 potters who want warm colors, since only black, brown, the dark blue and green, white, gray and medium blue are listed to cone 10.
Chrysanthos Underglaze Chalks (Set #1 and Set #2)
Chrysanthos, the Australian brand also known for underglaze pencils, sells underglaze chalks in boxes of six. Set #1 is black, red, blue, green, yellow and brown, according to Krueger Pottery and DiamondCore Tools. Set #2 is lime, orange, peacock, violet, pink and chocolate, per Clay-King's listing.
Dealers quote Chrysanthos as rating the chalks from cone 06 to cone 10, and as intended "for use on bisque where it is desired to color or shade larger areas." New Mexico Clay adds the maker's caution that higher firings tend to fade the colors, so the cone 10 rating does not mean every color looks the same at cone 10. Chrysanthos also says to sponge on the first coat of glaze if you brush your clear; dipping or spraying does not need that step.
Source note: Chrysanthos gives its range as 999°C to 1,305°C, about 1,830°F to 2,381°F. Its cone 10 figure is higher than Orton's 2,345°F (1,285°C) because cone temperatures depend on heating rate, so plan by the cone number. One retailer, CI Official, lists both "700 to 1000°C" and "999°C to 1305°C" for the same Chrysanthos crayon box; we use the cone 06 to 10 rating that US pottery dealers quote.
- Format: six chalks per box
- Sets: Set #1 (primary and earth colors) and Set #2 (brights and chocolate)
- Surface: bisque
- Cone range: 06 to 10, with fading at higher firings (Chrysanthos, via dealers)
- Lead: lead-free, per the maker text on DiamondCore Tools
- Price: about $25 to $50 per box at US dealers in October 2026; check the live price
Pros
- Every color shares one cone range
- Includes a red, orange and pink
- Lead-free per the maker
Cons
- Only six colors per box
- No white in either set
- No maker website we could check, so specs are from dealer listings
Who should skip it: anyone who wants white highlights, since neither Chrysanthos set lists a white.
How to use underglaze crayons, step by step
- Start with clean bisque. Wipe it with a barely damp sponge to lift dust and finger oils, then let it dry fully. Crayons need the slightly rough, porous surface to grab color.
- Sketch the layout with an ordinary graphite pencil if you like. Graphite burns away in the kiln.
- Draw with the crayon. Light pressure gives a grainy, broken line; firmer pressure or a second pass gives denser color. AMACO says to sharpen the sticks for fine lines.
- Blend. Rub with a fingertip or a cotton swab on a toothpick, as AMACO suggests, to soften edges or mix two colors where they meet.
- Add washes where you want them. Brush water over a drawn area and the color spreads like watercolor.
- Remove loose dust gently. Tap the piece over a damp towel or outdoors rather than blowing on it.
- Fix the drawing. AMACO's directions: mix 1 tablespoon of AMACO Gum Solution into 1 pint of water in a spray bottle and mist the work before glazing.
- Apply clear glaze. Sponge the first coat on lightly so it does not drag the color, let it dry, then brush on more coats. Dipping or spraying the clear avoids the drag problem.
- Fire to the clear glaze's maturing cone, making sure every crayon color you used is rated that high.
Hold the pot by the foot or the inside while you draw. A crayon drawing is loose powder until it is glazed and fired, and a warm palm will blur it.
Techniques that suit crayons
Shading and tonal drawing
Crayons are best at tone. Lay down a light layer, smudge it, then add darker strokes on top for shadow. The soft mark suits pet portraits, botanical studies and anything with a gradient, where a pencil line would look too thin.
Watercolor washes
Draw an outline, then pull color out of it with a damp brush. Under a fired clear it reads like a loose painting. Keep the brush only damp: a puddle carries color further than you want and can lift the dust layer into blotches.
Drawing on unfired glaze
AMACO's own tutorial shows a different route. It brushes two coats of LM-11 Opaque White matte glaze onto a tile, adds gum solution, draws with chalk crayons on that surface and fires to cone 05. AMACO notes that this surface even lets you erase. It is a low-fire method close to majolica, where color goes onto a raw white glaze.
Firing underglaze crayon work
The maker directions do not call for a separate crayon firing. You fire once, to the maturing cone of the clear glaze on top, as long as that cone is inside every color's limit. Some potters add a low firing to set the drawing before glazing, which reduces smudging but costs an extra firing. Plan the colors around your cone:
- Cone 06 to 05: every AMACO color is inside its listed limit, and so is every Chrysanthos color.
- Cone 04: AMACO's rose and lilac are above their cone 05 limit.
- Cone 5: fourteen AMACO colors fit; rose and lilac do not. At cone 6, AMACO's cone 5 group is also past its listed limit. Chrysanthos colors fit, with some fading possible.
- Cone 10: seven AMACO colors are rated; Chrysanthos is rated but warns of fading.
Our pottery cone chart lists the full temperature table. Follow your kiln maker's manual for loading and clearances, and fire a test tile with the exact crayon and clear combination before a finished piece.
Clear glaze and food surfaces
AMACO says unglazed chalks should not be used on surfaces that touch food or drink, and that its crayons have only been tested as dinnerware safe under its LG-10 clear; it also tells tableware makers to test finished ware. Chrysanthos, as quoted by New Mexico Clay, says the decoration is food safe when a food-safe glaze is fired correctly over it.
We can't promise that a clear will be food safe on your pots. Any label applies only when that glaze is fired to its stated cone on a compatible clay body without crazing. If you are unsure, keep crayon work to outsides and test finished ware. Our food safe glaze guide explains the labels.
Common mistakes
- Brushing the first clear coat straight on. The brush picks up the powder and smears it. Sponge, dip or spray the first coat.
- Drawing on greenware. Both makers specify bisque. Greenware is fragile, and the stick can scratch or snap a thin wall.
- Ignoring color limits. Rose or lilac fired at cone 6 is past AMACO's cone 05 rating and may fade or burn out.
- Too much water in washes. Flooded areas dry blotchy and can lift the color.
- A heavy, cloudy clear. A thick or milky clear mutes soft crayon marks first. Test the clear on a tile.
Safety notes
Crayon work makes fine colored dust that contains clay and pigments, so treat it like any ceramic dust. Tap off loose powder over a damp cloth, wipe the table with a wet sponge and never dry sweep; our clay dust safety page explains why silica dust matters. Read the maker's Safety Data Sheet for your colors, and wear a NIOSH-approved respirator if you mix dry glaze materials. Wash your hands after drawing. The makers call these crayons lead-free, but children still need an adult in charge of the dust and the kiln.
What you need
A crayon set, clean bisque, a soft sponge, cotton swabs, a soft brush for washes, a spray bottle for fixative and a clear glaze that matches your cone. If you are still choosing colors and brands, our best underglazes guide compares the main liquid lines for painting the larger areas around crayon work, and our guide on how to use underglaze covers brush techniques.
Sources: AMACO how-to "Underglaze Chalk Crayons" (Brent tutorial with LM-11 and gum solution); AMACO underglaze pencil page (Underglaze Chalk Crayons and Pencils category); AMACO chalk crayon product text as published by Krueger Pottery (Set 208, Set 209), Seattle Pottery Supply (single sticks) and The Ceramic Shop (Set 209); Chrysanthos underglaze chalk text as published by Krueger Pottery (Chalk Set #1), DiamondCore Tools (Box 1), New Mexico Clay (Set #1) and Clay-King (Set #2); CI Official Chrysanthos crayon listing; Ceramic Arts Network "Drawn to Surface" article; Orton cone temperature chart. Specs checked October 2026.