Underglaze pencils are drawing pencils with a core of ceramic underglaze instead of graphite. You draw on bisque the same way you would on paper, then cover the drawing with clear glaze and fire it. They are the easiest way to add fine lines, shading, lettering or a signature to a pot, and you do not need any brush skill to use them.
This guide is research-based. We compared maker and dealer pages for AMACO, Chrysanthos, Sanbao Studio and Mayco rather than testing pencils ourselves. Specs checked October 2026.
How underglaze pencils work
The core is a compressed stick of ceramic color. When you draw, a thin layer of powder sits on the porous bisque. It stays there until the clear glaze goes on and the piece is fired, at which point it fuses under the glaze. Until then it is loose powder, which is why gentle handling and a careful first glaze coat matter so much.
Underglaze pencils for pottery are made for bisque. AMACO's directions say to "apply the underglaze pencil to bisque ware," and Chrysanthos says its pencils are "for use on bisque." The slightly rough, porous bisque surface grabs the color in a way that glossy or very soft surfaces do not.
AMACO underglaze pencils
AMACO's Underglaze Decorating Pencil is the one most US dealers carry. AMACO calls it "ideal for shading, fine line drawing or identification," and dealers quote an update saying the pencils are "now more intense, with better working qualities." The key spec is that the top firing temperature depends on the color.
| AMACO pencil color | Maximum cone | Approx. temperature |
|---|---|---|
| Black | 10 | 2,345°F (1,285°C) |
| Blue | 10 | 2,345°F (1,285°C) |
| Green | 10 | 2,345°F (1,285°C) |
| Brown | 5 | 2,167°F (1,186°C) |
| Yellow | 5 | 2,167°F (1,186°C) |
| Rose | 05 | 1,888°F (1,031°C) |
Maximum cones from AMACO's listing as quoted by Sheffield Pottery and Krueger; temperatures from Orton's chart for self-supporting cones at 108°F per hour. The low end is less clear: Clay-King lists cone 06 to 10 for black, and Bailey Pottery's listing used in our earlier research said cone 05 to 10.
- Surface: bisque
- Item: 11420F (black), sold singly
- Sharpening: knife or blade, not a pencil sharpener (AMACO)
- Food use: not for food surfaces unless covered with a dinnerware-safe clear such as AMACO LG-10, F-10 or HF-9
Pros
- Easy to find
- Black reaches cone 10
- Clear maker directions
Cons
- Only six colors
- Rose stops at cone 05
- Sold one pencil at a time
Who should skip it: potters who want a big color range in one box; a 12-color set is cheaper per color.
Chrysanthos underglaze pencils
Chrysanthos sells six-pencil sets. DiamondCore Tools lists Set 1 with black, red, blue, green, yellow and brown, rated between cone 06, which the listing gives as 999°C (1,830°F), and cone 10, given as 1,305°C (2,381°F). The listing says to use them on bisque, sharpen with a knife or blade, and sponge the first coat of glaze over the design to prevent smudging. It describes the pencils as lead free and non-toxic.
- Colors: black, red, blue, green, yellow, brown (Set 1)
- Range: cone 06 to cone 10 (listing)
- Surface: bisque
Pros
- A red in the set
- Six colors in one purchase
- Stated cone 06 to 10 range
Cons
- The listing does not say whether every color holds at cone 10
- Fewer US stockists than AMACO
Who should skip it: potters who only need black for signatures; one AMACO black pencil is enough.
Sanbao Studio 12-color underglaze pencils
Sanbao Studio sells an oil-based set of 12: red, orange, terracotta, yellow, sky blue, cobalt blue, apple green, forest green, black, white, dark brown and gray. Its listing gives a firing range of 1,100 to 1,300°C (2,012 to 2,372°F), which starts above cone 04 (1,063°C) and reaches past cone 10 (1,285°C) on Orton's chart for self-supporting cones at 108°F per hour. The listing gives no cone numbers, so fire a test tile at your own cone. Sanbao says you can blend and shade with a little water or a paper stump, which is useful for soft portraits and botanical drawings.
- Colors: 12
- Range: 1,100 to 1,300°C per the listing; no cone numbers given
- Core: oil based, lead free
Pros
- Widest color choice here
- White for highlights
- Blendable
Cons
- No low-fire rating, so not for cone 06 or 05 work
- Temperature range given only in Celsius
Who should skip it: low-fire potters working at cone 06 to 04, since the listed range starts above that.
Underglaze pen and liner options
Searches for an "underglaze pen" usually mean a liner: a squeeze bottle with a fine metal tip. Mayco's Designer Liner is a clay-based, heavily pigmented color for "fine detail with lines, dots, and letters," rated cone 06 to 10 with "little change in performance between firing temperatures," in 10 colors. Because a liner is liquid, it leaves a slightly raised line and is an option where a pencil is not, such as drawing on unfired clay; check the bottle label for the clay stages Mayco lists. Mayco says they fire matte without glaze and are dinnerware safe once a clear glaze is applied.
Glaze pens and glaze pencils: check what you are buying
Shoppers often search for glaze pens or glaze pencils when they mean ceramic underglaze pencils or liners. The names overlap, so read the label before you buy. A product meant for kiln firing gives a cone number or range, like AMACO's pencils (up to cone 10 in black) or Mayco's Designer Liner (cone 06 to 10). DiamondCore Tools even lists the Chrysanthos set as "Glaze Underglaze Pencils," but the directions still say to draw on bisque and coat the color with a clear glaze before firing.
Some ceramic paint markers are a different product entirely. Pebeo's Porcelaine 150 markers, for example, are air dried for 24 hours and then baked in a home oven at 150°C (300°F) for 35 minutes, according to Pebeo. They decorate store-bought glazed ware and never go in a kiln, so they are not a substitute for underglaze on your own pottery. If a pen lists only an oven temperature and no cone, it belongs in the craft-paint category.
Chalk crayons are the third option: thicker sticks that give a softer, pastel-like mark. How they compare with pencils is covered on our underglaze crayons page.
How to use underglaze pencils, step by step
- Start with clean bisque. Dust it, and avoid touching drawing areas with oily hands.
- Sketch lightly. A regular graphite pencil burns away in the kiln, so you can rough out a layout first.
- Draw with the underglaze pencil. Press firmly for strong lines and lightly for shading. Sharpen with a craft knife.
- Blend if you like. A little water on a brush, or a paper stump, softens shading.
- Dust off loose particles. AMACO says to "dust lightly with a brush" after decorating. Do not wipe.
- Apply clear glaze gently. AMACO's directions: "Sponge on first coat of clear glaze lightly, in order not to smear design," then brush more coats once dry. Spraying, dipping or pouring do not need that precaution.
- Glaze fire within the lowest maximum cone of the colors you used.
Can you glaze over underglaze pencils? Yes, and for food surfaces you should. The trick is the first coat: dab it on with a soft sponge, or dip the piece in one smooth pass, so the brush never drags across the lines.
Common mistakes
- Using a pencil sharpener. AMACO and Chrysanthos both say to use a knife or blade; sharpeners snap the soft core.
- Brushing the first clear coat. This is the most common cause of smeared lines.
- Firing past a color's limit. AMACO rose is rated only to cone 05, so it will fade at cone 6.
- Handling the drawing before glazing. Fingers and wiping cloths lift the powder.
- Drawing on glossy glaze. Pencils need porous bisque to grip.
Ideas for underglaze pencil work
- Signatures and dates on the foot of every pot, which is the most common use.
- Botanical sketches with soft shading blended by a damp brush.
- Outlines over painted color: paint shapes in liquid underglaze, fire or let them dry, then outline with black pencil.
- Labels on test tiles, so you always know which glaze and cone you used.
- Hand lettering on mugs, planters and ornaments.
Pencil lines sit well beside other decoration. Many potters combine them with painted underglaze or with underglaze transfers on the same piece.
Are underglaze pencils good?
For lines, small details, shading and signatures, yes. They give more control than a brush and need no mixing. They are a poor choice for filling large areas, where a liquid underglaze is faster and more even, and the color range is narrower than liquid lines. Most potters keep one or two pencils alongside their jars rather than replacing them.
Safety notes
Sharpening and dusting off pencil drawings creates fine ceramic dust. Do it over a damp cloth, wipe up with a damp sponge, and do not blow dust toward your face. AMACO says unglazed pencil work should not be used on surfaces that touch food or drink.
What you need
You need bisque ware, one or more underglaze pencils, a soft dusting brush, a sponge and a clear glaze for your cone. To build a full color kit, our best underglazes guide compares pencils with liquid underglazes, and our bisque firing guide explains how to make the bisque you will draw on.
Sources: AMACO underglaze pencil and chalk crayon pages; Sheffield Pottery and Krueger Pottery AMACO pencil listings; Clay-King AMACO pencil listing; DiamondCore Tools Chrysanthos Underglaze Pencils Set 1 listing; Sanbao Studio (chinaclayart.com) underglaze pencil set listing; Mayco 2023 underglaze catalog (Designer Liner); Pebeo Porcelaine 150 marker product page (oven curing directions); Orton cone temperature chart. Specs checked October 2026.