Vase Painting Techniques

Vase painting techniques involve preparing a clay vessel, then painting intricate designs using natural pigments mixed with a liquid binder. Artists often used a method called "black-figure," where figures and images are painted in a glossy black slip on the uncolored clay, and then details are incised into the black surface. In the "red-figure" style, the background is filled in with black, leaving the figures in the natural red of the clay, allowing for more detailed and realistic depictions. These techniques showcase skill in brushwork and firing processes, resulting in durable and vivid decorative pottery.