Design and Create Portuguese Ceramic Tiles
A course by Gazete Azulejos, Portuguese Tile Atelier
Learn how to make vibrant, handmade tiles by exploring clay modelling and traditional painting techniques
In a country so rich in culture and history, Portugal’s colorful azulejos (ceramic tiles in Portuguese) are a picturesque part of their national heritage. Porto-based atelier Gazete Azulejos has made it their mission to preserve the historic tiles. Marisa Ferreira and Alba Plaza, founders of Gazete Azulejos, are here to teach you how to make them.
Travel to the vibrant streets of Portugal by learning how to recreate the charming ceramic tiles that adorn the country’s buildings. Discover traditional tile-making and painting techniques and create beautiful decorations that can add color to any space.
What will you learn in this online course?
12 lessons & 48 downloads
What's included in this course?
Meet Marisa and Alba. After seeing the emblematic azulejos disappear around Portugal, Marisa and Alba set out to preserve this historic part of the country’s heritage. Subsequently, in 2016, Gazete Azulejos was born. Hear their story, their mission, and their inspirations.
First, Marisa and Alba go through the tools and materials needed in the course, including how to safely use them. Next, learn how to prepare the mold to correctly cut the tiles and see how to make a pattern stencil to paint your first tile. Then, practice painting your designs on paper while hearing some painting tips and correction techniques.
Create four tiles by molding and cutting the clay as Maria and Alba guide you through the process. Discover how to glaze your tiles with the Majolica technique. Paint your first tile using the stencil made in the last unit. Learn the traditional Sgraffito technique for the second tile and the Strezido technique for the third. Finally, experiment on the final tile by combining different techniques.
Afterwards, Marisa and Alba talk about different patterns you can create with tiles. Wrap up the course by learning how to properly care for your tiles and get Marisa and Alba’s tips on using them to decorate your home.
- 99% positive reviews (174)
- 6,797 students
- 12 lessons (1h 38m)
- 48 additional resources (22 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, Spanish (Latam), French, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Create four ceramic tiles and paint them using traditional Portuguese techniques.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone passionate about ceramics or art, from beginners to professional artists.
Requirements and materials
No previous experience is necessary.
For this course, you will need ceramic materials like clay and glaze, tools like a rolling pin and a cutter, ceramic paint, access to a ceramic kiln oven, among other material, which Marisa and Alba will specify in the second unit.
Reviews
Gazete Azulejos
A course by Gazete Azulejos
Marisa Ferreira is a multidisciplinary artist from Portugal, and Alba Plaza is a graphic designer from Spain. After meeting in Porto and realizing that the city’s traditional tiles were being destroyed due to reconstruction work, the pair set out to protect them, creating their tile atelier Gazete Azulejos in the process.
Gazete Azulejo’s mission is to research, promote, and preserve the emblematic Portuguese tiles. They catalog and recreate traditional tiles to prevent them from being replaced with industrial, uni-color tiles when buildings are restored. They also run workshops that teach others how to create these colorful ceramic tiles.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Us
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Influences
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U2
Materials, Patterns, and Painting Exercises
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Materials
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Preparation for the Techniques
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How to Paint, Tips, and Corrections
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U3
Making the Tiles and Painting Techniques
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Molding and Cutting the Clay
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Glazing and the Majolica Technique
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The Stencil and Sgraffito Techniques
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The Strezido Technique
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Combining Techniques: Freehand and Stencil
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U4
Portuguese Patterns, Uses, and Handling
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Types of Patterns. Creating Patterns through Repetition
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Applications and Care
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FP
Final project
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Design and Create Portuguese Ceramic Tiles
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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Certificates
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Get front-row seats
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Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for beginners and covers all essential techniques, tools, and materials needed to start making and decorating Portuguese ceramic tiles.
You’ll need clay, rolling tools, cutting tools, brushes, pigments, acetate or cardboard for stencils, tracing paper, charcoal, glazes, and access to a kiln for firing the tiles.
You’ll learn clay modeling, cutting, glazing, stencil and sgraffito techniques, pigment mixing, Majolica brushwork, safe kiln firing, and how to create and repeat decorative Portuguese tile patterns.
The Majolica technique involves applying a tin-based opaque glaze to the tile, then painting designs directly onto the unfired glaze, resulting in vibrant and durable artwork after firing.
You’ll trace your design onto tracing paper, use a charcoal pouncing bag or pricked paper to transfer it, then paint or stencil the pattern onto the glazed tile.
Yes, the course teaches you how to cut and use acetate or cardboard stencils to create precise and repeatable patterns on your tiles.
Sgraffito is a decorative method where you scratch designs into a colored slip or glaze layer to reveal the clay beneath, creating intricate patterns on ceramic tiles.
Muitas informações valiosas, um curso excelente. Um curso muito completo. Obrigado!
O curso é incrível. Ensina as bases para o aprendizado na pintura de azulejos e como é possível evoluir. Gostei muito.
Los trabajos artesanales son los más hermosos, únicos e inigualables. Lamentablemente muchos oficios como este van desapareciendo por la industrialización. Excelente saber que aún existen artesanos como este señor, que valora y ama lo que hace
Mucha información muy válida, curso muy bonito. Curso bastante completo. Gracias !
Love the references and all the information that comes with the course. It has clarify my doubts.