cuerda seca

pottery

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Last updated

June 25, 2026

Quick Summary

Cuerda seca is a technique used in pottery to create decorative effects that mimic mosaic and cloisonné enamel. The name "cuerda seca" literally translates to "dry cord" in Spanish. This method involves using a greasy line, often made with a mixture of manganese and gum, to outline designs on ceramic surfaces. When fired, this line prevents the different colored glazes from running into each other, resulting in distinct, separated areas of color. This technique allows for intricate patterns and vibrant color contrasts on pottery.1

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pottery
Other tin-glazed ware
The cuerda seca method of making tiles followed about 1500: outlines were drawn on the surface in manganese mixed with a greasy substance that prevented the coloured glazes used from mingling. Tiles made by the cuenca technique had deeply impressed patterns the compartments thus formed being…
Read More
The cuerda seca method of making tiles followed about 1500: outlines were drawn on the surface in manganese mixed with a greasy substance that prevented the coloured glazes used from mingling. Tiles made by the cuenca technique had deeply impressed patterns the compartments thus formed being…
Read More