Product Description
This classic handbook introduces students to the fundamentals of the ceramic arts, beginning with a comprehensive history of ceramic materials, techniques, and practices up to the present day and then moving to a detailed presentation of ceramic techniques from the most basic to the complex. This new edition has been thoroughly updated throughout to incorporate the many new resources and materials available to ceramists as well as the most current techniques and technical and safety information. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Like watching paint dry

Had to have been written by someone who writes text books. For a tech manual it is extremely boring. Has the basics from beginning to end. Recipes for glazes are dated as most are lead based, but it's an old book. I paid .18 cents for and it was worth that. My other books I purchased were newer and a better investment. I find it hard to believe that the asking price for the newest version of this book would worth it. Most of the information I was looking for was nothing more than a general overview.
If you get this book don't spend a bunch on it.....it's Ok at best
The Practical Potter..Josie Warshawwas not a better overview, but it was a more interesting read, and what is not contained in the book can be looked up on the web.
After the reviews I had seen on this book. I am very disappointed. There are better books available, look around.

Pottery
Great condition and most helpful for my university pottery class. No reason to purchase university book store prices when you can find your books here.

Great Book for students
I use this book with my beginning students. It is rare that I read a ceramics book and find no significant problems. It is well written and full of information and good illustrations. I recommend it highly.

Epiphany and resurrection of an venerable important text
I have 3 (including editions 1 & 5) of this ground breaking text by Glen C Nelson. It seems the driving force behind this new and spectacular presentation of edition 6 is Richard Burkett. His fingerprints are all over the glaze section among others. This volume is a MUST HAVE AT ALL COSTS for any novice and master potter alike. I now have a new "Bible" for my studio.Special thanks to Glen Nelson who has inspired millions of us with his dynamite dedication to teaching and setting a stellar height of perfection to our craft.He is a living legend in my mind and soul.

Wow!
One of my all-time favorite references. I really love this book. It was a "suggested reading" in my pottery class, and I am very glad I purchased it. I'm an artist that is just as much about researching and understanding as I am about the actual doing and studio side of my work. This book is a treat and I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

Another Great "500" Book
I have a total of five of the '500' books, but this one is my favorite.I am a ceramics sculptor and this is so inspiring.The artists represented in 500 Ceramic Sculptures range from cartoonists to fine artists.That is the beauty of ceramics; it can become pretty much anything you can imagine.If you love ceramics or sculpture or art in general, you will love owning this book.

500 Series: Ceramic Sculptures
Beautiful book, gorgeous photographs of unique and beautiful pieces. Highly recommended. Hundreds of different artists, sculptures for all tastes. Hours of page flipping, lots of great inspirational ideas.

contemporary ceramic sculptures
Contemporary ceramic sculptures would also be a great name for this book. This is not a how to book but rather shows many different versions of what can be done, and is being done, with ceramics. I love all the 500 series art books.

didn't meet my expectations
This book was purchased to show my ceramic students and I thought it was less than inspiring images of ceramic arts.

I was disappointed and you might be too
I was looking for a survey of contemporary ceramic sculpture and I thought any book claiming to have 500 images of them should be able to cover all the bases pretty well.Not so.

After buying the book and reading the fine print I learned that it's a compilation of photos from a juried competition (i.e. only those who submitted photos were considered and, of those, only the ones selected by the single, idiosyncratic juror made it into the book).Forget comprehensiveness here.Although there is some good work shown, I found more representation of the "icky/creepy" school of ceramics than I needed.

And where are the bright lights of the ceramic sculpture world?Where is Betty Woodman, Sueharu Fukami, Andrew Lord, Ken Price, Viola Frey, Wouter Dam, Ruth Duckworth, etc., etc.?Not in this book.

If you're looking for a wider, more comprehensive view of this subject I'd recommend Postmodern Ceramics by Mark Del Vecchio or Color and Fire by Jo Lauria. ... Read more

Product Description

Traditionally potters fired their work either at low temperatures, as for earthenware, or at the high temperature that stoneware requires. However, a growing number of potters, particularly those who use electric kilns, are firing to a middle-range temperature, of which cone 6 is typical. Using middle range temperatures saves fuel and expense, reduces wear on electric elements, and yet allows the potter to achieve features shared by earthenware and stoneware. Because of the popularity of this technique, pottery suppliers have recently begun developing clay bodies and glazes suitable for the temperature range.

In Glazes Cone 6 Mike Bailey surveys the growing trend in middle-temperature firing and guides the reader by practical knowledge. He discusses a range of different glazes, including special effects, glaze stains, and underglaze colors, giving both recipes and tips for ensuring success.

Customer Reviews (7)

helpful for the hobbyist....
This book is useful for those hobbyist who are getting into glaze development and may not know all the permutations available for glazes.It is nice in that the color tiles often portray the effects of graded additions, allowing the beginner to see trends of effects produced by various components.I found this book helpful, and also agree with the other review about some factual errors and UK slant.

Surprised but ever so slightly disappointed
My only complaint was the UK ingredients...HOWEVER, I was able to find, with a lot of research and help from Hammill Gilespie, Minex, Standard, EPK Fla. etc., suitable substitutions here in the USA.The photographs are extremly good tho I'm not wild about spiral binding.It would have been nice to have had more information on Raw Materials.All in all its a very fine recipe book.

Interesting
This book is interesting for anyone who studies glaze or wants to make some glazes of their own (even if their working at different temperatures).

Slightly disappointed
After Snail Scott's review, there's not much to say, as she gives an excellent and in my opinion, accurate overview of the book.

I myself was disappointed, however.A few factual errors are indicative: zinc is NOT an alkaline earth, but a transition metal; and while magnesite is ideally magnesium carbonate, not all magnesium carbonate is magnesite, that is, the two are NOT synonymous.Also, I was perplexed by the insistence on using zinc oxide in nearly all the bases; not only is it expensive, but it also has a powerful (and usually undesirable) effect on most colourants.

Maybe I just got used to superb glaze references, and was expecting more.Even so ... a decent buy, and it gave me a few good ideas, but I'm slightly regretting having bought it.(I would, however, recommend Clay and Glazes for the Potter and The Ceramic Spectrum: A Simplified Approach to Glaze and Color Development.)

a good reference for cone 6 oxidation glazes
This book contains a few interesting recipes that you cannot find from Internet. Providing with more recipes and color images of examples,it is more fun to read than the Cone6 glaze book written by John Hesselberth and Ron Roy. Some of the raw materials are only available in UK but we probably can find substitutes here in US.
... Read more

Product Description
Potters long ago left behind the notion that pots must be purely useful or merely pleasant everyday objects. At the turn of the twentieth century, ceramics—as in other media in both the decorative and fine arts—underwent revolutionary change. The potter emerged from the anonymity of the workshop and made more individualistic statements in clay than ever before.

Ceramics have kept pace with, or even led, new movements in art, from art nouveau, art deco, the Bauhaus, and futurism, through abstract expressionism, pop and performance, to land art and installation art. Stylistic and technical influences are considered here in context, from orientalism and color theory to modernism, postmodernism, and the profuse diversity of approaches that characterizes the end of the century.

The scope is wide, taking in developments in Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, the United States, and Japan. The work of exceptional individuals is appraised, including Taxile Doat, Clarice Cliff, Susie Cooper, Bernard Leach, Isamu Noguchi, Hans Coper, Lucie Rie, Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso, Peter Voulkos, and Adrian Saxe. The relation of ceramics to other disciplines is given close attention: sculptors, such as Antony Gormley and Tony Cragg, and even architects, including Frank Gehry, have made ceramics central to their practice.

This comprehensive survey provides invaluable background and commentary on leading practitioners, critics, theorists, and pioneers, illuminating the development of an art form that seized and inspired the imagination of artists and the public alike in the twentieth century. 180 illustrations, 80 in color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Essential reading
This is a great book for understanding ceramics of the 20th century.It is well written and has excellent photographic images.For each era several artists are given which enables you to take your study further.This book is a good foundation book from which to begin and expand your study of ceramic history. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

Glazes 101
I've been in pottery about 1 1/2 yrs and was ready to start learning about glazes - how they work, which ingredients have which function, how to make glazes, which work best for what purpose, etc.This book has it all.

Awesome book!
The BEST book a beginner can get on glazing. Explains alot of the chemicals used in glazes and breaks it down for you (what they do etc). I would get this book before you get other glaze books.

the ceramic glaze handbook
Very informative for beginner even. Well explained and pleasant to read. Like it very much.

Only 1 remaining error on page 118
When I ordered the book, there was no reader's reviews. All three reviews appeared the next day after I ordered the book. I would not have purchased it if I had read those reviews. However, when the book arrived, I checked it against the corrections [website] and found that all but one error have been corrected (foot note for middle picture on page 118). There is no indication that the book in my hands is a second printing.

This book is well illustrated and extremely well organized for easy comprehension. The pictures of the test tiles for major colorants laid out in a modified 2 x Y factorial design is extremely informative.The format of having one illustration by each formula is the most inspiring and useful way of presenting the formulae. Get this book and Hopper's the Ceramic Spectrum if you want to start formulating your own glazes.

The Ceramic Glaze Handbook
Our ceramics instructor and I (perennial student) found this book in a local library and our class loves it.We participate in a potter's guild situation, not an academic fine arts class, so the clear explanations in this book by Burleson help cut through the haze of what glazes are made of, how to take care of them, and how to experiment with them.We can't wait to get started. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Useful beginners and teachers guide
This is an excellent guide for a beginning potter, or in my case , a high school instructor with beginning ceramic students.It has terrific photos and simple explanations .
It has a great glossary of vocabulary words.Very clear and helpful suggestions and tips.

Potters Handbook
Good smooth transaction.Item arrived in a timely matter and as described.Thanks, just what I was looking for.

Handy and helpful
While setting up a ceramics program in a 55+ active adult community, I needed a quick helpful guide with lots of guidance. I tried this book and it has been indeed helpful with lots of information on clay types, stages, firing processes, glazing, handbuilding and throwing on the wheel. It is filled with good material, directions and pictures. My students liked it so much that some even purchased it for themselves.I had taught ceramics in the public schools for decades, and this did a great job of summarizing what I had taught over a semester in a thorough and quick, easy-to-use format.

a frustrating disappointment...
I am an intermediate potter looking for new ideas, techiniques, and sources of inspiration. I expected this book to include more projects. The first 130 pages included light coverage of basic information that is available in dozens of other books. There are only fifty pages devoted to specific projects and they were uninspiring and frustrating. I was initially excited by the opening picture of a vase with clay applique. However, there were no instructions for that project... The instructions for the chip and dip dish was one page conisisting of mostly photographs and very little instruction. It gave you no indication as to how to properly join the dip bowl to the larger bowl. Do you score and slip the bottom? Also, how do you trim the bottom of the larger bowl once you have already attached the small bowl? A more experienced potter may already have these solutions. They should have been included in the instructions for this piece.
As an intermediate potter, I found this book frustrating. For the beginning potter, there are better books out there....

potter's book
This book it is very helpfull for a beginer and also I think for people that practice pottery more than a hobby. It has very good pictures and the experience of the author seems to give a complex image for the entire big lesson for pottery. ... Read more

Product Description
Professional studio potter Robin Hopper, drawing from nearly 50 years of experience, offers a wealth of ceramic surface decoration possibilities - some rarely ever exposed - in this brand new all-inclusive guide! The expansive range of techniques provided in Making Marks, together with the straightforward tips for successful use, is a formula guaranteeing remarkable results for potters, teachers, students, collectors, or anyone with an interest in ceramics.

From the fundamentals (basic approaches to drawing, color theory, glaze development, and spatial development) to the clay processes (decoration with tools, adding and removing marks, and use of liquid and color clays), and from the pigment processes (variables of colorants, brush, stamp, spray, and pencil marks, and resistance techniques) to the glazing and firing processes (glaze application methods, heat and flame, vapor and fume, and multiple fired surfaces), this guide contains everything readers want and need to know. Never has there been a more complete guide on decorative techniques for ceramic surfaces! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

making marks
Robin is a master craftsman who has written a book for a ceramic artist who wants to know all the possibilities of working in clay along with the technical details of how to make it happen. Beautifully illustrated!

It's earned its 5 stars
A wonderful resource for those with a working knowledge of pottery who are looking for ideas, information, and techniques. It skips over all of the basics and jumps right in - the information is well-organized, moving from the general (2-D art) to the specifics of 3-D art.

Making Marks gets high marks!
Robin Hopper's Making Marks: Discovering he Ceramic Suface is an important source for contemporary clay workers.The text and illustrations are clear, concise and fun to read and use as guides to taking action with one's clay.I suggest it for all potters in search of techniques to use when treating the surfaces of the work.

making marks: Discovering the ceramic surface
This is really the most extraordinary ceramics book that I have ever seen. I am so amazed at the quantity of ideas for surface treatment that I don't know where to begin and I can't wait to get started! An absolute MUST for anyone who needs ideas and a boost of enthusiasm, or for anyone who feels like they are getting bored or are just stuck in a ceramics rut. What a fun book!

Great gift for a potter.
I purchased this book as a gift and it was absolutely perfect for an up and coming potter who has the building techniques down but would like to move to the next stage of creative pottery design. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

A good basic handbuilding book.
This book has several very good alternative handbuilding techniques that I've found useful over the years. It is easy to understand, and is illustrated just enoughto give you a good sense of what is possible usingeach individual technique. This book is an excellent resource for thebeginner ready to move beyond the beginning. ... Read more

Product Description
"This splendid catalog serves as the most current and magnificently illustrated introduction to Islamic ceramics now available. Essential."—Choice

Islamic pottery—the fine ceramics made in the lands of Islam, from the Arab world and Turkey through Iran and into Central Asia—is one of the hidden treasures of world ceramics. It has often been overshadowed by the ceramic legacy of China and Europe, yet it cedes nothing to these great traditions in technical inventiveness and beauty of design. Through close trading links and cultural interchange, Islamic potters have played a crucial role in the development of these other ceramic cultures.

A catalogue of the al-Sabah collection in Kuwait—one of the few truly great collections in private hands—this richly illustrated volume presents a comprehensive history of ceramics from Islamic lands and portrays the unfolding story of Islamic pottery over its thousand-year history.

Over four hundred pieces are described, providing both an examination of individual items and an overall history of the subject. Clear and informative introductory essays cover the study and collecting of Islamic pottery over the past hundred years, and trace its technical and chronological history, from the first fine wares made in the eighth century to the destructive impact of European industrialization in the nineteenth century. The individual objects, illustrated with some nine hundred color pictures, are grouped by type and geographically. A Choice Outstanding Academic Title. 921 color illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Splendid reference material for anyone interested in pottery!
This is a splendid book, helpful in so many ways if you are interested in pottery, history, or arts. With sufficient technical material to be useful for the serious potter, it is still accessible for someone just interested in the styles and beauty of pottery. ... Read more

Product Description
Linger over the images of finely detailed transfer prints produced by England's famous Staffordshire potters. Explore the wide range of early to mid-nineteenth century transfer prints which fall under the broad heading "Romantic Staffordshire." Over 500 color photographs capture the particulars of these beautifully decorated, sturdy, Victorian-era ceramics, including dinnerwares, tea sets, and other household ceramics. Included in the text is a discussion of the numerous series of prints produced by many of Staffordshire's potters. The potters and their manufacturer's marks are identified as well. Also included are a values guide, bibliography, and index. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

An excellent source of information
This is a fine introduction to Romantic Staffordshire and an excellent source of information for the collector. It is not overly priced, either.The pictures are large and of good quality, the material is arranged logically.I reference this book often!

At Long Last, Romance
Schiffer Publications, Ltd., provides helpful guides to collectors of dozens of items.The older "Historical Staffordshire" is a wonderful reference for lovers of all English Staffordshire pottery, thoughit does not specifically address its kin "RomanticStaffordshire."For those of us who especially collect RomanticStaffordshire, the publication of this new Schiffer guide in November was along-anticipated occasion.100's of glossy beautifully-photographed piecesand their markings, with detailed histories of manufacture, descriptionsand origins of motifs, histories of significant Staffordshire potteries,and even estimates of value create an astonishing identification tool forall collectors, serious or casual.Thank you, Schiffer!

At last, a long-awaited reference!
Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., references are always excellent visual and educational resources for collectors, but until November their guide to antique "Historical Staffordshire" pottery styles was the onlytitle available in its category.References focused on antique"Romantic Staffordshire" are scarce, so it was with delight Ilearned of this guide's recent publication. 100's of beautiful glossyphotographs help collectors identify pieces in their collections. EXCELLENT photographs, detailed descriptions, explanations of creation andmanufacture, origin of motifs, as well as history of important Englishpotteries and approximate values make this guide a vital tool for anyStaffordshire collector, casual or otherwise.Thank you, Schiffer! ... Read more

Product Description
A comprehensive, highly illustrated guide to handbuilt ceramic techniques as well as an informative overview of the contemporary ceramics scene. For amateur and professional potters alike, featuring more than 200 color photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A great book for beginning to intermediate ceramists.
One can never buy all the books for a hobby but if you can afford just one book on handbuilding techniques, it would be for the book; THE ART OF HANDBUILT CERAMICS.

It has lots of pictures, instructions and inspiration on how to work your clay.It's worth every penny.My only problem is that I can't share it with other ceramists.....not being sure that they'd return the great book once they've read it.

Great handbuilding book
Loved this book. It has nice pictures and good information. I am glad I have it in my collection.

Aimed at beginners
The book was geared toward those without much working knowledge of handbuilding. The photos were very nice, and included various different ways of approaching handbuilding, so could serve to inspire someone try new approaches. ... Read more

Product Description
Scandinavian art pottery, long appreciated regionally, has enjoyed a rediscovery by international collectors over the past five years. Using almost 500 dramatic color photos, this book explores the major factories, workshops, and studios that initiated and created ceramic modernism in Scandinavia, including Royal Copenhagen, Saxbo, Kahler Keramiks, Ipsen, Gustavsberg, and Tobo. Also recounted are brief histories of Denmark and Sweden's most influential designers, including Patrick Nordstrom, Axel Salto, Nils Thorsson, Cathinka Olsen, Gertrud Vasegaard, Josef Ekberg, and Gunnar Nylund. Written by a recognized expert in the field, this long anticipated book provides well researched, up-to-date information on the factories and ceramicists that collectors are most interested in, plus accurate information on marks, dating, and updated values. Clearly photographed and written, this essential reference will provide collectors with the knowledge necessary to enhance and build unique and valuable collections of some of the finest art pottery ever created. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Satisfied reader from Scandinavia
This is the best available introduction to Danish and Swedish pottery that I know of. Especially the chapters on "Royal Copenhagen", "Saxbo" and "Arne Bang" are excellent. The material on Swedish pottery are not at all that good but still O.K.

More appropriately titled: My Danish Art Pottery collection
I'll begin by stating that I am an avid collector with extensive knowledge of Scandinavian studio art pottery.And while I don't consider myself necessarily and authority on the topic, I'm not writing a book on it either.I found Hecht's book informative on some levels and largely misinformative or under-informative on others.The information gathered here filled a gap in collector's books that was long overdue.It is unfortunate, however, that this book is littered with very poor and inaccurate references to its topic.It contains either false, nebulous or no reference at all to some pottery marks and their meanings & rarity.Some of the most significant factories and artists are often barely touched on or left out completely while several pages will be devoted to others that are comparatively far less significant.I also found that of those artists featured, many have no reference to their most representative work. Not to mention, 3/4 of the book is devoted to Danish work, with the last afterthought 1/4 to Sweden, which is, in my opinion, diametrically allocated.And as for values, I don't know where these came from -- some are strangely through the roof while the very few absolute hottest collectible artists will be strangely undervalued.I hate to think that the author is providing this to help sell her own collection at terribly inflated values alongside her Fleetwood Mac albums and tour buttons on eBay while picking up the best pieces at lower prices. Some of us are not fooled.

great introduction to Scandinavian art pottery
I'm not a collector of pottery of any kind.I saw this book at a friend's and started reading it.The history of the pottery houses and different genres are very well explained here and it's a compelling read.I was ableto even see styles and artists that matched my sensibilities.Overall, Ilearned something new and saw many pieces of art pottery that I enjoy.Iunderstand why Scandinavian art pottery is so collectable now. ... Read more

Product Description
Beyond simple cylinder and slab construction, these projects get into combinations of techniques-adding textures, cutting darts, extruding forms, faceting, assembling multiple parts, and more. Techniques that will make your work stand out. For the intermediate potter looking for the next challenge and the advanced clay artist seeking inspiration, these projects run the gamut of possibilities. ... Read more

Product Description
Bringing together the knowledge of leading pottery and porcelain experts, Antique Trader Pottery & Porcelain Ceramics Price Guide covers, in detail, all the major collecting categories of American, English, European and Asian ceramics from the 18th century through the late 20th century. More than 10,200 individual listings are highlighted by over 4,300 full color photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

A 'must' any serious collector should have.
What do you get in this overall pottery guide which is clearer than specialized ceramics price guides? For one the ability to contrast values for different specialized ceramics, from American and English to European and Oriental. For another, you get a general 'bible' of over 10,000 price listings, over 3,000 color photos, and collecting guidelines key to successful pottery and porcelain investing. A 'must' any serious collector should have.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Great book to stimulate your interest!
This great little reference guide is a bargain - the price and the information.It is a easy to use price guide - not a table top book - but useful anyway.I collect Limoges and love Debby DuBay's books but I can't carry them while antiquing - The Antique Trader's books give me enough info so I don't make any major mistakes while purchasing Limoges.

Love Limoges and this book is a great value but if you want
to read about the history of antique Limoges or want info on the back stamps or marks suggest Antique Limoges at Home or Collecting Hand Painted Limoges Porcelain.

Great Value Guide!Love the section on Limoges!
Thanks to the editors of the Antique Trader, I found the wonderful books by Debby DuBay, Collecting Hand Painted Limoges Porcelain, Antique Limoges at Home and Living With Limoges.Thank you!Highly recommend!

Not what I had hoped for
I purchased this from Amazon based on the reviews listed here and was sadly disappointed.I had expected sort of a systematic catalog of porcelain and pottery pieces.This listed a number of items, but with no real depth at all.It is hit or miss.The chances that you can evaluate any individual item you may be interested in is very small.I returned mine to Amazon. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (6)

Eye Candy for the Ceramic Artist
I really enjoy this book.I say that in the present tense because this is not a book you sit and read cover to cover.You select parts as selecting a piece of chocolate from a box of candy, read it, savor it, and save the rest for later. It offers wonderful artist profiles and then these featured artists offer a gallery of their favorite artists' works.It is biographical, inspirational, and instructional at an advanced level.

A Facinating Book
I especially enjoyed the work of Sergei Isupov and Michael Sherrill, but none of the other artists were less than spectacular including the gallery of complementary work.I'm especially appreciative of the artists for sharing their inovative techniques with us.Thanks to the Penland School, also, for bringing their art to our attention.

Masterclass with incomplete information
The title of the book leads one to expect to receive the technical information needed to try any of the techniques demonstrated. The book does not always live up to this promise. For example, the multilayered slip technique presented by Mary Barringer demonstrates the use of slips before and after bisquing. The most critical factor here would be the composition of the slip to accommodate the shrinkage of the bisque. Granted, there are many slip recipes out there, but not all will work here. I don't need to see pictures of her brushing the slip on. That is the stuff of beginner books (if even) not "Master classes". The physical techniqes of building , modelling and shaping are well illustrated, and so the book does have its value. Michael Sherril's use of extruded clay to make his fantastic sculptures was eyeopening, and well demonstrated.

penland book of ceramics
The pictures were great, also I liked the instructional part.The example of how to tell if the glaze is deflocuulated by putting your hands in and watch how it flows was so visual, I have used it every time I defluculated a glaze.
It also shwed a different way to have your way with the clay, like those things that look like bananaas, how do you do that with clay, the book explained it in enough detail for your to copy,in your own style.I am very pleased with this book.

Impressive artistry, step by step
THE PENLAND BOOK OF CERAMICS is certainly large and colorful.The Penland School of Crafts, located in the mountains of North Carolina, seems large enough to be considered a community."Today the school encompasses 43 buildings located on 400 acres of land.Each year approximately 1,200 people come to Penland for instruction and another 12,000 pass through as visitors."(p. 205).I expected to find more pictures in the book of the interesting three-dimensional conglomeration on the cover, which is probably not a bunch of bananas, but maybe the artist thought it was.The colors are similar to the "Yellowstone Rhododendron, 2001" and "Mountain Magnolia, 2001" shown on page 53.Even if it is supposed to be a bunch of bananas, that would not make it the most surreal thing in this book.

I have had difficulty thinking about objects that appear to be weird in three dimensions, so the complexity of many of the pieces seems miraculous to me, but the step-by-step explanations of the process of constructing a few items demonstrate the possibilities of getting there bit by bit.The first artist featured in the book, Clara "Kitty" Couch, produces terra cotta vessels that open out at the top with an edge so thin, looking so flimsy, that the first picture in the hands on series, "Rolling out the slab" (p. 17), showing the clay under a rolling pin, ought to produce an immense leap in the understanding of how the material is originally flattened before it is formed.There are also pictures of Joe Bova "Rolling out a 12-pound (5.4 kg) slab to a thickness of at least 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) on a piece of plywood" (p. 152) and Mary Barringer "applying texture with a tectured roller" (p.198).A description of Kitty Couch's work is called "Contemplative Coilings" (p. 12), but she does not try to make it all from one long rope.She describes adding flat coils, one at a time, "When the base has become firm so that it can support itself."(p. 13).More complicated layers of clay were used to produce Becky Gray's "Autumn Leaf Bowl" shown on page 24.

The works which I found most imaginative were by Sergei Isupov on pages 168 to 185.By painting faces at odd places, such as under the armpits of a figure called "To Cast a Spell" (pp. 168, 176 - 185 and back cover), the spooky line of Rilke's poem, "Archaic Torso of Apollo," `there is no spot that does not see you' (Translated by Walter Kaufmann in 20 German Poets, pp. 220-223) seems aptly illustrated.

There are some specialized techniques and equipment in this book that I will not try to describe.Some combinations are so much like architecture that it is not surprising to see a box that actually looks like a building, Angelica Pozo's "White Oak Temple Box, 1997.17 3/4 x 10 3/4 x 16 inches (46.6 x 27.3 x 40.6 cm).Cut, carved, extruded, press-molded, and hand-formed mosaic tile from terra cotta; terra sigillata; glaze cone 04; glass mosaic.Photo by artist."(p. 27). ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Great Service
Fast shipping, book in great condition.Thank you very much for helping to make my schooling more effective!

This is really what I was looking for...
A complete book on pottery technology. Very useful both for beginners and expert. It gives a useful and deep description on minseralogical, stilistic and archaeometric aspects of pottery and pottery making.

Classics
For me there are two kinds of classics. The first are the books that were printed more than 70 years ago, and are still a reference in the subject you use it. The second are the new books, less than 25 years of being edited, that are so good and so well written that any one who wants to investigate in a subject have to read them. Rice's book is the second kind. A book very well documented, written and thought. With out any doubt, if you want to deal with ceramic analyses in archaeology you have to read it. ... Read more

Product Description
Raku, pit and barrel firing are three of the most popular firing techniques in ceramics. Accessible to anyone involved in this expressive medium, the unifying theme of these three techniques is the ability to work directly with the fire to achieve both quick and unique results not available with more conventional firing techniques.
In Raku, Pit & Barrel: Firing Techniques you'll discover some of the most beautiful alternatively fired work, as well as extensive how-to techniques and step-by-step instructions to help you duplicate the processes in your own studio. Explore dozens of techniques and discover the many special effects available using these ancient firing methods. You'll love the experience of working with glowing red-hot pieces in a raku kiln, uncovering pots from a pit fire or peeling the aluminum foil off your latest saggar experiment.

The following is a small sampling of what you will find:
Where There's Smoke Frank Fisher knew that the most common reducing materials used for post-firing reduction were paper and sawdust. He wondered what would happen if you tried other materials, so he tested a few. See the results of his test and maybe you'll want to experiment with a few yourself.

Porta-Kiln Barrel Firing After attending a workshop on smoke firing, Martha Puckett began to experiment and loved the technique. She developed a technique for firing in a small barrel she can pull out whenever a pot is ready for her firing touch.

Karen Shapiro looks at the common objects around the house and sees The Art of Everyday Life. Her works include raku versions of milk containers, spice cans, bags of snacks and make up paraphernalia. Common items elevated to art.

What's a Raku Glaze? Steven Branfman answers this question in detail. It really amounts to almost anything can serve as a raku glaze it just depends on what effect you're looking for. Considered one of the foremost authorities on raku in the U.S., he provides his expertise on Raku Glazing giving tips and techniques gleaned from years of experience.

Horsehair Raku is a technique that has appeal. Applying horsehair is not a complicated process but there is a sequence that assures good results. Bob Hasselle describes his method and his work provides stunning results.

Another way to affect the surface of glowing raku ware is by Wrapping Raku Pots with Wire. Mark Gordon didn't know what inspired him to wrap wire around a piece, but after he did, he was on to something unique.

When we think of raku we mostly think of pots that will sit on a shelf. Barbara VanSickle shows you how Making a Raku Mural gives you a chance to explore making art for the walls. Her technique is complete from design to final mounting.

Jimmy Clark finds working with pit firing offers a Sense of Timelessness. His vessels are freely formed while resting on his lap or in sling molds made by loosely spanning a bucket or other round container. His peeled terra sigillata technique is just the beginning to subjecting pots to multiple firings.

If you want a Successful Barrel Firing, Paul Wandless provides all the direction you'll need. In this step-by-step technique, you'll find the best advice for each stage of the process from selecting the right clay to making the barrel and firing it.

John Martin discovered that using gold and opal lusters along with copper takes his work to a new level and he describes his process inEnhancing Raku with Lusters.

When Mark Richardson was looking for a quick way to fire 90 small covered jars with a crackled smoke decoration as part of a commission, he needed to speed up the process. His wire basket with a barbecue grill base and fencing did the trick for Peel-Away Slip in a Hurry. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Definitely recommended
A great book, with lots of techniques to try out and learn from. Steve Branfman provides good advice on naked raku slip, and others give good tips on firing.
These are articles that have been published over the years in Ceramics Monthly magazine. Anyone looking to start, or broaden their use of these techniques is advised to take a look at this book.

definitely NOT recommended
I am very disappointed with this book; the reason?It is advertised as being a book on firing techniques, but the information on firing is very scarce and it is mostly a compendium of a few american potters who wrote their own article in which they mostly talk about their life (wife, children and what they do) rather than explaining what the technique they present is. Many parts of the book are a copy and paste from other articles. The only good thing is the photographs which show beautiful work.
In conclusion, if you are looking for a book on firing techniques do not buy this one.

Raku, Pit & Barrel: Firing Techniques (Ceramic Arts Handbook)
This is great book! Can't wait to try out some of these techniques. It's more of a "pottery" book than a "Ceramics" book but lots to glean and learn.

Nice variety of techniques
Nice variety of techniques, some I had not seen before. Nice color photos. Reasonably well written. I would like to have had more examples/techniques for the price of the book. Particularly I was looking for Pit Fire techniques. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
From abstract vessels to domestic tableware and one-off sculptural pieces in earthenware, stoneware and porcelain, this exciting new book represents the best in contemporary ceramic design from all over the world. It features the work of prominent ceramic artists who use a wide range of clays and decorative and firing techniques to produce unique pieces. ... Read more