Books & Magazines

For thirty years, Modeling the Figure in Clay has been an indispensable anatomical resource for people who think, see, and understand form best in the round: sculptors. In the thirtieth anniversary edition of this classic work, master sculptor Bruno Lucchesi invites you on a guided tour of the human form. Follow him as he creates a figure in clay-literally from the inside out-starting with the skeleton, laying on the muscles to show male and female anatomy, and finishing with a complete figure sculpture with every detail of face and hair carefully modeled.

Renowned contemporary sculptor Bruno Lucchesi takes a single life-size head through all the stages of rough in, modeling, refining the surface, and finishing and texturing, enabling the reader to see exactly how he positions and models every detail. The book demonstrates not just highlights of the creative process, but every step from beginning to end.

For more than 30 years, Dr. Anneliese and Dr. Wulf Crueger?guided by Saeko Ito?have devoted themselves to studying, understanding, and collecting Japanese ceramics. Today, they share the rich fruits of their knowledge with this lavishly illustrated volume based on their own collection. Net Wt. is 1.96 lbs.

After reviewing materials and tools needed for molding, the book's next four chapters present four different techniques: wasted mold (for models of clay, polyurethane, and other materials); press mold (for a tray, a tile, an animal, and other sculptural forms); casting mold (for a bottle, a teapot, and other modular forms); and terracotta mold (for a bowl and relief work). Included are practical tips for setting up a good work area in the home.

This remarkable collection of Ceramics Monthly articles, written by Elaine Levin, tells the stories of some of the most notable figures of the ceramic art movement in the U.S. Levin relates the struggles and successes of 26 movers and shakers dedicated to unselfishly pushing ceramic art into uncharted territory so others could enjoy and benefit from their efforts. From Binns, Baggs, Robineau and the Wildenhains, through Voulkos and Soldner, the stories in Movers and Shakers in American Ceramics are sure to educate and inspire. Net Wt. is 1.08 lbs.

The universal dream of doing the work you love and earning a living at it forms the heart of this current edition of a book that has become a favorite of many potters. This fresh account of The Mud-Pie Dilemma, written by John Nance, updates by 25 years the classic story of Tom and Elaine Coleman and their struggles to create a successful, loving marriage and family while master potter Tom seeks to realize his extraordinary potential as a ceramic artist. For more than three decades, studio potters Tom and Elaine Coleman have sustained themselves and raised a family through their work in clay. It has involved major changes in geography, and in ways, styles and means of living and working. Despite the difficulties and occasional setbacks, the Colemans have found it to be a personally and creatively gratifying career. Author John Nance, who met the Colemans 25 years ago when he documented their work in the first edition, brings their story up to date in this latest edition.

Ostermann provides valuable information on many areas of maiolica glaze technique. He very briefly outlines the historical background of tin glaze ware from its inception in ninth-century CE Mesopotamia through its flowering in the Renaissance of 16th-century Italy, down to the present day by including examples of more than 50 contemporary ceramists with their variety of avant-garde expressions of tin glazed clay forms. The author has conceived this volume to serve as a methodology in the practice of tin glaze ceramics. It is an all-inclusive work covering many important areas such as terminology, aesthetics, materials used, and procedural steps. Superb color photographs amply illustrate the various technical procedures discussed. A very important addition to the ceramics library. -- Choice Magazine

Oriental Glazes is an instructive guide that emphasizes firing in a flame kiln (using gas, oil, propane, or wood), with the oxygen supply restricted at the top end of the firing. This creates the reducing effect that brings about the changes, especially to the metallic coloring oxides copper and iron, that produce the subtle and beautiful qualities associated with the classic Far Eastern glazes.

There are only four chapters in the the book, but they exhaustively cover the materials you need for a good understanding of each topic. Chapter 1 discusses glaze cores such as feldspars and rocks, and also includes lithium glaze cores, volcanic ash glaze cores and rotten stone. In Chapter 2, Clays and Claybodies, you'll discover the unique characteristics of different types of clays: kaolins, ball clays, stoneware, fireclays, and iron-rich clays. Chapter 3 discusses auxiliary melter - materials added to the glaze-core to help it achieve a greater melt and fusion. There are many different kinds of melters, but at stoneware temperatures, it is the limestone or calcium-based melters that are most important for the stoneware glaze. The internal oxide structure of limestone is mostly calcium carbonate, which turns into calcium oxide during the firing process. For this reason, whiting, wollastonite, dolomite, gerstley borate and colemanite receive primary attention in this chapter. Rounding out the critical components are the auxiliary silica and alumina minerals discussed in Chapter 4. In discussing silica, Obstler touches on the qualities it lends to a glaze: hardness, glassmaker, crystalline formation and the effect on fluidity and melt. Alumina posseses many unique properties as well and these are covered in depth. Net Wt. is 2.84 lbs.

In this revised and expanded edition of Paper Clay, Rosette Gault clearly explains how to make, use, and fire paper clay successfully. She also brings the reader up to date on new developments in the field, including methods for the ecologically sound use of paper clay. This handbook incorporates several helpful charts and illustrations, featuring firing schedules and proportion guidelines, as well as cross sections and templates for common forms. Net Wt. is .82 lbs.