Ceramic Books

More than 400 detailed color photos demonstrate techniques and surfaces, while introduction sections provide background about various surfaces including stone, wood, cement and more. Sculptors of all experience levels will benefit from the instruction outline (tools used, preparation steps, materials needed and step-by-step treatment procedure) included for each style of treatment. Plus, artists get valuable safety tips, an introduction to materials and tools, and a photo gallery of inspirational works!

Assuming neither prior experience nor artistic talent, this guide to the art of sculpture begins with exercises in seeing and drawing. It then explains how to work with various media, from free-form, unrestrained compositions of found objects to the techniques of working with wax, foil or Pariscraft. It is illustrated with student and professional work, and seeks to broaden the definition of what sculpture is.

This student textbook is organized by medium, progressing from fundamental to more advanced applications. Using step-by-step illustrations, it covers all sculpture media, and presents both classic and contemporary styles, examining traditional methods as well as modern tools and techniques. It includes safety guidelines, gives student and professional examples, and offers advice on careers in sculpture. Net Wt. is 2.6 lbs.

Setting Up a Pottery Workshop discusses requirements of both the specialized studio and those suited for more general pottery production. It presents valuable information for those setting up their first studio, and more experienced potters will be interested in how others have developed their studios. Net Wt. is .7 lbs.

Take a photographic tour of 10 beautiful ceramics studios, and discover exactly how and why each design so perfectly meets the artist's particular needs. Author and ceramist Virginia Scotchie covers all the practical decisions about equipment, workflow, and safety that go into setting up a new studio, from using the space effectively and dealing with lighting, electrical, and ventilation needs, to establishing a small business office. Every ceramist will find inspiration in Michael Sherrill's spacious and adaptable studio, so suited to his large-scale sculptures; Alice Munn's intimate and tidy atelier; and Ben Owen III's highly organized layout, arranged for volumes of production work and featuring a separate gallery.

Shoji Hamada: A Potter's Way and Work is an ebullient, fascinating portrait of a great potter, tracing his place in the ceramic tradition and revealing a keen perception of his energetic life style, his dazzling work cycle, and intriguing specifics about the firing of his kilns. Along with Bernard Leach, Shoji Hamada was one of the key figures in the development of studio pottery in the 20th century, resurrecting the craft after its near demise during the Industrial Revolution. His influence both in England and the U.S., as well as in his native Japan, cannot be underestimated. The Japanese government designated him a Living National Treasure in 1955 and awarded him the Order of Culture in 1968.

Best known as one of the most widely used industrial ceramic techniques, slipcasting has become increasingly attractive to individual artists and craftspersons. Slip, a water and clay solution, is poured into porous molds. As the mold absorbs water from the slip, a layer of clay forms a cast. The excess slip is removed from the mold and the cast is stiffened, removed, dried, and fired in a kiln. Since the molds can be based on anything from delicate sculpture to found objects, slipcasting frees artists from the constraints of other ceramic techniques while allowing them to create multiples of their works. Sasha Wardell's Slipcasting is a straightforward, practical guide for those interested in the boundless possibilities of the technique. The book contains more than one hundred color illustrations, diagrams, and slip formulas. An inspiring "Individual Approaches" chapter discusses the slipcast work of a variety of contemporary ceramicists from around the world. Net Wt. is .79 lbs.

In this engaging and informative book, Victoria Eden and Michael Eden trace the history of slipware, discuss the techniques involved, and cover a wide cross-section of contemporary practice. The abundant illustrations include over two hundred striking images reflecting the current work of an international group of artists, along with a variety of traditional pieces. Net Wt. is 2.09 lbs.

This breathtaking collection of work from 53 ceramic artists goes beyond a mere gallery of their work, inviting readers into their studios to share their insights into the aesthetics of ceramic surfaces as well as the formulas for some of their most successful glazes.

Gathering together the expertise of nearly 30 artists who use the methods of smoke-fired pottery, both with and without recourse to kilns, the author gives us a broad perspective on the possibilities of smoke firing to achieve a multitude of contemporary approaches and results. Net Wt. is 2.2 lbs.