Ceramic Books

The Craft and Art of Clay, by the late, leading ceramics teacher Susan Peterson, is the most comprehensive available guide to modern ceramics, packed with step-by-step illustrations of ceramic techniques to guide the beginner as well as inspirational ceramic pieces from contemporary potters from around the world. This completely revised fourth edition contains more than 150 new illustrations and includes profiles of key ceramists who have influenced the field, new material on marketing ceramics on the internet, and added coverage of paperclays, using gold, and alternative glazes. This is the one book no ceramist, whether novice or expert, can do without.

A collection of articles about creative artists, and ideas to challenge you and inspire your work. Pottery, sculpture and finishing techniques are covered. This is a must-read for anyone involved in clay. Net Wt. is .87 lbs.

Diane Creber tackles the problems involved in using this challenging medium. She describes the clays and kilns most suitable, explains how to glaze, provides glaze recipes, and discusses how to fire in both oxidation and reduction conditions. She also briefly sketches the history of crystalline glazes. Net Wt. is .71 lbs.

Ceramists choosing to work in home studios are praising the safety, convenience, and economical benefits of the electric kiln. Now in its third edition, Electric Kiln Ceramics helps the ceramist create work exclusively intended for firing in the electric kiln. This valuable guide is an exhaustive review of clays, glazes, and techniques designed to benefit the seasoned professional, as well as the less technically educated beginner. Renowned ceramist and respected author, Richard Zakin provides information on kiln construction, routine maintenance, loading and firing, the influence of firing temperatures, and the application of oxidation surfaces. State-of-the-art health and safety concerns are also addressed, including the kiln atmosphere and the strengths and weaknesses of the oxidation atmosphere. Recipes for commercial and homemade clays and glazes guarantee successful results.

A must-have reference for any serious potter, The Electric Kiln is a complete manual on how to install an electric kiln, how to use it properly, and how to maintain and repair it. Harry Fraser fully describes the distinctive features, advantages, and disadvantages of both top-loading and front-loading kilns, as well as various other kiln types. He shows the basic effects of heat on clays, glazes, and pigments. This unique handbook is also a guide on how to make the best use of the kiln to achieve such special effects as reduction, crystal glazes, and raku.

For potters, mold making is invaluable because it allows them to slip-cast identical multiples of their work, and this newly revised, now in color edition of Andrew Martin's classic, is the definitive guide to the craft. No other volume has shown the processes in such how-to detail. It's overflowing with hundreds of photos, key techniques, projects, master artist profiles, and troubleshooting tips. A thorough introduction addresses materials and tools, and presents Martin's simple, unique template method for making clay prototypes. Create easy one-piece molds to make tiles, bowls, and platters, or multi-piece molds for more complex forms. An extensive overview covers slip formulation, while offering highly desired slip recipes for low, mid, and high-fire clay bodies. This will be the standard reference in every ceramist's library.

This contemporary guide to clay techniques, tools, and traditions is as inspirational as it is practical. Supported by clear, step-by-step illustrations, this comprehensive resource details a range of handbuilding and wheel-throwing techniques and is a wonderful source for exploring ancient traditions and historic innovations in the world of ceramic art. From the properties of clay to decoration and firing, all information presented is shown against a rich backdrop of dynamic professional and student work. The student text explores ancient traditions and historic innovations. Net Wt. is 1.95 lbs.

This extensive how-to book puts you in touch with all the creative potential of the extruder. With more than 50% new material, this book features new works by artists, up-to-date information on extruders, and sixteen great step-by-step demonstrations, making it a must for anyone with an extruder in their studio. 164 Pages. Net Wt. is 3.14 lbs.

Beyond the world of pinch and coil constructions and wheel-thrown pots lies a vast array of opportunities for the ceramic artist. In Extruder, Mold & Tile: Forming Techniques potters will discover a wealth of information, techniques and inspiration on topics that span the usual to the unusual as well as the functional to the sculptural. Net Wt. is 1.31 lbs.

Nine master ceramic artists present their personal approaches to sculpting the human figure in a spectacular volume that's both technically illuminating and visually inspirational. The outstanding examples range from representational to abstract, diminutive to heroic. Nan Smith uses a range of mold-making techniques and precise slab construction, while Akio Takamori coil-builds a simplified figure inspired by a Velasquez painting and Christyl Boger creates a lavishly decorated, classically formal figurine. Each featured sculptor discusses the unique attractions and challenges of his or her method, and a series of detailed color photographs follows the artwork as it takes shape. In addition, there's a gallery of contemporary pieces selected by the major contributors. Glen R. Brown, a noted writer on ceramics, provides an insightful, thought-provoking introduction.