The Complete Potter: The Complete Reference to Tolls, Materials, and Techniques for All Potters and Ceramicists - Softcover

Mattison, Steve

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0764122592 ISBN 13: 9780764122590

Publisher: B E S Pub Co, 2003

Synopsis

This book offers something for everybody interested in pottery! Beginning potters will find a complete course in the pages of this book. Experienced potters will find new ideas for designing and decorating virtually every type of ware. Heavily illustrated with more than 600 how-to photos, The Complete Potter takes readers through every phase of the potter�s craft, from clay to kiln. Separate sections explain:

• Clays: their different types and uses
• Types of ware: terracotta, stoneware, porcelain, raku, and others
• Design: how to draw and plan a piece before making it
• The basic processes: clay preparation, tools, throwing and turning on a potter�s wheel, using molds, tile-making, and more
• Decoration: creating surface textures, using slips, glazes, pigments, and more
• Materials and pigments for decorating: what they�re made of and how to use them
• Kilns and firings: kiln types, temperature controls, and more
• Tools and equipment: from hand tools to semi-industrial equipment
• Health and safety: a complete guide

This handsome and instructive volume also shows examples of work by some of the world�s leading ceramicists, with information on how they achieve their fine results. Here is a book that lives up to its title: it is truly The Complete Potter.

About this title

Review

..". detailed photographs and finished forms accompany the text."

--Ceramics Monthly, June 2004

From the Back Cover

[back cover]
This definitive guide takes you through all the processes from clay to kiln, from designing your pieces to making, decorating, and firing them
Clearly laid out and packed with factual information that every creative ceramicist will want to have on hand, including descriptions of the very latest materials and how to use them effectively in your work
Step-by-step instructions for traditional methods and new products, such as paper-clay, are combined with examples of work by some of the world's top ceramicists, including details on how they achieve their results
[flap copy]
"The Complete Potter is a comprehensive guide that will help you choose, design, create, fire, and decorate your ceramic items. The first thing you will discover is that the spectrum of studio ceramics produced internationally is amazingly wide. Potters today can experiment and practice in a broad range of ceramic materials, using many different techniques for making and firing ware.
This book begins by explaining the different types of available clay and the types of ware that can be produced from each. The author goes on to examine various forming techniques, including hand-building, throwing, and making in molds. Once you have made your pot, you can decorate it in many ways, including the application of slip, glazes, and pigments, as well as by employing many exciting printing techniques. You'll find details on the raw materials for making glazes, complete with instructions on how to apply them plus several useful glaze recipes. Finally, you'll discover the different types of kilns and firing techniques that are available. The firing method you choose will have a profoundeffect on both the function and appearance of the finished piece, and can be one of the most fascinating aspects of ceramic work. At the end of the book, you will find a quick-reference guide to tools and equipment, plus health and safety advice and a comprehensive glossary.
The Complete Potter presents a wealth of professional advice on materials and techniques. Step-by-step illustrations clearly demonstrate each technique while also inspiring and encouraging you to produce pottery of the highest quality.
Steve Mattison has been a professional ceramic artist for nearly 20 years, specializing in wood-fired salt glaze and raku. Since the early 1980s, he has been a teacher of art and design in several universities and colleges in England and on the Continent. He currently lectures at Manchester City College, England, and Budapest University of Art and Crafts. He is the international coordinator for the International Ceramic Studio in Kecskemit, Hungary, and is one of the founders of the International Ceramics Festival in Wales, Europe's premier educational ceramics event. Steve's work is represented in many museums and private collections throughout Europe and the United States and he has contributed to several magazines and books.

Edition details

• Publisher: B E S Pub Co
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0764122592
• ISBN 13: 9780764122590
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 224