The Big Book of Ceramics: A Guide to the History Materials Equipment and Techniques of Hand-Building Throwing Molding Kiln-Firing and Glazing Pottery and Other Ceramic Objects

About this book

In this exhaustive introduction to ceramics all the materials equipment and techniques of the craft are presented clearly and accessibly. An easy-to-follow text is accompanied by hundreds of color photographs and schematic drawings that illustrate every material technique piece of equipment and step-by-step demonstration. The book begins with a history of ceramics that covers techniques and styles from various periods and parts of the world. Then clays and glazes are introduced with details on the diffrent types and their compositions as well as instruction on how to prepare them. Next kilns kiln furniture potters wheels and other equipment and tools are illustrated and thier uses demonstrated. The core of the book is dedicated to presenting the full range of ceramic techniques: hand-building molding throwing glazing and firing. In the final section step-by-step projects show how to employ these techniques to create a variety of vessles and sculptural forms.