Craft Center : Ceramics

A remarkable diversity of techniques are used to treat the ceramic surface. Presented is an exploration of the ceramic surface--focusing on the vessel and platter--that includes the nonfunctional, the metaphoric, the narrative, and even the sculptural. Through an examination of the works of 200 ceramicists from around the world, he provides a broad overview of contemporary techniques and approaches.

Once a ceramic piece is finished it can be embellished or enhanced with other materials, such as a wooden or metal handle, glass stopper, or resin knob. Objects with varying textures such as feathers, recycled pieces of wood, metal, glass, or other ceramic pieces can be joined after firing with modern bonding methods. Ceramics with Mixed Media is a practical handbook that shows how other materials can be combined with ceramics for functional, decorative, or sculptural reasons.

Coiling is one of the most versatile of ceramic techniques. The plasticity of clay invites potters to roll it between their hands to produce a coil that can be joined to form the wall of a hollow vessel. Pots of enormous size and amazing variety can be made using this method. Sculptural pieces can also be crafted using coils, creating forms that range from human and animal to very abstract shapes. Michael Hardy explores the use of this technique, from its history to its materials and methods.

From sugar whites and pastel pinks to toasted browns and deep sea blues, the wide spectrum of colored clay offers an array of possibilities for creative ceramicists. By using the clay itself as the sole means of decoration, potters can achieve effects that range from subtle gradation to dramatic shifts, all integrated into the structure of their creation. Working with colored clay demands a special, disciplined approach, but the rewards are many. Beginning with a brief introduction to historic forms such as encaustic tile, sprigging, and art pottery, Coloring Clay explains the principal techniques for working with colored clay. This detailed, practical handbook takes artists though the clay and stain selection process to forming and firing, outlining proven procedures that produce optimum results. Readers will learn to use coiling and handbuilding for marbled effects, make Wedgwood-style applied reliefs, incorporate swirls and subtle hues into wheel-thrown pieces with mixes and overlays, or apply inlays to slipcast works for modern geometric patterns.

In this book, the traditional handbuilding methods--pinching, coiling, slab building, and pressmolding are explained. For many years these methods were eclipsed by throwing on a potter's wheel which came to dominate as a making method. However, in the past 30 years handbuilding has once again become a preferred technique among ceramic artists. These artists are engaged in exploring the creative possibilities that handbuilding offers, experimenting fully with and combining techniques in an effort to achieve their artistic vision.

Lustreware, once associated with alchemy for its golden effects, may no longer be a guarded secret of potters and tillers, but the technique still intimidates many artists. The challenging mix of science and art requires a great deal of experimentation to achieve the desired results. Perfecting lustre demands patience, experience, and, above all, knowledge. Yet the iridescent beauty of this decorative technique makes it all worthwhile. Lustre takes on many appearances, from a warm coppery glow to a spectacular prismatic finish. Lustre begins with a brief historical overview of the technique, from its origins in ninth-century Tunisia to the application of nanotechnology in the ceramics industry today. Daly then guides ceramicists through each lustre production method: pigment, glaze, resin, and fuming. In each case, he breaks down the essential techniques and important safety procedures through simple step-by-step instructions and recipes. The handbook provides detailed technical information in clear language and easy-to-read tables and charts.

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.