Chris Campbell Posted September 28, 2011 Report Share Posted September 28, 2011 In a previous post Dinah mentioned the importance of having a solid reference library of pottery books. I would imagine this would range from the basic how to books to the glorious ... let's share our lists of must have books. I'll go first .... Best ever reference books... "Clay, a studio handbook" by Vince Pitelka. "Ceramics, Mastering the Craft" by Richard Zakin "Illustrated Dictionary of Practical Pottery" by Robert Fournier Ceramic Surface ... "Making Marks" by Robin Hopper Glazing ... "Mastering Cone 6 Glazes" by Hesselberth & Roy Personal Favs for my own work ... "Color in Clay" By Jane Waller "Porcelain and Bone China" by Sasha Wardell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Electric Cat Posted September 28, 2011 Report Share Posted September 28, 2011 Too many to list, it's like asking me to list my musical preferences. I learn a little something from almost every book on ceramics that I read. Ahem, however, Kingery, Bowman, Uhlman (1976) Introduction to Ceramics Wiley Interscience Hesselberth, Roy (2002) Mastering cone six glazes Glaze MAster Press Davis (1987) The Potter's Alternative Chilton Press Lane (2002) Ceramic Form Rizzoli International Watkins, Wandless (2004) Alternative Kilns and firing Techniques Lark Books Perryman (2004) Naked Clay A & C Black Perryman (2008) Smoke Firing A & C Black Barbaformosa (1999) The Potter's Wheel Barron's This last book is really an odd but interesting bird, it contains some techniques and forms that are not usually seen in an introductory book, at the end of the book it is more intermediate/advanced, as I know from experience. I wish more books would do this, instead of the usual litany of "how to wedge, how to center, how to open, how to throw a cylinder, a bowl, etc". It was originally written in Spanish and translated, so some of the translations are a little stilted, but it really fires my imagination. Kinda hard to find, but inexpensive if you do ($5?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLowes Posted September 29, 2011 Report Share Posted September 29, 2011 I would add to those great books previously mentioned: The Potter's Dictionary of Materials and Techniques by Hamer and Hamer and for inspiration when you may be out of ideas the Lark 500 series of books. John Lowes Sandy Springs, GA, USA http://wynhillpottery.weebly.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LawPots Posted September 29, 2011 Report Share Posted September 29, 2011 For potters who like to make pots that function: Functional Pottery, Robbin Hopper (2nd ed. 2000) And, while I wasn't impressed enough to say that I'd put it on a must read list, if your a beginner to clay (like me) and are tempted by current lineup of the Barron's educational series, start with Barron's 250 Tips, Techniques, and Trade Secrets for Potters - it has the projects from many of the other books from the same publisher, so, it's like buying three or four books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucille Oka Posted September 29, 2011 Report Share Posted September 29, 2011 There are too many to name. I remember my first semester of pottery making, I read every book my school library had on pottery making of any method, clay, technique, and history. I went to the public library and did the same thing. I could not get enough of the information. I am still the same way. I will recommend to any one go to the library and just start where the catalog starts. You are bound to learn from any book you pick up to read about pottery, ceramics and clay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pres Posted September 30, 2011 Report Share Posted September 30, 2011 Great Question-Most book mentioned above I have and use, some in older editions. I have also found: Practical Solutions for Potters-Gill Bliss, Electric Kiln Ceramics-Richard Zakin, and The Craft and Art of Clay-Susan Peterson to be very helpful at times. I also keep old volumes of clay times, CM, Pottery Illustrated, and others around for lounge reading. Some day I hope to get all of the books together in one or two bookcases so that they are easier to access. Just too many for one place right now-building a library this winter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WUVIE Posted October 29, 2011 Report Share Posted October 29, 2011 My apologies, I did not realize this topic was already started when I posted in the Studio forum. At present I am reading The first of the stack is 'Basic Pottery Making - All the skills and tools you need to get started - Linda Franz. I can't stop looking in this one! For a beginner, the numerous photos are great when a beginner like myself has never done much more than school projects. I've played extensively in polymer clay, but that doesn't count too much compared to earth clay on a pottery wheel. I've only perused to page 34 and am already excited about making a bowl, though I realize that is quite a bit down the road. Other titles picked up: (I'll amend this page as I go to give my two cents on each book, LOL) HAND BUILDING - Ceramics for beginners - Shay Amber PRACTICAL GUIDE TO POTTERY - Colin Gerard INTRODUCTION TO POTTERY - A step-by-step project book - Linde Wallner HANDBUILT CERAMICS - Pinching, coiling, extruding, molding, slip casting, slab work - Kathy Triplett THE CERAMIC GLAZE HANDBOOK - Materials, techniques, formulas - Mark Burleson EXPLORING ELECTRIC KILN TECHNIQUES - A collection of articles from Ceramics Monthly - Sumi von Dassow BUILDING YOUR OWN KILN - 3 Japanese potters give advice and instructions - Hiromi Itabashi, Roppo Tamura, Naoki Kawabuchi ALTERNATIVE KILNS & FIRING TECHNIQUES - Raku, saggar, pit, barrel - James C. Watkins, Paul Andrew Wandless CLAY: HAND BUILDING - Maurice Sapiro Do you have any favorites? Any memorable books that stick with you, or were more helpful than others? Karen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benhim Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 Pioneer Pottery - Michael Cardew The Kiln Book - Frederick Olsen A book I think lacks severely that I purchased on request of an instructor is "The Complete Potter's Companion" Tony Birks. This book is incomplete, leaving the potter who doesn't know otherwise to think this might be all there is to know about ceramics. What is listed in this book can be referenced in many other books that are at least more complete than this book. I'll give it credit for it's great pictures, but in reviewing the information contained with in, it's flat out lying by calling itself "The Complete Potter's Companion" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceramicfundamentalist Posted October 31, 2011 Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 A book I think lacks severely that I purchased on request of an instructor is "The Complete Potter's Companion" Tony Birks. This book is incomplete, leaving the potter who doesn't know otherwise to think this might be all there is to know about ceramics. What is listed in this book can be referenced in many other books that are at least more complete than this book. I'll give it credit for it's great pictures, but in reviewing the information contained with in, it's flat out lying by calling itself "The Complete Potter's Companion" i mistrust any book that claims to be "complete". there are a lot of them out there in ceramics. why would an author ever purport to be able to distill something as complex as an entire artistic discipline down into 50 or 100 pages? those books are generally very superficial, and don't in any way do justice to the world of ceramics. anyways, my three must-have books are: the Hamer and Hamer Dictionary of Materials and Techniques Ceramic Science for the Potter by Lawrence Vall Cushing's Handbook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Selsor Posted November 6, 2011 Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 I started with the Potter's Book by Bernard Leach back in 1968. Pioneer Pottery by Michael Cardew Good intro book, Ceramics by Nelson After 40+ years I have an extensive library...now some favorites are The Three Books of the Potter by Piccolpasso Bernard Pallissy biography Mastering ^6 glazes is a great book for understanding glaze composition and firing Steve Branfman's raku books Alternative Firing by Watkins and Wandless Many Robin Hopper Books, Lana Wilson's book for glazing of the right side of the brain. I love her approach to glazing. There are many more...the Anthologies from Acers is a good series Marcia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoobydoozie Posted December 9, 2011 Report Share Posted December 9, 2011 Thought I'd offer a quick review of what I'm currently reading. I just got a couple of books from Amazon and am half way through the first one, "The Basics of Throwing, A Practical Approach to Form and Design." This is a beginners book and not an end all reference book. It was published in 2008 and is written by a British author, so some of the words are spelled differently than in the US and measurements are provided in US and Metrics, but these things are not an issue. It's loaded with photos and is pretty much coherent. The centering position is different than what I was taught, but the photos and info on design and focal points of the piece are worth the money for me. It really has me thinking about these things as a beginner potter and can't wait for the weekend to give it a try! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benhim Posted December 10, 2011 Report Share Posted December 10, 2011 The Potter's Studio Clay & Glaze Handbook Jeff Zamek This is a great book for several reasons, but chiefly because it explains clearly many faults, defects and problems that are common and often misunderstood. It also explains ways of stopping the problems as well, which is key especially to the beginner studio potter going it on their own. Another great aspect of this book is the explanation of glazes and clays including processing and materials. It explains some things about materials that I've not found in other books. The diagrams and pictures are exceptional, and the explanations are superb. I checked this book out from my local library recently and have resolved to buy it as a reference book for my studio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meghanmuir Posted December 21, 2011 Report Share Posted December 21, 2011 Here are some favorites that come to mind: I personally love the Lark 500 series books A Potter's Workbook by Clary Illian Low-firing and Burnishing by Sumi von Dassow THe Complete Guide to High Fire Glazes by John Britt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckeye Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 I just got the book "Ash Glazes" second edition by Phil Rogers, so far very informative Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SShirley Posted December 23, 2011 Report Share Posted December 23, 2011 John Britt's glaze book is currently tops on my list. Now I do wish he would write an equally wonderful book for cone 6 electric. It would change the world. My first pottery book was Elsbeth Woody's POTTERY ON THE WHEEL, from which I learned to throw. I would read a section and close my eyes and imagine myself doing it over and over before I got on the wheel to practice it. That book is responsible for me sticking with pottery at all, since the classroom instruction I was taking at the time was severely lacking. I have a lot of pottery books in my library now, but that is one I still cherish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JBaymore Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 Hum........ REALLY tough. Ones that jump out fast....... "A Potters Book" -Leach "Pioneer Pottery" -Cardew "The Potter's Alternative" - Davis "A Potters Dictionary of Materials and Techniques" -Hammar + Hammar "Clay and Glazes for the Potter" -Rhodes "Mastering Cone 6 Glazes" -Hesselberth and Roy "Ceramic Science" - Lawrence "The Kiln Book" -Olsen "Raku; A Practical Approach" -Branfman "The Unknown Craftsman" -Yanagi "Hamada: Potter" -Leach "The Road Through Miyama" -Phillip "Handmade Culture: Raku Potters, Patrons, and Tea Practitioners in Japan" -Pitelka "Art and Fear" - Bayles "Ariist Beware" -McCann "Keeping Claywork Safe and Legal" - Rossol best, .................john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Bednarek Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 If you could only recommend one book for someone starting in Low Fire Slab work which would it be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeU Posted May 23, 2015 Report Share Posted May 23, 2015 My library is by default my "must haves", tho I may divest myself of some this summer, per my current mood to do more with less and lighten up on "stuff" taking up space. So, old and new, be they sentimental, envy,and/or practical, I have: Clay and Glazes for the Potter-Rhodes Ceramic Science for the Potter-Lawrence Ceramics: A Potters Handbook-Nelson Clay: A Studio Handbook-Pitelka Centering-Richards (don't care for her writing-it was a gift) The Remarkable Potters of Seagrove-Brown The Complete Book of High Fire Glazes-Britt The Penland School of Crafts: Book of Pottery The Road Through Miyama-Phillip Robin Hopper Ceramics-Hopper Surface Design for Ceramics-Mills Artist Beware-McCann Mastering Raku-Branfman Ceramic Art: Commentary and Review 1882-1977-Clark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judy_in_GA Posted June 9, 2015 Report Share Posted June 9, 2015 I'm still building my essential pottery books so went to my local library Monday to see what they had per suggestions here. I found a great book on mold building ... so far other texts I had read were very confusing. Started reading/paging through when I got home ... Andrew's instructions are clear and since it's a Lark Ceramics book the pictures are great. I ordered it from Amazon last night. The Essential Guide to Mold Making & Slip Casting (A Lark Ceramics Book) Martin, Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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