Handbuilding Ceramic Forms

by Elsbeth S. Woody

Renowned potters share their personal tips and techniques * Profiles of ten top ceramicists and their approaches to their work * Easy-to-follow recipes for clay-body and glaze * Basic to advanced techniques, all in one book Take a walk on the wild side...work off the wheel! This complete, classic guide for ceramicists details the full range of tools, forming methods, processes, and possibilities for anyone working without a potter’s wheel. Chapters cover everything from the basics, including common terminology, firing, mixing, reprocessing, and wedging, to advanced techniques such as surface treatments, joining, and creating lidded, composite, and large forms. Close-up profiles of ten top ceramicists, including Susan Wechsler and Paula Winokur, explore their distinctive approaches to handbuilding, complete with tips and how-tos. Clay-body and glaze recipes, plus more than 250 black-and-white illustrations. Let crafters everywhere express themselves fully in clay.

Genres: Crafts

248 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1978

Reviews

[lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got a lot out of this book. In general I love looking through craft books from the 70s, but this one was particularly good. She did a great job explaining and demonstrating techniques and concepts. I've tried out a number of things in this book with results that I'm happy about, and have many more things I'd like to try. I browse through a lot of how-to and craft books, and this one really stood out.

[Kerry Mueller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Someone donated this to the art center and it came to me. Good instructions, great ideas. The cover photo is the inspiration for my nest bowls. Now I know how to make them better.