Price: $30.00 - $17.36
(as of Feb 04, 2025 11:18:29 UTC – Details)
Take your work to the next level! In Creative Pottery, join ceramic artist Deb Schwartzkopf and grow as a functional potter, whether your background is in wheel-throwing or handbuilding.
Start off with a quick review of where you are in your own journey as a potter. If you need to brush up on the basics, help setting goals, or pointers on how to translate your inspiration into your work, you’ve come to the right place. The rest of the book is a self-guided journey in which you can choose the techniques and projects that interest you:
Go beyond the basics and learn how to throw or handbuild a bottomless cylinder. Then explore seams and alterations for projects like an oval serving tray, altered cylinder vase, and dessert boat.Learn about small changes that make a big impact, making an asymmetrical slab plate, throwing plates, and creating a cake stand.Master bisque molds and use them to open a new world of possibilities. Make spoons, a goblet, a butter dish, and more.Add complexity for stunning forms, including a pitcher, juicer, teapot, and oil pourer.With compelling galleries, artist features, and guided questions for growth throughout, this is a book for potters ready to learn new skills and unlock their creativity.
From the Publisher
ABOUT THIS BOOK
My hope is that you can use this book to experiment, push yourself, and find your own voice. In these pages, you’ll be able to:
Set in motion your ability to build complex, functional forms with simple parts. Think of your cylinder or slab as a starting place. They are building blocks that can be altered, added to, or combined in many ways.Approach functional vessels from another angle as you explore through guided lessons and projects. As you embrace and practice these playful techniques, you will translate them into your own inventive style.Learn how to use helpful tools like templates and bisque molds. Templates will aid in cutting specific shapes from slabs or altering thrown forms. Bisque-fired molds will become a versatile tool that you can rely on to add dimension to slabs of clay.Spark ideas as you experiment with different building techniques and investigate galleries of work by contributing artists.
In addition, there are a host of remarkable potters whose work is featured in this book, including potters who are well-known and those who are newer to the field. They exemplify techniques or showcase ingenious ways of working with clay that are sure to inspire. All these tools, techniques, and sources of inspiration will be utilized in making creative pottery.
This book holds a collection of techniques and ideas I have refined for my own studio practice. Whether you are developing a body of work in art school, just beginning to work with clay, or a studio potter working solo in your own space, this book offers an exploration that will build your skills and ideas. I wish you an inspired journey. Remember that taking risks is good. Stay playful!
Creative Pottery: Innovative Techniques and Experimental Designs in Thrown and Handbuilt Ceramics
Introduction
Welcome! This book is for potters looking to explore and gain new skills. I encourage you to jump right in. Start thinking of cylinders and slabs as a starting place—building blocks that can be altered, added onto, or combined in many ways. In this book, you’ll find playful, technique-based projects that will hone your skills on everything from altering and attachments to molds and templates. Try creating an asymmetrical curving vase or Handbuilding a teapot spout from a soft slab. Learn how to pick and choose between wheel-throwing and Handbuilding techniques to get the outcome you want. This is your journey!
Getting Started
This chapter offers a refresher on the basic tools and techniques you’ll need as a foundation for the chapters that follow. For beginner potters, I encourage you to read the chapter from start to finish and make sure you are comfortable before diving into a project. A strong knowledge of the basics will make projects and lessons in this book more approachable.
Growing as a Potter
In this chapter, we will explore the concept of personal growth in two different ways. The first part of the chapter focuses on growing intellectually. We’ll investigate finding a viewpoint, finding inspiration, and viewing sources of inspiration next to finished work. You’ll also learn how to define your influences with a project that I have long found useful. In the second part of this chapter, we’ll get into the studio and start making things with clay!
Small Changes for Big Impact
In this chapter, we’ll be investigating this process through various versions of the plate. We’ll make an asymmetrical slab plate with a bisque mold, then throw and trim and alter a plate. We’ll examine decorative edging and turn the humble plate into a show-stopping cake stand or grand platter. When I’m teaching in my studio, I like to challenge my students to take everything a step further—this may mean enhancing the form through constructed additions or removing clay to shape the rim. It may also mean thinking about the meal that might be served in each vessel or how the surface will act as a canvas for glaze. All of these considerations will inform choices about functionality and expression.
Exploring Bisque Molds
Sure, many studios and many books assume that a cup will be one of the first projects. Yet here we are in chapter 4 and only now are we turning our attention to the cup. There is a reason for this: My cup form relies on the use of a bisque mold.
If you are unfamiliar with bisque molds, prepare to fall in love with a way of working that will open the door to new shapes and forms. In this chapter, we will not only make cups and goblets but small spoons, a square-footed bowl, and a wonderful butter dish.
If you are ready for a challenge, this is the chapter for you! While none of these forms are what I would call hard, there are many steps to follow for making forms such as the juicer, teapot, and pitcher. Yet I believe you’ll find all these forms are challenging in the right way.
They are meant to open your mind to new shapes, ways of assembly, even function. While many potters make bowls and mugs, you probably haven’t seen too many making juicers!
Publisher : Quarry Books (June 2, 2020)
Language : English
Hardcover : 192 pages
ISBN-10 : 1631598252
ISBN-13 : 978-1631598258
Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
Dimensions : 8.5 x 0.85 x 10.4 inches
Customers say
Customers find the book’s creative ideas and projects helpful for working with clay. They appreciate the clear, concise instructions and illustrations. The book is suitable for potters of all skill levels and opens new possibilities for ceramic artists. It includes photo-copiable templates and equipment guides.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews