The Complete Potter »

Steve Mattison has been a professional ceramic artist for nearly 20 years, specializing in wood-fired salt glaze and raku. Since the early 1980s, he has been a teacher of art and design in several universities and colleges in England and on the Continent. He currently lectures at Manchester City College, England, and Budapest University of Art and Crafts. He is the international coordinator for the International Ceramic Studio in Kecskemét, Hungary, and is one of the founders of the International Ceramics Festival in Wales, Europe's premier educational ceramics event. Steve's work is represented in many museums and private collections throughout Europe and the United States and he has contributed to several magazines and books.

This book offers something for everybody interested in pottery! Beginning potters will find a complete course in the pages of this book. Experienced potters will find new ideas for designing and decorating virtually every type of ware. Heavily illustrated with more than 600 how-to photos, The Complete Potter takes readers through every phase of the potter's craft, from clay to kiln. Separate sections explain:

• Clays: their different types and uses
• Types of ware: terracotta, stoneware, porcelain, raku, and others
• Design: how to draw and plan a piece before making it
• The basic processes: clay preparation, tools, throwing and turning on a potter's wheel, using molds, tile-making, and more
• Decoration: creating surface textures, using slips, glazes, pigments, and more
• Materials and pigments for decorating: what they're made of and how to use them
• Kilns and firings: kiln types, temperature controls, and more
• Tools and equipment: from hand tools to semi-industrial equipment
• Health and safety: a complete guideThis handsome and instructive volume also shows examples of work by some of the world's leading ceramicists, with information on how they achieve their fine results. Here is a book that lives up to its title: it is truly The Complete Potter.

Library Journal

In this complete reference, Mattison (Ceramics) surveys various types of ceramic ware, forming and decorating techniques, raw materials, kilns, tools, and equipment. Recently popular materials such as paper clay are also included. Mattison covers each topic in one or two pages with nice color photographs of examples (some by the author and other international artists) and step-by-step processes. This good, handy resource for beginners and experienced potters will find a place in all crafts collections. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.