Clay: A Studio Handbook

Every day, ceramic artists encounter techniques, processes, materials, problems, and more that leave them with questions such as: How? Why? Where? Clay: A Studio Handbook answers those questions with authoritative, comprehensive coverage of topics ranging from studio safety, finding, making, and improvising tools and equipment, firing processes and theory, and much more.

Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in ceramics, Pitelka has created the most practical, all-inclusive studio handbook for students, studio artists, educators, and all those interested in the art of clay. Ten chapters, addressing the full range of ceramic processes, bring a lifetime of ceramic knowledge directly into the hands of potters. Written with concern for safe and efficient studio operation, diligent attention is paid to safety practices. A thorough table of contents, glossary, and index make finding answers quick and convenient. Numerous step-by-step illustrations guide readers through the many techniques.

Whatever your involvement with clay and the clay arts, this book belongs in your library or studio. This is a book you will use over and over again!

Selected Contents

• Clay and Claybodies
• Handbuilding
• Throwing
• Plaster Working, Mold Making, and Slip Casting
• Surface Decoration on Greenware
• Glazes and Glazing
• Kilns and Firing
• Mixed Media in Ceramics
• Studio Safety and Sensible Studio Practice
• Studio Design, Setup, and Operation
• Appendixes
• Index