Pottery making and wheel throwing is a timeless craft, perfect for beginner crafters and artisans who don't mind getting their hands dirty. The Potter's Complete Studio Handbook is the perfect guide for all levels to enjoy and master the art of pottery. The book is a compilation of the best features from The Potter's Studio Handbook and The Potter's Studio Clay and Glaze Handbook, bringing the best of hand-building and wheel-throwing techniques together with comprehensive instruction for clays and glazes. Inside, you'll find: —expert tips and tricks for selecting and preparing your clay, constructing slab projects, throwing and centering clay on the wheel, firing your project to perfection —16 beautiful and functional projects with step-by-step photos using wheel-throwing, hand-building, and slipcasting techniques that can be done at home —more than 40 formulas for unique clays and glazes with instructions on how to use them plus troubleshooting tips from the experts —behind-the-scenes access to production and mining facilities . . . and much more!

"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."--Publisher's description.

"Scotchie gives us an insider's look at [how to] assemble vibrant, creative studio spaces. Floor plans are provided...The photographs are excellent."--Library Journal Take a photographic tour of 10 beautiful ceramics studios, and discover exactly how and why each design so perfectly meets the artist's particular needs. Author and ceramist Virginia Scotchie covers all the practical decisions about equipment, workflow, and safety that go into setting up a new studio, from using the space effectively and dealing with lighting, electrical, and ventilation needs, to establishing a small business office. Every ceramist will find inspiration in Michael Sherrill's spacious and adaptable studio, so suited to his large-scale sculptures; Alice Munn's intimate and tidy atelier; and Ben Owen III's highly organized layout, arranged for volumes of production work and featuring a separate gallery.

Potters wishing to advance their involvement need information, coaching, and instruction on creating pottery from a professional point of view. With detailed information and step-by-step guidelines for everything from shelf building to record keeping, potters will find a treasure trove of practical suggestions and instruction.

Learningfrom others' mistakes is always more efficient and less costly thancommitting them yourself. This book is packed with practical informationthat will enable potters to successfully complete the many steps inpottery production. Making functional pottery or ceramic sculptureentails many different skill sets and processes in forming clay, dryingclay, glazing, and firing. Any one of these steps can cause failures. As ceramics consultant Jeff Zamek points out, under ideal conditions abeginning or advanced student would be guided by a teacher at everystep; mistakes and bad habits would be caught as they occurred andcorrected. While such learning situations are rare today, this bookfills the gap. As Zamek says,"This book offers you forty years of wisdom, generated by my students'and my client ceramics companies' issues with clays, glazes, and kilnfiring." With its solutions to common problems, this guide helps potters to succeed.