Rick Mayes on fri 2 oct 98
I have read with interest the newbie controversy and agree that books
are a good place to start. I am a newbie just getting started and at
the risk of committing heresy I need to ask a newbie question.
I went to a book store to investigate and found 30+ books on ceramics,
pottery, etal. What books should I start with?
Any suggestions would beat buying 30 wrong books.
Thanks in advance
Rick Mayes
Novi, MI
Barney Adams on sat 3 oct 98
I'm still new at this myself, but I can answer this two ways:
1. It depends.
2. You'll probably end up wanting all 30.
The first answer is meant for what you want to do in clay. I've
found that what I intended changed after I bought a book and continues
with each book I buy. I'll suggest the Hamer's "Potter's Dictionary"
as a great deal of the people on this list no matter what you want to
do in clay it's an excellent resource.
Barney
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I have read with interest the newbie controversy and agree that books
> are a good place to start. I am a newbie just getting started and at
> the risk of committing heresy I need to ask a newbie question.
>
> I went to a book store to investigate and found 30+ books on ceramics,
> pottery, etal. What books should I start with?
>
> Any suggestions would beat buying 30 wrong books.
>
> Thanks in advance
> Rick Mayes
> Novi, MI
>
John & Anne Worner on sat 3 oct 98
I found a list of useful books on the following link:
http://www.digitalfire.com/eduction/books/tbooks.htm
Anne Worner
Rick Mayes
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I went to a book store to investigate and found 30+ books on ceramics,
> pottery, etal. What books should I start with?
>
>
Caroline and Hedley Saunders on sat 3 oct 98
Hi Rick
IMHO I would recommend The Complete Potter's Companion by Tony Birks
published in London by Conran Octopus Limited ISBN 1 85029 431 3 This book
contains lots of information for someone starting out with clay and covers
wheel work and handbuilding, decorating, glazing, firing even how to set up
at home. It is full of good quality colour photographs both of the how to
do it variety and modern examples of pots. The book is in clay resistant
paper so can be taken into the workshop environment quite happily!
In the introduction Birks says, "The intention......is to encourage potters
to experiment more widely and aim high."
Caroline
Xdelphin@eclipse.co.uk
Remove the X from the address (there to keep spam spiders at bay)
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I have read with interest the newbie controversy and agree that books
>are a good place to start. I am a newbie just getting started and at
>the risk of committing heresy I need to ask a newbie question.
>
>I went to a book store to investigate and found 30+ books on ceramics,
>pottery, etal. What books should I start with?
>
>Any suggestions would beat buying 30 wrong books.
>
>Thanks in advance
>Rick Mayes
>Novi, MI
>
Penny Hosler on sat 3 oct 98
Rick,
There was a list published not too long ago, but it sort of depends on which
direction you plan to go first (gas, elec, hi-fire,lo-fire). If you're
really brand new to this, I'd start with these five. Even just the first
two should keep you going for quite a while. There's obviously a big
list--and everyone has their favorites--but unless you're rolling in $$,
these should use up your milk money for the week:
Hands in Clay, An Introduction to Ceramics, Third edition
Charlotte F. Speight ,John Toki
The biggie for beginners - covers everything from soup to nuts
The Magic of Fire by Tony Hansen
"understanding the chemistry and physics of glazes, clays and materials"
He writes simply and clearly. Even I understand a lot of it.
Clay and Glazes for the Potter
Daniel Rhodes Chilton Book Company
The Ceramic Spectrum
A Simplified Approach to Glaze and Color Development by Robin Hopper
The Potters Dictionary of Materials and Techniques
Frank and Janet Hamer
Comprehensive, soup to nuts again, but more technical. Excellent for
trouble-shooting.
Penny Hosler
Sequim, WA
-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Mayes
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Friday, October 02, 1998 5:29 AM
Subject: Real newbie question about books
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I have read with interest the newbie controversy and agree that books
>are a good place to start. I am a newbie just getting started and at
>the risk of committing heresy I need to ask a newbie question.
>
>I went to a book store to investigate and found 30+ books on ceramics,
>pottery, etal. What books should I start with?
>
>Any suggestions would beat buying 30 wrong books.
>
>Thanks in advance
>Rick Mayes
>Novi, MI
>
Vince Pitelka on sat 3 oct 98
>I went to a book store to investigate and found 30+ books on ceramics,
>pottery, etal. What books should I start with?
Rick -
These are a few of the books I recommend. First group are the ones that
provide good bare-bones information about general ceramics issues. The
second group are specialized and one can pick and choose. Note that the
Potter's Shop in Needham, MA has THE MUD PIE DILEMNA on sale for REALLY
CHEAP. This book presents a candid account of the day to day struggle of
Tom Coleman when he was still a struggling studio potter up in the Portland,
Oregon area. the Potter's Shop offers most of these books at discount
prices, but a few of these titles are out of print, and will be available
only in good libraries.
Leach - The Potter's Book
Nance - The Mud Pie Dilemma
Nelson - Ceramics, A Potter's Handbook - one of the classics
Nigrosh - Low Fire Ceramics
Nigrosh - Sculpting Clay
Peterson - The Craft and Art of Clay
Rawson - Ceramics
Rhodes - Clay and Glazes for the Potter - one of the classics
Rhodes - Stoneware and Porcelain
Speight and Toki - Hands in Clay - my favorite basic ceramics text
Zakin - Electric Kiln Ceramics
Barley - Smashing Pots (African Ceramics)
Camusso and Bertone - Ceramics of the World
Cardew - Pioneer Pottery
Clark - American Ceramics
Dormer - New Ceramics
Fournier - Illus. Dictionary of Practical Pottery
Giorgini - Handmade Tiles
Gregory - Sculptural Ceramics
Hamer - Dictionary of Ceramics
Hopper - The Ceramic Spectrum
Hopper - Functional Pottery
Lawrence - Ceramic Science for the Potter
Lou - The Art of Firing
Luchesi - Modeling the Figure in Clay
Mansfield - Salt Glazed Ceramics
Olson - The Kiln Book
Parmalee - Ceramic Glazes
Rosen - Crafting as a Business
Trimble - Talking with the Clay
Troy - Wood Fired Stoneware and Porcelain
Woody - Handbuilding Ceramic Form
Good luck -
- Vince
Vince Pitelka - vpitelka@DeKalb.net
Home 615/597-5376, work 615/597-6801, fax 615/597-6803
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
Potterman on sat 3 oct 98
-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Mayes
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Friday, October 02, 1998 5:29 AM
Subject: Real newbie question about books
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I have read with interest the newbie controversy and agree that books
>are a good place to start. I am a newbie just getting started and at
>the risk of committing heresy I need to ask a newbie question.
>
>I went to a book store to investigate and found 30+ books on ceramics,
>pottery, etal. What books should I start with?
>
>Any suggestions would beat buying 30 wrong books.
>
>Thanks in advance
>Rick Mayes
>Novi, MI
>
Rick,
Here are some titles of books I feel are essential to any potter's library;
bear in mind that there is no single reference which covers EVERYTHING,
you'll need a few. I've built up my collection gradually and despite the
money spent they are worth their weight in gold! My first ceramic text was
Glenn C. Nelson's Ceramics: A Potter's Handbook, 2nd edition; it is easy
reading and covers much of the essentials. I have a 6th edition, but there
may be a 7th. Others:
The Potter's Dictionary, Frank and Janet Hamer. A MUST have!
Hands in Clay, Charlotte Speight; a huge book, exhaustive, good college
level text.
Clay and Glazes for the Potter, Daniel Rhodes; more advanced reading, my
personal favorite "bible".
Ceramics,Mastering the Craft, Richard Zakin; one of the best contemporary
texts, lots of good glaze recipes.
The Craft and Art of Clay, Susan Peterson; pricey but lots of eye-candy and
large compendium.
Potter's Complete Book of Clay and Glazes, James Chappell; big book of all
the recipes a beginner could ever want or need, newer edition leaves out
lead and barium glazes.
The Kiln Book, Fred Olsen; probabley the most complete text on that subject,
somewhat advanced reading. (sorry, I can't figure out how to underline the
book titles, damn pc's!)
These are just a few of my favorites-they're all good!
Kansas City Karsten
p.s. to all Clayarters...I'm looking to build a complete collection of
Nelson's Potter's Handbook, all editions- I have 2nd, 3rd, and 6th editions.
If you would like to sell your old copy, please post. Thanks, Karsten.
Caryl W. on sat 3 oct 98
>Date: Friday, 2 October 1998 08:29:30 EDT
>Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
>From: Rick Mayes
>Subject: Real newbie question about books
>To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
>
>----------------------------Original
message----------------------------
>I have read with interest the newbie controversy and agree that books
>are a good place to start. I am a newbie just getting started and at
>the risk of committing heresy I need to ask a newbie question.
>
>I went to a book store to investigate and found 30+ books on ceramics,
>pottery, etal. What books should I start with?
>
>Any suggestions would beat buying 30 wrong books.
>
>Thanks in advance
>Rick Mayes
>Novi, MI
>
>
Amy Parker compiled an excellent list of books through recommendations
of those on the list. You can access it through
http://www.potters.org/categories.htm under the heading "books",on
Aug.22,'98.Hope this helps!
Caryl
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Marcia Selsor on sun 4 oct 98
Funny you should ask because a few months ago someone on the list did a
clayarters survey of the best books. The survey should be on the list. It did
cover some of the classic getting started books. Most were technically based.
Nelson's Ceramics (I think)
Berbard Leach's A Potters' Book
Hamer's book of Glaze flaws
Giorgini' Hand Made Tiles (if you're into tiles its a great book)
Robin Hoppers' Functional Pottery
Kiln Books by Olson or Rhodes, or Nils Lou
These are the ones I can remember. I suppose book buying depends on where your
interests are and your education is lacking.I think you should try libraries fir
Marcia in Montana
Caryl W. wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>
> >Date: Friday, 2 October 1998 08:29:30 EDT
> >Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
> >From: Rick Mayes
> >Subject: Real newbie question about books
> >To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
> >
> >----------------------------Original
> message----------------------------
> >I have read with interest the newbie controversy and agree that books
> >are a good place to start. I am a newbie just getting started and at
> >the risk of committing heresy I need to ask a newbie question.
> >
> >I went to a book store to investigate and found 30+ books on ceramics,
> >pottery, etal. What books should I start with?
> >
> >Any suggestions would beat buying 30 wrong books.
> >
> >Thanks in advance
> >Rick Mayes
> >Novi, MI
> >
> >
> Amy Parker compiled an excellent list of books through recommendations
> of those on the list. You can access it through
> http://www.potters.org/categories.htm under the heading "books",on
> Aug.22,'98.Hope this helps!
>
> Caryl
>
> ______________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
Lois Ruben Aronow on sun 4 oct 98
------------------
Just wanted to add a =22me too=21=22 to this post. The Tony Birks was one
of the very first books I bought when starting my pottery life, and I
still read it regularly to this day. Talks in plain english, easy to
understand, lots of colour photos, and, most of all, makes you feel
like you can really do it.
I didn't pick up the more detailed books, such as the Hamer, until I
kind of knew what I was doing, more or less. I found them way too
intimidating and overwhelming.
On Sat, 3 Oct 1998 15:39:14 EDT, Caroline and Hedley Saunders wrote:
=3E----------------------------Original message----------------------------
=3EHi Rick
=3E
=3EIMHO I would recommend The Complete Potter's Companion by Tony Birks
=3Epublished in London by Conran Octopus Limited ISBN 1 85029 431 3 This =
book
=3Econtains lots of information for someone starting out with clay and =
covers
=3Ewheel work and handbuilding, decorating, glazing, firing even how to set =
up
=3Eat home. It is full of good quality colour photographs both of the how =
to
=3Edo it variety and modern examples of pots. The book is in clay =
resistant
=3Epaper so can be taken into the workshop environment quite happily=21
=3E
=3EIn the introduction Birks says, =22The intention......is to encourage =
potters
=3Eto experiment more widely and aim high.=22
=3E
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