Throwing and handbuilding are at the core of all studio ceramics techniques. Through imagination and experimentation, some of the most skilled artists and craftsmen can take these basic techniques and often produce extremely creative works of art. With practice and patience, the coil pot or tall narrow form can become works of art suitable for galleries and collectors.
Throwing & Handbuilding: Forming Techniques is a collection of carefully selected feature articles from Ceramics Monthly and Pottery Making Illustrated, the two most widely read ceramics arts publications in the world. Within each section of the book you'll discover challenging, complex and unusual techniques, oftentimes extensively illustrated, by some of the foremost studio artists working today. By mastering new techniques and discovering inspirational works of contemporary masters, you'll soon find yourself challenged to take new directions in your work.
Here is a sampling of what's inside:
Making Large Jars Karen Terpstra came rather late to ceramics and her work focused on handbuilding. When she decided she needed larger surfaces to work on, she turned to using flat coils and began creating forms that defied gravity and would normally collapse if wheel thrown.
Throwing Large Platters Creating large platters presents many challenges in the throwing, finishing and firing stages that require different techniques than making bowls or cylinders. Sam Hoffman demonstrates every single step in the making of these magnificent forms, from centering large amounts of clay to trimming the piece to a perfect finish, in 42 step-by-step photos.
Throwing Tall Narrow Forms Annie Robbins loves tall and narrow forms and tried hard to find a solution on how to make forms up to three feet high!
Tony Clennell tells about Bruce Cochrane: Up in Canada. Bruce uses thrown parts to create some of his elegant serving pieces, including a 20-inch long narrow covered dish made from thrown parts and slabs.
Fong Choo creates amazing Teapot Gems, and he provides clear instruction on creating these small jewels. The secret to the gem-like look is in using cone 6 glazes covered by cone 06 glazes and fired to cone 6.
If you've ever tried to work with porcelain, you know the challenges. Antoinette Badenhorst demonstrates some helpful techniques for Working with Porcelain from throwing basic forms through trimming work inside and out.
Doug Gray teaches his students how to throw jars with No-Measure Lids. His method teaches how to throw and trim but it also requires a degree of control and skill. Craftsmanship is immediately revealed when a lid is cut into a closed form.
Kathy Chamberlin finds that Pulling Long Handles, along with decorative knots, adds a unique personal style to her work.
Your kiln is capable of more than you think. See Cheryl Tall's process for Making Large Sculptures with Small Kilns. Her technique allows you to make sculptures as tall as you wish-and hers even goes as high as six feet!
Scott Dooley developed a method for Handbuilding with Slabs, Cones and Cylinders. Using a set of templates, he makes a variety of forms then cuts and assembles them to create bizarre forms.
Porcelain is challenging to work with but it has properties not found in any other clay. Elizabeth Kendall details how to make a soft-slab porcelain pitcher that's Pitcher Perfect.
Marc Leuthold creates An Illusion of Motion by carving into clay. His undulating swirls successfully mesmerize and draw you in, illustrating how important it is to have an attitude of flexibility and persistence so you can create work that engages.