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The V&A has the greatest collection of maiolica in the world. This long awaited study explores the significance of these fascinating objects in the art and social history of the Italian Renaissance. This book traces the use of Maiolica objects in the Renaissance, from birth through courtship and marriage rituals to death, and gives an engaging insight into the life of noble families in this period. New photography shows the dazzling palette of colours which has not faded over time, that was used...

With hundreds of recipes for some of the most popular and enduring high-fire glazes, this reference will prove a boon to ceramists who want to master this complex and versatile aspect of the art. Author John Britt, who served as Clay Coordinator at the respected Penland School of Crafts, has personally tested many of the recipes and carefully reviews every one. He offers a through examination of glaze materials, chemistry, tools and presents the basics of mixing, application and firing procedure...

It’s an absolutely unequalled photographic gallery: no other book has ever presented such a varied, captivating collection of contemporary ceramics based on the human form. The works range from representational to abstract, from artful realism to provocative surrealism, and many of them come from leaders in the field such as Judy Fox, Kurt Weiser, and Andy Nasisse. Kay Yourist has produced female forms that are smooth, minimalist vessels with only the slightest hint of breasts and belly. The sim...

Readers who have simply rolled out dough, or pinched a piecrust can easily create the 12 projects in this book. Using the slab method, make an enchanting bird relief tile. Or choose a favourite family photo and make a delightful three-dimensional diorama. Just roll the clay flat, trace and cut out. Dogs are a perennial favourite project amongst ceramicists and the author shows readers how to easily make a free-standing canine using the coil method. Readers will learn how to combine the pinch, co...

Classes in flamework-glass techniques are presented by ten leading contemporary artists who have taught at the renowned Penland School of Crafts. This title offers revelatory essays paired with gorgeous gallerie of work. This title includes fantastic photographic step-by-steps that teach specific skills. These skilled masters offer revelatory essays that are paired with gorgeous galleries of work and fantastic photographic step-by-steps that teach specific skills.

This newest entry in the popular "Masters" series presents 38 of the world's most notable potters and sculptors - and dozens of vibrant, functional, sculptural and figurative pieces of earthenware to explore. "Masters: Earthenware" reveals the tremendous imagination, innovation and technical facility that today's artists bring to the oldest ceramic medium. This stunning volume gives each featured artist a mini-retrospective of approximately eight pages that showcase 12-14 of his or her best work...

The successful "500 Series" shines a spotlight on today's most breathtaking ceramic sculptures. Selected from more than 8,000 entries by the distinguished art critic, historian and professor Glen R. Brown - an elected member of the International Academy of Ceramics in Geneva - these exquisite works will inspire both beginners and professional ceramists, as well as collectors and enthusiasts. They include Esther Shimazu's hand-built, Asian-influenced nudes; Von Venhuizen's mixed-media, wheel-thro...

Part of the stunningly photographed Showcase 500 series, this is a breathtaking collection of new and emerging ceramicists' works. People have carved figures in clay since prehistoric times, so what can artists bring to the tradition that's distinctive? This breath-taking collection answers that question 500 ways with works by new and emerging ceramicists that chronicle the ongoing exploration of the human form. From rustic creations to postmodern designs, from realistic to abstract, these piece...

A complete practical guide to creating and using plaster moulds in clay work. The author covers the basics of setting up a workshop area, selecting and working with the materials, and works through a series of specific projects, from simple one-piece press pieces, to multi-piece moulds for use with liquid clay slip.

An extruder is a simple machine that helps generate elegantly varied art: just plunge the clay through the extruder's barrel and out it comes a seamless hollow or a solid tube. This tube becomes a myriad of beautiful, functional and sculptural works, from woven baskets to dazzling tiles. Beginners will find all the basic and inventive ways they can build and decorate clay objects using extrusion; even experience potters will unearth information and inspiration. Learn to choose the best extruder,...

Painting ceramics requires no kilns or special equipment -- just some simple materials and one's own imagination. That's why it's quickly becoming one of today's most popular contemporary crafts. This book offers 20 fabulous step-by-step projects from traditional to contemporary that will serve as a springboard for any decorative artist's creativity.

After making small objects many potters want to go on to larger projects. Peter King leads the reader through the basics of design, decoration, sectioning and firing of large objects like fireplaces, sinks and pedestals and kitchen countertops.

The Copeland Collection of 134 Chinese and Japanese ceramic figures, perhaps the most important assemblage of its kind still in private hands, is recognized internationally for the superb quality of its many rare forms. Acquired by Mrs. Lammot du Pont Copeland over the past fifty years, each of these beautifully modeled human and animal figures testifies to the unerring eye of a premiere collector.The majority of these figures are of porcelain, produced during the late seventeenth to the late ei...

The colorful and charming decorations on French Quimper pottery (pronounced Kem-pair) have made it a popular ware for over 300 years. Brightly clad men and women, many in the traditional clothing of Brittany, and other designs, reflect the Celtic heritage of Breton culture: its rolling green countryside, grazing animals, and small fishing villages. Over the years, a tremendous amount has been exported to North America and England. Quimper faience has been produced by three primary factories in...

Staffordshire figures provide a wonderful reflection of the Victorian age, as their period of production coincided almost exactly with the reign of the Queen herself. Made in great quantities by the pottery factories expressly for working people and either sold for only a few pennies each or given away as 'fairings' (particularly the tiny figures), they allowed most working-class householders and cottagers to own a cheerful piece of ceramic ware that suited their interests and pockets. By the st...