Artists are increasingly interested in producing work that is not only beautifully designed and produced, but is also environmentally friendly and socially responsible. In Sustainable Ceramics, pioneer Robert Harrison draws on more than four decades of making, and a wealth of experience shared by other artists to present practical possibilities for ceramic artists. This book covers all the factors to consider when going 'green', from fuels and alternative firing technology to energy-saving methods, sustainable ways to collect and use clay itself, and ways to deal with or recycle waste materials and save water. He suggests simple and achievable methods by which to reduce the carbon footprint of ceramic art, and draws on interviews and examples throughout by practitioners who reclaim, reuse and recycle in their studio or work. Sustainable Ceramics is an essential resource for any ceramicist, studio or school looking for ideas on how to reduce the impact of their practice on the environment.

This broad approach to slab work shows a wide variety of building methods and highlights the work of high-profile ceramic artists. Slabs can be used to make a variety of forms ranging from the most basic to the more complex. The book covers many building methods using a varied range of pots and sculptures, demonstrated through step-by-step images. With fantastic images of finished work from high-profile ceramic artists for inspiration, you are also encouraged to experiment and find the methods that are most suited to you. Slab Techniques covers all the basics, such as making your slabs and joining well, simple building methods, use of supports, creating textures, decorating with slips and ways to avoid problems during the firing stage. The handbook also looks at innovative and original approaches, as well as building large-scale pieces and the potential issues associated with them. This book is an essential addition to the bookshelves of students and professional ceramicists.

In this study, Emily Byrne Curtis explores as her subject lenses, spectacles, aventurine glass, and windows found in China from the sixteenth century. She traces their technological development back to the glassworks in Murano, Venice, and explores their significance in terms of Venice's commerce with China. Because glassware also figured among the gifts which three papal legates from the Vatican presented to the Kangxi and Yongzheng emperors, the author examines many documents from the archives in Rome and the Vatican; the study therefore touches, to an extent, on the history of the Catholic Church in China. Curtis also discusses in the volume some contemporary Chinese references and verses to European glassware, and in the case of enamel materials, she discloses the pronounced effect their use had upon the decor of Chinese porcelains.

In his third book, Christer Loefgren expands the scholarship on imperial Chinese porcelain with a radical, new interpretation of the term "Mark and Period". From identifying only marks on imperial porcelain, to looking at objects associated with those marks, his analysis will change imperial porcelain's image and significantly contribute to the knowledge base of Chinese porcelain experts and collectors. For the first time, it is now possible to group all imperial items in all these periods, from Ming to the end of the Qing period. Based on a database of over 5000 items and marks, this survey provides statistics which make it possible to go deeper into identifying which items and marks are "Mark and Period", copies, or counterfeits. Also available: Chinese Imperial Reign Marks ISBN 9789198465181

Once given as a premium for purchasing a product or given as a gift for buying a movie ticket during the harsh years of the Depression, this colored glassware of green, yellow, pink, blue, and other hues is now avidly collected by countless Americans. Recently hailed as one of the top collectibles sought on the Internet, Depression Glass has attracted the interest of many young enthusiasts. From Adam to Windsor, readers of this book will soon become familiar with these pattern names as well as gain a richer appreciation of this tableware's history and its value today. Very inexpensive when first produced, Depression Glassware was America's early experimentation with the mold-etched method for producing pattern glass. Today collectors recognize the beauty and creativity of the glass artisans during this period. Whether a beginning or a veteran collector, some very exciting discoveries await the reader as the pages are turned. Hundreds of glass pieces photographed in full color are accompanied by a price guide to help the collector determine the current value for these colorful and elegant pieces. Anyone who has ever found a piece of Depression glass in a relative's house, seen pieces at an antique show, or been attracted by its design and color, will find this book fascinating.

A highly illustrated step-by-step guide to designing and making contemporary tableware in clay, featuring inspirational pieces by leading designers. The tableware we use is very important in our everyday lives, whether plates, bowls, mugs, cups or teapots. This stylishly illustrated guide helps budding and established ceramicists alike to create practical and attractive ranges, starting with design principles, working through appropriate construction techniques, and leading on to decoration and finishes. Leading designers Sue Pryke and Linda Bloomfield explain the importance of inspiration and consistency in design, providing step-by-step guides to the main making methods, which include hand building, pinching, coiling, throwing and slipcasting. They also offer advice on using various clay materials - such as recycled and reused clay bodies - and the combination of clay with other materials including wood, metal, textiles and synthetics. Tips are provided on glaze fit, dishwasher- and microwave-safe glazes, firing and finishing. Featuring beautiful photographs of the work of such prominent tableware makers as Sasha Wardell, James and Tilla Waters, Reiko Kaneko and Nico Conti, there are many sources of inspiration for those wishing to further their tableware ambitions.

Handmade Tile is a contemporary guide for ceramic artists and anyone interested in custom tile installations-from making, designing, and decorating to designing your space and installation. No matter how many years of experience you have as a ceramic artist or how many home-improvement projects you've tackled, nothing prepares you for the unique world of ceramic tile. From concept and design, through firing and installation, ceramic tiling is one of the few places in a home where art is permanently installed as a feature of a room. In Handmade Tile, Forrest Lesch-Middelton shares everything he's learned as the founder and owner of the custom tile business FLM Ceramics and Tile. From his years as a one-man operation to his current production facility, Forrest has seen it all and helps you every step of the way. Whether you want to make your own tile, or want to use artistic and custom-made tile in your home, this book has everything you need. Key features of the book include: Making Tile: key tools, rolling, cutting, extruding Decorating: glazes, image transfer, cuerda seca, underglaze, slip Designing Your Space: tile in context, choosing your tile, codes and standards Installation: removing old tile, backing, preparing surfaces, setting, grouting Galleries and interviews with today's top workings artists in tile round out the package. Featured artists include Allison Bloom, Boris Aldridge, Disc Interiors, PV Tile, and more.

This book represents an extraordinary sample of Depression era glass, because Tiffin was an extraordinary glass company. Its output during the Depression was well documented and enough to keep any collector occupied for years. Most of the glass presented in this volume is from the 1920s and 1930s. With detailed captions for the more than 450 illustrations--color photographs, catalog pages, advertisements, and drawings--it is a guide to help the collector, researcher, and dealer identify, price, and enjoy this compelling glassware.

Conservation and Restoration of Glass is an in-depth guide to the materials and practices required for the care and preservation of glass objects. It provides thorough coverage of both theoretical and practical aspects of glass conservation.This new edition of Newton and Davison's original book, Conservation of Glass, includes sections on the nature of glass, the historical development and technology of glassmaking, and the deterioration of glass. Professional conservators will welcome the inclusion of recommendations for examination and documentation. Incorporating treatment of both excavated glass and historic and decorative glass, the book provides the knowledge required by conservators and restorers and is invaluable for anyone with glass objects in their care.

From Clay to Kiln is a must-have guide for anyone working with ceramics, from absolute beginners, weekend crafters and students, through to practising ceramicists. In this book, Stuart Carey invigorates and encourages you through all stages of the pottery process. Covering all the information you need about tools and materials, he takes you through preparation and hand building, throwing and finishing your vessel, to glazing and firing. You will gain an in-depth knowledge of how clay works and how to apply your skills to the wheel and beyond. With simple step-by-step tutorials, clear visuals and Stuart's helpful hints and tips, you can jump straight in with confidence and create a piece of pottery that marries beauty, form and function. Including stunningly beautiful photography throughout, this is a book to inspire.

Lively, informative and full of original tips and techniques Simon's YouTube videos have lit the ceramics world on fire, becoming a must-see supplement to most potters' educations. But therein lies the hitch; most potters don't want to take a laptop into a ceramics studio. This is where Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook comes in, encapsulating all of Simon's basic techniques in one easy to carry book, from studio design and set up, to basic throwing techniques, adding appendages, trimming, glazing and firing. Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook is perfectly suited for the studio, as it is portable and the concealed wire-o binding will help the book lay flat and stand up. For each technique, detailed step by step photography captures the subtle, intricate movements that typically fly by too fast to be noticed in a video. Plus the book includes a DVD with many of Simon's YouTube videos; callouts throughout the book tell readers which video goes with each section. Gorgeous photos throughout the book show pots in various stages of production and finished results; something that is currently missing from the YouTube videos, so that an aspiring potter can see how the work will look once it has been fired.

The latest title in Stackpole's bestselling Basics series, this book presents a fun, growing trend in glass crafts. Teaches all the basics for getting started in glass fusing: what type of glass to use and how to cut it; how to work with a kiln from setup to project completion; how to make your own molds and glass accents. Instructions and full-size patterns for 18 projects, including bowls, vases, plates, wind chimes, candleholders and more. Illustrated with hundreds of step-by-step photos, a gallery of inspiring projects, and a list of glass fusing resources.

In "Introducing Pottery," international potter and teacher Dan Rhode shares more than twenty years of experience in a well-organized, fully illustrated volume. Rhode's comprehensive overview of the methods, techniques, equipment, and theory allows novice and more advanced clay artists to solve problems as they develop and to keep improving."Introducing Pottery" begins with a brief history of world ceramics and a practical discussion of the fundamentals of clay chemistry and composition. The guide quickly moves into step-by-step instructions for working in clay. It covers throwing and handbuilding methods, and even shows how to set up a clay studio. "Introducing Pottery" includes an in-depth look at glaze making, formulation, and application that goes beyond mainstream glazes and allows artists to express their own aesthetic. Readers will learn about the differences between firing techniques, and how to use them in variety of kilns. Each method is illustrated with full color photographs of professional ceramicists at work in their studios. Easy-to-read tables and charts also complement the clearly written instructions.With 200 color illustrations and inspiring writing from a master ceramicist, "Introducing Pottery" belongs in every new clay worker's library. As potters gain experience, this guide will continue to be a valuable source of information, giving them the tools to evaluate and learn from their experience.

Stunning to look at and exciting to make, stained glass work is perennially popular. Discover the rich and versatile craft of stained glass with this complete beginner's guide. Bestselling author and professional stained glass artist Lynette Wrigley shows you everything you need to know to make beautiful decorative pieces for the home. Thirty-one step-by-step projects range from copper foiled and leaded window panels to candle holders, mirror and picture frames, lightcatchers, and more. Expert methods for cutting and polishing, tracing patterns and soldering are explained with the novice in mind. Even if you've never cut a piece of glass before, Stained Glass Projects for Beginners will inspire you with the fascinating potential of stained glass.

Handbuilt Ceramics is a practical guide to all aspects of technique, but goes further by exploring the studio practices of ten exciting contemporary makers. Advice is given on how to get started and information on tools and equipment, types of clay and a safe workspace set-up. Handbuilding methods, such as pinching, coiling, slabbing and press moulding, are explained in detail with step-by-step sequences. Techniques for creating surface interest, pre and post firing, are included using coloured slip, glaze or paint. Ideas for combining techniques and ways to experiment are explored and encouraged, as well as tips to avoid common problems and to achieve successful outcomes. With over 350 lavish photos, this book will provide inspiration through a unique understanding of current work. It is written both for the novice and for the experienced maker looking for a new direction.

Josiah Wedgwood, perhaps the greatest English potter who ever lived, epitomized the best of his age. From his kilns and workshops in Stoke-on-Trent, he revolutionized the production of ceramics in Georgian Britain by marrying technology with design, manufacturing efficiency and retail flair. He transformed the luxury markets not only of London, Liverpool, Bath and Dublin but of America and the world, and helping to usher in a mass consumer society. Tristram Hunt calls him 'the Steve Jobs of the eighteenth century'. But Wedgwood was radical in his mind and politics as well as in his designs. He campaigned for free trade and religious toleration, read pioneering papers to the Royal Society and was a member of the celebrated Lunar Society of Birmingham. Most significantly, he created the ceramic 'Emancipation Badge', depicting a slave in chains and inscribed 'Am I Not a Man and a Brother?' that became the symbol of the abolitionist movement. Tristram Hunt's hugely enjoyable new biography, strongly based on Wedgwood's notebooks, letters and the words of his contemporaries, brilliantly captures the energy and originality of Wedgwood and his extraordinary contribution to the transformation of eighteenth-century Britain.

Chinoiserie, a decorative style inspired by the art of the Far East, gripped Britain from the late seventeenth to the early nineteenth century. Despite taking its name from the French word for 'Chinese', the style also incorporated influences from other Asian countries, helping to shape the period's popular fantasy of the 'exotic Orient'. Wealthy consumers jostled to obtain imported wallpaper, lacquered cabinets and hand-painted porcelain, while domestic manufacturers such as Royal Worcester and Chippendale met demand with mass-produced items of their own. Though interest in the style waned as the Gothic Revival took hold, many examples of Chinoiserie have been preserved. In this beautifully illustrated book, Richard Hayman tells the story of this fascinating phenomenon, and explores the profound impact of Chinoiserie on the material culture of the West.

The Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia, is renowned for its encyclopedic collection of glass with more than ten thousand glass objects spanning nearly three thousand years. Distinguished in the areas of nineteenth-century American, French, and English glass, including important works by Louis C. Tiffany, the Museum has recently made noteworthy acquisitions from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Glass: Masterworks from the Chrysler Museum of Art features seventy-five exceptional works from the collection and includes a history of glass at the Museum, from its founding in 1933 to the present. Lavishly illustrated, each work of art is accompanied by a detailed scholarly entry that explores the object's significance and broader historical context.

This Element demonstrates how ceramics, a dataset that is more typically identified with chronology than social analysis, can forward the study of Egyptian society writ large. This Element argues that the sheer mass of ceramic material indicates the importance of pottery to Egyptian life. Ceramics form a crucial dataset with which Egyptology must critically engage, and which necessitate working with the Egyptian past using a more fluid theoretical toolkit. This Element will demonstrate how ceramics may be employed in social analyses through a focus on four broad areas of inquiry: regionalism; ties between province and state, elite and non-elite; domestic life; and the relationship of political change to social change. While the case studies largely come from the Old through Middle Kingdoms, the methods and questions may be applied to any period of Egyptian history.

Glass can add an unusual and ethereal quality to a piece of jewellery. Its transparency, colour and unpredictability make glass a unique material to work with, but it also presents its own challenges. This book introduces the techniques of working with glass to jewellers, and explains how to decide which is the most suitable approach for your design. It covers specific properties of glass, tips for design and ideas for assembling a piece. Hot forming - includes fusing, casting and pate de verre, as well as lampworking. Cold forming - explains how to shape a piece of glass and then bond pieces together Decorative - explains how to embellish your pieces, from painting to photography transfers and metal leaf inclusions. It is a practical guide but, with a wealth of stunning finished pieces, and also provides inspiration for jewellers of all experiences.

Greenify Your Home No matter what space you're considering--from a kitchen window to a loft-size living room--this book, adapted from Decorating with Plants, will show you how to find the perfect plant for the perfect spot. Plant designer Baylor Chapman starts with the basics, including a guide for choosing and caring for your plants, then takes the reader room by room, offering unexpected design concepts and inspired projects to elevate your home. How about four ways to turn your dresser into a style statement--urban bohemian, feminine glamour, sleek contemporary, or natural beauty?

This book includes 25 beautiful projects that is shown step by step. The wonderful hues and textures of enamel celebrated in inspirational and practical designs, shown in over 300 photographs. Projects include a Fleur-de-lis Bookmark, a Door Plaque, Stargazer Earrings, Napkin Rings, a Night and Day Clock Face, a Cloisonne Bowl, a Flower Pendant and a Moon Bowl. This is a comprehensive guide, from getting started to achieving excellence, with everything you need to know about materials, equipment and techniques. It comes with pictures by the highly regarded craft, cooking and lifestyle photographer, Peter Williams. Enamel is a form of glass, and enamelling is the process of fusing it to metal using heat. The craft of enamelling has been practised for centuries, dating back to the Egyptians who used it as to imitate precious stones. This book illustrates the remarkable work being produced by today's enamellists using tried-and-tested methods, and shows in simple step-by-step sequences how to create 25 beautiful projects at home. All you need to get started is access to a small, purpose-built kiln and some basic enamelling equipment.A techniques section shows how to prepare enamels and metal, how to apply enamels for different effects and how to fire a piece, and the projects include earrings, beads, buttons, brooches and keyrings. This outstanding book shows how to create highly distinctive work that will be treasured.