Working With Clay

by Peterson, Susan

• ISBN13: 9781585672875
• ISBN10: 1585672874
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-10-01
• Publisher: Overlook Pr

Summary

Susan Peterson, one of the world's foremost authorities and educators in the field of ceramics, and author of the classic master course, The Craft and Art of Clay, has thoroughly revised and updated her introductory course in ceramics, Working with Clay. Beautifully illustrated with full-color photographs, Working with Clayguides readers step-by-step through the creation of an object in clay. Peterson offers advice informed by years of experience in the teaching and creating of ceramics. From hand-building to wheel-throwing, decorating to firing in a kiln, the author details the process, with beautiful, full-color photographs accompanying each step.

Author Biography

Susan Peterson is Professor Emeritus of Ceramics at Hunter College at the City University of New York. In 1997 she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Ceramic Education Council of America.

Table of Contents

Preface to the First Edition	8	(1)
Preface to the Second Edition	8	(1)
The Safety Aspect	9	(2)
The World of Ceramics	11	(24)
Introduction	11	(1)
Clay and Pottery	11	(1)
The Aesthetic of Contemporary Claywork	12	(4)
Functional vs Sculptural	16	(1)
Types of Ceramics	17	(5)
Earthenware	17	(2)
Stoneware	19	(2)
Porcelain	21	(1)
What is Clay?	22	(1)
What is a Clay Body?	23	(2)
Paperclay	25	(5)
Alternative clays and additions: paperclay for kilns	26	(4)
Why Mix Your Own Clay Body?	30	(1)
Methods of Mixing Clay Bodies	30	(1)
Storing the Clay	31	(1)
How important is fired shrinkage and absorption?	31	(1)
How to reclaim scrap clay	31	(1)
What is Glaze?	32	(1)
Firing Ceramics	33	(2)
The Craft of Working with Clay by Hand	35	(32)
Getting Started	35	(1)
Tools for Working	36	(1)
Wedging Clay	36	(1)
Building by Hand: Introduction	36	(3)
Hand-building Techniques	39	(17)
Pinching clay	39	(1)
Coil method, smooth or textured	39	(4)
Slab building	43	(7)
Using an armature	50	(1)
Drape in a hammock	51	(1)
Over-the-hump slab building	51	(2)
Ceramic sculpture	53	(3)
Learning from Techniques Used by Indigenous Peoples	56	(1)
Methods of forming	56	(1)
Altering While Building	56	(3)
Changing clay surface	56	(2)
Coloring with mineral/vegetable matter	58	(1)
Working with Plaster	59	(2)
How to make a mold	60	(1)
Make Your Own Casting Slip or Buy It Ready-made	61	(3)
How to Mix Plaster and Pour a Form	64	(3)
Throwing on the Potter's Wheel	67	(32)
Anyone can Learn to Throw...	67	(1)
To the Beginner	68	(1)
Steps in Throwing on the Potter's Wheel	69	(3)
Wedging	69	(1)
Position at the wheel	70	(1)
Centering	70	(1)
Opening the ball	71	(1)
Practice These Five Shapes	72	(7)
Pull up and shape a cylinder	72	(1)
Half-spherical shape	73	(1)
Full spherical shape	74	(4)
Sphere and cylinder combined	78	(1)
Low open form	78	(1)
Other Shapes are Variations	79	(5)
Pitcher	79	(1)
Handles	80	(1)
Casserole	81	(1)
Lids	81	(2)
Teapot, coffee-pot	83	(1)
Sets	84	(1)
Closed form	84	(1)
Do-nut	84	(1)
Throwing off the hump	84	(1)
Trimming	84	(1)
Large Forms	85	(14)
Finishing Touches	99	(30)
Enhancing the Clay Form	99	(1)
Decorating with Clay	99	(8)
Texture	99	(2)
Adding clay to clay	101	(2)
Engobes	103	(1)
Engobe techniques	103	(4)
Testing and Using Glazes	107	(1)
Glaze composition	107	(1)
Calculating glaze formulas	107	(1)
Why Make Your Own Glaze?	107	(1)
Coloring Glazes	107	(3)
Glaze stains and oxides	107	(1)
Basic glaze batches for low, medium, high temperatures	108	(1)
Reds, yellows, and oranges	109	(1)
Mixing and Storing Glazes	110	(1)
Glaze Application	110	(2)
Methods	110	(2)
Decorating with Glaze	112	(4)
Sample Commercial Glazes	116	(1)
Glass is a Ceramic Material	117	(4)
Keep records	119	(2)
Experimentation	121	(1)
Line blends	121	(1)
Glaze Improvizations	121	(8)
Firing Ceramics	129	(24)
Heat Principles	129	(1)
Kilns	130	(3)
Gas kilns	132	(1)
Electric kilns	133	(1)
Commercial Ready-made Kilns	133	(2)
Why Build Your Own Kiln?	135	(1)
Firing Principles	136	(1)
Temperature Indicators	137	(1)
Guide-posts for temperature	138	(1)
Pyrometric Temperature Devices	138	(1)
Oxidation and Reduction Atmospheres	138	(3)
Copper reds	140	(1)
Iron celadons and tenmokus	141	(1)
Stacking and Firing Kilns	141	(2)
Bisque firing	141	(1)
Glaze firing	142	(1)
Alternative Firings	143	(8)
Pit firing	143	(1)
Raku firing	143	(3)
Salku firing	146	(1)
Salt firing	146	(1)
Soda firing	147	(1)
Wood firing	147	(4)
Glaze and Firing Problems	151	(2)
The Art of Ceramics	153	(27)
From Idea to Art	153	(27)
Pots and plates	154	(2)
Birds and animals	156	(2)
Figures	158	(5)
Walls	163	(5)
Mixed media	168	(2)
Sculpture	170	(4)
Installations	174	(6)
The Timeless World History of Ceramic Art	180	(8)
Compendium	188	(8)
Suggested Projects for Individual Work	188	(1)
Decide on general procedure	188	(1)
Suggested Projects for Beginning Hand-building	189	(1)
Progression of Individual Steps in Throwing	190	(1)
Suggested Projects for Clay, Glaze, and Decoration Experiments	191	(1)
Body and glaze development	191	(1)
Decoration	191	(1)
Design standards to keep in mind	191	(1)
Experimenting with Material Additions to a Base Glaze	191	(1)
Glaze Improvizations	192	(1)
Glaze ``Line-blend'' Test	192	(1)
Special Low-fire Information	193	(1)
Egyptian paste	193	(1)
Colors for Egyptian paste	193	(1)
Mosaic cement	193	(1)
Low-fire engobe	193	(1)
Example of a Pottery Studio	194	(1)
Terms Easily Mixed Up	194	(1)
Temperature Equivalents of Orton Cones	195	(1)
Temperature Equivalents of Seger Cones	195	(1)
Glossary	196	(3)
List of Artists	199	(4)
Information Sources	203	(1)
Bibliography	204	(1)
Photo Credits	205	(1)
Index	206