Customer Reviews

The Ceramic Spectrum: A Simplified Approach to Glaze & Color Development

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Ceramic Spectrum is filled with detailed information and wonderful color pictures of glazing procedures and results. Extremely detailed color pictures of different glazes, errors made during glazing as well as mixing or modifying glazes from existing compounds. This book covers details from simple glazing techniques to complex crystalline glazes, and textural glaze applications. It has detailed explanations of glaze testing, color testing, glaze application and application faults. Almost all subjects are covered with color pictures of different techniques, faults and treatments. A totally complex subject treated in understandable terms. If you want to mix glazes, understand glaze procedures and techniques, avoid common errors, etc. this is the book for you. Excellent.

This book has more information on glazes and colorants than any other book I own. Robin Hopper's explanation on the breakdown of glaze and color development is truly amazing. This is not a book for the "I want it done easy person", but a book for the the person who wants to know how something is done. He leaves computer technology out and leaves knowledge up to human resource and personal experience. Unlike other books, I truly LEARNED something from this one.

This book has many great bits of information vital to your glaze color problems. I feel that it is an absolutly must have. Robin has distilled much of the "secret colors" from the past and leads you through many glaze problems.

I read it in only few days and I learned more than a year of reading other books on ceramics and on the process of doing glazes.
It teach you how to master the very hard work of doing glazes in a right way letting you to follow your ideas but with strong bases and by using your brain.
It teach you also how to work in easy ways with the right organisation of your ceramist job.
This is the most useful book I have read in these last years together with two other books,that is : Clay and Glazes for the Potter and The Potter's Dictionary of Materials and Techniques

This book has information that I've long been looking for, especially related to color development in ceramic glazes. I've learned quite alot in the short time that I've had the book (only 1 week).

Highly recommended.

Beautiful images and some useful information. A worthwhile read if you enjoy contemporary art mingled with some information. The closest likeness I can come to is Vogue magazine. Much focus is given to non functional glazes that have high toxicity and approaches analysis from a very non scientific viewpoint. Still not to be discounted and has very pertinent information within a limited scope. Off label uses include, coffee table conversation piece for intellectual suppositories.

Each time I pick up this book,(actually the author's trilogy) I always learn or understand something new. They're great books. However, one huge drawback for American readers is that all temperatures referenced are in centigrade, and that's very bothersome. Yes, we Americans should be on the metric system by now, but if a book like this deals so much with temperatures and their ranges, then at least the editors should put the Fahrenheit equivalents in parenthesis. They have cheated the American reader. After all, we probably by the bulk of his books.

I recently met Robin Hopper at the NCECA conference in Phoenix. He is as delightful, informative and inspiring as his books. The Ceramic Spectrum is one of several books Mr. Hopper has produced that will have the information for you when you need it. As you develope in knowledge and experience and seek to go to the next stage of development, his books will contain the keys/information you seek.

Robin Hopper strikes again. Three cheers for a wonderful text crammed full of information; clearly and concisely presented.
I also recommend his DVD "THROWING ON THE WHEEL".

You will create more test tiles than you know what to do with. I love this book and Ron Roy's book too. So good.... so much to try.... so little time....