Electric Kiln Ceramics: A Guide to Clays and Glazes [Paperback]

Richard Zakin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 20, 2004

Get the Best Results From Your Electric Kiln

Electric kilns offer the ceramist safety, convenience, and reliability and have gained tremendous popularity among a wide range of ceramists.

In this third edition of Electric Kiln Ceramics, noted ceramist and teacher Richard Zakin provides information to help you make the best possibly use of your electric kiln.

Beginning with an introduction to electric kilns and the various clays and glazes best suited to their use, the book addresses all aspects of using these kilns, including appropriate ceramic surfaces, imagery creation strategies, loading and firing, and safety practices.

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  Dozens of clay body and glazy recipes formulated specifically for use in electric kilns
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  Step-by-step photos and directions for several processes, including clay mixing, glazy testing, sprigging and stamping
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  Extensive information on the structure of the electric kiln, how to maintain it, and how to purchase the kiln that's right for you
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  Essays and interviews with noted ceramists who fire in electric kilns

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Richard Zakin is a well-known expert and respected teacher, potter and writer. His own work has been exhibited around the country. A highly respected, prolific writer, he has written numerous articles for popular ceramics publications and continues to write about ceramics, clay artisans and design issues, setting standards for fluency in today's language of contemporary art. Other books by Richard include Ceramics: Mastering the Craft, Hand-formed Ceramics: Creating Form and Surface, and Ceramics: Ways of Creation, all published by Krause Publications.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Krause Publications; 3 edition (May 20, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873496043
• ISBN-13: 978-0873496049
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #846,130 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good intro survey technique, CHECK THE EDITION DATE, June 5, 2005

By 

Book Fan (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Electric Kiln Ceramics: A Guide to Clays and Glazes (Paperback)

*** Note ***
This review pertains to the 2004 all-color edition of this book. Because I don't think that Amazon has yet implemented time travel to future books for its customers, it is clear that the reviews dated 2000 and 2001 pertain to a much older edition of this book.

This book seems a very reasonable introductory survey of things you do in ceramics, so would be a reasonable self-teaching text for someone using an electric kiln (check the table of contents to see the topics). About half the book is technique (though not as detailed as many other books, such as Petersen or Warshaw). Technique discussion is illustrated by many fascinating photos. Then about half the book is simply "Gallery" with more fascinating and beautiful photos, but no text. So the quantity of text is not huge, but what is there seems quite useful.

In the discussion section, at various points it got quite interesting. E.g. with glazes, it goes through things that can occur in glazes (crawling, shivering, crazing, etc.), and then tells you how to accomplish it if you want, and then how to avoid it if you don't. To me this was one of the more fascinating because it explained how these effects came about and how to strive for them. This particular part was only a few pages, but quite worthwhile if these kinds of things interest you.

At time to time, as appropriate, there were discussions relevant to electric kilns, but the whole book wasn't just electric kilns. This book is more of an artistic text book with electric kiln pointers, than a highly technical electric kiln book.

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great resource, October 8, 2000

By 

Paul Andrew Wandless (Upland, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Electric Kiln Ceramics: A Guide to Clays and Glazes (Hardcover)

I am a ceramics instructor and find this book a useful text. I teach a class on ceramic materials and electric kiln finishes and use this book for class. It is laid out so students at any level can benefit. The photos both color and black & white are great examples of the topics covered in each section. A great resource for anyone interested in testing, developing or just getting started in oxidation firing and finishes.

42 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Somthing for everybody, and more!, May 2, 2000

By 

klaudia (Rijeka, croatia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Electric Kiln Ceramics: A Guide to Clays and Glazes (Hardcover)

This is a very helpful guide, especialy for creative but not so technicaly educated beginners, such as my self.It provides all sorts of informations on glazes,as well as meny recipes that guarantee succesful results and great looking effects on your ceramics.It brings more fun into experimenting, mixing and searching for new effects. I recomend this book to everybody and I hope you vill profit from it as much as I did !