Customer Reviews

Throwing Techniques (Ceramics Class)

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

 

 

Throwing clay on a wheel must be the most exciting, challenging and frustrating part of the potter's art. This is a wonderful book to help those just beginning to throw clay on a wheel to realize the excitement and minimize the frustration.

The thorough explanations and attention to detail are what make this book so good. Everything is explained with step-by-step instructions with a clear color photo for each step in which you can really see what is happening.

The book begins by explaining tools and materials as well as plasticity and shrinkage of clay. There are then simple exercises in placing the clay on the wheel and forming basic shapes. The use of the hands as tools is well emphasized.

Moving on to real projects you will see how to throw bowls, plates, cylindrical pots, vases, spouts, handles, knobs, lids, jugs and a teapot. Throwing a bowl with a cylinder base and a vase is two parts is also covered.

As with the other books in the Ceramics Class series, Throwing Techniques provides a wealth of essential lessons. You'll need to practice but there isn't a better book to show you how it's done.

I did not find this book nearly as usueful as I had hoped. I ended up returning it. It was too abstract and not concise enough for a beginner. It might be good for an intermediate experienced thrower. A better book for beginners is Thrown Pottery Techniques Revealed: The Secrets of Perfect Throwing Shown in Unique Cutaway Photography by Mary Chappelhow. Mary's book did a much better job of covering all the details, step by step in a more comprehensible manner, which I found to be excedingly more helpful for a beginner.

As a beginning student of the wheel, this book was a valuable reference tool. It explained things in words that I could understand and provided visual images for further understanding of wheel techniques..

Just starting out throwing. Needed some help with technique. This seems to be a good book. Think I still need some lessons.

Again I love this book so did my granddaughter. It was perfect for her!