250 Tips, Techniques, and Trade Secrets for Potters: The Indispensable Compendium of Essential Knowledge and Troubleshooting Tips [Paperback]

Jacqui Atkin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 6, 2009

Both amateur and professional potters constantly seek time-saving tips, trade secrets, and new technical knowledge--which makes this handsomely illustrated book exactly what they're looking for! Author Jacqui Atkin describes the full range of available clays and their individual qualities, as well as necessary tools and equipment. She presents easy-to-follow directions for fashioning pottery, and augments her instruction with captioned, step-by-step photos and illustrations. Topics explained in detail cover--

Developing design concepts, from sketch pad to finished piece

Slabbing, pinching, coiling, throwing, turning, and mold-making, using various clays

Creating surface decoration, with attention to colors, textures, and glazing

Helpful sidebar features include troubleshooting tips with solutions to problems that often arise in the process of making pottery. Here is a book that belongs on the reference shelf of every serious potter. Approximately 450 color illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

(back cover)
The indispensable compendium of essential knowledge and troubleshooting tips

Just like having an expert on call 24 hours


a day with answers to any ceramic
questions or dilemmas you might have

Step-by-step photographs, diagrams, and clear instructions will guide you through each stage of your work, or you can look up details for help with a particular problem.

Discover how to improvise tools using kitchen implements, find a shortcut to rolling faultless coils, build the perfect spout, and learn a foolproof method for removing a vessel from the wheel without distorting it.

Every section features "try it" and "fix it" panels, suggesting ways to practice or develop skills and avoid common errors.

Jacqui Atkin is a professional studio ceramicist who teaches pottery and occupational therapy in various colleges in the U.K. She now runs private courses in low-fire techniques, including smoke-firing and Raku, from her home in rural Shropshire. Jacqui has contributed to many books as a project maker and gallery artist and is the author of Handbuilt Pottery Techniques Revealed, Pottery Basics, and The Tile Artist's Motif Bible.

About the Author

Jacqui Atkin is a professional studio ceramicist who also teaches pottery and occupational therapy in many colleges throughout the U. K. She is the author of several books, including Handbuilt Pottery Techniques Revealed and Pottery Basics, both published in North America by Barron's. She lives and works in rural Shropshire, England.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Barron's Educational Series (February 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764141163
• ISBN-13: 978-0764141164
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,317 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lots of fuel for thought, March 22, 2009

By 

Cheryl T. (Ohio) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 250 Tips, Techniques, and Trade Secrets for Potters: The Indispensable Compendium of Essential Knowledge and Troubleshooting Tips (Paperback)

Contains many interesting tips and tricks and plenty of ideas to stimulate one's creativity. However I felt some techniques glossed over some of the potential trouble spots and did not fully explain them. No doubt to cram in 250 ideas. Nice addition to a potter's library even though there was a lot of repetitive information that was in Atkins' book, Handbuilt Pottery Techniques Revealed.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very helpful reference, January 30, 2010

By 

E. Sanders (Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 250 Tips, Techniques, and Trade Secrets for Potters: The Indispensable Compendium of Essential Knowledge and Troubleshooting Tips (Paperback)

I teach a high school class on ceramics and sculpture, and found this book to be a terrific reference for my classroom. Students have already found several new and interesting ideas for their ceramic projects. I had checked the book out of the library and liked it so much I ended up ordering it for myself!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book with Wonderful Tips For Potters, February 10, 2009

By 

A. Lubow (Aberdeen, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 250 Tips, Techniques, and Trade Secrets for Potters: The Indispensable Compendium of Essential Knowledge and Troubleshooting Tips (Paperback)

I picked up this book in it's first printing and was impressed with the broad rangeing tips in it. I picked up quite a few ideas from it. It's well illustrated. I feel any level of potter will get inspirations from it.