Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook : A Comprehensive Guide to Throwing Beautiful, Functional Pots

"Ceramics education is something that is typically taught in a classroom studio, where a teacher first explains a series of intricate and subtle movements, and then demonstrates them for the students. The student then sits down at a potter's wheel and attempts to replicate the techniques, but often with less than perfect results. To help both beginner and more advanced potters overcome some of the most common frustrations, Simon Leach has picked up where most classes fall short, creating more than 800 homemade videos available on YouTube that clearly demonstrate core techniques. Lively, informative, and full of original tips and techniques, Simon's videos have lit the ceramics world on fire, becoming a must-see supplement to most potters' educations. But therein lies the hitch--most potters don't want to take a laptop into a ceramics studio, so they must watch the video before or after class and hope to remember the tip as they work. Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook is meant to overcome this obstacle, encapsulating all of Simon's basic techniques in one easy-to-carry book, from studio design and set-up to basic throwing techniques, to adding appendages, trimming, glazing and firing. Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook is perfectly suited for the studio, as it is portable, and the concealed wire-o binding will help the book lay flat and stand up. For each technique, detailed step-by-step photography captures the subtle, intricate movements that typically fly by too fast to be noticed in a video. Plus the book includes a DVD with many of Simon's YouTube videos; callouts throughout the book tell readers which video goes with each section, so they can both read and examine the technique in the book, and also watch the technique in real-time"--

At one time or another, every potter gets frustrated at the wheel. Whether struggling to center the clay or attach a handle with precision, potters of all levels crave advice and answers, and world-renowned ceramicist and YouTube sensation Simon Leach has plenty to give. In Simon Leach’s Pottery Handbook—a book-and-DVD package—he presents clear tutorials and loads of original instruction on all of the core techniques, from studio setup to basic throwing, to applying appendages, trimming, glazing, and firing. For each technique, detailed step-by-step photography captures the subtle, intricate movements that typically fly by too fast to be learned when watching a video lesson; callouts then lead readers to the relevant video on the DVD so they can see the technique demonstrated in real time—an ideal combination that makes learning from the master easy. Praise for Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook: “A definitive guide for every step of pottery making.” —Publishers Weekly “Third-generation potter Leach, with technical and photographic assistance from Bruce Dehnert and Jared Flood, capitalizes on his celebrity with an amazingly detailed, step-by-step text for all major processes in ceramics. The in-depth perspective starts with his directions for making simple tools (a wire tool and a sponge stick) and is bolstered by charts and information-packed sidebars (e.g., for removing air bubbles and troubleshooting your first pull). Every topic that novices must master is covered, such as working basic shapes (cylinder and variations dishes) trimming, decorating and glazing, and firing.” —Booklist “This book has some of the most gorgeous photography I've seen…” —Susan B. Anderson blog “Among how-to books, this volume stands out. This gem is as carefully honed as the skills it seeks to share.” —American Craft “For those of us who learn best with a combo of text and demonstrations, Simon Leach’s new book is the perfect fit.” —Ceramics Monthly