Mastering the Potter's Wheel: Techniques, Tips, and Tricks for Potters (Mastering Ceramics)

Master the potter’s wheel with this comprehensive guide that takes you from foundational skills to next-level techniques.

Featuring brilliant tricks of the trade from acclaimed artist and instructor Ben Carter, Mastering the Potter’s Wheel is an essential reference for every potter. Ben breaks down the seemingly complex process of wheel throwing into manageable steps, provides a wealth of options for customizing your work, and gives detailed advice for refining your technique. Richly illustrated with color photography, this inspiring volume includes:

• Essential techniques in wheel throwing, from wedging clay to throwing, centering, shaping, and trimming pots on the wheel, with a section dedicated to troubleshooting common problems
• Advanced techniques and tips for creating feet; making lids, knobs, handles, and spouts; forming bowls, cups, plates, and teapots; altering pots, including paddling and darting; throwing large vessels; and decorating and finishing your pieces
• Skill-building exercises for expanding your range and improving your techniques
• An overview of studio safety, including silica dust mitigation, handling toxic materials, correct body posture to avoid injuries, and stretching exercises
• Artist features and inspirational galleries with photos of work from today’s top working artists, including Kyle Carpenter, Sam Chung, Chandra DeBuse, Julia Galloway, Martha Grover, Ayumie Horie, Forrest Lesch-Middleton, Kristen Kieffer, Kathy King, Matt Long, Alex Matisse, Lorna Meaden, Doug Peltzman, Mackenzie Smith, Shawn Spangler, and many more

Take your skills—and your work—to the next level with Mastering the Potter’s Wheel.

The Mastering Ceramics series is for artists who never stop learning. With compelling projects, expert insight, step-by-step photos, and galleries of work from today’s top artists, these books are the perfect studio companions. Also available from the series: Mastering Hand Building, Mastering Kilns and Firing, and Amazing Glaze.

Ben Carter is a studio potter and workshop instructor and the author of Mastering the Potter’s Wheel. He received his BFA in ceramics/painting from Appalachian State University and his MFA in ceramics from the University of Florida. He has lectured and presented workshops at universities and craft centers in the United States, China, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand and exhibited internationally in numerous invitational and juried shows. Ben’s work has been featured in the Australian Journal of Ceramics, Pottery Making Illustrated, and Ceramics Monthly; Pottery Making Illustrated named him Ceramic Arts 2016 Yearbook Artist of the Year. Since 2012, he has been hosting and producing the popular podcast, Tales of a Red Clay Rambler. Ben lives in New Jersey.

Instagram: @carterpottery
Website: carterpottery.com
Podcast: talesofaredclayrambler.com