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

Simon Leach

ISBN 10: 1617690228 / ISBN 13: 9781617690228

Published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang Inc, United States, New York, 2013

About this Item

Lively, informative and full of original tips and techniques Simons YouTube videos have lit the ceramics world on fire, becoming a must-see supplement to most potters educations. But therein lies the hitch; most potters dont want to take a laptop into a ceramics studio. This is where Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook comes in, encapsulating all of Simons basic techniques in one easy to carry book, from studio design and set up, to basic throwing techniques, adding appendages, trimming, glazing and firing. Simon Leachs 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 Simons YouTube videos; callouts throughout the book tell readers which video goes with each section. Gorgeous photos throughout the book show pots in various stages of production and finished results; something that is currently missing from the YouTube videos, so that an aspiring potter can see how the work will look once it has been fired. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Seller Inventory # GOR009306603

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Throwing Beautiful, Functional Pots
• Publisher: Stewart, Tabori & Chang Inc, United States, New York
• Publication Date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1617690228
• ISBN 13: 9781617690228
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: Very Good
• Weight: 1311 grams

About this title

Synopsis

In Simon Leach’s Pottery Handbook—a book-and-DVD package—the world-renowned ceramicist and YouTube sensation presents clear tutorials and loads of original instruction on all the core techniques, including studio setup, basic throwing, applying appendages, trimming, glazing, and firing.
 
“Among how-to books, this volume stands out. This gem is as carefully honed as the skills it seeks to share.” —American Craft
 
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 Leach has plenty to give. Topics covered include:

• Setting Up the Studio
• Handling Clay
• The Basic Cylinder
• Cylinder Variations
• Trimming Pots
• Assembling Complex Forms
• Decorative Techniques
• Glazes
• Kilns and Firing
• And more!

For each technique, detailed step-by-step photography by Bruce Dehnert and Jared Flood 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.
 
Leach writes in his introduction, “As you dive into this book, try to enjoy the sheer pleasure of working with your hands—an act I believe gives balance to our lives, and is a good antidote to too much intellectualizing. . . . Keep practicing! Soon enough, the walls of your pots will be consistent, the lips will be even, and you’ll see that the creations emerging from your hands get better and better with time.”
 
Useful for beginners and full of information for experienced potters, this is a full-color, how-to manual that will be read and reread.
 
“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
 

About the Author

Simon Leach is an internationally celebrated third-generation ceramicist, descended from the renowned Leach family of Cornwall, England. He can be seen online, demystifying techniques at his potter’s wheel in his more than 800 YouTube videos. He also teaches hands-on workshops throughout the country. He lives in Williamsburg, Pennsylvania.
 
Bruce Dehnert is the head of the ceramics program at Peters Valley School of Craft in New Jersey.