Simon Leach's Pottery Handbook - by Simon Leach & Bruce Dehnert (Mixed Media Product)

About the Book

"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"--

Book Synopsis

In thisbook-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.

Useful for beginners and full of information for experienced potters, this is a full-color, how-to manual that will be read and reread.

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."

"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

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.