wellheadbooks.com Sources & Inspiration

Design Sourcebooks: Ceramics
by Edmund de Waal

Publisher New Holland
Edition Paperback

From abstract vessels to domestic tableware and one-off sculptural pieces in earthenware, stoneware and porcelain, this comprehensive sourcebook presents the best in contemporary ceramic design from all over the world.

Price: £12.99

The Potter's Question and Answer Book
by Gill Bliss

Publisher A & C Black

A compendium of the questions asked most frequently by ceramic students and new potters. The topics dealt with include: tools and equipment; materials; questions of form, function and design; handbuilding; throwing; decoration; glazing; firing; and displaying, selling and exhibiting work. There are six diagnostic charts that point the reader to the appropriate sections as well as an index which makes for easy access.

Price: £19.99

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Slipware in the Collection of the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery

Publisher A&C Black
Edition Hardback

This book is a survey of the slipware collection of the Potteries Museum in Stoke on Trent which is amongst the finest in the UK and perhaps the world. It consists of a short essay and 300 high quality images of the finest pieces in the collection. There is no other book on this subject in print and so this incredibly important book on such an exceptional collection will be in high demand.

Price: £30.00

Sources of Inspiration for Ceramics and the Applied Arts
by Carolyn Genders

Publisher A & C Black
Edition Paperback

This book contains a wealth of images - of both natural and manmade objects - that will spark the imagination of all who see them. In this book the author shows how these images can be visually abstracted and then refined and developed to create beautiful patterns and designs. The result is a useful guide to how the creative process works and a glorious sourcebook of images.

Price: £19.99

Illustrated Dictionary of Practical Pottery
by Robert Fournier

Publisher A & C Black

In this enlarged edition of Fournier's classic pottery dictionary, there are articles on new trends such as paperclay, the use of print and mixed media as well as material on decorative terminology.

Price: £19.99

Studio Pottery in Britain 1900-2005
by Jeffery Jones

Publisher A&C Black
Edition Hardback

This book offers a comprehensive account of the emergence, development and achievements of British studio pottery during the 20th century. Key movements, trends and personalities are all covered. This is an important topic because Britain was the world leader in the development of studio ceramics and the ramifications of these developments have had a global impact. The book looks at how pottery established itself within the wider context of the visual arts.

The book examines the range of pottery produced under the heading of ‘studio pottery’ and discusses the way the work embodies and communicates the values of the makers. It also investigates how studio pottery has been presented to the world through photographs, exhibitions, books and publicity material.

Price: £45.00

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500 Plates & Chargers

Publisher Lark
Edition Paperback

Plates and chargers can serve as more than just places to put your food: they can be glorious art to show off on a table, sideboard, or dresser. These 500 spectacular pieces range from the utilitarian yet beautifully glazed plate to dramatically decorated work, and they’re crafted from a remarkable variety of materials - including pristine porcelain and bold earthenware. The stunning gallery provides a unique and wide-ranging snapshot of contemporary ceramic arts.

Price: £16.99

500 Figures in Clay
Edited by Veronika Gunter

Publisher Lark
Edition Paperback

It’s an absolutely unequalled photographic gallery: no other book has ever presented such a varied, captivating collection of contemporary ceramics based on the human form. The works range from representational to abstract, from artful realism to provocative surrealism, and many of them come from leaders in the field such as Judy Fox, Kurt Weiser, and Andy Nasisse. Presents some of the best figurative studies created by more than 250 contemporary ceramists from around the world, spanning a multitude of artistic styles, from realistic to abstract, representational to surreal, and starkly minimalist to flamboyantly narrative.

Price: £16.95

500 Cups
Edited by Suzanne Tourtillot

Publisher Lark
Edition Paperback

From hand-built to wheel thrown, functional to sculptural this varied collection of cups is a treat for the eye, whether you’re inspired by ancient pottery or contemporary art.

Price: £16.95

500 Bowls
Edited by Suzanne Tourtillot

Publisher Lark
Edition Paperback

Five hundred inspiring variations on the simple, functional bowl will fire up the imagination of potters everywhere! Displayed on each page are bowls that reinvent and reinterpret the form, and use an astonishing range of techniques from across the globe and through the centuries. Even more important, every piece testifies to the artist's boundless creativity and inventiveness.

Price: £16.95

500 Teapots
Edited by Suzanne Tourtillot

Publisher Lark
Edition Paperback

This is a fabulous sourcebook with 500 of the most fantastic, creative teapots you’ve ever seen, from round to square, hand built to wheel thrown and functional to sculptural.

Price: £16.95

500 Pitchers
Edited by Suzanne Tourtillot

Publisher Lark
Edition Paperback

This colour gallery presents 500 breathtaking images that include everything from handbuilt to wheel-thrown, practical to sculptural, round to square.

Price: £16.95

The Ceramic Narrative
by Matthias Ostermann

Publisher A & C Black
Edition Hardback

This book presents the work of contemporary ceramic artists world-wide, whose major focus is to visually relate a story or communicate a message. The full diversity of ceramic works is covered, starting with the historical, such as roman amphoras with their bands of stories that circle the pot, and ranging from vessels, plate forms and vessel-sculptures, to figurative and abstract three-dimensional works, and installation works.

Price: £29.99

Setting Up Your Ceramic Studio
by Virginia Scotchie

Publisher Lark
Edition Paperback

A photographic tour of 10 beautiful ceramics studios. Learn about all the practical decisions that go into setting up a new studio.

Price: £12.95

Setting up a Pottery Workshop
by Alastair Young

Publisher A & C Black
Edition Paperback

This book is a handy guide to setting up a pottery workshop. It covers not only fundamental questions such as types of premises, design and layout of the workshop, equipment and materials, and how to make simple tools, but also questions of marketing and promotion, legal considerations and finance. To illustrate these points, the author discusses how various potters have tackled the issues raised and gives illustrations of a wide range of different workshops. The book draws on the experiences of an international group of artists, and so it will also be pertinent for potters outside the UK.

Price: £14.99

Salt Glaze Ceramics
Janet Mansfield

Publisher A & C Black

In this book, the work of 60 ceramic artists currently working with salt-glaze is considered, using their own words as well as comments from art critics. The author has combined both their technique and their intention in her examination of these artists, discussing the influences on their work and their motivation for it.

Price: £24.99

Ceramic Figures: A Directory of Artists
by Michael Flynn

Publisher A & C Black
Edition Hardback

Figurative ceramics is one of the most exciting and innovative areas of ceramics today. After years in the doldrums, there has been a resurgence of interest in the field among artists, galleries and the public. In this work, Michael Flynn, himself a well-known ceramic artist, looks over the past 25 years and selects 100 of the most important artists working with ceramic figures. This is an international group whoses work ranges from porcelain to raku and from the small to the monumental. the book is arranged as a directory giving the reader a thumbnail sketch of the artist while showing a variety of his work.

Price: £34.99

The Ceramic Process
by EKWC & Anton Reijnders

Publisher A & C Black

This book is both a comprehensive textbook on ceramic technology and a chronicle of the developments made by the EKWC over the years. It is a practical book which looks at materials, methods and equipment, using the results of various artists' projects to illustrate the text.

Price: £39.99

The Ceramic Surface
by Matthias Ostermann

Publisher A & C Black

Price: £29.99

Ceramics in the Envinronment
by Janet Mansfield

Publisher A & C Black
Edition Hardback

Ceramics in the Environment deals with the increasing movement to produce large-scale works of art for the environment - whether in a building, street, park or landscape. This book looks at the practicalities of these monumental artworks such as firing, installing and weatherproofing, along with other issues such as the aesthetics and suitability of the piece to its surroundings.

Price: £35.00

Coiled Pottery
by Betty Blandino

Publisher A & C Black

A fascinating look at historical examples of coiled pottery, and descriptions of the methods used by contemporary and ethnic potters. In this colour edition, the contemporary section has been updated, and many new colour photographs added. This is the classic book on the subject and it should appeal to anyone interested in the history of art and cultural studies.

Price: £14.99

Functional Pottery
by Robin Hopper

Publisher A & C Black

Through a wide display of functional pottery, this reference book offers information and practical tips as well as international coverage of both the design and aesthetics of ceramics and artists's work.

Price: £29.99

Painted Clay
by Paul Scott

Publisher A & C Black

This book looks at ceramicists who use clay as a canvas on which to paint as opposed to those who use paint to decorate their pots. Traditionally, many artists such as Picasso and Miro have painted on clay, but nowadays many more ceramicists are using clay as the canvas on which they can achieve their artistic aims. Paul Scott looks at these artists, discusses their philosophies and techniques, and marks their place in the wide range of artists who use paint in their creative endeavours. The work of an international group of artists is used to illustrate this movement.

Price: £29.99

The Teapot Book
by Steve Woodhead

Publisher A & C Black

Both a practical and beautiful approach to the teapot. As well as covering the essential making methods such as throwing, slab-building, press-moulding, slipcasting and more, it also looks at the aesthetic and functional aspects of teapot design. A large part of the book looks at artists and their work - covering both functional and non-functional teapots. This is a fantastic book, that will capture the imagination of makers, collectors, and all other fans of the teapot.

Price: £29.99

Kate Malone: A Book of Pots
by Kate Malone

Publisher A & C Black

Kate Malone is one of the most popular and exciting British ceramic artists of current times. She is known for her exuberant colours and robust pots which are often in the shapes of fruit, vegetables or fish. Kate talks about her work and making techniques, the difficulties of making large ceramics, crystalline glazes, studio practice and the practicalities of taking on public commissions. The result is a fascinating insight into the work of a popular artist and a parctical treatise on making dynamic ceramics.

Price: £39.99

Masters: Porcelain
by Lark Editors

Publisher GMC Publications
Edition Paperback

40 internationally celebrated masters reveal their secrets, explaining just how they work with this incredibly demanding ceramic material, prized for its pristine beauty. Pure white and wonderfully delicate, porcelain is what clay potters usually graduate to only after years of honing their skills. This diverse collection showcases the results of that dedication, and the versatility is simply breathtaking: Claire Curneen presents highly emotive, tactile figurative forms. Edmund de Waal’s elegant celadon site-specific vessel installations are renowned for their meditative presence. Harlan House’s finely carved vessels take inspiration from nature's organic forms, while Bodil Manz's eggshell porcelain cylinders are so translucent that you can sometimes discern light and shadow passing through the walls of his pots.

Price: £16.99

The Penland Book of Ceramics
by Lark Books

Publisher GMC Publications
Edition Paperback

With classes in more than ten media, instruction by only the finest practitioners, and an atmosphere of friendly exchange between artists, Penland is the place for crafters to improve and broaden their skills. Here, ceramicists will discover technical and inspirational resources from the masters that will carry their art to new levels. Each Penland professional represented specialises in a particular technique or method; photographs show them working, as well as feature their art. Expressly for this volume, they have written accompanying essays and chosen pieces by other artists to complement their own. Clara “Kitty” Couch fashions deeply glowing coil built vessels; Angela Pozo’s lively tiled mosaics shimmer with colour; Michael Sherrill builds beautiful sculptural objects that hold layer upon layer of colour as texture. There are others who do mould-making and slip casting; majolica; wheel-thrown forms; slab reliefs; and much more. This is one book that will never leave the studio!

Price: £11.99

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