Colour in Glazes

If you're like me, you were concerned about buying a relatively short book in paperback for thirty dollars. I hate paperback books, and that is one of the only drawbacks to this title. Otherwise, this is one of the few books on glazing from this century that is worth buying. It is a recipe book in part, but I probably wouldn't buy this book on that basis alone. The unique thing about this book is that it explains some of the complex scientific principles of glaze chemistry in terms that most people can understand. In fact, I would go so far as to say that if you don't understand now or don't understand after looking some stuff up, you probably shouldn't bother with formulating your own glazes. But, if you enjoy mixing and testing glazes, this book is a must have. Dr. Bloomfield has clearly explained the role that each of the common glaze components plays in a formula, with recipes and photos that illustrate those effects. It even goes into some of the off the wall ingredients that most people never use, such as rare earth colorants.I didn't buy this for the recipes, rather to better understand the role of each ingredient in glazes. I should also mention that I am not a chemist and I understand the principles set forth in this book. So, if you are like me, this is the book you have been waiting for. Well, still waiting for a hardback version.

Great material

This book is concise and intuitive. I have a large library of books for ceramics and this is one of my favorites.

This book is not for beginners in glaze mixing! It has many great tips and helpful information, but it is geared more to serious potters and those already well acquainted with glaze chemistry. It has great information about how different chemicals react together that would be very beneficial to those who are wanting to create a new or unique glaze.

Great book with a wide range of glaze possibilities in different cones. Since i work mainly in an electric kiln at cone 6 I'd of prefered more glazes in that temperature. But since I realize this was not a specialty Glaze Cone 6 book I knew that going in buying it. I highly recommend this book to anyone needing a general knowledge base and especially to anybody working in different cone temperatures and kiln atmospheres

This book rides an awkward boundary between science and practical studio use. In doing so, it fails to do either well. The chemistry behind the colors are sort of half-explained with useful tidbits here and there. And there are also recipes. But the theory explanations don't go deep enough to allow the user to readily understand and alter the recipes. At least it's considerably better than "The Handbook of Glaze Recipes" I just purchased by the same author...

The book is written by a chemist, is very thorough, but only if you have a degree in chemistry will all this be "readable" to you.This is NOT for the "average" studio potter...I do not find this book an easy way to get into the very complicated matter of glazing although the first look and feel makes you believe it is.

Nice and informative glaze book, like the info it has in it pictures are nice explanations on different chemicals is very healful

J'ai voulu avoir ce livre pour avoir des informations et connaissances sur les émaux et leurs couleurs. Je suis céramiste et ces connaissances sont très utiles à l'élaboration des émaux et les précautions à prendre en considération, lors de leur élaboration. J'ai trouvé ce livre très utile et complet.

I was hugely disappointed by this book and am returning it tomorrow.I have every respect for Linda Bloomfield as a potter and as a scientist but this is a compromise that will satisfy very fewThere is an abiding format with glaze text books. First we get a potted history of ceramics through the ages, second a basic lesson about the basic ingredients of a glaze – then the meat of the matter – lists of glazes co-ordinated by colour. A concluding glossary.Fine for a Beginner’s Guide, but much of this is useless and over-familiar for anyone else.What is unusual and distinctive is Bloomfield’s serious explanation of the chemistry underpinning glazes. For me this is relatively useless knowledge, beyond the basic concepts. I am happy to mix glazes from components, but I really don’t want to formulate new glazes by altering proven recipes – I want to make pots not test tiles and I don’t want to have to analyse the sub-components of materials.If your thing is the original chemicals by molecule and Digital Fire formulae, surely this is too superficial?My complaint is that as a mere Cone 6 stoneware potter, two thirds of the glazes are for porcelain or earthenware, And the stoneware glazes are mainly Cone 8 and above.At the end Bloomfield acknowledges that only a minority of potters fire to Cone 8 and hints at changing fluxes. Personally I would have loved to be told how exactly and whether or how any of her porcelain glazes could be adapted to stoneware – in exchange for some of the academic chemistry.Too technical for beginners, too elementary for experts and too broadly irrelevant for the average.

Good quality book, clear photo's, proper descriptions in content. Given as a gift. Recipient very happy and making good use of the book.

Excellent information for anyone interested in knowing more about glazes. Explains the how and why very clearly - highly recommend reference book.

Libro utile in cui vengono descritte molte componenti dello smalto in ceramica. Ricette dettagliate per bassa e alta temperatura spiegate in modo semplice e chiaro.