The Potter's Studio Handbook: A start-to-finish guide to hand-built and wheel-thrown ceramics Hardcover – May 24, 2016

This was used for reference/learning.

I'm getting a lot out of this book, especially the parts on hand building. The section about coil building is excellent tho slightly different from traditional instructions as it has it's roots in Korean and Japanese large-scale pottery making (sp. Onggi.) I don't see this book so much as a project book (tho there are a few) as a textbook for beginner students in either an academic or clay center setting. Given that one only sees a teacher once or twice a week and there is plenty of competition for their time and attention, this book fills the gap for students looking for answers to basic questions that might come up while working out their pot making techniques. I bought a couple of other books at the same time ("Throwing" and "Hands in Clay") which are both very good but I seem to open this one more often at this stage of my learning (about 3 months into studying pottery again after 35 years of painting.) I have the Kindle version for my Fire and it is very well done, easy to read with nice color.

While setting up a ceramics program in a 55+ active adult community, I needed a quick helpful guide with lots of guidance. I tried this book and it has been indeed helpful with lots of information on clay types, stages, firing processes, glazing, handbuilding and throwing on the wheel. It is filled with good material, directions and pictures. My students liked it so much that some even purchased it for themselves. I had taught ceramics in the public schools for decades, and this did a great job of summarizing what I had taught over a semester in a thorough and quick, easy-to-use format.

This book is mainly about the "big picture" of ceramics, the basics, and how to set up your own studio. If you read it from cover to cover, you'll get a very good idea of what it takes (a lot!) to have your home ceramic studio up and running. There are also very good chapters on glaze and clay basics, and lots of practical advice and tips. It covers all areas of ceramics at least moderately well, sometimes very well. But in the "how-to" projects section, there are some problems, and there are other books out there, specific to hand-building, wheel-throwing, and surface design, that are much better in terms of projects for learning. Of course, nothing beats actual classroom time! That being said, the book accomplishes its purpose of giving the reader a comprehensive overview. Very well done.

I definitely recommend this book. It truly covers almost every facet of pottery that beginners need to understand and has amazingly detailed pictures and descriptions.

Giving 5 stars, to be honest never read all the way through. Became pregnant so pottery making was put to the side.

OK

As an educator,I have found this book to be a perfect classroom supplement. I have recommended it to my own private students of ceramics. It covers the most important issues of hand-building and wheel projects and is illustrated by helpful photographs throughout.I found the "tips" and "project notes" especially helpful. The author, Kristen Muller, is truly a gifted artist and potter and has shared so much of her artistry and knowledge through this book.

This book is fantastic. It is great for beginners who want to learn the details and intricacies of throwing. It also gives tips, directions and ideas for those further along. As an educator I appreciate its teaching style and it uses both reading and pictures of the learning process. It is probably the best pottery book I have as a novice and I have several!!

Quite a thorough book for the hand building & throwing starter, a guide to recycling clay, and a studio set-up guide too.There's also an outline of glazes, and lots of very useful info with super illustrations and photos. I came through Art School having a 30% part of my time in Sculpture, Ceramics and Pottery, I ran a pottery department in a school for a few years, and I found this book well structured and useful.Well done Kristin Muller.

THIS BOOK HAS BEEN ACCLAIMED BY MY POTTER DAUGHTER AS ESSENTIAL TO HER LIBRARY OF POTTERY BOOKS MANUALS HISTORY IDEAS ETC ALWAYS OPENED TO BROWSE AND GLEAN FOR ADVICE AND IDEAS

A really outstanding book. You cannot do without.

Nice and clearly written with good photos.