Material Matters

Nyhet

An Artist’s Guide to Understanding Ceramic Materials

Inbunden, Engelska, 2026

579 kr

Kommande

Learn the science and artistry behind the materials that shape your ceramic practice, from geological origins to finished glazes.Understanding how and why clay and glazes work (or don’t) is a fundamental skill needed by all potters and ceramicists. Material Matters reveals the science and technology involved in making and firing ceramics, explaining the property and behaviour of various raw materials based on their underlying chemistry. Suitable for both amateur and experienced potters, the topics explored include clay types, slips, glaze development, colourants and firing techniques – as well as the safety and sustainability tips you’ll need along the way.Supported by full colour illustrations, photographs, charts and graphs, and written by ceramic arts professor Linda Swanson and glaze expert Linda Bloomfield, Material Matters is the essential guide to working confidently with ceramics.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum2026-07-30
Mått189 x 246 x 25 mm
Vikt454 g
FormatInbunden
SpråkEngelska
Antal sidor240
FörlagBloomsbury Publishing PLC
ISBN9781789942309

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Linda Swanson is an artist whose interests are grounded in the metamorphic nature of ceramic materials and processes. Her works have been exhibited around the United States, Canada and Europe with recent exhibitions in Paris, Bucharest, Chicago and Milwaukee.Linda Bloomfield trained as a materials scientist before fulfilling her dream of becoming a potter. She has made thrown porcelain tableware in her West London studio since 2003 and sold her ranges to retailers such as Liberty and Harrods.

Introduction Chapter 1: Geology and the origins of clay Rocks, Clay minerals, Residual and sedimentary clay, Sedimentary and metamorphic processes, Rocks and chemistry, Collecting natural materials Chapter 2: Clay Understanding clay, Kaolin, Ball clay, Stoneware clay, Fire clay, Earthenware clay, Bentonite, Additional terms for clay Chapter 3: Clay bodies Clay in clay bodies, Flux in clay bodies, Glass former in clay bodies, Filler in clay bodies, Colour, Clay body types, Clay body applications, Testing, faults and remedies, Glaze fit and thermal expansion Chapter 4: Clay as liquid Slip, Deflocculation, Terra sigillata, Casting slip, Slip density, Slip - engobe, Local clay, Egyptian paste and solubility Chapter 5: Glaze Clay versus glaze, Glaze oxides, Alumina, Silica, Boron, Phosphorus, Sodium, Potassium, Lithium, Calcium, Magnesium, Barium, Strontium, Zinc, Lead Chapter 6: Glaze materials Materials and the oxides they supply, Using local and recycled materials Chapter 7: Glaze chemistry and calculation Composition of a glaze, Unity molecular formula Chapter 8: Colourants and opacifiers Colourants and their effects, carbonates, oxides and sulphates, Opacifiers, Stains Chapter 9: Firing Important stages during firing, Measuring temperature and heat work, Oxidation and reduction, Wood firing, soda firing, Adjusting firing temperature, Glaze faults, Special effect glazes Chapter 10: Health and Safety Soluble materials, Toxic materials, Studio practice, Firing safely Conclusion ReferencesResources on sustainability GlossaryAppendices Periodic Table, Natural Sources of Ceramic Materials, Directions for processing local clay, and moreIndexAcknowledgements