5 comments about Glass Bead Workshop: Building Skills, Exploring Techniques, Finding Inspiration.

1. This book is for the lampwork artist who is looking beyond dots and flowers. The step by step photo illustrations and helpful hints make this a wonderful tool for one seeking to add to their lampwork techniques. I learned about tools and uses of enamels and metals. Very informative. I would recommend this tome wholeheartedly.



2. Glass Bead Workshop by Jeri Warhaftig
   
   Just when you thought you had aquired all the tools and goodies you would ever need again in your lampwork adventures (yeah... right... LOL) Jeri Warhaftig has authored a new lampworking book that is guaranteed to challenge you to see the world of lampwork in a new light.
   
   This full color book is 144 pages packed with information! It dives headfirst into advanced techniques and concepts, just giving the faintest nod to basic info. Definitely a text designed with the more seasoned lampworker in mind, and it doesn't disappoint.
   
   Advanced techniques are taught using step-by-step photos, thorough explanation, and very creative projects. Each project touches on a variety of materials, tools, and techniques which include: dichroic glass, copper and silver inclusions, enamels, cubic zirconia use, multi-stage bead assembly, fuming, etching, pressing, coldworking, hollow mandrels, disk forming, flower sculpting, vessels, and much more. The tips and appendices of the book condense a lot of great experience into an easy to access and utilize format.
   
   Artist galleries that are included at the end of each chapter, full of inspiring examples of mixing the skills you learn with imagination and creating new, exciting pieces.
   
   If you are looking for some fresh, new ideas and skills to spark your imagination and challenge you, this is the book for you. Tons of experience for the lampworker at the bargin price of $24.95!
   
   http://hawleystudios.blogspot.com



3. This is a great book for both technical instructions on how to accomplish a variety of techniques and dozens of beautiful pictures displaying how other skilled artists bring variations to the theme. The book is based around a variety of techniques that are useful for intermediate and advance lampwork bead artists to expand their repetoir. I have not seen any other book that collects as many diverse techniques in one place. The instructions are easy to follow and the explanation of the supplies and tools needed for each bead is straight-forward. Even if you don't want to make any particular bead, the numerous examples of other artists' creations will surely give any reader a creative burst.



4. Glass Bead Workshop: Building Skills, Exploring Techniques, Finding Inspiration
   This book was a great disappointment to me. The major failure is that it shows techniques that use special tools, but provides no list of sources. I have not been able to find a source for the Specialty Bead Press tools, so the whole sections on using those tools are worthless. Also, there are gaps in the instructions for the different techniques and a novice would not know how to make the beads from the pictures and instructions in the book. It has pretty good pictures, but not enough depth of detail. If this book is ever revised it could benefit from a list of sources for the different tools and special supplies that are demonstrated in the book.



5. I think Hawleyclan wrote the review I would have written! I'll add 2 things...
   
   I LOVE using the scrapbooking punches to put silver/gold/copper shapes in my glass beads and this book had some great tips on how to do it!
   
   Since I saw another review about this book missing a resource list, this is wear I get my spiffy presses/tools/toys.
   
   [...]
   
   The book is FANTASTIC!!

5 comments about Fairies, Gnomes & Trolls: Create a Fantasy World in Polymer Clay.

1. The book has great pictures, and just enough detail to create a fairie, troll, etc. Patterns are very helpful for a beginner like me! Over all- it's a start. Marg.



2. I have always loved Maureen Carlson's work. This book has a lot of fun projects (15 in all) and it is a great way to spend an afternoon. When your project is finished it is sure to make you smile.



3. I recently have decided to try polymer clay. I wasn't sure where to start so I ordered this book first. I love fairies, trolls, etc. I sat down as soon as I received it and read the whole thing. It is very informative. I tried my first polymer clay creature last night and it turned out wonderfully. Without this book, I wouldn't of known where to get started. Although I have not tried making any of the creatures out of this book, I am excited about attempting it. There is so much detail about each individual project that I feel comfortable with it. I highly recommend this book for all levels.



4. I purchased this book for my sixteen year old daughter who has discovered the joy of creating with clay. She has been making figurines for quite some time now. With each figurine, her technique is improving. This book has helped her to fine tune her technique as well as giving ideas on what to do next. She loves this book!



5. A wonderful book about polymer clay modeling, complete with tools description, tutorials and beautiful projects, suited both for beginners and for more advanced artists, for persons young at heart who enjoy giving the gift of life to the heroes of fairy tales. Highly recommended!

5 comments about The Figure in Clay: Contemporary Sculpting Techniques by Master Artists (A Lark Ceramics Book).

1. I have always wanted to do large scale figurative sculpture. There are not many books specifically on this subject. I found this book and said, "Yes, this has exactly what I want to know". I find it a wonderful resource. Vicki Stone-artist



2. A rich and exciting collection of wonderful artists and a never ending wealth of inspiration. My favorite book of contemporary ceramic art



3. I've been wanting to get into ceramics for a while and this book was just the thing to get my creative juices flowing. It has many (500 actually) beautiful pieces to admire, with such a wide selection of styles. I love that it has a both beautiful and grotesque figures revealing so many artistic view points. It's definitely not a "how to" book, with just enough info to get a basic idea of how each piece was created but the beautiful photographs and wide variety of sculptures makes it well worth purchasing.



4. I am fairly new to building in clay, and I found this book a treasure trove of ideas and techniques by masters of the art. The book is beautifully illustrated, and each of the artists describes their personal vision with regards to their work and then gives a detailed description of the process and techniques used in creating a piece along with formulas for their clay bodies, glazes and firing techniques. I found this book very helpful and inspiring.



5. Better than expected. Some novel and interesting techniques as well as anatomical knowledge put to use in unique visions makes for a very useful book for beginner and advanced sculptors. There is just enough personal and aesthetic information to make me want more. And, the focus on individual artists who then select other admired artists offers a sense of network and insight.

5 comments about The Complete Guide to High-Fire Glazes: Glazing & Firing at Cone 10 (A Lark Ceramics Book).

1. This is a brilliant book with great technical information and fabulous pictures. Most importantly for me though is getting good glaze recipes that have materials that are easily found or can be adapted to what I have. I have trialled many recipes in this book and have found good success. John Britt writes well and gives good firing information. Also most helpful is where he shows the same glaze used on different types of clay, this is a critical factor in the success of any glaze so a most important point that needs to be shown.
   If you are wanting to learn about glazing, then this book is a must for you. If you follow through each section and test as many of the glazes as possible, and follow the different firing methods, you will at the end have a comprehensive understanding of glazes and firing.



2. The Complete Guide to High-Fire Glazes: Glazing & Firing at Cone 10 (A Lark Ceramics Book) (Purchased on 01/02/2008)
   
   The book has tons of information very useful for a beginner potter and or a professional. Simple to use and has a variety of exercises to follow. Explains very well and has lots of images that makes it easy to comprehend, a must have as a text book.



3. Very happy with this purchase. The recipes are all laid out and organized very well. Easy to find what you're looking for and lots of good pictures.



4. I found that this book it is very useful and cohomprensive in parts of firing and recipes. There are beutiful pictures; but i find it is not so fluing in the exposition it could be more astonoshing with all the new about the recipes.
   If are a novice I think you could also buy another books to introduce you better in the world of making your own glazes more satifing( it is the The Ceramic Spectrum: A Simplified Approach to Glaze and Color DevelopmentHopper book on glazes spectrumThe Ceramic Spectrum: A Simplified Approach to Glaze and Color Development).



5. I bought this book at the request of my sister-in-law who is a potter. It was recommended to her by another potter. She loves it.

5 comments about Mixed-Media Mosaics: Techniques and Projects Using Polymer Clay Tiles, Beads & Other Embellishments.

1. This book will make you smile at every page. So many fun ideas that it gives you the inspiration to get going.



2. I purchased this book to make a mirror for a 6th grade class project. I've never worked with polymer clay before so I was a little nervous. The directions were easy to follow and the end result was amazing. Our family plans on doing a mirror at our next family reunion for the grandparents. It was fun, easy and once you start you'll want to keep making more and trying different techniques.



3. This is one of the few inspiring and how-to books I've come across in a while. Many have claims and teasers on the outside but this one actually gives the reader the complete background and foundation with which to springboard the techniques for use in the artist's work. Highly recommended!



4. I absolutely love this artist and her book - the photos and instructions are beautiful and clearly detailed - I am embarking on a new journey into the art of making clay tile and assemblages, and the ideas presented in this book have been fantastic - I have already started ordering supplies from the recommended vendors and am so excited about incorporating these ideas and techniques into my own creations!



5. I was very pleased with this book and so was my husband. Very interesting to read, lots of helpful information, and not cutesy girly stuff either. My husband took up mosaics and was really disgusted with the painfully cheap designs and projects in most of the mosaic books, much less the obscure directions. You could put this book in the category of home remodeling or fine arts, and it would stand well - the technical information was that good. We both really appreciated the format and the quality. Great pictures, too.

5 comments about 500 Animals in Clay: Contemporary Expressions of the Animal Form (A Lark Ceramics Book).

1. I love this book! It is a great collection of contemporary ceramic sculpture by outstanding artists. I recommend it for animal lovers, ceramic artists, and appreciators of sculptural ceramic art. This is a great book for inspiration and enjoyment. Just be advised that it does not include projects or techniques. If you are looking for instruction in how to create animal forms in clay, you will not find it here.



2. A good assortment of animals in clay but somewhat disappointing in its scope and styles.
   Good reproduction, but just misses that elusive "something" to make it a really great book for reference.
   Still a good addition to the serious ceramic artist's library.



3. Just like the title indicates--it is a great selection of ceramic animals by contemporary artists. There is everything from realistic to bizarre interpretations of domestic, wild and farm animals, even includes a few bees. Like other books in the Lark ceramic "500" series, it is not a "how-to" book but rather a varied collection that inspires. A great buy!



4. I love contemporary art and animal sculptures so I thought that this book would be a great source of inspiration, but it was an absolute disappointment based upon its content. I now understand why the publisher doesn't allow you to preview the book... The cover has a cute rabbit on the cover and that is probably the best piece of art in the book if you are looking for whimsical. I give the publisher credit for great photos and for divulging what was used to create the piece (clay body type, firing range, techniques, glazes, stains). There are a few animals that are magnificent, but the majority did nothing for me... I found the art to be too rustic (lacking detail and form) or too modern (looked contrived as if the artist was trying to mesh subject matter that just do not go together).



5. I thought this book did an excellent job providing me with examples of what it title says the book is about: 500 animals in clay. From traditional examples to more modern interpretations, this book contains beautiful single-view photos. I would have appreciated a central photo with a couple alternate views in the sidebars simple because the works are 3-D and should be presented as such. But, I didn't mark them down for that oversight. Oh, and BTW, this is NOT a how-to book. You'll need to look elsewhere for such a reference.
   
   Overall, I was looking for examples that would inspire me with project ideas as I teach an introductory-level ceramics class for high school students. Obviously, some of the techniques aren't possible in my school but I'm not looking to copy what is depicted in the book; merely to show off what is possible in a sculptural presentation.
   
   The photography sells the book. Kudos!

5 comments about Making Polymer Clay Beads: Step-by-Step Techniques for Creating Beautiful Ornamental Beads.

1. I saw this book in my PC beginner class, and once opened, I knew I HAD to have this. It's clear, simple directions for MANY techniques are easy to follow and create what you envision THE FIRST TIME. It has such a variety of techniques listed that it should be the basic curriculum for any beginner class. I don't think that those experienced in the craft would be a thrilled as I was, but it has SO many faux techniques so detailed with excellent photos, I think anyone would find this valuable. The creations are also excellent inspiration for variation and construction of jewelry. Definate Keeper!



2. This is a very insightful book on the real how-to's of polymer clay. She has given me endless hours of inspiration and I have still more to do! Give us more of her stuff!!



3. I have 3 books that I've purchased on polymer clay bead-making and this is the best one. Lots of easy-to-follow techniques and ideas for the serious bead-maker. I go back to this book time and time again for inspiration. Before you venture into using polymer clay for your jewellery, you must get this book first!



4. If I could give one polymer clay book 10 stars this book would be IT.
   
   The best book I have ever read about polymer clay.
   
   Super projects and tips and everything is so well written and pictured.



5. Adorei, muito didático, conteúdo bem explicado, com ótimas sugestões e idéias, bom gosto. Altamente recomendado.

5 comments about Image Transfer on Clay: Screen, Relief, Decal & Monoprint Techniques (A Lark Ceramics Book).

1. Image Transfer on Clay: Screen, Relief, Decal & Monoprint Techniques (A Lark Ceramics Book)
   I could not find one image I thought was appealing. This book was perhaps over my green head. I found the designs stuffy and the techniques way to complicated.



2. I am very pleased with the book 'Image Transfer on Clay.' It provides many examples of hands on techniques, and the photos are plentiful. Many ceramic books only provide photos of finished work with a brief description of technique. Image Transfer on Clay is rich in offering various methods and resources necessary to complete each task.



3. This book is for the advanced and not the novice. Most transfers entail lots of labour. And the designs are somewhat messy and not so aesthetically pleasing. There are many coloured photos of examples, but overall the book, was a bit of a disappointment.



4. Good basic instructions,but nothing I did not learn in college 30 years ago... Lately,at craft fairs,I have seen some fantastic image transfer on plastic, glass ,fired tile etc.surfaces with computer based printers. I am frustrated that no one has yet come up with ceramic quality inks so we clay people could photoshop our ideas then print out our own decals. Paul Lewing has a book out that reinvents low fire painting materials and application.If you are a painter,and want to fire tile, its a bonanza. I am waiting for some genius to show us the same for graphic image transfer. This book, while okay, is not it.



5. As a beginner to the craft, I am reading everything I can to enhance and broaden my understanding of the entire process. I found this book a wonderful resource, and would definitely recommend it to anyone who, like myself, prefers to "self-teach". I learn much more from reading books than I do in a classroom setting, and since I do not have the time or money to spend hours driving to class, sitting through others' inane questions, and generally find "group" learning detrimental and boring, this and other "how-to" books are my gold mine.

5 comments about 500 Tiles: An Inspiring Collection of International Work (500 Series).

1. At the risk of being self serving (my work is featured on page 411) I have to say as a clay artist in general and more particularly as a tilemaker this collection is inspiring. The depth of styles and techniques used here is incredible; as someone who has to date been primarily using glazes and underglazes, the examples in this book have immediately sent me back to my local clay supplier in search of new ways to express myself in clay. A must have for anyone who aspires to create art through the medium of tile.



2. I must agree with the previous reviewers, the work in this volume certainly merits "Inspiring" being in the title.
   
   As the juror states in the book's introduction, so much of the fun of this book is seeing the widely varied approaches the artists have taken with this format: figurative, abstract, painterly, sculptural, small-scale, architectural.
   
   Full disclosure: my work is also included (p 409), and I am honored to have been selected and published next to so many visionary artists.
   
   What a pleasure it has been to explore the works contained here, some by artists I know personally, or by reputation, and still others I am encountering for the first time. Highly recommended!



3. Among the very best of the Lark Books "500" series. Brilliant color and design, not limited to traditional tiles and encouraging to the artist craftsman.



4. This book is a bounty of styles and artistic ideas for what tiles could and may become, with an open mind and some creative techniques. As a beginning ceramicist, this is exactly the sort of thing I was looking for; as I wanted to break out of the traditional 4x4 square and make something wholly unconventional. I wasn't sure if my ideas would work, but after seeing what others have done I am inspired to make my dreams a reality. Thanks to books like these, I can let my imagination run wild and my only limit will be time and creativity.



5. EXCELLENT review of many techniques, styles and approaches to clay tiles. Well presented with very good reproduction. A great addition to any potter or artists library. Expanded technical data would make this edition even better, but I still rate it a "9"...

3 comments about 500 Plates & Chargers: Innovative Expressions of Function & Style (500 Series).

1. WONDERFUL selection of diverse styles of plates and chargers. A wonderful reference. Reproduction terrific and interesting representation of varied techniques. A MUST for all functional and sculptural potter/ceramicists.



2. I am slowly purchasing every book in this series. I am a working artist and use photos to stimulate creativity for myself and my students. All of these books have been wonderful.



3. This book is wonderful! If looking for creative ideas, methodology, glazing suggestions, or just browsing the photos, this is the book for you! As someone who has just finished my own home studio, I found this book to be incredibly helpful!