Out of the Earth, into the Fire: A Course in Ceramic Materials for the Studio Potter

Rating:
Summary: A necessary book for any serious potter.
Review: "Out of the Earth Into the Fire" is a necessary book for any potter , and is especially useful for any potter doing their own glazes.It details in it's four chapters, although very long and comprehensive chapters, all of the glaze and clay making ingredients that you will need. The first chapter deals with the glaze cores. It talks of both the historical and the emperical aspects of all the necessary substances in use. A substance that I can't wait to get my hands on is Rotton Stone. I'll let you read the book to find out why. The second chapter is about clays and clay bodies.Although most of us buy prepared clay this gives us reason to make our own. The next chapter concerns auxillary melters.We find here about glaze surfaces; how to best utilize a substance to make a glossy, a matt, or an opaque surface. Finally the last chapter reveals all we want to know about silica and alumina. The appendices are full of useful material. There are even some good pictures in this book. An unexpected surprise.

Rating:
Summary: A necessary book for any serious potter.
Review: "Out of the Earth Into the Fire" is a necessary book for any potter , and is especially useful for any potter doing their own glazes.It details in it's four chapters, although very long and comprehensive chapters, all of the glaze and clay making ingredients that you will need. The first chapter deals with the glaze cores. It talks of both the historical and the emperical aspects of all the necessary substances in use. A substance that I can't wait to get my hands on is Rotton Stone. I'll let you read the book to find out why. The second chapter is about clays and clay bodies.Although most of us buy prepared clay this gives us reason to make our own. The next chapter concerns auxillary melters.We find here about glaze surfaces; how to best utilize a substance to make a glossy, a matt, or an opaque surface. Finally the last chapter reveals all we want to know about silica and alumina. The appendices are full of useful material. There are even some good pictures in this book. An unexpected surprise.

Rating:
Summary: The absolute, hands down, BEST pottery book on earth.
Review: This is probably... no. ABSOLUTELY the best and most wonderfull book I have ever run across. Obstler does an amazing job of showing (and explaining) the true process of ceramics. This is not a technique or coffee table book although it is easily better at both categories than most books of that sort. This IS a book more about the materials of ceramics than the finished product. Mimi lovingly portrays the full cycle of the process which produces a pot. Something all true potters should know is that the actual end result, the pot, is the smallest and most insignificant part of ceramics. In this book, the reader is introduced to the whole life of the materials which we use. In a mish mash of history, formula, chemistry and geology, Mimi Obstler creates a unique and awe-inspiring story not just of the pot or potter, but of the earth from which both are born.
This book is beautifully crafted, and you can tell, that a lot of love, work and knowledge have gone into it's creation. This is a must have for anyone who truly loves pottery OR geology. I have never seen a book this amazing before. I highly recomend it. This book is worth every cent and so much more. I can honestly say that I am stunned. Thank you Mimi Obstler, this is a treasure.