The Potter’s Encyclopedia of Color, Form, and Decoration by Neal French

A few weeks ago when I made the decision to follow my own passions instead of what I thought I was suppose to follow, I also made the decision to start grabbing as many publications as I can dealing with Ceramics and Pottery. The book I went out and bought that day was, The Potter’s Encyclopedia of Color, Form, and Decoration by Neal French.

This book is a great reference on the form of traditional pottery, what goes into glaze recipes and what affects them. This book is easily laid out allowing for a smooth read and ease of locating specific entries. Within, the author lays out cross sections of traditional forms in ceramics showing you thickness and shape. As well, the book illustrates what goes into making certain lids and handles and what their functions are. The book also has a comprehensive glaze section where in it describes a handful of base glazes, including one raku then goes on to describe which additives affect which glaze under what conditions. The last section of the book is reserved for decoration. Instead of laying out different ideas, it shows you pictures of pre existing works and what form of decoration was used.

There is a lot of information to grab from this book and it is great for the artist looking to experiment. A lot of trial and error had to go into making this book, and a lot will come from reading it also. Last off, price. The book is rationally priced, but as you know, you can always find a better price online than at your local Barnes and Nobles or BAM.

All in all, I give the book an 8.0 in a scale out of 10.0.