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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
Professional studio potter Robin Hopper, drawing from nearly 50 years of experience, offers a wealth of ceramic surface decoration possibilities - some rarely ever exposed - in this brand new all-inclusive guide! The expansive range of techniques provided in Making Marks, together with the straightforward tips for successful use, is a formula guaranteeing remarkable results for potters, teachers, students, collectors, or anyone with an interest in ceramics.

From the fundamentals (basic approaches to drawing, color theory, glaze development, and spatial development) to the clay processes (decoration with tools, adding and removing marks, and use of liquid and color clays), and from the pigment processes (variables of colorants, brush, stamp, spray, and pencil marks, and resistance techniques) to the glazing and firing processes (glaze application methods, heat and flame, vapor and fume, and multiple fired surfaces), this guide contains everything readers want and need to know. Never has there been a more complete guide on decorative techniques for ceramic surfaces!

Customer Reviews: Read 1 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

Great gift for a potter. January 1, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I purchased this book as a gift and it was absolutely perfect for an up and coming potter who has the building techniques down but would like to move to the next stage of creative pottery design.

5 out of 5 stars

Checking for stars! June 20, 2007
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

Hi,
I am the author of this book. The first review in the list of five gives a glowing report and yet rates only one star! I feel that this is a mistake. All the other reviews give the book five stars. This might be detrimentally affecting sales. I feel sure that the reviewer did not intend the single star rating with the review that he or she has given.

Perhaps you can check this out. Thanks

5 out of 5 stars

A great reference for both beginners and advanced potters February 17, 2006
16 out of 18 found this review helpful

Making Marks is an excellent reference book that both beginners and advanced potters can benefit from. It delves into all aspects of potting, and not only illustrates the results that can be achieved, it provides the "how to" for many of the processes. Any potter who has this book in their library will never run out of ideas for creating unique pieces.

5 out of 5 stars

Books like this one - a definite necessity ! August 11, 2005
57 out of 59 found this review helpful

This is an exciting book, it is not just about painting marks on surfaces. The list of options is quite comprehensive from liquid slips, clay colour modifications, carving, underglazes, slip-trailing, lustre-ware and of course impressions and incisions made by tools. Robin Hopper is a master of clay due to the years he has be absorbed by it. He has used good quality work by various potters to display the different forms of decoration.

Surface decoration is always something you need to think in advance about before making the piece. You need to be clear what you want to see in the end, these choices will affect how smooth you want the surface to be and of course the decoration needs to be a custom-fit aesthetically for each piece. Discourse about these matters is found throughout the book.

Glaze technology is discussed in this book, though not to the depth a total beginner would like - total knowledge could be gained in a technical course.

This is one of those books that you can keep using as your understanding grows depending on where you are. Always interesting and inspiring to read about other surace decoration forms gaining knowledge all the way.

This book would also be good as a guide in a set course, chapter by chapter you could do projects eg Chapt 1: Drawing, Chapt 2: Sign & Symbol, Chapt 3: Pattern & Space, Chapt 6: Marks of Slash, Scratch, Carve & Cut etc.

All in all, a wonderful storehouse of so many ideas to have at hand !

5 out of 5 stars

For the dabbler or those needing inspiration to try something new July 9, 2005
39 out of 42 found this review helpful

While I'm relatively new to the art and craft of pottery, I beginning to find my own voice in my work. This book is helping me to think about differnet ways to express myself in my work. While I will probably never go out and buy a sand blaster or work with lusters, I know I have the inital reference source I need should I decide to go that way.

Possibly one of the most valuable (but not necessarily exciting sections) is his intial discussion of drawing and line. I come from a background of hard science (chemistry) and know little of formal art or the principles of "line." He explains why this is important and how to start thinking about it.

Finally, the book is a visual orgy. My husband (non potter) and I frequently sit and flip through the book to look at the examples of the various works. It becomes intoxicating. We can sit and discuss what makes one peice have that "come hither" look while another, while technically excellent, has little or no appeal to us. It has become a spring board for me in terms of astectics.

While this book will not teach you how to sand blast or give you important clues about the proper layering of airbrushed glazes, it will help you think about all of the different types of marks you can make on clay and choose the ones that call to you.

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