Ceramics Books and Magazines

I was not disappointed! She is very thorough explaining techniques as well as comprehensive in her list of tools and supplies.

I highly recommend this book because of the above, but also because it is great fun!


Great array of projects for intermediate poly clay artists   April 30, 2001
 50 out of 51 found this review helpful

This is an excellent book for the intermediate polymer clay artist. The projects are fun and sophisticated. I have nearly ten different polymer clay books, but this is the only one I have found that shows you how to make full-size floral forms.

The book starts out with an excellent introduction to the basics of selecting materials and explains how to choose among the different brands of clay. Conditioning the clay, color mixing and making basic shapes is covered next. A wide variety of techniques and projects follow.

Some techniques include millefiori with instructions for making and using lace, checkerboard, pinwheel, chevron, plaid, spliced, radiating, kaleidoscope, shaded and face canes. The rose cane is gorgeous. Onlay techniques, working with glitter, metal leaf treatments and making beads are next. I love the author's ideas for quilted and Balinese filigree beads. She then goes on to explain carving clay and creating Bakelite like forms.

Next comes the process of making and using molds including taking you step-by-step through making an Asian man face pin. Then, imitative techniques simulating precious stone like jade, marble, ivory, agate and red jasper are covered. There is a great recipe for turquoise. Translucent effects for creating opals and metal effects for creating mokume gane and patinas are a great help. There is even a technique to get a marbled paper look.

Vessel construction follows. Projects included a woven vessel, unlined pot, mosaic bowl and curved box. The book ends with a few sculpture lessons including making a harvest candlestick with several vegetable forms. A great seahorse sculpture and a creating a realistic doll's head are also here.

Though the instructions are fine for someone with a little polymer clay experience, they are in some cases simply not detailed enough for a total beginner. However, with so many beautiful projects and ideas, this book will provide inspiration for years.


Amazing what you can do with Clay and Donna Kato   April 8, 2001
 13 out of 14 found this review helpful

This book goes beyond the basics of polymer clay. If you like to create your own jewelry or decorative items, Kato's book is chock-full of useful techniques. I made malachite for a book cover that was just fantastic. And it will get you interested in really wonderful techniques like Moku-gane, where you layer clay with metallic leaf and shave it for a wood-grain moire effect that is really stunning. There is instruction for faux gemstone materials. The bone and coral are especially realistic. Even the turquoise came out remarkably well.

The section on making canes and reducing them is very helpful if you like to make millefiori. All in all, this is a very good book to have if you love polymer clay crafts.