BEGINNERS' GUIDE TO DECORATING POTTERY

This welcoming and confidence-building guide invites you into the studio with ceramic artist Emily Reinhardt, showing you how to bring pottery surfaces to life with colour, texture, and playful detail. From glazes and gold lustre to patterns, marks, inlay designs, and dimensional elements, the book encourages exploration while keeping the process approachable and enjoyable. Packed with colour photographs throughout, the gallery in particular is most inspiring with tumblers, bowls, mugs, vases, wall hangings, a cobalt offering dish, and a leathery double vase among the ideas to get you started. There are for busy hands lots of colourful beads, a set of coasters, spoons, a set of dinner plates with inlaid clay designs in a chequered pattern, hand-built vases with heavily layered glaze, planters with added design features like colourful glass strips applied to the outside, beautiful serving platters with a drip/splatter effect and many more ideas from the contributing artists. Clear introductions to working with clay and common decorating materials lay strong foundations, while thoughtful tutorials explore colour theory, balancing form and function, and why keeping a sketchbook can transform your creative practice. Throughout, there's a refreshing emphasis on curiosity, fun, and embracing imperfection as part of making work you truly love. Beginner-friendly projects guide you step by step through applying surface-design techniques to simple, satisfying pieces such as coasters, a cheeseboard, wall hangings, plates, tumblers, vases, and planters. And includes troubleshooting! Colour photos throughout 160 pages, 22.8cm square.