Handmade Tile

Primer, not textbook

This is a primer on making handmade tile, not a complete textbook. That makes it perfect for clay artists who are interested in starting or improving their handmade tile production. With this book in hand an artist can determine what parts of tile making are of interest and what new skills or tools are needed to move forward into production. I am not a clay artist and thus was surprised to find silk screen techniques are adapted to producing tile, along with plaster casting, and something sort of like tjanting. Each technique is explained in just enough detail to satisfy basic interests and indicate where further study – advanced books or a class – will be needed. The artist is well served.

For those who want to make their own, this book can be a great resources. It helps you from start to finish to making tiles that can be used indoor and outdoor. Images are placed throughout to help show examples and the making process. A nice reference.

This book gives great instructions on how to make tiles, from making the clay, rolling it out, cutting it or making a mold. For DIYers and those that have access to a kiln this is a great book.

Received ARC in exchange for honest voluntary review from NetGalley.

Not everyone will have the patience and skill to create their own tile, but many readers will enjoy and be inspired by this colorful, approachable volume on creating your own handmade tile. Includes lots of example photos of handmade tiles in the real world (subway stations, stairways, etc.), profiles of famous tile-makers, and easy to follow instructions for making your own tile.

As a person who tends to overthink everything, I was stopped instantly by the title of this book. The reason? I’d never actually stopped to think that yikes are made, much less the true craft and artistry that can actually go into it.

Ooh this is an inspiring book. I've long had the desire to make my own tiles but never got to it. This book has enough visual inspiration and technical instruction that it may prompt me to get going on this. The photographs are gorgeous, and I found the instructional pages easy to read and follow. I recommend this lovely book if you would like to try your hand at making tiles.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Whilst a lot of this book relates back to commercial tiles, the book explains the history, the clays and the technique of handmade tiles. I am a potter and I have made tiles in my work, this book actually goes beyond the slab of clay to produce tiles. In doing so it invites various potters to give their version of the different aspect of making a tile that is beautiful, purposeful and well made. I found the glazing aspect particularly interesting. There is also a section on image transfer, kilns and suitability of uses
A very interesting book all round.

I loved this book! As an architect looking to understand and know the elements I am working with, I found the presentation of tiles fantastic! I especially appreciated that the author took the trouble to insert parts of history and context, which would help someone who doesn't have any training or knowledge on the matter be a bit more confident while reading.

This book comes with very easy to follow instructions if you are interested in doing it yourself. It has step by step pictures, some extra pictures with examples ( the different stages of clay for example) and it is written in a very accessible way. I also really liked the inclusion of interviews with creators and artists who use tiles as an expression of their art.

The aesthetics of the book are also not to be overlooked. I already added it to my Wish list and I cannot wait to buy it.

If you don't have a special interest in tile making, this also makes for a great coffee table book. You can get it even just to skim through it while sipping your coffee and enjoy the beautiful pictures!

This book was lovely. I loved reading the history. The projects seemed manageable, and the end product was lovely. I hope I can get this into the hands of some local artisans and teachers. What a great tool!

*~.Book Analysis.~*
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader :)

Rating: 5 stars
Reading period: Sept. 28th, 2019
Format: ebook
Source: NetGalley – I have received this copy in exchange for an honest review.
Release date: Oct. 01st, 2019

PROS
I expected this book to be more of a how-to guide than it actually was and I was pleasantly surprised. The author actually bothers to explain, even though briefly, the history of tile making and the pictures that illustrate the texts are breathtaking. I was surprised to get way more content than I expected and the experience of diving into tile making was even more enjoyable.

CONS
I probably won't have the opportunity of trying to make my own handmade tiles anytime soon.

COVER ANALYSIS
The cover is simple, but it delivers the message and, most important, it is intriguing: I clicked it on Netgalley exactly to see what it was about.

RECOMMENDED FOR
Readers insterested in the history of tile making, in making their own tiles and decor tips with tiles!

I love this book! It is the COMPLETE guide to making and using tile with everything in between. It's well written and has lots of pictures and ideas as well as guest appearances of expert craftsmen in the field. I love DIY projects, and this book has given me so many ideas on things to do in my home with tile. After reading Handmade Tile, I'm confident I can accomplish whatever I decide to do. Thoroughly enjoyed and will use for reference in the future.

This book is much more in-depth then I expected. With that said it is definitely much easier to just buy tile. However, if you want to learn this art form this book is not lacking. It shows in great detail all the needed steps for precise and quality results. I loved looking through the process and I am so impressed with the patience and dedication required for this craft. If this interest you I highly recommend this book. I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

4.5 stars.

I've always been interested in trying my hands on pottery but there isn't a place anywhere close to me where I could go to. So, this was nice to read through especially with how pretty the tiles the author has made (I'm actually tempted to buy from him if I ever make a house in the future). The history portions and the interviews were interesting too. My only problem with the book is the info dump.

Overall, this is a good read for anyone who already have the skills in pottery and want to try their hand in making tiles. There's a lot of info and steps to help guide the way.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with the digital copy for an honest review.

Handmade Tile: Design, Create, and Install Custom Tiles is an interesting treatment of clay theory, tilemaking, and DIY in one volume by Forrest Lesch-Middelton. Released 1st Oct 2019 from Quarto on their Quarry imprint, it's 208 pages and available in hardback and ebook formats.

I was surprised by the scope of this book. It's an all-in-one tutorial for understanding the medium, the history, the development and technology, the production, installation, and artistry well enough to get a start on learning the art and craft of tile making. The book is also interspersed with interviews with other artists elucidating some special techniques, artistry, or design specialties. As a survey text, it is thorough and accessible and gives a good overview of the special design and production challenges tile-makers must face (relatively small size, uniformity, clay warping, vitrification/durability and more).

The book follows a logical format. The introduction and first chapter cover history, development, clay types, vitrification (and durability), and different types of tile. The following chapters progress through the production of tile: sourcing and preparation, different methods of rolling and cutting tile, production techniques, the surface glazing and other considerations, and firing. There is a resource list at the back of the book along with some studio recipes and a short index.

The final chapters cover design and installation. Sprinkled throughout the book are gorgeously photographed artist displays and interviews. In fact, Handmade Tile is a beautifully photographed and illustrated book all around and I would recommend it to art and design students, not just clay artists. Quarto tend to have consistently high quality in the graphics and layout of their books, and this one is superlative.

This would make a great addition to the studio library for artists (not just clay artists). There is a lot of good discussion on design, texture, technique and more. This is a well done book, but I feel that in trying to be everything-in-one it misses. I'm not sure if most artisans would be able to create and complete an installation using only this book alone. It is, however, a really good starting point, absolutely full of inspiration and beauty.

Four and a half stars.

If you are looking for not only the how to make, but also the history and why's of, handmade tiles, this book is DEFINITELY the book for you. The author really gives a lot of information, makes sure the how to is easy to follow so that one can really make and place their tiles in a way that they will be proud their finished work for quite some time.

Handmade Tile is not the sort of book I expected to come across when browsing art books one day. And yet it immediately caught my attention. There’s something so appealing, both about this book and about the idea of being able to craft one’s own tile.
This is a comprehensive guide designed for all skill levels. So whether or not you’ve ever done this before, as long as you have the desire to learn, then this is a book worth checking out. Forrest Lesch-Middelton’s writing is concise and easy to understand, making it perfect for beginners in particular.
There are a lot of positive things to day about this book. I was fascinated by the instructions, of course. But I also do appreciate the organization inside. The book is split into neat sections, such as how to make tile, decorating, designing a space with tiles, and even a gallery at the end (which featured some prominent artists in the field). It was exactly what I would have expected and hoped for.

This is a fascinating look at handmade tile. It gives a bit of history, what is needed to make the tile, different ways to create the tiles and also to decorate them. It explains how tiles can and have been used and even how to install them. Great book for any ceramicist, art enthusiast, or curious person.