This practical and beautiful book covers a wide range of inventive, decorative techniques and encourages the maker to be adventurous and experimental. By building a repertoire of decorating skills and methods, it shows how the maker can create distinctive marks and surfaces on clay, thereby making their work individual and unique. With so many ideas and clear, practical instruction to the techniques, this book is an essential reference for makers of all skill levels, and is sure to inspire a new and creative stream of work. From embossing, engraving, printing and embellishing the clay surface using coloured slips, underglaze colours, oxides and glazes. Coloured clay and smoke firing effects, as well as the exciting potential of mixed media. The importance of mark-making tools and advice on making a personal collection. With insights from individual makers who generously share their discoveries and decorative experiments Over 450 lavish photos illustrate the techniques and ideas covered

"This is a rich source of inspiration and guidance and will become a well thumbed reference for many potters. Each chapter is a rich source of ideas, illustrations, suggestions and offerings, with something new for everyone to consider, experiment or to try anew. There is also a helpful list of suppliers in the US and UK ." - Dacorum & Chiltern Potters Guild Newsletter

"Developing a decorative surface can take as much time and effort as it does to make the ceramic piece, and is crucial to the individual style of the maker. This book is an easy reference point for any maker to consider the options which are open to them. Over 30 ceramic makers share their individual way of working in this extensive book." - Emerging Potters magazine

"Surface Decoration for the contemporary maker is a book of beautiful images and solid content like a good lush cookery book which provides you with successful recipes and a happy feeling. Content needs to support images and this book is a successful marriage of the two, it just happens to be in the pottery world." - Northern Potters Association Newsletter.