Dorodango: The Japanese Art of Making Mud Balls (Ceramic Art Projects, Mindfulness and Meditation Books) Hardcover – September 24, 2019

This is a wonderful book for those who want to experience making dorodango with their own hands or are simply curious about this fascinating art form. I recommend it to educators, artists, crafters, retired people looking for a hobby, children, and anyone who wants to connect with nature in a sensory way.Bruce Gardner specializes in the Japanese art of Hikaru Dorodango. They are balls crafted from soil, molded by hand into perfect spheres, dried, and then polished to create a sheen. This is a traditional pastime among many children in Japan, and through many years of perseverance, Bruce has been able to refine the process himself and has added his own techniques to create one of a kind spheres from local soils found near his own home in New Mexico.I highly recommend this book, which is one of its kind. It is not only a beautiful object to have on display in your home, but easy to follow in terms of instructions, with lots of high-quality photographs. There is a zen quality to having this book around, sometimes I just go through the pages to feel calm. What Gardner creates with dirt is breathtaking and brings you close to the basics. It's amazing that all he uses to create these magnificent spheres is dirt and water.I am planning to purchase more copies to give as gifts in December. Thanks a lot to the publishers and of course to Bruce Gardner for sharing his dorodango secrets with us. I was not paid or given this book for review. My words come from sheer excitement and admiration.

This was very informative and gave clear instructions and perspective, also laid out exactly how to make them ,God bless!

Dorodango is a new tutorial and philosophy/art guide to creating hikaru dorodango, Japanese mud balls. Released 24th Sept 2019 by Laurence King, it's 128 pages and available in hardcover format.I read and review a lot of crafting and art books as well as a fair bit of cultural philosophy. This book is both. The author has a calm, logical, and inviting writing style. He provides an impressive amount of detail and technique in the tutorials for each stage of the process, from choosing specific dirt through sifting and refining the materials, clay content, moisture, shaping and building, problem solving (cracks), texture, finishing, and more. In fact, I was quite impressed at how intricate and meditative the entire process is, especially considering the humble materials involved.The finished products are primeval. I am astounded at the range of shades, textures, and colours resulting from water and dirt.The short introduction (~4% of the total content) covers some of the history and background as well as the author's introduction to the process. The following chapters proceed through the steps from start to finish and include a gallery with sidebar descriptions of locations where the dirt was sourced and comments about the finished dorodango. Tools are minimal and easily available.The photography throughout the book is spectacular. It's crystal clear and illustrative as well as being artistically appealing. A complete beginner will find all the information necessary in this volume to create, finish, and display their own dorodango. It's interesting that this is an art which had almost died out and which results in such appealing and beautiful end products.I would heartily recommend this book and process to readers who are interested in Japanese aesthetics, philosophy, and mindfulness, as well as crafter artists looking for a new challenge.Four stars.Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

A wonderful book detailing the thought and process behind Dorodango and one that encourages and empowers the reader to take up the art on their own. Gives enough instruction to where one knows where to start without being to rigorous in trying to sell the authora own process rather than the art itself. A very friendly and inspiring read, and a wonderfully attractive book. I was glad to finally find a book in English that could help me to learn more about the art of dorodango and I'm glad to say it is not just a picture book for the coffee table but a warm and friendly informative little book.

A meticulous and fascinating how-to by a master. What a beautifully unique craft and book - recommended!

This was an impulse buy, but I'm so happy I made it.This artist, and his creations, are amazing.Can't wait to begin this journey

This book is a must for anyone who wants to take up this art form seriously! It will walk you through every step on the way to beautiful results.

I love this book! It's clear and concise and written with a loving hand.