Showing posts with label collage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label collage. Show all posts

The Complete Photo Guide to Textile Art: *All You Need to Know to Alter and Embellish Fabric *The Essential Reference for Novice and Expert Fabric ... Instructions for More Than 40 Techniques Review

The Complete Photo Guide to Textile Art: *All You Need to Know to Alter and Embellish Fabric *The Essential Reference for Novice and Expert Fabric ... Instructions for More Than 40 Techniques
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The Complete Photo Guide to Textile Art: *All You Need to Know to Alter and Embellish Fabric *The Essential Reference for Novice and Expert Fabric ... Instructions for More Than 40 Techniques ReviewI love all books by Susan Stein and find this one unique.Very simple,covers over 40 techniques with clear instructions and photos. I highly recommend it to all textile artists who would like to give a different look to their fabric.The Complete Photo Guide to Textile Art: *All You Need to Know to Alter and Embellish Fabric *The Essential Reference for Novice and Expert Fabric ... Instructions for More Than 40 Techniques Overview

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Collage Lost and Found: Creating Unique Projects With Vintage Ephemera Review

Collage Lost and Found: Creating Unique Projects With Vintage Ephemera
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Collage Lost and Found: Creating Unique Projects With Vintage Ephemera ReviewI think this book is an excellent resource for those of us who are new to collage or altered art. Her instructions are clear and complete. The book covers many different projects from greeting cards and soldered jewelry to shrines and collaging onto sheet metal. She even gives directions on making your own chains for the jewelry. I especially like the quick and easy projects like collaging in tiny tins and making magnets out of glass marbles--very nice for gift giving. Her sample art is beautiful, and I didn't find her work to be mostly sepia tones and muted colors as another reviews says. I love vintage so maybe I'm biased.
This is a book you can pick up and right away get started creating beautiful vintage art.Collage Lost and Found: Creating Unique Projects With Vintage Ephemera Overview

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The Drawing Bible Review

The Drawing Bible
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The Drawing Bible ReviewI do not know what kind of background the previous reviewer has but as artist and art teacher I highly recommend this book. The idea of valuing it according to price, like some kind of bean counter is absurd.
The book covers the fundamentals and the drawings are superb. It is easy to carry and also serves as a continuous source of style and inspiration.
As for the price it is worth every penny. If you want beautiful though realistic images to act as an ideal and have enough intelligence not to need Parental consent to see the nudes in the book please DISREGARD THE FATUOUS AND INCREDULOUS REVIEW ABOVE.
The book dose exactly what it claims and dose so with great art, style and composition. Craig Nelson is one of the most accomplished draftsman of this era and has made, and shows great choices.
Need to be taken by the hand through everything pertaining to drawing then head for your nearest art school, as no book can do what a serious series of classes in drawing fundamentals can do. However don't trash a perfectly fine and inspirational book for the price or the heck of it.
And, yes I do own the book and am very pleased with it. So are my many students.The Drawing Bible Overview

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The Creative Edge: Exercises to Celebrate Your Creative Self Review

The Creative Edge: Exercises to Celebrate Your Creative Self
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The Creative Edge: Exercises to Celebrate Your Creative Self ReviewMary Todd Beam's follow-up to her first book expands both creative repertoire and creative experience. I have seen books on creativity that, while fun to explore, have little application for serious works of art. "The Creative Edge" does both. Many of the techniques are new, not just a rehash of all the old ones. Each technique can be used as the focus of a single art work, but the same technique can be combined with others in the book, or with techniques learned elsewhere. For example, it is possible to use her "sparkling ice" technique to create a fascinating abstract, or use it as part of a larger, more representational work.
The section titled "Have a Look: Observe" opens our eyes to looking at familiar objects in a different way, for example the interior of a derelict car, to create interpretive abstracts. I particularly like the section "Finding Figures in a Foil Print" as it not only shows a unique way of using black gesso and foil (the result looks almost like a lithograph) it could also be developed in so many ways - as an abstract, like the examples, or to add texture to a landscape or even a still life. Examples of other artists' use of the techniques provide inspiration as well as additional ideas.
Most of the artwork is done on illustration board. If this is difficult to obtain, or if you do not like the shiny surface, it is possible to use matt board, although this is a little lighter. It does need to be gessoed on both sides and the edges sealed with wax. For a more matte working surface, I find a thin coat of fibre paste on top of the gesso works nicely. (Golden produces an excellent one)
As usual, Mary Todd Beam uses her famed palette of only three colours with amazing success: Quinacridone Crimson, Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold and Turquoise (Pthalo) These create wonderful secondaries, as well as interesting tints and shades when mixed with black or white. It is worthwhile setting aside the old pallette you are comfortable with, and trying something entirely different. The results can be quite exciting.The Creative Edge: Exercises to Celebrate Your Creative Self Overview

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151 Uncommon and Amazing Art Studio Secrets: To Boost Your Creative Output Review

151 Uncommon and Amazing Art Studio Secrets: To Boost Your Creative Output
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151 Uncommon and Amazing Art Studio Secrets: To Boost Your Creative Output ReviewSarnat hits the nail on the head in her simple, clear and enthusiastic tone. I'm a "Janey-come-lately" to art. I need something that takes me by the hand and lovingly guides me through the language, the culture and the materials of creating from nothing.
Thanks for 151 Uncommon Amazing Art Studio Secrets. I know what I'll be giving my friends who have been longing to start their own art projects.151 Uncommon and Amazing Art Studio Secrets: To Boost Your Creative Output Overview

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Creative Collage Techniques Review

Creative Collage Techniques
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Creative Collage Techniques ReviewThere is not much about collage that is not contained in this book. The authors begin with a short history of collage and how to make or find materials to make your own. Later in the book, they even explain how to make your own paper for collage and making collage "supports" or backgrounds using mediums, papers, and natural or found materials.
In an early part of the book, the authors delve into the collage process and give the reader eight projects (of varying difficulty)to try on their own. The directions and illustrations are VERY complete.
The next section deals with collage design, both planning and creating, along with nine projects that are, once again, carefully explained.
The section on mixed-media collage was very good but more for a person who has both artistic AND design ability. NOT ME!!!
Even though many of these projects were beyond my limited capability, I still enjoyed reading about them and looking at the beautiful illustrations. I got lots of ideas from this lovely book.Creative Collage Techniques Overview

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Creative Stamping with Mixed Media Techniques Review

Creative Stamping with Mixed Media Techniques
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Creative Stamping with Mixed Media Techniques ReviewIf you love rubber stamping and painting on fabric, you need just two books: this one and the author's first, Creating with Paint. I have both books and love them equally-and, more importantly--I USE them extensively in my own artwork.
I have also taken two workshops with the author, Sherrill Kahn, and highly recommend them. Take a workshop with Sherrill if you can! She's a very encouraging, supportive and inspiring teacher, and all of these qualities come across in her two books.
One of my favorite aspects of Creative Stamping is that Sherrill shows you in step-by-step photos how she layers dyes, paint and stamping techniques to arrive at her highly complex fabrics. It's easy once you see how she does it, and that's why Creative Stamping is a must-have for any fabric painters library.
Lots of information, inspiration, and some great how-to projects make Creative Stamping well worth the investment.
Check out Sherrill's web site: www.impressmenow.com.Creative Stamping with Mixed Media Techniques Overview

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The Journal Junkies Workshop: Visual Ammunition for the Art Addict Review

The Journal Junkies Workshop: Visual Ammunition for the Art Addict
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The Journal Junkies Workshop: Visual Ammunition for the Art Addict ReviewI met Eric and Dave a couple years ago at one of their week-long visual journal workshops. I was INSTANTLY addicted. I'm an art teacher who had never heard of the term "visual journal" before and thought it might be a great vehicle for student expression as well as a way to keep art in my personal life on a daily basis. Both are true. Since then, I've involved classes with the visual journal and have kept a few of my own. Other people I've known have taken Journal Fodder Junkies workshops, and they too have become addicted.
I think that what sets apart Eric and Dave's approach (and their book) from others is that they truly use the visual journal for an everyday, everything book. Their pages include the mundane, the profound, the beautiful, and the ugly. Well maybe not ugly... but imperfect, unfinished, misspelled. It's such an approachable style, completely unintimidating, something that truly anyone can embrace. I've read many books on visual journals and related subjects such as altered books or mixed media collage, and have been enticed by the imagery only to find that it set the bar too high--it was too perfect. Not good for anyone who feels even a tad bit unartistic, self-conscious, or nervous to begin. Not good for anyone who tries to emulate the how-to steps only to feel they fail miserably and then they give up.
"The Journal Junkies Workshop: Visual Ammunition for the Art Addict" is a great starting point for anyone who is intrigued by the idea of visual journals. After poring over every page, every word, every image in this book, I feel renewed and ready to tackle more pages in my own visual journal.The Journal Junkies Workshop: Visual Ammunition for the Art Addict Overview

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The Art of Encaustic Painting: Contemporary Expression in the Ancient Medium of Pigmented Wax Review

The Art of Encaustic Painting: Contemporary Expression in the Ancient Medium of Pigmented Wax
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The Art of Encaustic Painting: Contemporary Expression in the Ancient Medium of Pigmented Wax ReviewI have long been fascinated by the technique of encaustic painting and this book fills a void in references on the subject. It contains a vast array of detailed information on everything from making your own paints to exhibiting your artwork.
The book starts out with a history of encaustic art. A gallery section then showcases four different portfolios of art including representation, color and pattern, dimension and modular work. Captions include artist, title, materials used, size and date introduced. Artwork is displayed in a variety of sizes. Some of my favorites are a beautiful face by Tony Scherman and the organic looking "Miasma Morph" by Sylvia Netzer, made of wax with pigment fired on ceramic.
The next sections focuses on encaustic materials. It starts out with details on the wax types. A reference chart of all the wax types, their source, composition, properties, melting point, flash point, color range and average price is here too. Information on heating equipment and well as melting and fusing the wax are next. Then pigments and making your own paints is covered. Selecting and caring for brushes is also here. There is even a great section on using materials safely.
Painting preparation and techniques follow. These include information on substrates and grounds with step-by-step instructions on how to make your own. Recipes of rabbit-skin glue and gesso, as well as tips on using them are explained as well. Then techniques and tips for textured, smooth, scraped and incised surfaces accompanied by example artwork are given. There are also details on collage, mixed media, creating artwork on paper and making large-scale pieces. I loved the helpful answers common questions such as what are good beeswax mixes, what wax is best for glazing, how does one get rid of bloom and what do if you get a wax burn?
In the back of the book there are very helpful resource sections including supply sources, galleries, a glossary and bibliography as well as photo credits and an index. This book is an indispensable reference for anyone wanting to learn about and create encaustic art.The Art of Encaustic Painting: Contemporary Expression in the Ancient Medium of Pigmented Wax Overview

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Digital Alchemy: Printmaking techniques for fine art, photography, and mixed media (Voices That Matter) Review

Digital Alchemy: Printmaking techniques for fine art, photography, and mixed media (Voices That Matter)
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Digital Alchemy: Printmaking techniques for fine art, photography, and mixed media (Voices That Matter) ReviewBonny is a really talented woman and this is a great book. I would have given it 5 stars but I deducted two for one big reason - she uses this book consistently to plug her product line to the exclusion of other products. She is not really trying to teach you how to do something, she is trying to teach you how to do it using her products. I was especially irked in the introduction where she is telling us about the materials we will be using. In the section on printable inkjet coatings, she extolls the virtues of her own (and very expensive) DASS Universal Precoat to the exclusion of other very good products like InkAid and the new Golden Digital Grounds. It does the reader a big disservice to not mention all of the options and let the reader choose. This is not the only time she does this. In the chapter on transfers, she goes on about her SuperSauce, which is also sold on her website and also very pricey and her own brand of transfer films.
The examples in the book are very beautiful, but Bonny also has access to very high end printers costing thousands of dollars. This is not a book for beginners. The processes are expensive and complicated, but that does not mean it is not enjoyable to read or just look at her work. Just be aware of the shameless plugs and you will enjoy the book overall.Digital Alchemy: Printmaking techniques for fine art, photography, and mixed media (Voices That Matter) Overview

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Collage Unleashed Review

Collage Unleashed
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Collage Unleashed ReviewThis is quite a fantastic book. If you've been a fan of Sabrina Ward Harrison's books, for example, but couldn't figure out how to achieve those kinds of effects, this book will help you. I'm a novice but there were so many projects and ideas I wanted to try. Actually, it became overwhelming, especially at the end with the more advanced techniques using stitching and bookbinding, but there's plenty here to keep everybody going for a long time. Mainly Bautista shows us how to layer, layer, layer, and reminds us not to worry about finished effects. Also, she's a great fan of "leveraging" her art, which means to make numerous photocopies at various stages and keep the copies so that she always has a ton of stuff to work with and can build on previous ideas with new work.
I started to feel depressed and enervated as I went through the final chapters, but eventually it dawned on me that I had to go make something ... RIGHT NOW! This book is just so stimulating and serves both as inspiration and encouragement, and as an idea sourcebook. Bautista is funny and light, in contrast to some of the self-serious, angst-ridden artists. She believes in experimenting and having fun, and her enthusiasm is wonderfully infectious. Thanks, Traci!Collage Unleashed Overview

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Art at the Speed of Life: motivation + inspiration for making mixed-media art every day Review

Art at the Speed of Life: motivation + inspiration for making mixed-media art every day
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Art at the Speed of Life: motivation + inspiration for making mixed-media art every day ReviewHaving taken several of Pam's online classes, I was excited to see her techniques and inspirational color palette memorialized in print. Art at the Speed of Life concentrates on providing artists with a road map to incorporating art into their every day lives with helpful instructions on creating art in a more efficient manner. Interspersed throughout the book are chapters from some of my other favorite mixed-media artists and they share how to incorporate and manage an artful life in our normal routines as well. Of course it wouldn't be the perfect Mixed-Media book if it didn't also include methods on building backgrounds, adding focal points, and interesting imagery. I'm excited to try many of the techniques, such as toilette papier-mache and beeswax collage (encaustics). Instructions are clearly written and supporting photographs and sketches are meaningful and helpful. Just looking at the contents page, I have counted 22 projects/techniques and I can't wait to sit down and try them all. For me it always comes back to one question, would I buy this book again 5 years from now? For Pam's new book, the answer would definitely be YES!Art at the Speed of Life: motivation + inspiration for making mixed-media art every day Overview

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The Art Journal Workshop: Break Through, Explore, and Make it Your Own Review

The Art Journal Workshop: Break Through, Explore, and Make it Your Own
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The Art Journal Workshop: Break Through, Explore, and Make it Your Own ReviewLoved this book. Excellent instructions.
I had to edit down my video so it fit into Amazon's video size requirements. Just to note, the book comes with a DVD showing the artist's time relapse detail of Visual Journaling.
XOXO-The Art Journal Workshop: Break Through, Explore, and Make it Your Own Overview

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Photoshop Elements 9: The Missing Manual Review

Photoshop Elements 9: The Missing Manual
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Photoshop Elements 9: The Missing Manual ReviewI found this book to be super informative and extremely easy to navigate. It begins with a great description of Elements for the novice and users of previous editions. Within each chapter there are relevent tips, frequently asked questions, loads of information and plenty of photos. The Table Of Contents is very extensive, as is the index, making it very easy to find sought after information quickly.
It really is "The book that should have been in the box"Photoshop Elements 9: The Missing Manual Overview

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Encaustic Mixed Media: Innovative Techniques and Surfaces for Working With Wax Review

Encaustic Mixed Media: Innovative Techniques and Surfaces for Working With Wax
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Encaustic Mixed Media: Innovative Techniques and Surfaces for Working With Wax ReviewSeggebruch never skimps on the details. This book continues her tradition of detailed step-by-step instructions and fabulous photos of every important step. And mixed-media is not just a buy-me term for this work. She shows how to use pretty much anything you can find around the house to make beautiful encaustic works- 2D and 3D. I have only one criticism, and it applies to her previous book, Encaustic Workshop, as well. She does not include any safety information. I feel like putting that in all CAPS. Safety is a major concern in encaustic work. Not because you can burn the house down either. Wax fumes can kill. My first teacher put herself in the hospital and may have done permanent damage to her lungs. No one should be teaching encaustic without including a chapter's worth of information on how to work safely. Every project should include safety reminders. Seggebruch writes as if there is no safety issue at all. I can only hope that this horrible lapse doesn't lead to someone's life-changing disaster.Encaustic Mixed Media: Innovative Techniques and Surfaces for Working With Wax Overview

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Photoshop Compositing Secrets: Unlocking the Key to Perfect Selections and Amazing Photoshop Effects for Totally Realistic Composites Review

Photoshop Compositing Secrets: Unlocking the Key to Perfect Selections and Amazing Photoshop Effects for Totally Realistic Composites
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Photoshop Compositing Secrets: Unlocking the Key to Perfect Selections and Amazing Photoshop Effects for Totally Realistic Composites ReviewI received my book yesterday and quickly sat down to devour it. The first chapter was good for compositing techniques and covered ways Adobe Photoshop CS5 and three different add-on software products (costing from $49 - $199 each in addition to Photoshop) could improve the results of your efforts.
The rest of the book involved descriptions of various composite photos including single image used as background and main photo, series composites of individual shots or action shots, and various was to make cool backgrounds pop. It was all very interesting but in each case (except for a single use of football players in action that was not covered in any detail), the emphasis was on how to light figures in your studio, how many lights, what color backdrop, etc. Chapters on HS Portraits, family pics, advertisements, office pics, etc. all required shooting the individuals in a studio.
I shoot animals in nature and sometimes the background is better changed because of cars, man made structures, or other intrusions. I do not have the luxury of creating lighting and poses just as I want them. Hence, I was greatly disappointed in this book.
If you have a studio and want to composite studio shots, the book is a great tool! It is well written and descriptive.
If you do not have a studio, don't buy the book. The description does say "portrait photographers, designers of all walks of life, and even retouchers" but I didn't read "studio photogs only" in that. My bad; don't let it be yours.
I am giving 4 stars because it is well done, but not for all photographers.Photoshop Compositing Secrets: Unlocking the Key to Perfect Selections and Amazing Photoshop Effects for Totally Realistic Composites Overview

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2011 Journey to Wings Calendar Review

2011 Journey to Wings Calendar
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2011 Journey to Wings Calendar ReviewI bought this for my mom as a stocking stuffer. We had recently been shopping together when she purchased a piece of wall art from this artist. Finding this calendar was a way to remind her of our trip together and to get better acquainted with artist all year long.2011 Journey to Wings Calendar Overview

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Water Paper Paint: Exploring Creativity with Watercolor and Mixed Media Review

Water Paper Paint: Exploring Creativity with Watercolor and Mixed Media
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Water Paper Paint: Exploring Creativity with Watercolor and Mixed Media ReviewI've always wanted to try my hand at working with watercolors but most of the books I looked at seem to take the subject so seriously that they were overwhelming and just not that inspiring to me. When this book came up on my recommendations I anxiously awaited it's release because it looked exactly like what I was waiting for and I was right! If you're looking for a book to take you step by step on every aspect of creating watercolor masterpieces then no, this is probably not the book you want but if you're new to watercolors and want a book that takes you through some easy and fun techniques to get you started then you'll love this book.
The author has a nice writing style that is easy to follow and understand and the accompanying full color illustrations are beautifully photographed. You'll being with the basics: types of paper, paint, palettes and brushes and then the book moves right into techniques and projects. Get your feet (or hands!) wet by starting out with working wet into wet and wet onto dry techniques. Then try your hand at dabbing, dripping, blowing and splattering paint. All of these techniques make beautiful backgrounds to write, journal or doodle over and as papers to be torn and used in collages.
That's only a small sampling of what's in this book. Other chapters (30 in all) include subjects such as: using salt to make texture, working with a still life, using high-key or low-key color, using value, printing with leaves, masking and stenciling, collage, opaque and iridescent watercolors, working from a photograph, writing with watercolor, adding watercolor to a monotype, drawing from nature and more.
At the end of the book you'll find a 20 page gallery of work by several contributing artist working in a wide range of styles.
I found this book to be a refreshing approach to the subject of working with watercolors!Water Paper Paint: Exploring Creativity with Watercolor and Mixed Media Overview

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Brush, Sponge, Stamp : A Creative Guide to Painting Beautiful Patterns on Everyday Surfaces Review

Brush, Sponge, Stamp : A Creative Guide to Painting Beautiful Patterns on Everyday Surfaces
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Brush, Sponge, Stamp : A Creative Guide to Painting Beautiful Patterns on Everyday Surfaces ReviewHaving seen in class what you will see as color photos in this book, and having been witness to the steps and techniques required to produce such interesting and delightful art, I can heartily recommend this book for the thoroughness, simplicity in technical description, sparkling creativity and talent, and wholeheartedness that its artist/author exemplifies in her person as a teacher.
Wait til you see her special brand of batik, her uses of printing, and what her methods of layering will yield. You won't want to leave your paints alone! Happy creating!!!Brush, Sponge, Stamp : A Creative Guide to Painting Beautiful Patterns on Everyday Surfaces Overview

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