By Kathy Cano-Murillo - this is Kathy's second fiction book. I enjoyed her first book as well.
No Sewing Experience Needed!
Great read for crafters, artists, and avid readers!
As a teacher, I was drawn in by the characters and what would happen next to them. I could really identify with the main character, Scarlet, who has a dream that is really different than what her family wants for her. Is she strong enough to go for her dreams or give in to her family's expectations? Scarlet finally sees her dreams within her grasp and teaching an after-hours sewing class is a way of getting there.
The individual stories and richness of each character is what kept me reading to find out what would happen next. What I really enjoyed about this book was that the characters in this book were real with problems and issues that any of us could have yet I felt that dreams could still come true if I believed and worked hard enough.
As someone who sews and creates mixed media art, I loved the sewing and craft references. I liked the "how-tos" at the end of the book.
As an avid reader, I liked how there is a Q&A section with the author, book group guide, and Spanish glossary. Bonus!
Hint: Pay particular attention to prologue. I really liked how you tied everything together. Very nicely done. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, so I won't say anything else. This is a definite good read!
Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Book Review: Tim Holtz's Compendium of Curiosities
I just got my order of goodies in from skybluepink.com for my MIU workshop in April. Included in my order was the latest Tim Holtz book. I just couldn't resist. Even though I don't do any scrapbooking stuff, I do use the Distress Ink pads and some of the alcohol inks. I am groovin' on some of his stamp pads and some of the metal thingies that he sells. I am not big on his grunge board but am trying out his grunge paper. Will get back to you once I try that. I am such a sucker for anything metal.
I got the book here: http://skybluepink.com/books.html
The book is called A Compendium of Curiosities. It is a hard covered book with a spiral binding inside. It is very nicely organized. The techniques are step-by-step and easy to follow. Pictures are not big but clear.
Approximately the first half of the book is introducing you to the materials that are used in the book for the techniques that are to come later. You may have seen similar techniques done on his blog or You Tube vids.
If you do not use any of the Tim Holtz/Ranger products and don't plan to, then this book may not be for you. This entire book is based on his product lines and how to use them. You have his stuff, so what now? Even though you may not do the same type of art that is shown in the book, there are a lot of great background techniques that you can glean from this book that you can use in what you do. If you use some of the Tim stuff, you can substitute some of the rest. I have most of the stuff already in my stash. He also does a lot with metal embellishments. If you do a lot of ATCs, the techniques are great for that.
I am interested in the texture of the grunge paper. I am going to try that to see how it can fit into what I do. Wonder if it will work with fabric and metal. Might even incorporate it in with fabric paper.
Bottom line:
If you are a Tim Holtz fan, you will love the book because it shows you what you can do with his latest stuff.
If you have some of his product line, it will give you some different ideas on what you can do with his product. You can substitute the rest or veer off where your muse takes you. Just look beyond the scrapbook pages if you don't do the scrapbooking and look at the techniques. If you do the scrapbooking - all the better.
If you don't have anything by Tim Holtz and have no idea who he is, then you might want to pass up this book. If you are a total newbie, you might want to look him up on his blog first to see if you like his style.
http://www.timholtz.typepad.com/
In real life, he is a total sweetheart. I know he has a distinct core market. Would love to see him do more mixed media and assemblage.
I got the book here: http://skybluepink.com/books.html
The book is called A Compendium of Curiosities. It is a hard covered book with a spiral binding inside. It is very nicely organized. The techniques are step-by-step and easy to follow. Pictures are not big but clear.
Approximately the first half of the book is introducing you to the materials that are used in the book for the techniques that are to come later. You may have seen similar techniques done on his blog or You Tube vids.
If you do not use any of the Tim Holtz/Ranger products and don't plan to, then this book may not be for you. This entire book is based on his product lines and how to use them. You have his stuff, so what now? Even though you may not do the same type of art that is shown in the book, there are a lot of great background techniques that you can glean from this book that you can use in what you do. If you use some of the Tim stuff, you can substitute some of the rest. I have most of the stuff already in my stash. He also does a lot with metal embellishments. If you do a lot of ATCs, the techniques are great for that.
I am interested in the texture of the grunge paper. I am going to try that to see how it can fit into what I do. Wonder if it will work with fabric and metal. Might even incorporate it in with fabric paper.
Bottom line:
If you are a Tim Holtz fan, you will love the book because it shows you what you can do with his latest stuff.
If you have some of his product line, it will give you some different ideas on what you can do with his product. You can substitute the rest or veer off where your muse takes you. Just look beyond the scrapbook pages if you don't do the scrapbooking and look at the techniques. If you do the scrapbooking - all the better.
If you don't have anything by Tim Holtz and have no idea who he is, then you might want to pass up this book. If you are a total newbie, you might want to look him up on his blog first to see if you like his style.
http://www.timholtz.typepad.com/
In real life, he is a total sweetheart. I know he has a distinct core market. Would love to see him do more mixed media and assemblage.
Book Review: Steampunkery
I got this book without even looking at it. It is one of those things where I had to make the $25 for Amazon so I wouldn't have to pay for the shipping costs. I did not know the entire book was about making every project with polymer clay. I dabble with that stuff but don't use it enough to be able to do the projects inside. I don't have that kind of patience. The projects inside are very detailed and very cool. I have a thing for steampunk. I love the look and the book is definite eye candy for me. The book ended up with my friend, Harriet, who will try the projects in the book. The instructions inside are step-by-step and easy to follow. The pictures are clear and colorful. Some of the stuff is not very steampunk to me but that is neither here nor there. Whatever. If you work with polymer clay, are detail oriented, can mold polymer clay to look like cool looking animals/bugs/dragons/sci fi characters, then this book is for you. If you are a steampunk fan and just want to appreciate the use of the steampunk elements, there is plenty of that inside this book.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Book Review: Creative Paint Workshop for Mixed-Media Artists by Ann Baldwin
I am ambivalent about this book. I really like a lot of the artwork in this book but do not like some others. Only a few though. It is a composition/layout issue. I figure that's how I'm supposed to feel about art - I like it or I don't. I do like the composition and the texture. I also like her color palettes. This is the first book where I have encountered mixed media composition addressed this way. She not only discussed it with examples but talks about what about this and what about that. That is great for collage artists. I think this would be a great book to give my niece who is just starting out in art. It would be a great reference book for her. Oh, she's not getting this copy. I'll have to get her another one!
I did like the section on encaustics. I don't do that much but it was an interesting read. Besides a couple of points that I did not personally agree with in the book, I think this book is a keeper. It is full of good tips and it tries to answer your anticipated questions. It has some good techniques in it. Techniques are brief. Pictures are very large and detailed. What do you think?
I did like the section on encaustics. I don't do that much but it was an interesting read. Besides a couple of points that I did not personally agree with in the book, I think this book is a keeper. It is full of good tips and it tries to answer your anticipated questions. It has some good techniques in it. Techniques are brief. Pictures are very large and detailed. What do you think?
Book Review: Green Guide for Artists by Karen Michel
I saw this book at Art Unraveled when I was in Arizona. I saw it while I was walking around during Vendor Day. I did not pick it up immediately and it was gone when I came back around the second time. So, I ordered it and I am am very happy that I did so. I have been trying to use up a lot of what I already have and have been trying to not buy a lot of "stuff" besides fabric, glue, and paint. I reuse a lot of scraps in my art. I am also a lover of found objects. I have been trying to be "green" for awhile now to do my part to save the earth for my children's children. Hey, I'm trying.
I found this book to be a very interesting read. I met Karen Michel briefly while at Art Unraveled. I did not get a chance to talk to her for a very long time, but I do admire what she does with children. She runs a nonprofit art center for children with her artist husband. I am sure she does a ton of other things, too. I read about it from time to time on Facebook.
Getting back to the book, one of my favorite things in the book are the wood collage vignettes. I love working on wood blocks. They really speak to me. They hold paint and other textures so well. I do such lovely things to them with my Dremel. I got a chance to see some of her vignettes at Art Unraveled and they were great! I might have to host a swap for some of the individual blocks. Wait! Slap me. What am I saying? When do I have time any more to host a swap? Scratch that! They are wonderful though.
Going on...the book talks about greening your studio and then green recipes and then green projects. There is even a section with different artists. The last section with the different artists was the least interesting to me. I found the rest of the book before that most appealing to me. I really enjoyed this book. So groovin' on the paper mache beads and bird. I am so going to have to do that when I have some time. I like my art to be simple and not overly done. That is how this book is. It is not overly done. The pages are not glossy and not "too much". The pictures are still clear and very nicely sized. The directions are very clear. I like having alternatives and that is what this book gives me. Simple and clean.
I found this book to be a very interesting read. I met Karen Michel briefly while at Art Unraveled. I did not get a chance to talk to her for a very long time, but I do admire what she does with children. She runs a nonprofit art center for children with her artist husband. I am sure she does a ton of other things, too. I read about it from time to time on Facebook.
Getting back to the book, one of my favorite things in the book are the wood collage vignettes. I love working on wood blocks. They really speak to me. They hold paint and other textures so well. I do such lovely things to them with my Dremel. I got a chance to see some of her vignettes at Art Unraveled and they were great! I might have to host a swap for some of the individual blocks. Wait! Slap me. What am I saying? When do I have time any more to host a swap? Scratch that! They are wonderful though.
Going on...the book talks about greening your studio and then green recipes and then green projects. There is even a section with different artists. The last section with the different artists was the least interesting to me. I found the rest of the book before that most appealing to me. I really enjoyed this book. So groovin' on the paper mache beads and bird. I am so going to have to do that when I have some time. I like my art to be simple and not overly done. That is how this book is. It is not overly done. The pages are not glossy and not "too much". The pictures are still clear and very nicely sized. The directions are very clear. I like having alternatives and that is what this book gives me. Simple and clean.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Book Review: Inspired to Quilt
By Melanie Testa
Here is the review I put on Amazon:
I am an art quilt and fabric book artist that does not come from a quilting background. My background is in mixed media mostly collage and metalworking. I have just recently started dyeing and silkscreening my own fabrics. I have begun to move away from commercially prepared fabrics. The section on dyes was of interest to me since I have just started playing around with it. This section is full of useful tips and hints that I otherwise would not have known. The book is full of large, color pictures. I love the stamps that Melly creates herself. That in itself gives me inspiration to create my own. After reading the section on how to create my own stamps out of foam, cardboard, or glue dots, I found the directions to be short, yet simple. They were not muddled or confusing like someone else had said. I have had experience cutting plexiglas and it is exactly as described in the book. Since I have had experience with plexiglas and with carving my own stamps,I found her instructions quite accurate and straightforward. She also provides a picture of the stamp and a sample of what it can do. I saw the freezer paper technique done at the International Quilt Festival in Chicago. I was not one of the participants, so I did not pay close attention to what was being done. I did see the results and they were very, very interesting. This is something that I would definitely try. I think that the soy wax technique is also a must-try. Next, the book goes on in the next chapter to explain how to go from your drawings in your journal to your quilt. Even thought I don't do this (drawing in a journal), the layering sequence is very interesting to me from a quilting perspective. Seasoned quilters may already know how to do this but it is still pretty new to me. I have done it many times on paper but not on fabric. To me, there are still some differences. Since I am a visual learner, the step-by step pictures really does help me to understand how she does it more than the written instructions do. The instructions tell me more what materials were used rather than what was done. I liked the little tips and the various vignettes along the way. I am constantly looking to take my art quilts and fabric books in new and different directions. Depending on my mood, I am always trying something new. This book is just the thing I need to give my creativity a boost and to shove my inspiration forward to create my version of what Melanie offers in her book. This is my kind of mixed media but with fabric instead of paper for the substrate. There have been a flood of art books out there lately that I don't like but I do like this one.
I really do like this book. You can get some good stuff on surface design in this book. I just got it yesterday. Yes, I bought it from amazon.com.
Melly is doing video challenges based on her book on the Quilting Arts website through the forum. She just did the first one. Go to quiltingarts.com to join in on the fun! They are YouTube vids. I am one of the forum mods. I will see you there!
Here is the review I put on Amazon:
I am an art quilt and fabric book artist that does not come from a quilting background. My background is in mixed media mostly collage and metalworking. I have just recently started dyeing and silkscreening my own fabrics. I have begun to move away from commercially prepared fabrics. The section on dyes was of interest to me since I have just started playing around with it. This section is full of useful tips and hints that I otherwise would not have known. The book is full of large, color pictures. I love the stamps that Melly creates herself. That in itself gives me inspiration to create my own. After reading the section on how to create my own stamps out of foam, cardboard, or glue dots, I found the directions to be short, yet simple. They were not muddled or confusing like someone else had said. I have had experience cutting plexiglas and it is exactly as described in the book. Since I have had experience with plexiglas and with carving my own stamps,I found her instructions quite accurate and straightforward. She also provides a picture of the stamp and a sample of what it can do. I saw the freezer paper technique done at the International Quilt Festival in Chicago. I was not one of the participants, so I did not pay close attention to what was being done. I did see the results and they were very, very interesting. This is something that I would definitely try. I think that the soy wax technique is also a must-try. Next, the book goes on in the next chapter to explain how to go from your drawings in your journal to your quilt. Even thought I don't do this (drawing in a journal), the layering sequence is very interesting to me from a quilting perspective. Seasoned quilters may already know how to do this but it is still pretty new to me. I have done it many times on paper but not on fabric. To me, there are still some differences. Since I am a visual learner, the step-by step pictures really does help me to understand how she does it more than the written instructions do. The instructions tell me more what materials were used rather than what was done. I liked the little tips and the various vignettes along the way. I am constantly looking to take my art quilts and fabric books in new and different directions. Depending on my mood, I am always trying something new. This book is just the thing I need to give my creativity a boost and to shove my inspiration forward to create my version of what Melanie offers in her book. This is my kind of mixed media but with fabric instead of paper for the substrate. There have been a flood of art books out there lately that I don't like but I do like this one.
I really do like this book. You can get some good stuff on surface design in this book. I just got it yesterday. Yes, I bought it from amazon.com.
Melly is doing video challenges based on her book on the Quilting Arts website through the forum. She just did the first one. Go to quiltingarts.com to join in on the fun! They are YouTube vids. I am one of the forum mods. I will see you there!
Friday, November 28, 2008
Book Review: The Quilting Arts Book
This is by Patricia Bolton. I am so happy that there is a book about the type of quilting that I do. I so cannot do traditional quilting. I am tired of seeing just those books in the bookstore. Sorry, the review from Amazon (below) lost its formatting. You can read it on Amazon, if you want.
My review of the book on Amazon:
I am relatively new to art quilting. I started working with fabric seriously for about a year now. I have been a mixed media artist for several years. I have gone over to the "other side" now. I spend more time on my sewing machine and beading. I don't do half as much with paper than I used to. I don't use glue as much either. I even sew paper together now! I have been a subscriber to Quilting Arts for the past year or so. I have been a subscriber to Cloth Paper Scissors since its first issue. I cannot tell you how true the other reviews are since I do not have all the QA magazine issues. I can tell you that I really like this book. I cannot do traditional quilting and make up a lot of the stuff I do with fabric as I go along. This book gives me a lot of ideas for future projects. The pictures in this book are fantastic. They are very detailed. I hate art books that do black and white pictures. There are a lot of ideas that you can glean from this book. I like how Linda and Laura Kemshall turn something real into an art quilt. I have seen a lot of articles and blog entries about how some artists keep sketches of what they are going to do and then create a quilt or art piece from that. I don't do that much. My vision does not transfer well onto paper unless it is my finished project. It does not mean that I don't enjoy seeing how the sketch looks as a finished quilt. I love Melanie Testa's playful bear in her quilt. There are plenty of techniques to try in this book. I was happily surprised to see composition being addressed in this book. I am big on composition. Art quilting is a great vehicle for me. I can work with more natural/recycled elements and not think so much about the focal points. Color, texture, and shapes are my focal images in fabric art. I can work more abstractly. A lot of the same design principles for paper collage apply in art quilting. You can do a lot of the same things on fabric as your foundation that you do on paper. Think of sewing with a machine or needle and thread as your glue. Someone remarked about how this book was just for beginners. I think that people who are not traditional quilters but are interested in fabric art/art quilting can get a lot out of this book. There is one section on different ways to assemble an art quilt. There is one section that I really like on Free Motion quilting. There is a three page spread on different free motion techniques to try. I have a felting machine. Beryl Taylor's article on quilting and needlefelting gave me some ideas for a future quilting project.I have Shiva metallic paintstiks but have not used them a lot. This book gave me some ideas to start using them. Some of the techniques in this book are rather foreign to me but they are interesting. I am not sure that I would ever use them but they were very ineresting to look at. The pictures were fab. I will definitely have to try the discharging technique with bleach. Could make for some fantastic backgrounds. Layered printmaking called to me because I love to screen print my fabrics. I have a ton of stencils and stamps that i can use. I layer everything that I do. There is a section on digital quilts. I don't do that much even though I do use Photoshop. There is one article with detailed technique steps. It is called a Study in a Still Life. I will definitely have to try that. I have done it with paper and some of my art quilts but have not done it this way. I am always looking for new ways to do things. There is also a great article called The Art of Abstraction. It is a great way for someone who is not comfortable with abstract to give it a try to be more creative. The end of the book has a very good appendix alled the Art Quilter's Pantry. It explains a lot of terms that fabric artists and quilters use. I liked this book so much that I bought another copy for a friend as a birthday present.
Monday, October 06, 2008
New book: Mixed-Media Self-Portraits
I don't have my copy yet, but I got the chance to steal a glimpse of it today. It is a keeper. The book is by Cate Prato. She is one of the editors at Quilting Arts/Cloth Paper Scissors (my favorite art mags, BTW). There has been such a flood of art books that I have not gotten very many lately. The ones that I have reviewed are the ones that I have gotten in the last several months. This is one of the few non-fabric or non-felting books that I have gotten. It is not very often when I flip through a book that is different and interesting. There are several artists featured in this book. I have met some of them - which made their self-portraits and vignettes more interesting. Since I am a teacher, I am very conscious of self-image. Not mine, I am talking about the my kids at school. It is so interesting to me how people see themselves. It is all a matter of perspective, isn't it? Artists are people, too. There are a lot of ideas and techniques for you to make your own self-portrait. The artists in the book all did it in different ways. Picts are very large and very clear. Good way to see yourself in a different way. Flipping through it quickly, there are quite a few things in the book that I will have to try. Can't wait to get my copy. Did I already say that? Wonder what our future generations will think of our self-portraits?
No, I am not in this book. Several of you have already emailed me and asked me. I am just an artist consumer.
Kelli, chica! Love your self-portrait and your journal dolls!
Okay, artists, email me or comment and let me know what you think about this awesome book!
Book Review: Fusing Fabric
This book is by Margaret Beal. The book is about cutting, bonding, and making marks with a soldering iron. It looks like it is very interesting but am not sure it is something I would like to do. I would need to do this outside in the garage since burning into some fabrics could be toxic. I have read a lot about people who have done it and they really like it. I will hold judgment on this book until I actually try it. Won't be until next spring or summer since it is starting to get cold and the sun sets a lot earlier now. Let me know what you think of it, if you have the book and have tried the techniques.
Book Review: Taking Flight to give your creative spirit wings
This book is by Kelly Rae Roberts. I love this book even though I don't draw the women. Can't draw much of anything except monsters. She does have some good techniques in it. There are sections to help with your creativity. What I love are the backgrounds and the pieces of clothing and body parts. I can always do something else besides the faces. She gives me a lot of ideas for great backgrounds. Love the richness of the colors. The techniques are not hard. They are very easy to understand. They might give you an idea or two of your own.
Book Review: Create Your Own Hand-Printed Cloth
This book is by Rayna Gillman. I got this book because I got the QA DVD about gelatin printing. This book is for people who are serious about making cool, funky pieces of fabric. There are a lot of great picts and some very simple ways to do this. You can use some very everyday stuff. You do need to invest in some specific fabric dyes. Amazingly, I saw a lot of it available at my local Dick Blick in Wheaton, IL. It is going to be so much fun doing technique backgrounds on fabric like I used to do on paper. I have recently realized that I am tired of paper backgrounds. Pretty much have done it all - nothing really new. Since I am still pretty new to fabric, I am enthusiastic about working on this medium. What I can do on paper can be done on fabric with some adjustments. The richness in color and the textures are out of this world. What might be old for some textile artists are pretty new to me. There are a lot of tips in this book with simple, easy-to-understand directions. This will be a great summer project for me. Can't wait to play. Would make for great swaps as well.
Book Review: Felt Inlays
Felt Inlays by Nancy Hoerner
This is a very fun book if you are into wet felting or like to try it. The method used is very easy to do. I liked how she incorporated different materials and kinds of roving into the book. I will have to give this a try and then incorporate the felted pieces onto something else with my felting machine. I am not into making purses or napkin rings. The bracelets/cuffs are interesting. The beading is pretty cool. I do love the pictures. They are very crisp and large. I like the prefelt and the pencil roving. There is a section on silk and on scrim. I so need to make the snakes that are in the book. They are like the things I see in polymer clay - where the outside is a different color from the inside. This book is a keeper and something I need to try as soon as I get a little free time. Yeah, wishful thinking.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Book Review: Mixed Media Mosaics
Book is by Laurie Mika. At first blush, I passed on this book. It has been out for a bit now. I actually got it in the mail from an internet friend and am very happy she sent it to me. Sometimes, the description and reviews of the book is not enough. You have to flip through the book itself to know whether it is something you want or not. True? Although I do not work with a lot of polymer clay, I do work with a lot of other materials. I like the idea of mosaics. I love how they end up looking. You should see the gorgeous one Sandy made. It is on her blog:
http://www.auntiesandy.blogspot.com/ dated August 31, 2008. I saw it in real life while she was working on it. So cool! Inside the book, it is full of techniques and details. I really enjoyed looking at the details. I could glean a lot from this book. I will have to come back to it when I have some time and inclination to embark on such a project. For those of you who do art journals, what is in this book could be transferred to an art quilt or wall hanging. Does not have to be polymer clay. You can do something with a chipboard or matboard back with the same idea. There is a lot of richness to this book. Lots of great little ideas and techniques that you can use with other materials.
http://www.auntiesandy.blogspot.com/ dated August 31, 2008. I saw it in real life while she was working on it. So cool! Inside the book, it is full of techniques and details. I really enjoyed looking at the details. I could glean a lot from this book. I will have to come back to it when I have some time and inclination to embark on such a project. For those of you who do art journals, what is in this book could be transferred to an art quilt or wall hanging. Does not have to be polymer clay. You can do something with a chipboard or matboard back with the same idea. There is a lot of richness to this book. Lots of great little ideas and techniques that you can use with other materials.
Book Review: Plexi Class by Tonia Davenport
One of the dangers of blog surfing is that you never know where you will end up. I will start somewhere, click, link, link, click, and end up in some unknown place. That is how I ended up on someone's blog who mentioned plexiglas jewelry. Thus, I happened upon Plexi Class. I eventually saw it at Borders, too. I have done things with acrylic but did not "see" the kinds of things that are in this book. As many of you may know, I like to put together jewelry. I just like to "assemble". At times, I like to take things apart as much as doing the assembling. What I like about this book is the amount of ideas that come to mind when I flip through this book. I can see how I can incorporate plexiglas pieces into the pieces I already make. The book itself is okay. If you are an intermediate or very experienced art jewelry person, then this book is not for you. The techniques are kind of basic to me. She shows much better examples on her blog. I do like that I can use my Dremel to work with the plexiglas. I am in a charm necklace swap. Might need to experiment with plexiglas charms for the swap. Like I need a reason to play!
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Book Review: Felt
I have not done a book review of my art books for quite awhile now. So much going on. It is hard for me to sit down and do them when I have so much going on.
One book that I have had for awhile is Felt by Robyn Steel-Strickland. It is not really about art. It is more about textiles. It is about wet felting. I really enjoy felting - needle and wet. I like picking apart different fibers and then putting them together again in different ways. I love the look of nuno felt. What I have wet felted becomes a great foundation for stuff on my felting machine.
I have a tendency to like books which are technique oriented rather than just show me what the final product is. I like to know how to do things so I can do a variation of it myself. This book shows me how to do different things with wet felting. This is a fun little book that shows me what I can do with felting.
One book that I have had for awhile is Felt by Robyn Steel-Strickland. It is not really about art. It is more about textiles. It is about wet felting. I really enjoy felting - needle and wet. I like picking apart different fibers and then putting them together again in different ways. I love the look of nuno felt. What I have wet felted becomes a great foundation for stuff on my felting machine.
I have a tendency to like books which are technique oriented rather than just show me what the final product is. I like to know how to do things so I can do a variation of it myself. This book shows me how to do different things with wet felting. This is a fun little book that shows me what I can do with felting.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Book Review: Without Reservations
This book is by Alice Steinbach. There are times when I deviate from art books, romance novels, and teaching related materials. I like to read just to read. I picked up this book because the back sounded interesting.
It is all about a newspaper journalist who takes a sabbatical from her life and goes to Europe for the better part of a year. I really enjoyed how she so adeptly pointed out how we defined ourselves. Things that we are afraid to do because we don't want to look stupid. There are a lot of great connections to her childhood and many of her memories. How she describes each place she visits is very detailed - like the first Provence book. She is not pretentious and talks a lot about her weaknesses, observations, and new friendships.
I did notice that the book seemed more rushed and less detailed after the middle of the book - near the end. I felt she glossed over some of the places she visited. I did not feel satisfied with the ending of the book. It stops with her going home. What did she do after she got home? Did she go back to the same job? What did she change about her life? What about her budding romance? Some of the questions were answered at the end of the book where there is a short interview with her. I thought these questions should have been answered in the actual book itself. Yeah, yeah. I know that means that there might be a sequel. I still did not feel satisfied.
How many of us wish that we could just pick up and leave our lives? We could go traveling through Europe or where ever. I have always wanted to go to Italy, Spain, and mostly, Australia. I would settle for a week in Hawaii. I love my kids and would never even think of leaving them. This book just made me wonder what I would do if my kids were all grown and it was just me and my career.
You will enjoy this book if you are a people watcher or like reading about other places. It was like a mini vacation for me. I will get there one day.
It is all about a newspaper journalist who takes a sabbatical from her life and goes to Europe for the better part of a year. I really enjoyed how she so adeptly pointed out how we defined ourselves. Things that we are afraid to do because we don't want to look stupid. There are a lot of great connections to her childhood and many of her memories. How she describes each place she visits is very detailed - like the first Provence book. She is not pretentious and talks a lot about her weaknesses, observations, and new friendships.
I did notice that the book seemed more rushed and less detailed after the middle of the book - near the end. I felt she glossed over some of the places she visited. I did not feel satisfied with the ending of the book. It stops with her going home. What did she do after she got home? Did she go back to the same job? What did she change about her life? What about her budding romance? Some of the questions were answered at the end of the book where there is a short interview with her. I thought these questions should have been answered in the actual book itself. Yeah, yeah. I know that means that there might be a sequel. I still did not feel satisfied.
How many of us wish that we could just pick up and leave our lives? We could go traveling through Europe or where ever. I have always wanted to go to Italy, Spain, and mostly, Australia. I would settle for a week in Hawaii. I love my kids and would never even think of leaving them. This book just made me wonder what I would do if my kids were all grown and it was just me and my career.
You will enjoy this book if you are a people watcher or like reading about other places. It was like a mini vacation for me. I will get there one day.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Book Comparisons - metal and wire
With the economy the way it is, people are more cautious about what they spend their money on. I have had several requests for book comparisons.
Altered Curiousities by Jane Ann Wynn. I like this book because it works with found objects. There is also resin and soldering in this book. Some of the techniques are advanced. There is some basic wire wrapping and cold joins. It is a must for people who do found object assemblages.
Making Metal Jewelry by Mark Lareau. What I like about this book is that it is serious about metal jewelry. There is a small section at the beginning about tools. There are a lot of advanced techniques for people who do a lot of metalwork and have the tools. You cannot be afraid to solder to use what's in this book.
Semiprecious Salvage by Stephanie Lee. I discovered this book by accident while roaming the local bookstore. There is some serious metal etching in this book. I am going to be doing that this summer since I can open up my garage door. This has a variety of techniques that uses found objects. It gets into some serious metal work with torches. You can adapt the techniques to what you do if you know enough about metal working and cold joining. This is another book that I like.
Metal Craft Discovery Workshop by Linda nd Opie O'Brien. This is a good book for metalworking beginners. You can get a lot of the supplies off the Net or from Volcano Arts. volcanoarts.biz There are a variety of techniques for assemblages. The techniques are not really difficult and a good starting point if you are not sure where to start or where you want to go yet.
Creating Wire and Beaded Jewelry by Linda Jones. I got this book so I could do more wire wrapping. I recommend this book if you want to know how to do more than an eyelet. There are a lot of good looking jewelry out there done with beads and wire wrapping.
Making Connections by Susan Lenart Kazmer. This book carries a hefty price of $48 since she self-published it. Is it worth the money? I am leaning towards no especially if you have taken any of her workshops. It is definitely cheaper than the cost of one of her workshops. It has a lot of eye candy but I have seen quite a bit of it on her website. She does devote a section to sawing. There is also a brief discussion of tools she uses. She does give instructions on how to do certain techniques for her jewelry. I found the instructions and diagrams kinda brief. You might not "get" how to do it unless you have done it before. If you absolutely love the jewelry she makes and want to know how she puts the layers together, then this book is for you. If you have advanced knowledge of cold and hot joining, then you don't really need this book. I do love what Richard Salley does though. There is a section on how to make your own rivets out of wire. I had already learned that awhile back, so I just skipped over that. The book also shows you how to do hinges. I do think that the book is more eye candy than technique. Some people may not share my feelings. Just my opinion anyway. She also has a checklist in the back of the book for getting a jewelry studio set up for under $1000. Okay, raise your hands if you have that laying around! I have never taken a workshop with her. They get filled up in minutes and it is too expensive for me. I will be using some of the techniques in her book.
Hope that helps you out. Email me if you have any questions or comments.
Altered Curiousities by Jane Ann Wynn. I like this book because it works with found objects. There is also resin and soldering in this book. Some of the techniques are advanced. There is some basic wire wrapping and cold joins. It is a must for people who do found object assemblages.
Making Metal Jewelry by Mark Lareau. What I like about this book is that it is serious about metal jewelry. There is a small section at the beginning about tools. There are a lot of advanced techniques for people who do a lot of metalwork and have the tools. You cannot be afraid to solder to use what's in this book.
Semiprecious Salvage by Stephanie Lee. I discovered this book by accident while roaming the local bookstore. There is some serious metal etching in this book. I am going to be doing that this summer since I can open up my garage door. This has a variety of techniques that uses found objects. It gets into some serious metal work with torches. You can adapt the techniques to what you do if you know enough about metal working and cold joining. This is another book that I like.
Metal Craft Discovery Workshop by Linda nd Opie O'Brien. This is a good book for metalworking beginners. You can get a lot of the supplies off the Net or from Volcano Arts. volcanoarts.biz There are a variety of techniques for assemblages. The techniques are not really difficult and a good starting point if you are not sure where to start or where you want to go yet.
Creating Wire and Beaded Jewelry by Linda Jones. I got this book so I could do more wire wrapping. I recommend this book if you want to know how to do more than an eyelet. There are a lot of good looking jewelry out there done with beads and wire wrapping.
Making Connections by Susan Lenart Kazmer. This book carries a hefty price of $48 since she self-published it. Is it worth the money? I am leaning towards no especially if you have taken any of her workshops. It is definitely cheaper than the cost of one of her workshops. It has a lot of eye candy but I have seen quite a bit of it on her website. She does devote a section to sawing. There is also a brief discussion of tools she uses. She does give instructions on how to do certain techniques for her jewelry. I found the instructions and diagrams kinda brief. You might not "get" how to do it unless you have done it before. If you absolutely love the jewelry she makes and want to know how she puts the layers together, then this book is for you. If you have advanced knowledge of cold and hot joining, then you don't really need this book. I do love what Richard Salley does though. There is a section on how to make your own rivets out of wire. I had already learned that awhile back, so I just skipped over that. The book also shows you how to do hinges. I do think that the book is more eye candy than technique. Some people may not share my feelings. Just my opinion anyway. She also has a checklist in the back of the book for getting a jewelry studio set up for under $1000. Okay, raise your hands if you have that laying around! I have never taken a workshop with her. They get filled up in minutes and it is too expensive for me. I will be using some of the techniques in her book.
Hope that helps you out. Email me if you have any questions or comments.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Book Review: Fabric Art Workshop
Fabric Art Workshop by Susan Stein. I looked this book over several times to see if I would change my mind or not about it. I was very disappointed. This book was nothing like I thought it would be. The techniques in here are very simple. It is definitely a newbie book. Of course, this is just my opinion and nothing else. Some people out there might beg to differ.
I found the technique steps to be too short and vague. There is a small picture next to the technique but there are only a few lines for the technique. It is not a step-by-step thing for some of them. There is a section on angelina fibers, using paintstiks, and then fabric beads. Monoprinting and silk fusion. Basic, basic, basic. There is one large picture for each technique. Did not do a lot for me. Brayer painting and then sun painting. I have done a ton of paper techniques. It seems to me that these same techniques are just used on fabric. I did not see enough of how it could be using in fabric art and quilts. Paint resist and stamping with found objects, using bleach, and ribbon netting, rust dyeing, and marbling!!! All I want to do now is some technique backgrounds with paper. There is a short gallery in back with a few different artists. I would have liked to know which sample used what technique so I could see how it was used.
I think this book was a waste of my money. Let me know if your opinion is different from mine or the same.
I found the technique steps to be too short and vague. There is a small picture next to the technique but there are only a few lines for the technique. It is not a step-by-step thing for some of them. There is a section on angelina fibers, using paintstiks, and then fabric beads. Monoprinting and silk fusion. Basic, basic, basic. There is one large picture for each technique. Did not do a lot for me. Brayer painting and then sun painting. I have done a ton of paper techniques. It seems to me that these same techniques are just used on fabric. I did not see enough of how it could be using in fabric art and quilts. Paint resist and stamping with found objects, using bleach, and ribbon netting, rust dyeing, and marbling!!! All I want to do now is some technique backgrounds with paper. There is a short gallery in back with a few different artists. I would have liked to know which sample used what technique so I could see how it was used.
I think this book was a waste of my money. Let me know if your opinion is different from mine or the same.
Book Review: Semiprecious Salvage
Semiprecious Salvage by Stephanie Lee. I saw this book at B&N. I ended up ordering it at Amazon. I really like the full-color pictures with lots of detail. This is a technique book where there are step-by-step instructions with little picts to go along with it.
Even though I think of myself as an experienced found object/jewelry artist, I got a lot from this book. I gleaned a lot of information from it. I do a lot with copper sheet and with wire. I have a ton of found objects waiting for the right project. There is one project with metal etching, which I have wanted to do but have not had the chance to yet. I am waiting for the summer when I can do it in my garage. It also has a project with resin. This book is not for a jewelry newbie. The book assumes you have some knowledge of what you are doing. I am not saying a newbie cannot do it, but may need a more detailed explanation than the book gives.
I really liked the pages pendant. I will have to try that one soon. Marking it now. A lot of bezels, a lot of resin, some funky jewelry, and some soldering. All stuff I love to do! This is a book for more advanced artists who are experienced with metal work, resin, wire wrapping, Dremel, and being able to use a torch.
If you have this book, let me know what you think of it. Just comment.
Even though I think of myself as an experienced found object/jewelry artist, I got a lot from this book. I gleaned a lot of information from it. I do a lot with copper sheet and with wire. I have a ton of found objects waiting for the right project. There is one project with metal etching, which I have wanted to do but have not had the chance to yet. I am waiting for the summer when I can do it in my garage. It also has a project with resin. This book is not for a jewelry newbie. The book assumes you have some knowledge of what you are doing. I am not saying a newbie cannot do it, but may need a more detailed explanation than the book gives.
I really liked the pages pendant. I will have to try that one soon. Marking it now. A lot of bezels, a lot of resin, some funky jewelry, and some soldering. All stuff I love to do! This is a book for more advanced artists who are experienced with metal work, resin, wire wrapping, Dremel, and being able to use a torch.
If you have this book, let me know what you think of it. Just comment.
Book Review: Stitched Collage
Stitched Collage by Sherrill Kahn. I go this off Amazon. I like this book because it has good pictures. It has some very colorful pictures that give me ideas of what to do for my own fabric collages. The pictures are nice and large so you can see the details. It is much more mixed-media - stuff that I would do. I am not sure I would be that colorful, but the ideas are good.
It starts out with some simple painting techniques that you can do on fabric. I like the section on hand stitching techniques. Even though I do a lot of hand sewing already, it is nice to have an easy reference for different stitches. There are little sample picts next to each stitch. Yeah, I had to ask Harriet what couching was.
There is also a section on machine stitches. I have a simple machine that does straight and zigzag only. There is a buttonhole stitch but I need to play with that. Looks cool though. The sections are short - only a couple of pages of each or so. There is a section on stitched embellishments. Yes, there is punchinella in there! What I like is that there is a lot of stamping and other elements in the artwork besides just fabric and fibers. Beads and Buttons section is just a one pager and pretty simple. The See-Through Pockets and windows are interesting. I could think of a lot of things to use to make windows and pockets.
The book ends with a gallery. I am not sure about the finished pieces. They all look like a variation of the same theme to me. I guess because of the colors. What I do like about each one is that you can take details from each and use them in your own artwork.
I would suggest this book to mixed-media artists like me who are just starting to dabble in art quilts/fabric art. It is more like fabric collage than quilting. This would not be for a more experienced fabric/quilting artist. The one shortcoming of this book is that most, if not all, the artwork is the author's. I would like to see a variety of art using her techniques but from different people. You can only see the same thing in a different ways so many times.
Comment and let me know what you think, if you already have this book.
It starts out with some simple painting techniques that you can do on fabric. I like the section on hand stitching techniques. Even though I do a lot of hand sewing already, it is nice to have an easy reference for different stitches. There are little sample picts next to each stitch. Yeah, I had to ask Harriet what couching was.
There is also a section on machine stitches. I have a simple machine that does straight and zigzag only. There is a buttonhole stitch but I need to play with that. Looks cool though. The sections are short - only a couple of pages of each or so. There is a section on stitched embellishments. Yes, there is punchinella in there! What I like is that there is a lot of stamping and other elements in the artwork besides just fabric and fibers. Beads and Buttons section is just a one pager and pretty simple. The See-Through Pockets and windows are interesting. I could think of a lot of things to use to make windows and pockets.
The book ends with a gallery. I am not sure about the finished pieces. They all look like a variation of the same theme to me. I guess because of the colors. What I do like about each one is that you can take details from each and use them in your own artwork.
I would suggest this book to mixed-media artists like me who are just starting to dabble in art quilts/fabric art. It is more like fabric collage than quilting. This would not be for a more experienced fabric/quilting artist. The one shortcoming of this book is that most, if not all, the artwork is the author's. I would like to see a variety of art using her techniques but from different people. You can only see the same thing in a different ways so many times.
Comment and let me know what you think, if you already have this book.
