5 comments about Collage Unleashed.

1. Tracy inspires you to get your hands inky and have a ball! I recently took an all-day class with Tracy in which we made the "Big Sac" featured in this book. The time just flew by, we all had a blast, and I get tons of compliments on my finished bag. I spent another day dyeing paper towels, which are so much fun to use in collage. These projects are perfect for someone who is just getting into collage and doesn't want to use "precious" materials - for the price of a roll of paper towels and a few dye re-inkers, you can make wonderful art and have a great time doing it!



2. This book on collage is a hit with all my high school art girls. It is the juice starter for even the most reluctant art students. I warn you all to get ready for big mess making and a lot of fun. Tracy also has some great tips for us seasoned artists that need a few news trick in our bag. There is a dvd also that makes a great companion to her book.



3. I got this book when it first came out because the reviews sounded so interesting and I had seen Traci's work featured in magazines. The thing I love most about this book is that it features lots of COLOR and originality as opposed to lots of vintage photos of people with dunce hats, clown hats, butterfly wings and angel wings nestled into muted walnut-ink-stained backgrounds. I refer to this book often for inspiration and I really appreciate that it incorporates sewing. I have a degree in graphic design but sewing has remained a love of mine for 45 years. The softness of fabric, along with the usefulness and permanence it offers, give it the edge over just paper.



4. I love art books but prefer to check them out from the library instead of buying them - I'd rather spend my $$ on supplies. However, when I find a book I want to refer to over and over again, I buy it. This is one of those books! Traci takes you from simple, quick techniques to more in-depth, time-intensive projects. The best part? With a little time & patience, ANYONE can master anything presented in Collage Unleashed. Traci's fun & free spirit drips off every page as she encourages you to use color and fun in your art. With clear directions, lots of pictures and a wide variety of great ideas, this book is a definite MUST HAVE. Collage Unleashed is the polar opposite of "stuffy" - you will find new techniques and lots of inspiration. Just be prepared - the eye candy contained in this book will have you trying fun new things before you know it!



5. If you want a book that will push the envelope in helping you create beautiful paper art, then this is it! I first saw Traci Bautista featured on a DIY crafting show, and that is how I found out about her talent and her book, Collage Unleashed. Her fun use of color and her graphic styling is what drew me to this book.
   
   In her book, Traci uses some of the most interesting background coloring techniques to jazz up plain paper for use in collaging, paper crafting and journal making. Written in easy-to-understand wording, she inspires the reader with her painting and stamping techniques, and adds artful wording to the mix to create a unique look of layered, graffiti-style art on paper.
   
   If you love colorful mixed-media art, collaging, stamping and paper crafting, I think you'll love this book as much as I do.

5 comments about Alternative Kilns & Firing Techniques: Raku * Saggar * Pit * Barrel (A Lark Ceramics Book).

1. I was very glad to get this book for several reasons. Jan Lee had some illustrations, and directions included and I am a big fan of her work. Also, I plan to do some of the Pit firing this summer in the mountains and the directions were clear and exciting.



2. I really like this book. The directions are clear and easy to understand. The pictures are great! I borrowed this book from a friend and immediately ordered it for myself.



3. As I perused this book, I got excited to build my own kiln, to use unique kinds of firing techniques and experiment. It will be like Christmas with each try. I love the ideas and encouragement.



4. This is a great book on raku. it gives different views from different artists. The photography is good and shows many alternative ways to finish one's pottery other then the traditional glazing and firing. This book is a must for a potters reference bookcase.



5. I was so hungry for the information provided by this book,I bought it up fast.It's exactly what I needed,it has basic and user friendly info,a really good value for what it costs.I took it to the studio,and had others look at it and drool,begging me for info as to where they could get a copy.I am really glad I have it!!!

2 comments about Mosaics as History: The Near East from Late Antiquity to Islam (Revealing Antiquity).

1. This with a bit of work this could have been a good book--
   
   The text just doesn't flow--the information is hard to retrieve and there is no coherence--
   
   The photos are good, but the book demands a larger format--



2. The product was shipped timely and was received in good order. The book, in itself, was a great disappointment.

5 comments about Stitched Collage: Creative Effects on Paper and Fabric.

1. What a disappointment!!!!... nothing really new or innovative. I am avid Sherrill fan and have all her books but I will think twice before just running off to buy her next book. I really felt this was a great waste of my money.



2. I am, first of all, stunned at the vitriolic attitudes of some of the reviewers. I am relativly new to collage and fabric, but have been a painter and sculptor for many years. All of her books have a place in my library and have always been the first "go to" references for me. Having not embroidered for a while, her simple, approaches were instant reminders for me. She is always so clear and exciting at the same time and gets me going for it without fear. She is so resoursful with her tools and has expanded my imagination and helped me overcome my fear of the sewing machine! Kudos to a talented spirit with a joyfull attitude!!!! Just listen to your very special self.



3. I hoped Sherrill would give us another book..and it was worth the wait. As always...her work is drenched in gorgeous color!!! It is very concise...which is helpful for someone like me who doesn't have enough extra time to use a larger format instruction book. The Gallery portion was very inspiring...that's what I need to get motivated...lots of smaller project ideas that I could actually complete! Enjoy!!!



4. Upon reading the reviews for Sherrill Kahn's latest book Stitched Collage ,I strongly disagree with the negative reviews. This book joyfully showcases Sherrill's signature style and color sense. There was a lot of very useful information that I as a long-time fiber/mixed media artist haven't seen in such a comprehensive way as this book offers. Since when does a book have to be more than 32 pages? If the material and info is succinct as it is in Sherrill's book, you don't need more pages. Most of the books out there have way too much information that is "fill" and quite confusing. So to those of you who were unecessarily negative,,,,get into another art form , and to those of us that are praising the book,,,,,,,,,congratulations to us for having "great taste", Sincerely,
   Lynne Sward,,,,,,,,,,Virginia Beach, Virginia



5. Some really wonderful ideas here! Sherrill Kahn has a very distinctive style and a strong color sense that she brings from her fiber books to this one. Beyond the embroidery stitches are some interesting ideas that are almost 'tossed off,' like printing on computer labels and adhering them to fun foam and stitching in transparent sheet protectors. I give it 5 stars but I think the photographer could have done a better job - some of the more interesting materials don't show up well. It's left to the reader to imagine the effects.

5 comments about Mixed-Media Mosaics: Techniques and Projects Using Polymer Clay Tiles, Beads & Other Embellishments.

1. This book will make you smile at every page. So many fun ideas that it gives you the inspiration to get going.



2. I bought this book because of the rave reviews it has received. It is one of the books that actually deserves every bit of praise! I can adapt the ideas contained within to my own style. This book is an excellent choice for any polymer artist.



3. This book is amazing for the ideas she has. Her techniques are easy to do, easy to follow and make me want to play in the clay for hours.
   
   I've gotten terrific ideas from her and I'm hitting the studio tonight to try some new things.



4. I will be taking a class from Laurie in October and when I googled her name, I found she had a book out. I ran here to place an order, received it quite promptly and was AMAZED from the moment I took the book out of the box. Out of all of the art books I own, this is one of the BEST in every way. The color photos are large and close-up, the attention to detail is incredible. The background color and font size make this book VERY easy on the eye. The materials list, step-by-step instructions and extra Tips are VERY easy to follow. I made a trip to the store yesterday and am ready to start creating TODAY! Kudos to Laurie and everyone involved in creating this wonderful book!



5. I didn't just learn about techniques from this book. I learned about style elements that could used according to personal interpretation, about products (some of which I already have), and about angel companies. The pictures were excellent and numerous tips were included that can save a person a lot (!) of grief.
   
   Angel companies are those rubber stamp companies that let you (no mechanical reproduction) use their rubber stamps to create art you may sell. Their restrictions and requirements vary but I had fun researching them once I had the phrase with which to look them up!
   
   Now I think about adding some mosaic elements to jewelry, boxes, and more...nearly all my waking hours. Like a good song, I can't get it out of my head so I might as well do it.
   
   The really important thing is that this book was so well written from so many aspects that I feel **comfortable** really getting into this and can imagine many crossover potentials that would make my renditions my own.

5 comments about Pink Box: Inside Japan's Sex Clubs.

1. I lived in Osaka, Japan for a year back in '93/94 and (being well travelled) I can honestly say that Japanese men are the most strangely deviant gender of anywhere I have encountered. It's not just about the sexual desire, it's about the way they go about it, deny it, suppress it, fantasize about it, and more. During the day, Japanese men come across as robotic, mindless, emotionless, infantile, limp, and the younger guys even "androgenous". They are the least sexual creatures you have ever encountered. BUT, come night-time and with their desperate need for, but extreme chemical intolerance for booze, they metamorphosize into creatures unrecognizable. Most are too scared to do much, so they sing their baseball songs then puke, then collapse in said puke wearing their thin little suits and boring ties. But others, especially those with a little more money and certain connections, do carry out their deviance in spades. I mean this is a country where you can buy "used panties from a junior high school girl" OUT OF A VENDING MACHINE, I kid you not! In many ways, pedophilia in Japan is an ideal in most men's minds, and they nearly faint at the mere idea of lifting up a skirt from some school girl (which is precisely why they are mandated to wear such skirts...), and this ideology is most obviously reflected in all the advertising campaigns plastered everywhere. Pedophilia and subservience everywhere. The only other country that openly promotes pedophilia more than Japan, is Germany. In fact, during the Wars in Europe (and even today) pedophilia is / was referred to as the "German Disease". True story.
   
   My main issue with this account, is how the author managed her contact and access to this strange, but protected World. That seems highly suspicious to me. Because there is one HUGE theme that is left out of this account entirely, and that is high tech MIND CONTROL. And that is precisely why these girls don't complain and are even proud to be involved. And don't think for a second that the girls take home "six figures" a year. They generate much more than that, but their controllers (often Yakuza associated) keep them on a very short leash. The book is an interesting read nonetheless, but doesn't tell us the whole story, but how many books do???



2. Great coffee table book! Once you pick it up you can't put it down.
   
   Filled with hundreds of very interesting stories and photographs, this book is great choice for any fan of Japan or erotic photography.



3. A very interesting and fun look into Japan's sex culture. Basically a picture book with small tidbits of info here and there. Lot's of nudity, nothing too graphic though. A quick read and quite an eye opener about what types of clubs there are and what goes on in these clubs. A real shame that as a westener I will never be able to enjoy the wonderful pleasures that this sexually advanced society partakes in. Dont expect too much from the book. It is what it is and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I am very interested in all things Japan though.



4. I have been reading what 1 poster must have spent weeks to write , i bought this book for several reasons and none really for kink,although who doesn't love some fun sex,i have lived in Japan,Korea,China and hope to retire to 1 of those,soon if (my 4 diseases ) bad health allow me,i have been in Major Law Enforcement since i was 15 ,and entertainment the same ,What Joan FORGOT,to include except in an online interview was that SEVERAL of these Beauties are Not Japanese,i know the far east like i do the U.S. trust me ,i work with(not for) some very high ranking folks in certain matters of L.E. ,Japan, actually as we all know has the good ole boys known as the Yakuza folks,slide into Korea ,Hong Kong,and find (by whatever means needed) grab a few ,koreans and chinese to work in these,small hell holes YES;against their will. since they will bring in more customers than the young ladies of Japan ,i will state till my last dying breath that Korea has the most beautiful women period,with China 2nd and Japan tied for 3rd with the U.S. sorry ladies just facts... sorry for the long speech, But here is the problem i have here,why doesn't she do a book on some ladies of the night from the U.S. ,and unlike these girls and women ( a lot,most) will slit your throat ,smile and leave ,so to a small measure i feel a lot of americans are very racist about the home turf..my associates will not like me saying this ,BUT;for that very reason i feel prostitution should be legal in the U.S. and taxable,(maybe).Good photos ,some hotties,some very uglies, but ;entertaining yes ,Japan does need to lighten up on the Japan only rule as ,to say who can go in or not,Korea ,Hong Kong, simply uses forms of bouncers ,But at least americans can get (how do you say) serviced as well.. Nuff said...........



5. The Pink Box is about Japan's fantasy and sex clubs. While full of interesting and, sometimes, shocking photos taken while in many of the clubs the book also explains how the clubs work. The rules they follow, the people who work there, the types of people who come to enjoy the clubs and why they survive in Japan in the first place. It is serious but with a touch of humor and great fun.
   And some of the girls are just hot.

5 comments about Perspective Without Pain.

1. although this book was helpful, it does teach and give lessons, i found i got more out of learning perspective from a book called vanishing point by jason cheeseman-meyer.



2. This book is quite useful in its simplicity. I can almost use it as a direct guide while I draw.



3. If you want to make prettier pictures with your crayons, then....It's a great buy, if you follow it as a true lesson plan.



4. With no formal instruction in drawing, I've had to learn the basics on my own and this book beautifully explains and illustrates perspective in drawing. It is great for beginners with exercises to help you grasp the concept. I would probably still be muddling around making the same mistakes without the help and guidance of this book.



5. This book really is helping me to understand perspective. As an aspiring artist I had not a clue. I don't come from a background of having taken art classes all of my life so a lot of things did not make sense to me. My professor suggests this book from her syllabus and I have to say what a jewel it has been for me. I highly recommend this book if you are learning to draw as part of your library.

5 comments about The Complete Guide to Altered Imagery : Mixed-Media Techniques for Collage, Altered Books, Artist Journals, and More.

1. I have wanted to try my hand at altered art for awhile, so I bought this book and let me tell you I have already tried several of the techniques and love the results. It made the process less intimadating. There are great photos and ideas.



2. A single image naturally gives birth to a variety of amended, reworked and even wholly dissimilar creations, all dependent upon the mind of the viewer. This is the mechanism that propels creativity. Along side the ability to absorb and value artwork for it's its existence alone, the art watcher's analytical process is a reflex, an autonomic firing of synapses that creates a compare/contrast session: what is it - why is it - how did it come about - is there a message or messages here - am I comfortable with the execution of the idea - do I need to be comfortable - what would I have done differently - on what level do I interact with this piece - what will it mean tomorrow or next year - do I want to use this idea as a piece of foundation for my own work - do I want to run screaming - is it o.k. to hate this - how can I have this kind of experience, and so on. Because the human mind so naturally filters, interprets, alters and uses the information it gathers with a unique series of parameters, it seems quite natural that someone (or many someones) would recognize this fact and write it all down in a user friendly format for the rest of us to admire. Conventionally, these authors have something to do with the psychology and sociology world. Mixed-media artist, teacher and entrepreneur Karen Michel has thrown her two cents into the fray by writing the relevant, interesting and non-intimidating reference The Complete Guide to Altered Imagery.
   
   
   Books like Michel's allow people to do what few artists race to admit - namely, to "cheat.". It is for this very reason that I bought her book. Like millions of other folks, I hate to be caught tracing, copying, recycling or borrowing material. When I pick up a ruler to draw a straight line I can sense the immense and crushing disapproval of real artists, alive or otherwise, as they curl a collective purist lip in my direction. Paranoia perhaps, but we all know that one person who will insist on collecting wild wode and nettles from a rainy mountainside because using azure and turquoise ink from a bottle is lowering one's standards. In particular I found the author's chapters on the versatility of transparencies helpful. Her suggestions for making negatives from acetate and processing them with photo developers is one I will incorporate into my own work.



3. I couldn't be more pleased with this book! I LOVE the color photos throughout and actual artist examples. VERY INSPIRING!



4. "The Complete Guide to Altered Imagery: Mixed Media Techniques for Collage, Altered Books, Artist Journals and More" is basically about experimenting with image modification and the love for the material, as opposed to the conceptual, process in artmaking. Many mixed media techniques are explained and illustrated. Some examples: foto manipulation, image transfer, collage and printmaking. The techniques presented are interesting and, fortunately, not overdosed with filler explanation as so often found in books dealing with creativity.
   The author is part of an internet based workshop movement that appeals mainly to women interested in the idea of self-awareness via self-expression. Examples of other artists' work is offered indicating that art monopolized by just one techniques is dé modé and that mixed media has become a stationary trend.



5. WONDERFUL! The pictures and ideas in this book are incredible. Don't panic if you don't do every exercise, they will wait for you patiently on the beautiful glossy pages of this book. Also, I found myself needing a notebook to write down my own ideas as I was reading and working through this volume.

5 comments about Secrets of Rusty Things: Transforming Found Objects into Art.

1. I LOVE this book, it is filled with so many beautiful images that it has inspired me in many, many ways. The stories behind the pieces remind us to look deeper into the art around us and listen to their stories. I was surprised so many people were disappointed it was not a step by step book, art should inspire you to create, not copy. If you don't get inspired by this book, consider seeing a doctor :)



2. I bought this book along with another book on assemblage art. I found this book not just inormative about the subject but it was a good read as well because of the artists creative process. I was so interested in the artist's work that I went to his website and signed up for an art retreat he will be teaching at.



3. To say this is not a "How To" book is ridiculous. If that's what one is looking for (a step by step holding your hand venue), then one needs to go to a craft store. Michael de Mange's book is about creating ART !
   
   You can't sit down and just read it once. It's like a fine glass of wine - you need to savor and "drink in" every page over and over. Then, and only then, will you understand how to create a piece of ART and not just CRAFT an item.
   
   As for the safety of using products, that's up to each individual to read the labels. If you can't read directions, then you shouldn't be using the product !
   
   In my own opinion, I don't think he meant to write a "How To" book. Instead, he let us peek into his fabulous mind and provided the opportunity to see how he creates his art. I'm an artist, not a craftsman. I want to create something from my own mind and I found this book to be a springboard of inspiration and recommend it to all artists.



4. An interesting book. More ethereal in scope than I expected but beautifully done. I thought it would be more hands-on how to, but no, more wordy and expansive.



5. I purchased this book based on the description and reviews, plus what little I was able to see in the Amazon Online Reader. When it arrived I was disappointed to see that the pages are much too busy, the photo illustrations much too small, and the type too small and in fonts much too difficult to read. And as others have observed, not much in the way of helpful projects. I ruled out two other books in order to get this one and I'm quite disappointed in what I received. About the only thing I still like about it is the title, but I count this as $13 down the drain - and the day after I received it the price dropped! Thanks a lot Amazon.

4 comments about Garden Mosaics: 25 Step-By-Step Projects for Your Outdoor Room.

1. This book has many creative projects, it clearly explains several techniques, including good details, list of materials needed and very useful information. There are several different techniques and original projects. Excellent information that will be very useful for making your own outdoor projects. Highly recommended.



2. The book is excellent, with many helpful projects. The author takes you through each project to completion. Also includes a thorough description of materials needed.



3. This book is great! Both funky and eclectic, the many projects enclosed in its pages are worthy of exhibition in anyone's garden. I highly recommend this book to anyone just starting out in mosaics or to the seasoned mosaic artist.



4. if you are like me, you might own several mosaic books. This one is one of my favorites! Here's why:
   
   Clear,concise directions with good pictures-most projects could be done by a beginner but there are also MANY projects to make a more advanced artist happy.
   
   Great variation of mosaics-this author covers some mosaics styles I've never seen in other books. Like making your own wire mesh base for cool animal mosaic sculptures-with enough how to pictures that even I can contemplate making one:), making several different shaped stepping stones-from scratch-these are GREAT-there are footprints and fish to die for. And unusual mosaic creations like windchimes and garden "cones".
   
   This book helps you to think outside the box and many of these projects would look wonderful outside or inside as well. Well worth the $13 bucks that Amazon sells it for-highly recommended!
   5 stars!