84 of 84 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not a "how to" but "you'll want to" book., Dec 28 2004
By Terry L. Tyson - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Urgent 2nd Class: Creating Curious Collage, Dubious Documents, and Other Art from Ephemera (Paperback)
Bantock's engaging and often enigmatic collaged images speak to several portions of the mind and imagination all at once. In creating his imaginary landscapes, correspondence and characters, the reader (or viewer in many cases), is brought along for guided tours of places that exist nowhere but in his mind's eye.
In "Urgent - 2nd Class" we are given the opportunity to hear him describe the processes utilized during the creation of these journeys. Admittedly, I initially anticipated a step-by-step description of those processes, but after reading it a second time, realized that to do so would have been, well...just silly. Bantock describes in very general terms of "how he does it" but does not insult the reader by telling them each movement to make when attempting to create Bantock-esque works of art.
Instead, he tells you the basic approach he uses and lets the reader/artist to take the information from there. You know, I appreciate his confidence and gentle guidance. For instance, when telling the reader about using rubber stamps in their work, he sagely advises to just DO IT! Give it a try, try different inks, try different image placements and then make it your own.
I do recommend this book for those who want to listen in on Bantock's advice...but don't expect him to show you detailed explanations of what to do...instead, listen to him guide you along and inspire you so that you'll want to do it.
Plus, this book is a nice, tasty little treat just to look at, if nothing else.
44 of 46 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
excellent, Feb 21 2005
By merrymousies - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Urgent 2nd Class: Creating Curious Collage, Dubious Documents, and Other Art from Ephemera (Paperback)
Really neat ideas. The images in here are superb and I love how the book is arranged by materials - e.g. old documents, foreign currency, postage stamps, old envelopes, etc. The images show how you can take these found items and then stamp over them or collage with them to create stories in images. The text is really good too - well written and interesting ideas throughout that talks to where to find the materials, things to look for, tips and techniques for assembling collages. Its simply wonderful - it really is like a class in a book but it feels like you're just chatting with an artsy friend sharing ideas. Just to manage expectations....there are no projects with step by step instructions in here. I had expected projects when I ordered the book and was a little surprised when I received it but after I started reading it I absolutely loved it and decided I really like the format and style.
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Eyecatching Graphics, Aug 19 2004
By ArtGirl - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Urgent 2nd Class: Creating Curious Collage, Dubious Documents, and Other Art from Ephemera (Paperback)
As in all of Bantock's books, the graphics are outstanding. Text describing techniques, however, is very sparse. If you're looking for instruction on technique, this is not the book to pick up. If you're looking for inspiration and colorful artwork using ephemera, this is a good one-hour read.