Customer Reviews

Creative Collage Techniques

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There 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.

Absolutely the only book you'll ever need to start creating collages. Filled with a wide variety of techniques from the very simple to the very sophisticated it teaches you everything from how to get started to how to frame your finished piece. An invaluable reference book in any art library.

The best part of a book on collage is the photographs, and this book provides its fair share, many by the authors who appear to collaborate, and they cover a span of technique. The book is arranged by theme and by related projects. The projects are aimed at the absolute beginner and are clearly a fine idea, but many of them are simply lame, even the later ones.

The instructions are typically vague and focus more on the technique of board preparation (how many repetitions of "cover your board with gesso and a layer of matte medium" can you stand?). Then, for example, in one project, you are told to "finish by painting and decorating with other media," or "draw on the background with coloured pencil or pastel." There are no accompanying pictures or visuals or clues, more often just a sample of mediocre, beginners-type work that really doesn't help me.

Having said that, there are a variety of descriptions alone of various techniques to give you some idea of what kind of media can be used, some of which are, at the very least, informative and interesting for a beginner like myself.

While I'm not thoroughly happy with the book, there is some useful written information even if the step-by-step directions are totally lacking. The book feels like kindergarten, though, and I find I need to go by the photographs by accomplished artists rather than those accompanying the project. I give this book 3 stars instead of 2 only because the author actually explained what a monotype is.