Collage by Japanese artist duo Wool Cube Wool from "Cut It, Paste It, Sew It..." edited by Chisa Itou
I derive a small but divine pleasure that exceeds my own imagination from the process of taking apart something and completely rearranging its components as I see fit. For me, collage is not so much about the art or forms of expression; it is something that is intimately connected to my everyday life. Like making lunch for yourself out of the leftovers from your fridge, it is a very personal experience… (Artist Chalk from “Cut It, Paste It, Sew It…”)
Reading little gems of thought like this makes the collage artist in me smile and say amen! Keeping up to speed with the latest developments in art as well as reviewing the way others are using collaging and mixed media is essential to my growth as an artist. In the hopes that it may do the same for you, I’ve got some great book recommendations just in time for Christmas! Here’s the list and some mini reviews of them…
1) The Collage Workbook: How to Get Started & Stay Inspired (Randel Plowman)
2) Cut It, Paste It, Sew It: A Mixed-Media Collage Sourcebook (Chisa Itou, ed.)
3) Water Paper Paint: Exploring Creativity with Watercolour & Mixed Media (Heather Smith Jones)
4) What It Is (Lynda Barry)
5) Master Collage: Major Works by Leading Artists (Randel Plowman, ed.)
6) Imagine: How Creativity Works (Jonah Lehrer)
The Collage Workbook: How to Get Started & Stay Inspired, Randel Plowman (Collage)
Never have I read a more concise book on collaging than Plowman’s – I read it in under an hour and found when I finished, I was all fired up to collage! It includes wonderful illustrations; an image library to collage with; a thorough but not overwhelming supply list; a brief and useful overview of the principles of design and, best of all, fifty prompts to inspire your collaging! Plowman’s advice to collagists to “listen” to their materials is right on the money! – I highly encourage this approach to collage as well. His recommendation to choose fragments that are “uniquely you” is also a vital aspect of learning to develop and build on your personal collage style. I was also thrilled to see him advocating the creation of 5-minute collages – here I was thinking I was such a task master asking my students to do them in 20-minutes! Be sure to also visit his Collage a Day Blog to find out more about this collage master!
Cut It, Paste It, Sew It: A Mixed-Media Collage Sourcebook, Chisa Itou (Collage)
In North America, our stores are dominated by collage books by western artists, so you can imagine my surprise in finding this little jewel of a book edited by Itou which focuses on a collection of collages by eleven plus Japanese creative entrepreneurs skilfully employing a variety of collage techniques to create amazing utilitarian objects like: bags, notebooks, bookmarks, tags, boxes, calendars… you name it! The book’s filled with striking images of the artists’ works as well as interviews in which they briefly reveal tantalizing bits about what inspires them; their favourite techniques and materials as well as where they travel for supplies. It’s interesting to note that a number of these artists work as duos and also that, for many of them, our old nostalgic magazines and stamps are viewed as exotic materials – what a wonderful switch! While this is not a how-to book, I feel it’s a valuable reference source for your artist library. Because it encourages the use of everyday materials, it’s a great gift for green-friendly artists as well as travellers who’d like to transform their memories into art.
I’ve been dreaming of melding watercolour and mixed media in my visual journal one day and I believe I’ve found the perfect book to help me! Smith Jones has written a very comprehensive book which along with a great supply list contains instructions for thirty beautiful projects to help guide your creative explorations with watercolour. Because I love knowing why I have to use certain supplies, I really appreciated her sections on paints, palettes and brushes – it’s so impressive to see an artist who’s so in tune with her tools! This book is an exciting addition to any mixed media library.
What It Is, Lynda Barry (Collage/Mixed Media/Visual & Written Journaling)
Author Lynda Barry is a tour-de-force. This comic/graphic novel style text was recommended to me by my good friend artist Diane Salter who at the time was concerned about what determined “good” and “bad” art. Barry’s book is divided in two sections: the first is a cartoon-based collage that captures her creative life as she grows up; the second relays a series of creative writing exercises. Although she doesn’t have a how-to collage or mixed media element to the book, her collaged imagery will blow you away! I think if you take the time to assess it in all its glorious detail you’ll learn hundreds of visual strategies to capture your audiences and make your collages more expressive. One thing that struck me about this book was Barry’s poignant struggles with coming to terms with a world that constantly tried to deplete her creative spirit at an early age. Fortunately for us, she was no quitter! This book is brilliant. Lynda Barry offers workshops and, if I could, I would jump at the opportunity to take one. For now her book is a very precious addition to my library. I recommend this one for both teens and adults interested in accessing their creative, expressive side.
Master Collage: Major Works by Leading Artists, Randel Plowman (Collage)
Plowman makes it to my list again! This one comes highly recommended by my obsessive collage book collector/artist and friend historian Olive Jones. I recently surveyed it briefly and marvelled at the array of fabulous artists and beautifully photographed pieces it features… among them, notable artists from the contemporary fine art and contemporary craft fields respectively such as Jonathan Talbot and Lynn Whipple. While this survey book doesn’t teach you the how to’s of the art, like Barry’s and Itou’s, if you look with a discerning eye to decoding each artist’s individual style you’ll learn a lot about making successful collages as well as developing your own unique visual voice.
Imagine: How Creativity Works, Jonah Lehrer (Art & Creativity)
As an artist I’m very interested in finding new ways to nourish my sense of creativity and innovation. As artists many of us are looking for ways to make what we do unique and different – we’re inventors through and through! In this book Lehrer shares stories about people from various disciplines: the arts, sciences, sports, etc. who’ve made innovative contributions to the world in their own distinct way and you may be surprised to learn how they came about doing so. As well you may also be able to draw on their methods or adopt their attitudes to enhance your own way of thinking about working creatively – by yourself or in groups. It was a fascinating read; I highly recommend it!
Other Related Links:
For more on the artists’ work pictured above see Wool Cube Wool’s website.
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