It’s a thorough book about collage and assemblage, and it demonstrates altered art as well.  Though readers may not be able to find the exact items used in this project book, I think the ideas can be adapted to other materials, if your brain works in that direction.

However, if you want a by-the-numbers approach to learning collage, assemblage or altered art, the projects may not always work for you.

In addition, I can’t rave about this book without reservations.

I like the book cover.  (Well, mostly.)

I wanted to be really excited about this book.  I even read it twice, months apart.

But… it’s not an exciting book.  Not for me, anyway.

Sure, there’s something for everyone in its pages, but also something to bore everyone… if they’re at all familiar with this field of art.

For me, the clue was the vintage photo with the clown’s hat (or dunce’s cap) on the cover.  That was a cliche about ten years ago.  At this point,  that imagery can be annoying to old-timers (like me), but it might still charm people who are discovering collage and assemblage for the first time.

I don’t want to sound as if I hate this book.  I don’t.  I actually like it, but not enough to own it.

It’s the kind of book that teachers will love because it’s a good, general reference.   Almost any student can find something inspiring in its pages.

Like most of Maurer-Mathison’s books, this is a top-quality approach to a broad, art-related subject.  She touches on every major point that someone will want to know about, if they’re exploring collage, assemblage and altered art.

My problem is, I wanted more extravagance from Collage, Assemblage and Altered Art.  I wanted the author — and the art in this book — to go out on a limb, try daring and exciting things, and generally inspire me.

Compare this book with Altered Curiosities by Jane Ann Wynn; for me, Wynn’s book will win, nine times out of ten.

That said, I don’t think Maurer-Mathison intended it as anything intense or controversial.  It’s not quite a textbook, but… it’s a lot like one.

If you’re buying books for a public library or a school, get this book. That’s an easy choice, because your patrons will enjoy this book tremendously.  It’ll be taken out of the library often, and recommended to others.

However, if it’s for your own bookshelf, I can’t give it the same endorsement.

Of course, you should take a look at it, but I recommend browsing through it at a local bookstore, instead of buying it sight-unseen at Amazon.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars Collage, Assemblage and Altered Art by Diane Maurer-Mathison

Collage, Assemblage, and Altered Art: Creating Unique Images and Objects
Price: USD 14.96

34 used & new available from USD 11.93

If you use artist’s models in your studio, work as an artist’s model, or have ever thought of working as an artist’s model*… you need to own a copy of this book.

Yes, I usually say, “Read this book at your public library first, and see if you want to buy it.” However, this is the kind of book that you’ll refer to so often, you may as well buy a copy and save yourself multiple treks to the library.

This book is 141 pages of to-the-point information. There’s no fluff, and the author is knowledgeable, experienced, and addresses issues on both sides of the canvas (or sketchpad).

Author Andrew Cahner has left nothing out. He tackles the difficult aspects of nudity in Chapter 2. In Chapter 3, he tells you the two things that every model must bring with him (or her), and then lists many items that will make your work easier and create a more professional environment.

Chapter by chapter, Cahner provides useful tips and the kind of information every artist — and artist’s model — needs to think about before, during and after a modeling session.

For example, the author provides some brilliant ways to research poses, so you don’t stand in front of the group, blink, and ask shakily, “Err… what do you want me to do?” (Likewise, if you’re working with models, these resources will avoid wasted time while the artists try to think of poses, and the model responds, “Okay, how about this?”.)

There’s even a list of useful links to find modeling work, online.

If there’s anything missing from this book — from either the model or artist’s standpoint — I can’t see it. And, I’m speaking as a third-generation artist who worked as an artist’s model during her college years.

I rarely give a book five stars, but — for this topic — I can’t think of any way the author could have improved the book. Every working artist and every classroom that uses models should have a copy of this book in their studios. When you have a question, the answer will be right there.

And, of course, every working model should own one as well.

I read many books about and for artists, and this one stands out as a brilliant idea, well executed and long overdue. It’s well-written and easy to read, but — even more importantly — it’s a useful reference that provides far more than just the basics.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The Art Model’s Handbook: The Naked Truth about Posing for Art Classes and Fine Artists
Price: USD 15.25

10 used & new available from USD 14.33

*If you’re willing to sit still for 20 minutes at a time — with a roomful of people staring at you — this can be a fine career choice for people who need work or want extra income.  Taking off your clothes is optional but will significantly increase your chances of getting work, but it’s not vital.  (Portrait and other models are needed, too, but — for economy — classes often swap-out students in those roles.)

Even better, this book will explain the nuances of working in this field so you don’t feel like a total novice.

It’s ideal as the basis of a daily or weekly art lesson.  It’s also a great preparation for taking young children to art museums.  In fact, it’s one of the best I’ve seen, for that purpose.

Each letter of the alphabet is matched to an art-related word.  The word — like the book — is in English, but it’s also provided in Spanish, German, and French.  Each letter is also represented with Sign language.  This expands the use of the book in any classroom setting.

The illustrations in the book are delightful.  They aren’t too intimidating for young children, and will definitely appeal to them.  They’re colorful and fun.

The brief definition of each art-related word will give teachers enough to work with, to teach effectively.  They’re even more useful if the teacher spends a little time online or with art books, learning more about the subject to explain it in more depth.

I especially like that the book includes several complex art concepts, and it doesn’t “talk down” to children.

This kind of book is ideal for a homeschool group, teaching children at  multiple grade levels.

For teaching a class, or reading to more than a very small group of children, larger illustrations will be helpful.  The examples in the book are too small to be seen beyond the second row in a classroom setting.

However, many school and public libraries have excellent books to supplement what’s in “…The ABC’s of Art.”  (Every book has its limits, and this one addresses that issue well.)

The price of the book reflects the full-color pages, but it may be a little price-y for a teacher or homeschooler who is taking this out of his or her personal budget.

However, this is a very useful book for a department, school library, or public library to purchase.  It will be greatly appreciated by teachers.

As a starting point for a daily or weekly art theory lesson, this is a book that teachers have needed for a long time.

Pros

• Every page is in color, and has a lot of visual appeal.
• The terminology doesn’t “talk down” to children.
• Helpful tips make it easy for teachers to share this information without an art background.

Cons

• The price of this large paperback book  isn’t competitive with some art books from larger publishers.
• Images of the art being described are small for students to see from a distance.

(Aside from the price, I had to look hard to find a second negative comment to make.)

If you are buying books for a public or school library, I think this is a must-buy.  If you frequent your public or school library, recommend this book as a useful resource for teachers and parents.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Herman The Jester and The ABC’s of Art
Price: USD 23.99

14 used & new available from USD 4.00

All of her projects are rated either easy, moderate or advanced and can be used with all ages.

The lessons are well written and easy to follow. Tips to evaluate the artwork are included at the end of each lesson. Both 2-D and 3-D projects are included.

A chapter with simple recipes for assorted pastes, paint and clay is included as well as a glossary of terms. Black and white photo are included throughout the book.

There are some great ideas presented here to encourage creativity and experimentation. She also inspires students to incorporate the elements of art into their work.

Positives:

• The projects are low cost. Anyone can afford them.
• Most projects can be used for all ages. Older students can incorporate some of the techniques into more advanced art projects.
• The projects are fun and creative.

Negatives:

• Many of the projects, as written, are too easy for high school students.
• All of the illustrations are black and white.

Glorious Glue!: Art With Adhesives
Price: USD 16.37

18 used & new available from USD 3.95

So, as you can imagine, I was delighted to discover this book! Alison concentrates mainly on cards, and you’ll find this luscious book just that little bit different. Alison has a style all her own: a little bit collage-y, a little bit scrapbook-y.

Her projects range from cards to full-size framed pieces and cards are themed to the recipients – here are just three:

Retail Therapy : ’50s retro, tongue-in-cheek, girly pink and very charming – I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t be delighted to receive something like this.

A Lifetime of Chocolate : an adorable hanging card, and would grace any kitchen – or workspace!

Cake : a shadow box (this one is going to grace my kitchen, just as soon as I have made my own version).

Talking of versions: for every project, there is one (often two) alternatives made in the same theme, so you can easily see how to adapt the instructions to incorporate materials, stamps and photos you already have on hand – great for cards on the run!

Materials used are eclectic – anything and everything is grist to her mill, from bottle caps, antique lace, eyelets and chipboard letters, to matchboxes (transformed into little drawers full of keepsakes, complete with pull handles).

The emphasis is on collage, with antique and scrapbook papers and memorabilia, and Alison shows how to age and distress these using a variety of techniques including inkpads and gesso.

Not just collage: Alison also uses rubber stamps to achieve the effect she is looking for. A very charming book altogether, with a very fine judgement of colour and composition.

As you would expect, this is another great publication by North Light Books, so you know there will be full colour photographs throughout, and well planned and stepped-out projects, very clearly explained.

Highly recommended – especially for card makers wanting to stretch their wings, and scrapbookers wanting to escape from their albums!

Learn more about The Artful Card at

Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

The Artful Card
Price: USD 19.65

35 used & new available from USD 5.50

The Weekend Crafter: Making Books And Journals: 20 Great Weekend Projects is a short (80 pages) book that features some unusual book designs and lots of photos showing readers exactly how to make each book.

What I love about this book is that it’s great for beginners and it includes some innovative ideas that will delight experienced book artists as well.

Some people thrill when they discover a new, intricate binding technique for art books.

While I enjoy those, I’m far more enthusiastic about clever, simple designs that allow me to wildly embellish the books.

The latter is why I recommend this book: The projects are easy enough for beginners, and exciting enough for experts.

Here are just a few of the 20 projects featured in this book:

• Folded Book with Pockets
• Roll-Up Travel Journal
• Mailable Journal
• Jelly Bean Books
• Angel Photo Albums
• Ornament Books
• Coptic-Bound Sketch Journal
• Japanese-Bound Picture Frame Album

… and 12 more, plus many ideas based on these handmade books.

What I love about this book for beginners is this: The photos show how to create each book, step-by-step. These really are projects that you can complete in a few hours, or at least in a weekend.

This book is also great for experts because many of these books can be embellished into awe-inspiring projects. And, the simpler books can be given to friends, sold online inexpensively, or displayed around your home or office, to let others know about your more elaborate handmade books.

All in all, this is a book that may look average on the bookshelf, but — once you look at the projects that it features — you’ll be impressed.

Making Books and Journals is also simple enough to give as a gift for anyone — including a child old enough to use the tools — who’d like to learn to make handmade books. It also offers a wealth of ideas for Scouts or youth group projects.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Read others’ reviews at

Amazon.com or  Amazon.co.uk

The Weekend Crafter: Making Books And Journals: 20 Great Weekend Projects
Price: —

36 used & new available from USD 1.21

I picked up this book out of an interest in making travel sketchbooks. I know that wasn’t the title, but the look of the cover and the back of the book intrigued me. As a mixed media artist who also has a history in scrapbooking, I’m always intersted in pulling the two together to make the lines between the two less firm. And Gwen Diehn, it seems, is also interested in softening some of those lines.

What makes this book good for someone who wants to move from scrapbooking into a more artistic format? Gwen spends a good amount of time discussing materials. Which materials she uses, those she prefers, and where you should spend your money, versus where you should save it. If only I had this in the beginning, I don’t think I’d have spent as much money on inexpensive low-pigment art supplies that didn’t get me where I wanted when I started. Live and learn!

For someone who is already involved in art journaling, this could be a good resource, as well. I found it a good way to hone some skills in how to use some of my supplies. I also found her discussions of different types of pages – starting with images or starting with text, for example, inspiring and I wanted to try them.

Often I’ll spend time skimming the book before a purchase and then it sits on my shelf until I get a chance to really focus on it. Often, that takes me several sittings. In this case, however, I was continuously interested in seeing what the author had to share with me. I sat and read it in one sitting. I came back with many ideas for my next journaling session.

Since I read this book, I have returned to it many times to see what else I could learn. This book is well worth the investment!

PROS: Gives information on everything from art materials to actual processes for creating pages. Good for everyone from beginner to advanced.

CONS: This book’s text is very dense. For some who have a lot of art supplies, you might question what you’ve bought and whether it will work. Gwen rmeinds you to experiment with what is best for you. Also, If you’re not prepared to sit down and read the text, you will end up missing a lot of good information.

Overall, this book as a great investment for anyone who wants to keep some sort of journal of their lives that includes some decorative or visual element, whether a scrapbook or a visual journal, this book is an excellent reference.

Learn more about this book at

Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

The Decorated Page: Journals, Scrapbooks & Albums Made Simply Beautiful
Price: —

22 used & new available from USD 17.99

Over 40 projects fill this book with fabulous ideas for making one-of-a-kind handmade books, journals, and albums. It is one of the most exciting and inspiring books for anyone who is interested in making unique art books.

Whether you want to start with a simple folded book or scroll book or leap into a tunnel book, flag book, pocket book, or even a three-panel Jacob’s Ladder book, Unique Handmade Books will delight you.

This book includes projects that beginners can complete within an hour or two using paper, glue, scissors and any art supplies that you have on hand. However if you want to learn classic and ornate bookbinding techniques, they are included as well.

One of my favorite chapters is called “Transforming Everyday Life,” which includes inspiring illustrations of a mixed media books and related projects. This chapter includes instructions for spiral binding, a card file book, a found poetry journal, and an innovative use of a spell checker to create poetry.

If you’ve been intrigued by cloth books, the author includes three different fiber projects.

In separate chapters, Ms. Golden includes techniques for illustrating your new handmade book with a variety of media. She also presents fascinating ways to display your handmade books and even discusses ideas for collaborative projects for adults and for children.

If you can only buy one book about making handmade books, this would be an excellent choice. I highly recommend it .

I have referred to this book often for my own work and consider it a vital reference in my studio library.

PROS: Enough ideas to spark and sustain a career in handmade art books. Juicy photos show many ways to personalize these projects. I can’t possibly rave enough about this book.

CONS: Beginners may be overwhelmed by the number and variety of projects in this great book. Illustrations can be confusing if you tackle a complex design without prior experience in paper folding and book constructing techniques. Start with the simplest projects, and work your way up.

Summary

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Buy this book and read others’ reviews at

Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

Unique Handmade Books
Price: —

11 used & new available from USD 24.99

If you are someone who is intimidated by startling, innovative art journaling techniques, this rich, juicy book may overwhelm you. This is an idea book more than a step-by-step guide for beginning book artists.

Since my approach to paper art is often, “When all else fails, read the directions,” this is one of my favorite reference books. However, I also understand why many of my students feel that it is strictly for advanced artists.

If you are an artist who learns visually and would prefer to have more pictures and less text in an art reference book, you’ll probably love this book.

On the other hand, if you are someone who stares at completed work and wonders how they did that, you may prefer a different book.

If I could own only three books about art journaling, this would probably be one of them. I am endlessly inspired by the many lavish photos in this book.

While the focus is generally on paper arts, the approach is more aligned with mixed media techniques. Some of the featured projects include found object art, fabric art, decorative metal work, and truly extraordinary art.

Depending upon your learning mode, this book will either be one of your favorites or a book that you put aside to enjoy when you are more confident about exploring new materials, media, and techniques on your own.

PROS: Rich, colorful, highly inspiring illustrations covering a wide range of art journaling techniques. From textiles to aluminum foil to cigar boxes, you’ll find a wealth of ideas in over 125 glossy, full-color pages.

CONS: Weak instructions rely on readers’ experience/intuition–or perhaps daring–to achieve similar results. If you prefer to learn from specific, step-by-step instruction, you probably won’t like this book.

That said, if you buy this book and are disappointed in it, put it aside and look at it again in a few months. It will probably become one of your favorite reference books.

Summary

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Buy this book and read others’ reviews at

Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk

Artists’ Journals and Sketchbooks: Exploring and Creating Personal Pages
Price: USD 14.95

73 used & new available from USD 7.62

The Artful Dodger: Images and Reflections by Nick Bantock is a must-own for fans of his art and writing.

Nick Bantock may be best known for his Griffin & Sabine Trilogy, but he has authored many other extraordinarily beautiful books featuring his own art and text.

In the Artful Dodger, Bantock offers some of his most haunting, beautiful, and inspiring art from each of his books, with commentary.

In the some cases, he explains why he wrote the books the way that he did and provides insights to his creative process.  If some of his more cryptic books have baffled you, you may find answers in this large, comprehensive volume.

Bantock also shares many examples of other art that he has created, including his paintings as well as book covers and illustrations for other authors.

In discussing the art process, Bantock dismisses any attempts at faux elitism. In talking about some of his paintings, Bantock says, “I was working on the floor so that I could walk around the piece. Also I was using brushes less and less, often paintings with my fingers. ”

Later, discussing his pop-ups, Bantock says, “I taught myself how to construct pop-ups by trial and error; using scissors and a role of Scotch tape. I began with simple cuts and folds; then, when I’d gotten the hang of the easy stuff, I started dismantling any old pop-up books I could get my hands on to see how the more complex paper mechanics functioned. ”

By offering a wide range of examples from many years of his work as an artist, Bantock gives us a fabulously inspiring overview of his development and his talents. The results are stunning.

If you have been inspired by Bantock’s art but are less interested in his stories, the Artful Dodger is a wise investment. However, all fans of Bantock will enjoy this book; it includes favorites from most of his stories as well as a tour of his lesser-known studio works.

This is a high quality, hardcover coffee table book that you will treasure for years to come. It is among my favorites references for collage and mixed media art.

PROS: A rich sampling featuring varied art by an extraordinary contemporary artist. Varied techniques, media, subjects, and approaches offer a wealth of inspiration for artists.

CONS: Does not include the intriguing envelopes and enclosures of the Griffin & Sabine series, only the art. Very little text from the original books; instead, Bantock offers extensive narrative insights and backstory for his popular art novels.

SUMMARY

• Coffee table book, not a how-to book
• Insights into Bantock’s inspiring art career
• Includes many of the best of Bantock’s illustrations

If you like Bantock’s art, this book is a worthwhile purchase for your studio reference library.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

For others’ reviews of this book
see Amazon.com, or, in the UK, see Amazon.co.uk

The Artful Dodger: Images and Reflections
Price: —

67 used & new available from USD 1.95