Book review: Mixed Media Mosaic by Laurie Mika

This was one of those books where you have just found an amazing book shop and as you browse the aisle looking for nothing like this, you find a magical book.Above you can see the title page and my very first attempt on making a mixedmedia mosaic box.It was so fun!
But what kind of stuff is inside?
Well, all the instructions come with photos and are very easy to follow. Though I think this is more a book where you read everything through and then just experiment.Any one can follow the instructions. Look at my box , I am a complete beginner in mosaic and look how cool it turned out, even if I do say so myself.Back to the book,it starts of by showing you how to use a few diffrent techniques in your mosaic making. She makess hers from polymere caly and also uses bought glass and clay tiles. She shows yu how to cut, paint and stamp on bought tiles. Then she shows us how to make your own basic tiles, how to transfere onto them, paint them, add little extras such as mica powders and gelpens.Then leran a few reallly cool ways to use mica powders and stamps and how to add beads to your tiles and much, much , much more.

Her next chapter is full of inspirational project ideas such as using the tiles to decorste a box, mirrow, make jewelry or create shrines.

This is an absoulute gem of a book and i think that evry art journal/mixed media artist should own it.Also one tip from me: I wanted to get started, but I did not have any mica powders, so instead I used artists pitt pens in brush and then wiped them with my finger, to create a matt, subtle colour like on the tile, on my box, with the x through it.

Avalible on Amazon:

XXo Makealife

Book review:The artful Storybook

Today I am going to be reviewing the book The Artful Storybook by Terry Taylor.

I first saw this on ihanna's blog and thought it looked good, so then i ordered it of amazon.And I can tell you it is good!!

The firts few pages tell you about the storybook basics and these include:

Brief history,Where to get your story from, How to plan out your book,A few diffrent solutions to what kind of book to use and some techniques for illustrating and writting in your book.This section contains some lovely ideas and tricks such as how to create a simple pamphlet and how to do a acrylic heat transfere.

Then we move on to the second and bigger section of the book:a gallery of diffrent books that have been craeted by so many diffrent artists.each one has lots of pictures, a materials and tools list, some tips and the wholw working process.There is a very wide variaty of both stories and books.Some of my favorite include: a fabric book about a person that was obseded with knitting socks, a marie antoinette mannequin book , a matchbook storybook, a field journal about birds that has a story layed out in a way like a diary and a book about aztecs with a bone cover-cool book!!

I am a beginner in book making and story writing and illustrating, though I have not acctually started an artful storybook yet(as I am am busiliy working on my next art journal, which i am making from scratch), I am very inspired to start one and I think this book is perfect for beginners-teaching them basic skills and inspiring them, but perhaps not foe advanced as it only tells you some basic techniques.BUT all in all this is a very good book , but it could do with some more techniques.I do not regret buying it though.

Book review:Artists journals and sketchbooks

Artists Journals and sketchbooks

by:Lynne Perella

price:US=21.99 dollars UK=14.99 pounds

It is a really good book,for a art journaler of any level.Lynne shows you many inspiring art journal pages by various artists, cool artists insights and material listings for almost every layout.The book is divided into 5 chapters.

chapter 1:

Here she explains in short the basics of art journaling.Then shows you many lovely layouts and has technic pages on such things as ading colour to your background and cool ways to alter pictures(not using photoshop).

chapter 2 :This chapter is about the book itself.So creative ways to decorate the cover including using Slide mount artworks. Again there are many inspiring pictures of what other artists have done such as a cool handquilted coverd journal(so cool).It also contains the idea of making mini journals and attachment technics.

Chapter 3 :

All about adding text, theres a list of ways to do so,how to use in a background , how to carve your own stamp and many things by artists.Also all kinds of ways to add hidden journaling.

Chapter 4 :

About diffrent sketchbooks.This includes pictures and explainations as well as tips for things like travel journals, planning future projects and much more.

Chapter 5:

Here she shows you how to do art journaling but not in a notebook, but on a skirt, quilt or cans.

rating (by me): 7 and a half/10

Resons:

It has many , many wonderful things in here, to get your creative juicies flowing, well explained technics and tips.The bad is that some text refure to other pages in a displayed journal layout and you dont get to see em.Also i think 7 whole pages dedicated to mount slide art work is way to much.I mean yes, to a small digree i am intrested and its a cool idea, but i didnt buy a book about mount slides did i?( no i did not).

Book adventure:Wreck this journal :Ordering

So iv been inspired to order this fab book and i will keep you posted.

Wreck This Journal (Paperback) by Keri Smith (Author)