Customer Reviews

The Art Journal Workshop: Break Through, Explore, and Make it Your Own

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Length:: 4:07 Mins

Loved this book. Excellent instructions.

I had to edit down my video so it fit into Amazon's video size requirements. Just to note, the book comes with a DVD showing the artist's time relapse detail of Visual Journaling.

XOXO-

I just got this book and am LOVING it! This is great way to see an artist's process and how she gets where she's going. This book is not just fluff, filler,and only how to's, but a real look at how the pages are layered and built, and the inspiration that supports the work. There are lots of great journaling prompts that are both fun, inspiring, and insightful! The book itself is vibrant and visually tactile, which only makes reading it and working from it even better. One of my personal favorite things about this book, is that it emphasizes the individual, your own words and your own art, not striving to copy someone else's style. It's about the unique path we each are on, and how we bring that to the page.

This is the best book on Art Journaling I have ever seen! After the intro, pages 12-39 are lists of what you may need and vague how-to's, which is good for the beginner. The rest is Art Journaling, a project on personal art business cards, mail-art, and "Commitment Cards". These 3 projects seemed tossed in, but there's so much more to see and learn.

The book is good for both new and old Art Journalers. I've been art journaling for 6 years, and I still got a lot our of it. There are about 17 different art journal pages by Traci in the book, three other projects that aren't related except that they are mixed-media like Traci's A. J. pages). There are about 10 photos of each art journal page, step-by-step on how it was created.

I must say, though, the book is just half of this. Without the DVD you are missing out. The videos that are availble are quite good, and the music is great (Traci does not speak). Each one shows you how she created the pages in fast-motion. However, the DVD only has six videos, each with a single project--and there are a total of 20 projects in the book--so the DVD is a little half-assed.

I have several books on art journaling. This one is a little better than most. The DVD doesn't add much to the illustrations in the book. If you read several art journal books and magazines, you will begin to see a sameness to the results of each artist's endeavors. The same side-ways tilted heads on shapeless bodies, collaged birds, flowers, printed matter, music scores, script writing in French, postage stamps, and so on. I'm looking for more art and less paste-ups.

That said, this book is a good example of the trends in art journaling, so if you have not acquired any others, Traci Bunkers is good at what she does.

I am not an artist. I found this book because I was looking for a way to express my thoughts while my husband was deployed to Afghanistan. I can't believe what I have already created! This book gave me so many ideas, and showed me exactly what to do. I didn't know anything about painting or art when I started. I was clueless about gesso, gel medium, oil pastels . . .everything. But, this book took me step by step through the process, and I'm shocked at what I have made. Anyone can do this.

I was also grateful to find suggestions about pens and markers that work the best in my journals. I know that the suggestions in this book saved me a lot of money in the long run.

This book is exactly what the title says it is (and that's quite unique in my opinion!). It's an art journal workshop with Traci Bunkers in book form. Nothing more, nothing less. This is not a book for people who want to know all the ins and outs of art journaling and mixed media techniques. This is a book for people who want to dive right in and get their hands dirty and find stuff out for themselves!

The book starts with an excellent introduction into art journaling and the materials you can use and yes, some techniques are given too. But very soon we get to the nitty gritty of this book, which consists of loads of assignments and exercises that you would get in an actual art journal workshop. In short: you are urged to get to work. This is a workbook, not a textbook.

The book has a bonus dvd on which Traci shows how she does six of the assignments in the book. This is a wonderful piece of extra information, especially for beginners who may not know how to build a page up.

A small minor point may be that all the work in te book is by Traci and being done by Traci. Her style is beautiful, but very recognizable. She does not have much variety in her style of working. I guess this is true for all workshops: the art or pages produced (especially if done by beginners) will be copies of the style of the teacher. This is no criticism on the book on my part, but I think beginners should be aware that there are many more ways to journal. I say this because I notice how beginners are focused on doing things 'just right', when there is no such thing. Start with this and then broaden your horizon by looking at the work of other journal artist's too and then...go your own way!

All in all, a pretty pleasant book that will inspire you to get going! And for those who are not able to do so in person, it's a wonderful way to take a workshop with Traci, without the travel or the extra costs. ;-)

I've purchased several books on art journaling in the recent past, including this one by Traci Bunkers. I love her approach to letting loose in one's journal, and to using what you have to make a page. I also admire greatly Bunkers' willingness to not just let her readers see her process, but also to see her entries - that takes courage. This is a great book for someone who is just starting to art journal (like me); the book makes the process seem a lot less intimidating and more approachable. If you're new to art journaling, or want a peek at how an accomplished artist does her work, then this book is a great addition.

I just got Traci Bunkers new book and it's already got me doing things in my journal I haven't done before. I have always been hesitant to really start painting in my journal but Traci's explanations and guidance make it all so easy. I highly recommend this book to any art journaler looking to move to in different directions.

This book is exactly what its title says: an art journal workshop. Traci Bunkers does a superb job of discussing the purpose, the process and the how of art journaling. Various prompts and exercises (gratitude, purging, silencing the critic, fear, joy, take action, nurture .. et cetera) help get you started on journaling as a form of self-expression and therapy/self-help: stream-of-consciousness writing, purging, putting thoughts and emotions into words and art. I especially liked the idea of making commitment cards, documenting photo field trips and making urban affirmation art and leaving it in public for others to find.

Bunkers includes an excellent reference for the materials and tools needed for art journaling. Her tutorials in the book and the attached DVD (not all exercises included though)take you from beginning to end of each highlighted journal page pretty clearly, although she encourages the reader to develop his/her own artistic style.

Bunkers uses mostly one distinctive art journaling style in this book: gesso, add ephemera, paint over, add text (using stamps, pens or other forms of writing), embellish (example with rubber stamps, photos, stencils, rubons), add more color and highlight to page (example: scribbles, using pastel/crayons). Hence there isn't much artistic variation in here. However, the exercises do a good job of showing the effects of different art techniques used in the book, for example the differences between applying paint by credit card, brayer, spread or scrubbed with baby wipe. There are many other techniques and ways of art journaling but this is a good book to use if you want to start and are not sure how to do so.

Okay, so there are MANY Art Journal "how to" books out there...If you could only have one of them. THIS IS IT FOLKS.

It covers everything from glue, papers, pens, paint-- to project ideas and prompts. The instructional section really breaks it down for you. It is so clear and easy to follow... yet it keeps your mind flowing on how you can use the step by step instructions in different ways, and make it "your own".

It's pretty amazing that although it is step-by-step 1 through 10...In flipping through the book, never did I get the idea that, "this has to be this way," and "that has to be that way"

Instead, it made me feel like -- WOW, art journaling is simple. I CAN DO IT! And do it in my own way!!

It comes with an instructional DVD where you can watch the artist instead of read -- if you are strictly the visual type. I haven't even touched the DVD and STILL feel that this book is fabulous.