Art Quilts at Play: Ignite Your Inner Artist-Experiment with Surface Design Techniques [Paperback]

Jane Dávila (Author), Elin Waterston (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 16, 2009

22 exciting new ways to play with surface design techniques and materials, plus ideas for collaborating with other artists. Bonus: Challenges, Trades & Collaborations.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jane Davila began her professional art career as a printmaker specializing in etchings and intaglios. Her prints are to be found in many private and coprporate collections. Elin Waterston has a background is costume design and works with mixed media such as painting, dyeing, and manipulating fabrics.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: C&T Publishing (February 16, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1571205306
• ISBN-13: 978-1571205308
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #834,154 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great how-to book, or handy reference, March 11, 2009

By 

Susan Brubaker Knapp (Mooresville, NC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Art Quilts at Play: Ignite Your Inner Artist-Experiment with Surface Design Techniques (Paperback)

Mixed-media and fiber artists Jane Davila and Elin Waterston, the team that brought us Art Quilt Workbook in 2007, have another hit on their hands, I think. This book encourages quilters to explore new techniques, materials and processes. It offers straightforward directions, concise supply lists, numerous illustrations and ample encouragement for beginners as well as those who already have their feet wet. It's an excellent introduction for beginners, or a handy reference for the more experienced.

Section 1 includes chapters on:
1. fabric creation (mixing color, fabric dyeing, simple screen printing, nature printing, found object printing, stamp making, fabric painting with water-based resists, bleach discharging, and images on fabric)

2. special effects (paintstiks, fabric inks, water soluble pastels, painted fusible web, gel medium, expandable paint medium, shrink film, metalic foil and leafing, PearlEx powders, art glitter, and Angelina heat-bondable fiber)

3. a student gallery.

I had already played with most of these materials and techniques, so I didn't really need the first section. But as a teacher of surface design techniques for quilters, this is definitely a book I'll recommend, and refer to in class. Those without formal art training will also appreciate the glossary.

The second part of the book is what takes this beyond a mere how-to or reference book. Here are fun and interesting ways to push yourself out of your box, share your work, learn from others, and collaborate with other artists in a group.

Section 2 includes chapters on:
1. challenges (subject challenges, word challenges, process challenges)

2. collaborative projects (fabric art journals, surprise package, exquisite corpse, mixed media art)

3. art to trade (artist trading cards, fiber art postcards, small art swaps)

4. connections (online groups and the Internet, small in-person groups, critique groups)

5. collaborating artists gallery.

All in all, this is a great book with lots of practical exercises, as well as loads of inspiration, encouragement and energy.

You can order an autographed copy on Jane or Elin's website.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Full of fresh & inspiring techniques for both new & experienced quilters., February 22, 2009

By 

Gail S. Ellspermann (Katonah, New York United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Art Quilts at Play: Ignite Your Inner Artist-Experiment with Surface Design Techniques (Paperback)

Art Quilts at Play is a wonderful book that de-mystifies how to use the myriad of new products available to creative quilters. The instructions and illustrations are easy to follow - dozens of photos of quilts serve as great examples of what is possible. It would take at least a week of classes to learn what is packed into this one book. Art Quilts at Play is great for both the beginner and experienced quilter as it includes clear instructions for the newbie as well as examples of more complex work. Many techniques can also be applied to paper/mixed media projects so this book isn't for only quilters! A great addition to my art library!

19 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars super, February 14, 2009

By 

Emily Alef - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Art Quilts at Play: Ignite Your Inner Artist-Experiment with Surface Design Techniques (Paperback)

I'm trying to break from the traditional quiltmaking and have found these 2 books Art Quilts and Art Quilts at Play to be a great help.