Customer Reviews

Celebrate Your Creative Self

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I had a very great teacher who taught creativity from discoveries he'd made about that mysterious process. He once told me that artists break rules and then make new rules of their own. For example, look at Picasso. He broke rules about classical drawing and painting as he had done early in his career, and then created new rules for his style of Cubism.

I paint, and have a very definite set of rules about what I do and what I do not do. My painting teacher years ago had a lot of rules about watercolor, such as never using black or white paint. Later in her own career, she started breaking those rules with techniques not unlike those in this book (for example, she uses crumpled plastic wrap and laundry starch to texturize.) Her paintings really took off.

You may not like all the techniques presented here, but it's worth trying them out. One of them may turn out to get you out of a rut and onto new and great things. Even though "Celebrate Your Creative Self" sounds like books such as "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain", "Making Pearls" or "The Artist's Way", it is not about the inner artist. Those books have a very important place in freeing up the unconscious mind and the imagination. This book is about freeing up your technique and finding new methods of expression. Personally, I love it.

Even if you are not entirely sure which end of a paintbrush goes into the paint, with this book you can learn to create a painting in an afternoon which will convince your friends you've got an M.F.A. If you've ever bought art supplies and books and not used them because you felt you could not create satisfactory representational images, give yourself a break and try these techniques of meaningful abstraction. Compared to the cost of a workshop, this book is inexpensive and well worth every penny. It's packed with worthwhile content. I truly believe every person who loves art has all they need inside them to make great art themselves. It's not about expensive materials or years of education--which are great if you happen to be fortunate enough to have them--all you really need is the passion for color and paint. You don't even need a brush. Start where you are and go for it! P.S. That piece of stiff cardboard that comes in the bottom of your Amazon box makes a great painting support with some canvas taped to it!

This book is a must for anyone wishing to explore different methods and ideas.The book is beautifully laid out and is a pleasure to look at.The artist presents her ideas in clear concise language with many good illustrations.I liked the small 'boxes' that contained suggestions or comments.There is also a helpfull list of materials used with each project.If you are unable to be at a workshop with Mary Todd Beame this is will help create one in your studio.It is a book that you will return to often for ideas and inspiration.

I've been a three dimensional artists for almost ten years, but have been intrigued by many other mediums of art for a long time. Mary Todd Beam's book is the best book I've seen to help you feel comfortable trying new techniques and inspire using these methods in your own unique way. When I got this book I couldn't put it down... it is now in my studio and I love the results from my experimentation. I highly recommend this book to both novice and accomplished artists.

EXPERIENCE LEVEL: Intermediate to Expert

I checked out this book from my local library to see if this was a book I would buy. Although I found Ms. Beam's book highly accessible to an art novice like myself, I found most of the projects more suitiable to those with more art experience. Also, I felt the title was a bit misleading. It should be titled, " Celebrate Your Creative Self: Over 25 Exercises to Unleash the Abstract Painter Within". The pictures are big enough to study each technique clearly and the instructions are thorough for determined beginners to complete the projects at the beginning of the book (the projects get progressively more challenging). In addition, the book lays flat, so it can propped on a book stand or lay on a table without damaging the spine. If you want to explore your abstract side it's a good find, but there are better books on creativity.

Like the other reviews state, this exercises in this book are great; in many ways, it IS a workshop in a book. However, I think the title, the subtitle in particular, is slightly misleading. There isn't much in this book to really "unleash the artist within." Instead, the exercises provide more of a "how to" achieve this or that effect. If you want a book to tell you how to create paintings using a less than "normal" technique, this is the book for you; if you want a book, to "unleash the artist within," I would keep looking.

I've been a three dimensional artists for almost ten years, but have been intrigued by many other mediums of art for a long time. Mary Todd Beam's book is the best book I've seen to help you feel comfortable trying new techniques and inspire using these methods in your own unique way. The author is quite generous with her directions, giving a list of supplies needed for each project and descriptions and pictures on each step. When I got this book I couldn't put it down... it is now in my studio and I love the results from my experimentation. I highly recommend this book to both novice and accomplished artists alike.

What a wonderful book to unleash your creativity. When I began reading it I couldn't wait to get out my brushes, canvas and get started. It teaches you to just be relaxed and let your innerself come out in your creations. It is a marvalous feeling. You can't go wrong. If you have been shy with acrylic paint you won't be for long when you get into this book.

The illustrations and suggestions in this beautiful book are an instant inspiration for any artist wanting to explore new methods and mediums, or make new uses of old ones. It made me want to run to my studio and try everything!

Everything in this book is fabulous: pictures, instructions, suggestions. . .It's like having a workshop in your home to attend when you have a few moments.