Customer Reviews

Collage Unleashed

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is quite a fantastic book. If you've been a fan of Sabrina Ward Harrison's books, for example, but couldn't figure out how to achieve those kinds of effects, this book will help you. I'm a novice but there were so many projects and ideas I wanted to try. Actually, it became overwhelming, especially at the end with the more advanced techniques using stitching and bookbinding, but there's plenty here to keep everybody going for a long time. Mainly Bautista shows us how to layer, layer, layer, and reminds us not to worry about finished effects. Also, she's a great fan of "leveraging" her art, which means to make numerous photocopies at various stages and keep the copies so that she always has a ton of stuff to work with and can build on previous ideas with new work.

I started to feel depressed and enervated as I went through the final chapters, but eventually it dawned on me that I had to go make something ... RIGHT NOW! This book is just so stimulating and serves both as inspiration and encouragement, and as an idea sourcebook. Bautista is funny and light, in contrast to some of the self-serious, angst-ridden artists. She believes in experimenting and having fun, and her enthusiasm is wonderfully infectious. Thanks, Traci!

I used to buy just about any art journaling book that came out because 5 years ago they were few and far between. Not so anymore and I've gotten more picky - trying to match my purchases with my tastes a bit better.

I had stayed away from this book because it seemed many of the reviewers seemed to know the author or took her classes - which would make them perhaps more biased to like her work. Some books on collage just drive me nuts too - if I see another collage done with someone taken from an old timey photograph wearing a pointy clown hat I will puke!

I picked up this book at a local store though and looked through it and immediately knew I had to have it. You might not exactly want to copy her style but she has a TON of good ideas. She does combine many techniques and maybe you don't want to use them all (like fabric and sewing) but you will probably be tempted. I love her doodling style. The back of the book even has some pages meant to be photocopied and used in your own artwork and pages to use to make stencils, etc. This is one of the best books on collage I've seen - maybe THE best book.

I like Traci's art, and there are several interesting techniques in this book. Be warned, though: Traci begins by recommending you set aside a day for projects, and you must take her seriously: the projects in this book are, for the most part, messy, involved, and complicated. People should know that they will be told to "just" crochet this, latch-hook that, sew here (in a flower pattern), embroider this on-and then, there will not be how-to photos, but just small pictures of snippets of the finished product, with a hard-to-read caption. I guess I need to take one of her classes, as others keep saying, because in several places, I just could not follow Traci's book. This book really is not about collage. This book is a few of the author's magazine articles combined: one about tie dying paper towels, another about using sewing in collage, and another about doodling.

Indulge in the visual feast of Traci's art techniques; you'll leave the table with enough delightful "tastes" to keep you busy for weeks. Since I like to read a book through from start to finish, then later go back and take a little time going in depth, I stayed up until 2 in the morning the night I first picked this book from my stack.
An artist's art book of distilled techniques from A-Z, written in an easy to digest, breezy style, the background for Traci's pages are decorative and colorful - I would say they're best described by the word LUSH.
De-lish!

I got some great ideas from this book, but unfortunately for me, most of the techniques and examples incorporated fabric and sewing--which I don't do.

Traci has given us a huge gift with this book. It contains MUCH more information than most of the collage craft books out there. She combines lots of mediums and gives you tips and lots of full-color examples. If you have a chance to see Traci's work in person, take it! I got to see her work at both Art & Soul and Artfest this year. This is a keeper! Enjoy!

Deceptively simple, that is. When I glanced at in the bookstore, I put it back on the shelf. Too messy, not enough instructions, not enough "projects," I thought. Then I saw the author on a craft show demonstrating one of the techniques, and thought it looked like fun. I bought the book, and I can honestly say it has changed my approach to my art. I've had this book for 6 months and I get something new out of it every time I look at it. All of the projects are aimed at getting you to play, to experiment, to let loose and have fun and just create for the joy of creating. I didn't "learn" how to make textile art from the book, but the samples in the book inspired me to begin painting fabric, drag the sewing machine out, and dust the cobwebs off of it. I didn't "learn" how to make my own journals from the book either, but I needed something to do with all those fabulous monoprints I was creating! I love this book and would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn to loosen up, experiment, and have fun creating art.

When I first got this book, it was soooooooo busy, I looked and put it down. Over then next week I read, re-read, read, re-read.......and fell into her wonderful world. The next thing you know I was doodling with silver marker on anything I could find. Had the German Shepherd puppy slowed down enough I would have doodled him. Then I doodled flowers over the doodling, then I painted the flowers, then I collaged the canvas....should I go on. I need a 12 step program for this book.

Run, don't walk---oh, that does not work anymore.....let your fingers fly over the keys to purchase this book.

It is amazing and inspiring.

If you are a beginner or not a serious collager this book is not for you. If you have been collaging for some time and looking for new techinques this book is great. If you are looking to find your true style or adding some fun to an exisiting style this book is for you The color explosion is worth buying the book.

If you are looking to bump your art techniques up to a new level, you really have to check out this book. Traci's ideas are so wild and colorful, kind of like a cocktail swirling with vivid colors and extreme textures. You'll learn about everything from drawing to stitching and see ideas of how to incorporate them into a variety of one-of-a-kind projects. A must-have for every artist and crafter!