Customer Reviews

Scraps: An Inspirational Field Guide to Collage

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

 

 

Second to my love of historical fiction & history books is my love for all books art & craft. I thrive on looking at a variety of different books for inspiration.

"Scraps" by Elsebeth Gynther & Christine Clemmenson is a captivating new title from Lark Books about mixed media & collage. The subtitle of this book is ' an inspirational field guide to collage' and I think that about sums it up. The authors walk you through all of the basics of collage; what materials you need, where to find materials, the qualities of paints & other coloring methods, how to 'loosen up' & free yourself to begin your work - and finally they answer the question "when is a collage finished?" - see page 71! I have
found several things in this book that I really want to do. I have a very special journal from Jenni Bick Book Binders that I have been hoarding for a special purpose - and I found it in 'Scraps'... make an alphabet book ! What a great idea ! Another captivating project from the book is creating envelope art - this is especially relevant to me since I have been making & mailing art cards a lot lately!

The book guides you through issues that always come up when making collage & mixed media art. What do I do if I don't want to glue or cut a special item? Answer: sew it in! What kind of glues are best to use with special, treasured items? Answer: acid free. There is a lengthy discussion of what sort of glue is best for what & what each glue is best used for. Other sections of the book discuss paper types, composition, "first aid for collages in distress" and on & on. This is one great "go to" book for collage and mixed media enthusiasts. There are several pages in the book with inspired ideas for jump-starting your work; creating patterns, & a wide variety of theme ideas. Fun things that just gets your mind in gear to make art!

I really went over this book and tried hard to think of a reason to NOT give it five stars - but I could not think of anything the books lacks, nor anything that would have made it better or more inspiring. This really is a 5 star, gotta have book for anyone who wants to improve their collage & mixed media art work. I feel in love with this book without really meaning to ! It's an addition to your library that you won't regret!

I just received this book and I am blown away by the work in it. A very nice range and a very different take on collage. I like the way the book is organized- there are so many collage books now and this book should be in any collage artist's collection. I teach mixed media classes and will have this as suggested reading. You can't go wrong with the price either.

This book is a treat ... The artwork here is original and high quality. Clemmensen & Gynther capture the essence of both collage and scrapbooking - finding good use for what you already have at hand: memorabilia, findings and personal treasures. The whole book is sheer eye-candy: the layout is exquisite and the colour scheme is light and fresh. I like the artwork because it is stylish and delicate - and always with a touch of humour. The text gives the basics and prepares you to go on your own. This book has already moved me in a more creative and original direction - making collaging and scrapbooking even more fun and gratifying. Scraps: An Inspirational Field Guide to Collage

"Scraps" is not exactly a primer on collage. It does not thoroughly cover all possible aspects of the genre as do books such as "The Crafter's Complete Guide to Collage" by Amanda Pearce or "Creative Collage Techniques" by Leland and Williams.

But what it does do very well is provide a plethora of inspiration for a certain type of collage artist -- the hesitant type who likes to collect large quantities of ephemera but is not sure what to do with it -- on how to get started on organizing those individual pieces into a collage.

Instead of beginning with tools and techniques, like so many other books do, "Scraps" begins with more inspirational and generally informative chapters regarding collage art like "Getting Started" which contains the following subsections: "Everyday Treasures," "Store-bought Supplies," "Collecting Ideas," and "Creativity Long Forgotten." The tools and techniques chapter, "Working with Paper," is sixth in the table of contents, but many of the techniques presented there are specifically cross-referenced in the earlier, more generally inspiring chapters, so it's easy for the reader to find the techniques and tools they need at the point of inspiration.

Generously scattered throughout the text are examples of the authors' own collage art, placed there to very helpfully support a point in the text. These collages are very skillfully rendered, somewhat quirky, full of beautiful ephemera and, in most cases, accompanied by a small, helpful explanatory note.

The authors were artists in other genres (fabric design and graphic design) before discovering collage and that works for the book very well: they are obviously very knowledgeable and familiar with important art concepts and mediums. And because they have come to collage relatively recently, they still retain their sense of wonder and excitement towards the genre and, more importantly, they can explain it well to the uninitiated. I don't believe that a new but hesitant collage artist, who is specifically interested in ephemera, could possibly read through this book without getting up and getting started, but just in case, the authors have thrown in a few helpful chapters at the end entitled "34 Ways to Jumpstart a Collage," "19 Ways to Create Pattern and Structure," and "48 Themes in no Particular Order."

Perhaps the book isn't for the experienced collage artist but it's an extremely useful tool for the beginner and will also provide the scrapbooker and/or card-maker with a plethora of new ideas in order to take their craft to a new artistic level.

This review also appears at[...].

I have enjoyed this book very much. Its great to just look through the pages - a piece of art in itself. I have used it for inspiration for a long time now. There is lots of interesting details - each time I find something new, that makes me want to try it out myself. If you have never tried to make a collage this is a good place to start.

What a fabulous book, with lots of inspiration if you want to continue working on scraps on your own. It is brilliant for gifts too as it is such a fantastic experience to look through -if you are not already scrapping you will soon be!

I adore this book! It is so packed with ideas it will never run dry as a source of inspiration for me. The collages are unusual (not your run of the mill stuff that is so often found in books these days), often humorous and kitschy, and the bits that the authors use in their work are a paper scrap lover's dream. Upon opening the book for the first time and flipping through the pages I found myself hurrying to my art table to create! And that was with a spare 10-minutes of looking through the book.

What this book is not is stepped out tutorials with minute directions for putting together collages. What it is is a compendium of amazing work bursting forth from the pages to excite and inspire. If you are a beginner and find that you need to work from a template then this book may not be for you. If you have been in love with collage for a while and are tired of the same old same old, then I think you'll find this book as exciting and inspirational as I do.

This is basically a book about arranging and presenting ephemera. While this stuff qualifies as mixed-media art and collage, it is one small sub-section, and I feel that the terms "mixed-media art" and "collage" are far too broad to describe the material in this book. The title, description, and reviews made me expect a wider range of collage ideas, so I was surprised at how very limited this book was in terms of the styles and materials discussed.

Loved the variety and innovation of this Field Guide to Collage Art. The artists draw from everyday media and offer new creative ways to tell the story that users are looking to tell, in addition to providing uses for collage art that I've never considered. It opened my eyes to resources I wouldn't have considered in the past. I've thoroughly enjoyed the book and have shared it with my crafting buddies, I give it a 4 Thumbs Up!

I love the idea for using what I have instead of going out and buying more. This book has been a book that is fun to look through for inspiration and teaches great recycling ways to be creative.