Customer Reviews

Shibori: Creating Color and Texture On Silk (Crafts Highlights)

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

 

 

This book is a wonderful educational sourcebook for any dyer. The pieces shown in the book are elegant and sohisticated - grown folks fabrics. Mysterious, subtle, three-dimensional pieces. Silk is her fiber of choice yet the information in the book would be useful to anyone interested in dyeing any fiber.
Admittedly I am a baby dyer, however I do have a lot of experience in the area of learning processes from books. This book is all I had hoped for and more. Ms. Brito tells us what her aims are in creating this book. Her aims happen to coincide with my desires as a student: to inspire the reader with the artistic possibilities of shibori and at the same time provide the reader with technical information on a level that high standards will become a natural occurrence as one begins to understand and learn this process.

This book is not for the reader who is looking for shortcuts or baggie dyeing. Ms. Brito is a chemist and an artist. She explains the different dye types and processes very clearly. She even allows us to see her set-up. Discharge, various resist methods, overdyeing, setting texture and great photographs are only part of what this generous artist shares. She provides excercises that encourage observation and experimentation. That is how many of us are best educated. She offers formulas for different colors including neutrals so the reader has a good starting point.

I don't want the reader of this review to think that the book is so technical that it is inaccessible. It is both technical and reader friendly. The book is also great eye candy. This book belongs in the library of all fiber artists!

Essentially divided into two sections, Shibori: Creating Color and Texture on Silk, gives useful information on Shibori and contains beautiful photographs of the technique. The first half of the book describes: the properties of silk; the different classes of dyes available (with recommendations); the equipment needed; the actual dye process and; the importance of color interactions. The second half describes specific Shibori techniques such as sewn resists, clamp resists and pole wrapping. The 2 pages devoted to "setting" texture seemed, in comparison to the descriptions of the dyes and dye processes, abbreviated and could have done with an illustration or two. If you are the type of person who wants the essential facts presented quickly, clearly and concisely, then this may not be the book for you. If you enjoy having an overview of things before beginning work, then Shirbori: Creating Color & Texture on Silk may be just right.

I really like this book, but it is not a textbook on how-to techniques. It gives a good overview of dye and pleating methods, but does not go into the detail I would like to see. It would be difficult to recreate any of the beautiful garments pictured, using just the information contained in the book. So, buy it for the photos and inspiration, not as a how-to book to create the garments pictured.

Real eye candy! Good information on acid dyes and an excellent chapter on discharge techniques.

If you want to make shibori, then you should have this book. While you are at it, order two, one for the studio and one for the library. I'm wearing out my studio copy. Brilliant ad beautiful. Clear, concise information that will light up your imagination.

Shibori: Creating Color and Texture on Silk (Crafts Highlights)
I got this book several months ago, and I am still excited to open it up and review some of the things I learned. the author actually has a PhD on Chemistry, so she explains how the dye works on silk very nicely. I am a scientist, too , so this style fit my way of learning very well. i would recommend it to beginner shibori enthusiasts :)

I loved this book. Some of the info got pretty technical but there was also a good dose of understandable information. The pictures were beautiful and inspirational.

Karren is a top notch dyer and her book is one of the best I've read on the subject. Lots of great info and even better, lots of eye-candy!