The Artist Unique: Discovering Your Creative Signature Through Inspiration and Techniques [Paperback]

Carmen Torbus (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 23, 2011

Make your mark your way!

Every artist seeks to stand apart from the crowd. But how? Let author Carmen Torbus inspire you to new creative highs in this collection of hands-on techniques and heartfelt stories from 16 artists who have worked through their own artistic struggles and stalls to emerge triumphant, with looks uniquely their own.

Whether art is new to you, or you have been at it awhile and are having trouble discovering your own style, this encouraging book will guide you to experiment with different mediums, techniques and possibilities to make a mark that is exclusively yours. Inside you'll find:

• 17 of the artists' favorite mixed-media techniques shown step by step, with suggestions for how to make them your own
• Beautiful finished art illustrating how individual artists use and combine these techniques in their own work
• Easy worksheets to help reveal your artistic skills, strengths and preferences
• A quick-start guide to various mediums, mark makers and creative paraphernalia
• Lots of tips and advice for putting yourself into your art

Embrace who you are and find out what defines you as an artist. Make your art far from ordinary--become the artist UNIQUE!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Carmen Torbus is a self-taught mixed-media artist and workshop instructor. Carmen's workshops focus on combining mixed-media techniques with enthusiasm, passion and participant perspective. She is the founding member of the Treasure Coast Women's Art Alliance, whose mission is to empower women through art. Her blog and artwork can be seen in the winter 2010 issue of Stampington's Artful Blogging.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: North Light Books; First Edition edition (May 23, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1440308160
• ISBN-13: 978-1440308161
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.4 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #688,578 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Delicious "Recipes" for Fresh, Creative Journeys May 12, 2011

By mary anne radmacher

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is the colorful and inspiring equivalent of a new, favorite cookbook - except it's a recipe book for ART! Artists have long understood the profound connection between cooking food and creating art. They are both highly artful pursuits. However, with food, the creation is consumed and lives only in memory. With created ART, there is an end product that is sustained. That lives in the home or perhaps as a gift to a friend.

Carmen delivers a powerful message in this beautifully illustrated and well presented book. Learn from the professionals. Yes! Learn the technique but discover the way to articulate that technique that is unique to you. Carmen calls out the courageous creator and challenges her/him to develop a personal, signature style. Carmen has assembled a community of artists who generously share some of their trademark techniques. I say generously because they are not shielding their awesome, signature style in a cloak of mystery. They are giving a materials list and providing the guidance to learn the skill. In your own way.

It surprises people who ask me what I do in my spare time when I tell them I make art for myself and my friends. Not the commercial endeavors that people might associate with me, but experiments. Fun journeys in style and media that I'm just trying out. Carmen's book is invitation to new roads. I've already started in and just like a new recipe might call for a trip to the grocery store, I'm inspired to try tools and materials that I've never used before. So I'm off to the art supply store. Bye!

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great to have on my Kindle June 1, 2011

By Barbara Russell

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book has a lot of ideas -- and when I hit that creative brick wall -- it's nice to flip through this book and read about techniques and tools I haven't used yet. New tools and color delivery devices always revive the creative brain.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars My Go-To Book for Creative Inspiration! October 13, 2011

By Sharyn Eccles

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I absolutely LOVE this book! Carmen has written a book that is insightful and inspiring. She shares her story as a self taught artist and features the personal stories and techniques of other artists. I cannot recommend this book highly enough - in fact, I told my best friend that she had to read this book because it would kickstart her creativity. She bought a copy and loves it also!

I returned to art after too long an absence by getting into art journaling this year as it isn't as scary as a blank canvas, but thanks to Carmen I don't fear the blank canvas anymore! This book really is my go-to book. After reading review after review on every single similar book imaginable and giving a number of books at the library a test-drive which only left me feeling ho-hum, The Artist Unique resonated with me immediately. Seeing the art and reading the stories of these amazing women has inspired my confidence in my own artistic ability, I can feel it every time I sit at my art table to paint. Our stories are unique and our art should be too. I'm a creative person and always have been, but I just needed something special to get me thinking positive about making art, allowing me to experiment and create without making a carbon copy of another person's work. I'm not great at following step-by-step instructions - call me a rebel - because I like to tweak things and make them mine and Carmen's book is a showcase of techniques to try out and incorporate into your own art.

The thing to remember is to have fun and enjoy the time you spend making art. I really like the format of this book, it has the right balance for me. Even if you aren't creative or artistic but would like some inspiration in getting started, I would recommend this book to you - it covers materials and balances techniques with inspirational stories and advice on how to find your creative signature. I can't wait to see what Carmen's publishes next :)