Customer Reviews

Urgent 2nd Class: Creating Curious Collage, Dubious Documents, and Other Art from Ephemera

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Bantock's engaging and often enigmatic collaged images speak to several portions of the mind and imagination all at once. In creating his imaginary landscapes, correspondence and characters, the reader (or viewer in many cases), is brought along for guided tours of places that exist nowhere but in his mind's eye.

In "Urgent - 2nd Class" we are given the opportunity to hear him describe the processes utilized during the creation of these journeys. Admittedly, I initially anticipated a step-by-step description of those processes, but after reading it a second time, realized that to do so would have been, well...just silly. Bantock describes in very general terms of "how he does it" but does not insult the reader by telling them each movement to make when attempting to create Bantock-esque works of art.

Instead, he tells you the basic approach he uses and lets the reader/artist to take the information from there. You know, I appreciate his confidence and gentle guidance. For instance, when telling the reader about using rubber stamps in their work, he sagely advises to just DO IT! Give it a try, try different inks, try different image placements and then make it your own.

I do recommend this book for those who want to listen in on Bantock's advice...but don't expect him to show you detailed explanations of what to do...instead, listen to him guide you along and inspire you so that you'll want to do it.

Plus, this book is a nice, tasty little treat just to look at, if nothing else.

Really neat ideas. The images in here are superb and I love how the book is arranged by materials - e.g. old documents, foreign currency, postage stamps, old envelopes, etc. The images show how you can take these found items and then stamp over them or collage with them to create stories in images. The text is really good too - well written and interesting ideas throughout that talks to where to find the materials, things to look for, tips and techniques for assembling collages. Its simply wonderful - it really is like a class in a book but it feels like you're just chatting with an artsy friend sharing ideas. Just to manage expectations....there are no projects with step by step instructions in here. I had expected projects when I ordered the book and was a little surprised when I received it but after I started reading it I absolutely loved it and decided I really like the format and style.

As in all of Bantock's books, the graphics are outstanding. Text describing techniques, however, is very sparse. If you're looking for instruction on technique, this is not the book to pick up. If you're looking for inspiration and colorful artwork using ephemera, this is a good one-hour read.

If you are looking for a "how-to" book resulting in cookie-cutter images, then you may want to pass on this one. However; if you are looking for inspiration and the "why" rather than the "how" then this is the book for you.

I literally read this book from cover to cover and just like a good novel, found it to be a page-turner. Nick Bantock takes the reader through the various types of ephemera and the reasons he chose the techniques used to produce his thought (and emotion) provoking works. I was absolutely enthralled and found my own muse stimulated to produce works of my own.

Granted this book does not give step-by-step directions for creating the effects demonstrated, but isn't that part of the attraction of our chosen medium; the discovery of new techniques and processes that result in the look, feeling, and thoughts we are trying to convey?

For true collage and assemblage artists this is an absolute must have. Copy-cats and weekend crafters may wish to pass.

This is not a novel and one shouldn't be expecting a story (although you get lots of them) This book is like hanging out in Nick's studio as he works and talks about creating art. It's not a step by step guide, or a how-to on collage, but more of a peek into the life and art of Mr. Bantock.

It's a delightful journey filled with lovingly collected ephemera, rubber stamps, odd bits and pieces that come with a story, or are waiting for Nick to create a story with them.

The book is written in a casual chatty manner which makes it an easy read, but at the same time he is explaining his process for
creating some of the gorgeous art he has done over the years. If you're looking for a how-to book, or a Griffin & Sabine novel, you're not going to find it here. This is a far more personal book and fans of Mr. Bantock's art will love having a closer look at the way he thinks and works.

Buy it, read it, love it.

As a big fan of Nick Bantock, I particularly enjoyed his new book, Urgent 2nd Class. I am always fascinated by the process artists use to create their work, and this book showed the kinds of materials he uses, where he finds them, and how he transforms them. Very different from his other books, but particularly interesting to me.

I only discovered Nick Bantock's work in the last year or so through the Griffin & Sabine series, but I was immediately struck by the notion that here was someone doing something different in the ephemeral collage style of altered art that has become so popular in recent times. Bantock's style ranges from the quirky to the profound, but with every image he uses you can tell what thought has gone into the piece: not just what he might be able to turn it into, but where it came from in the first place and what its story might be.

This is primarily what Urgent 2nd Class is about - Bantock's approach to his art, and the process that takes place between the initial germination of an idea and the final product. Sometimes there are many stages that a piece will go through; with others, a piece goes from raw materials to finished artwork with the addition of only a couple of well-placed images or phrases. Although it may be an illusion, nothing looks laboured over in this book, even the more complex works that would have required more time and thought.

But this, after all, is what collage should be about: bringing together disparate elements into a unique whole, and drawing the viewer in naturally without making it seem as though the artist deliberated for half a day over where to place a small scrap of paper. Perhaps one of the most clever examples of this is the faux-map he has created (p24) of a fictional island - the island of 'Sey' is comprised entirely of scraps of another map, the coastline joined up practically seemlessly. Since I was just flicking through when I first saw it, I literally had to read the caption on the opposite page before realising how it was done. It is pure genius, done in such a subtle and unassuming way.

From an 'eye-candy' point of view, I probably get more inspired by the vivid and colourful style of collage that Bantock uses to illustrate his fiction, a couple of which are included toward the end of the book. My style differs greatly from his, and my general preference is for the more colourful, but I still get so much out of reading his thoughts on how he brings his collages together. No matter what your style, Bantock has something insightful to say about art and process. I'd take this book over a more conventional how-to book any day.

Nick's book is not about technique. Probably because there isn't much technique involved that can't be explained in two lines. What this book is really about is seeing the potential of items through Nick's eyes. It is really amazing what can be made with stuff anyone comes across. I found it eye and mind opening. Great stuff on creating documents, photos, books, stamps etc.

I am a huge, long-time fan of Nick Bantock's - I can't swear to it, as all my books are in boxes and storage right now, but I'm pretty sure I have a first edition of "Griffin & Sabine". His art and text has always been evocative and exceedingly different - poetry in pictures and words.

Although I enjoyed reading this book, and found it interesting, it is not up to the same standards as his other work. You get the feeling either his publisher said "hey - it's time for another book, what are you going to do?" or he said "gee, I have all this stuff, whatever shall I do with it?"

As other reviewers have stated, this is NOT a "how-to" book, and it does not, as is stated on the jacket, "show how to alchemically transform the unexpected into your own idiosyncratic art." If you're looking for step-by-step instructions, this is definitely not the book for you. However, if you are looking for inspiration and ideas, this serves well.

The book is broken into 16 chapters and an introduction, and basically touches on the types of art the author creates, such as "Faux Mail", "Dubious Documents" and "Collage", and uses in his work, such as "Stamps", "Postcards" and "Photographs" - with short introductions to each chapter. I wish they had been longer, but then, he talks about much of his techniques and inspiration in his "autobiography" ("The Artful Dodger"), which I highly recommend.

I have just finished reading this amazing book and will be starting again from the beginning tomorrow. I'm just starting to get into arts and crafts and am currently a bumbling amateur, but I found this book so beautiful and really inspiring. I loved reading about the creative process and the tips for finding materials; the book makes you look at the detritus of the everyday world in a whole new way! I can't wait to try replicating some of the images here and I'm sure I will learn a lot from the experience. Highly recommended!