tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44262029099637732102024-02-21T04:49:24.003-08:00Crenshaw's Books & DecksReviews with substanceMTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.comBlogger299125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-17935899708101779572023-09-07T00:49:00.002-07:002023-09-07T03:02:09.994-07:00Fresh Paint: Discover Your Unique Creative Style Through 100 Small Mixed-Media Paintings by Flora S. Bowley & Lynzee Lynx (2021)<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy4l5iZ1IrIhjq22FzkDQk-8Y73HTfyMKMY-S9_p4zrR-WFdqGj6QpUxhWxond6RXl5VYejKOamwWlpK2ohsmbdrJPBrh1hbtflL_w7SNKKEoUcmkr7rKubDSnafCodMn_z5yDaA3EP-SozTDTiBXFRjiIQ4I2a2MiNDcpQcxNrz45E4iwLjVIjIqjOV2l/s2560/913qyKJT-OL.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1981" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy4l5iZ1IrIhjq22FzkDQk-8Y73HTfyMKMY-S9_p4zrR-WFdqGj6QpUxhWxond6RXl5VYejKOamwWlpK2ohsmbdrJPBrh1hbtflL_w7SNKKEoUcmkr7rKubDSnafCodMn_z5yDaA3EP-SozTDTiBXFRjiIQ4I2a2MiNDcpQcxNrz45E4iwLjVIjIqjOV2l/w155-h200/913qyKJT-OL.jpg" width="155" /></a></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">This book is an online rendition of an online workshop that the two authors hold regularly. It's great for people, like me, that don't have a budget for online courses, but want to have the teachings in them accessible. This is the case here and, therefore, a great value for money.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>THE CORE</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i><blockquote>" In a time when information and imagery from other people’s art is so readily available at our fingertips, we believe mindfully sourcing inspiration from within our own hearts and authentic lived experience is a crucial part of finding a unique voice" (p. 42).</blockquote></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> The authors depart from this premise. Having skills or knowing techniques isn't enough to have an authentic voice. There are artists reproducing the Monalisa to perfection who have no artistic voice whatsoever. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">The authors believe that there are eight key ingredients needed to discover and develop a personal creative style: 1/ Desire, 2/ Self-Inquiry to bring your life experience, cultural background, and passions into your art. 3/ Trust your intuition. 4/ Awareness of your surrounding world and of the present moment. 5/ Expansion through learning new things, exploring new materials and learning from new teachers. 6/ Exploration via giving you the time to learn by making 100 studies. 7/ Gentleness, by disregarding negative self-talk. 8/ Dedication and persistence in a life-long art journey. The book is then structured following all of these elements and philosophy with three major sections,:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Internal Exploration,where we’ll also explore our cultural roots, families of origin, and our chosen families as a way to deepen our connection to our personal history.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> External Exploration, where we explore how the external world inspires us. There are exercises to learn to tune our senses to the world and actively engage with it for artistic purposes. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> and hands-On Art-Making Practice. Each chapter is organised in subsections that require a hands-on approach: the writing enquiries, the creative exercises, which are complemented with jumping-off points (prompts). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>THINGS I LIKED</b></span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Most of their philosophy and the emphasis on sourcing our inspiration from the internal, the external and other people, the three of them, to create our unique voice. </span></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">There
is a
good deal of painting and mixed-media techniques offered in the book. Most exercises are presented as suggestions to contribute to our art skills and inspiration toolkit. <br /></span></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">The insistence on experimentation and playfulness. </span></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">The use of Eastern-religions practices to calm our mind, anchor intuition, and source imagery and ideas from it. So it's a kind of artistic meditation. <br /></span></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">The beautiful playful photos from the authors and their students' artwork. <br /></span></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">The book structure and the fact that is not a directional book, but it gives us freedom to explore what they propose, still giving us some structure. <br /></span></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">The project of 100 paintings, and approaching them as studies so that we don't feel the pressure of producing a masterpiece every time we paint. </span></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">The importance of organisation in your work area. Often, I expend tons of time looking for things that I haven't stored and organised properly, which is a waste of time and energy. <br /></span></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">The writing inquiries are great as self-knowledge tools whether we are artists or not. It force us to dig into our personal stories, experiences and surroundings and then use this information for creative purposes. <br /></span></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">The jumping off point (prompts). <br /></span></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Chapter seven is especially good. We live in a mega-visual era, constantly bombarded and/or immersed on imagery. I particularly like <i>Pinterest and Instagram</i> and the number of art images I process a day is embarrassing. It's difficult not to get threatened and inspired by these images, and not copy them either. The issue is how to incorporate the inspiration into our work without copying someone's style or being overly derivative. The tools suggested to help us do that are great. <br /></span></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Some of the exercises and ideas recommended are great. For example, m</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">ark making with veggies (which reminded me of my primary school days crafts), ca</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">rving rubber stamps and making stencils,</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> the use of textiles and jewellery elements in artwork, the colour pairing exercise, using our family memorabilia and ephemera in our art, the intuitive wandering, the scavenger hunts, and many more. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> <br /></span></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Great hyperlinked index. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="619" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ZmewUQAb0ieyQND5YlsWKhhbFmslrwlFQoRrV2ypw2M6g11485QJVaGRCFzNDOjOL-AKVBu-8XRlOFOnaKfbOv6SaE6kmUYY5QbqlTO6TDo1etw84idSQkXujKdsWSfxqCwkZwdvuAKQFDr19yDXa3h14xwrxowbA9Huxs7qCPTf4836TRajOwLM1WOu/s320/Screenshot%202023-09-07%20121500.png" width="320" /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div></b></span></li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>SO-SO</b></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></b></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Some of the exercises aren't original or new. I've found them on books that were published before way before this. Exercises like blind contour drawing, shadow drawing, drawing with the non-dominant hand, mark making with different brushes and materials, transferring images with graphite or carbon paper. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Although the book aim is to have you do 100 small paintings, the focus wasn't perhaps on the creation of them, on the practical making of them, but in giving ideas and encourage us to do them. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>I DIDN'T LIKE</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Description of a meditation or a breathing exercise. It would be great having a link to an audio-recording (on the authors' website for example, or YouTube, Vimeo, etc.). I cannot meditate when reading a written instruction. I could record it myself, but it doesn't work as well as when someone else recites the meditation for me.That's just me. It might be different for you. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> The preaching about cultural appropriation. It's well intentioned, but the authors seem to be lost in their own boho babble, and end mixing apples with bananas. Then, they say that they borrow the word (and not just that) mandalas... If we follow what they say about appropriation, what they do is also cultural appropriation. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Somebody could tell the authors that they're
appropriating Eastern Philosophy with their Buddhist practices, or
that they're appropriating the Brit's language. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Most cultures, except for indigenous ones, and not all of them, are the result of culture creole. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Western Civilization is just a mash of cultures, that also are varied within each country and each region in the same country. Let me put it in plain language, if you plagiarize, you appropriate. If you are overly derivative you appropriate. But, if you borrow from here and there and create something yours, you're just creating. That's what creation is. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">C</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">opying dot Aboriginal style and selling it as an Aboriginal painting is not only illegal but also appropriation. Yet, I could use
Aboriginal paintings as a source of inspiration, and make a dotty painting because nobody on this planet owns dots.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Let's use another analogy. If you aren't Spaniard and cook a Spanish paella, are you appropriating the dish? No!, unless you do something that is not Spanish and sell it as such, or make a paella and then tell the world that this is a new dish that you've created. The same goes for painting.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Some of the recommended artists' insta have totally uninspired art to me. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>KINDLE EDITION TYPOS AND FAILED LINKS</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">The Kindle edition is very good overall. The only issue is, perhaps, the way the students' art is displayed, the photos grouped together within a page without breathing space. I can easy double tap and zoom-in on them, but this isn't the most user friendly way of displaying images. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">I only noticed a typo</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span><span style="font-size: small;">(</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Now, let’s talk about the vibe in "yourart") in page 33 and some of the links of the recommended artists' Instagram profiles aren't public or existent. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><p> </p><p> <br /></p>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-30678854116800803742023-04-29T23:09:00.001-07:002023-04-29T23:21:56.911-07:00Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered by Austin Kleon (2014)<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcgeQvys6Dkh1HkRf6zm1Aoy2QSO1i-LNfv0oqr4_lbGxodC_dmlSXYsYZ0FVFcPyTeglx-AfjoF76gE5VD0Z73Itf5vY3S4qIBJZzUn4RxVVwV4m7dSST8EcBUxZaiO9l_EkvhF3P2WM-EDr5IDoRuXF4oLBLo2ZNDZKZ0c6jsVEyGwkILkN4lsI99A/s1800/71MTgEEjNVL.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcgeQvys6Dkh1HkRf6zm1Aoy2QSO1i-LNfv0oqr4_lbGxodC_dmlSXYsYZ0FVFcPyTeglx-AfjoF76gE5VD0Z73Itf5vY3S4qIBJZzUn4RxVVwV4m7dSST8EcBUxZaiO9l_EkvhF3P2WM-EDr5IDoRuXF4oLBLo2ZNDZKZ0c6jsVEyGwkILkN4lsI99A/w200-h200/71MTgEEjNVL.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-family: helvetica;"> "<i>It sounds a little extreme, but in this day and age, if your work isn’t online, it doesn’t exist. We all have the opportunity to use our voices, to have our say, but so many of us are wasting it. If you want people to know about what you do and the things you care about, you have to share</i>." (Page 25). </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This is the last of Kleon's trilogy and the most personal of the three. It feels so to me at least, as it's the one in which I hear Kleon's voice louder and clearer. What I mean is that his personal life, thinking and experiences are as important as what other people say; therefore, the book has less quotes and paraphrasing than the other two and feels more personal. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The aim of the book is to teach us how to think about creative work as a never-ending process, how to share our process to attract people who might be interested in our art, and how to deal with the ups and downs of sharing our work. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCH5bnYevhWTE9B1UBXduxVLUP1s0MKd6e5RBUNOIBSCfajx1DZFP8Qqi5E4QvvIC3GmcEeYWenvWwwut7zH7RR80TZdGgcoB9ne1vqbJd3nDlIy5E7kgs5yYtGkTuT2ZbakxGoWF0eQfj4OXSksxrp3HNoWBCOByaADwUUslUSY0sxaICAMO8gPHUrQ/s1800/71wYU1QM+1L.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCH5bnYevhWTE9B1UBXduxVLUP1s0MKd6e5RBUNOIBSCfajx1DZFP8Qqi5E4QvvIC3GmcEeYWenvWwwut7zH7RR80TZdGgcoB9ne1vqbJd3nDlIy5E7kgs5yYtGkTuT2ZbakxGoWF0eQfj4OXSksxrp3HNoWBCOByaADwUUslUSY0sxaICAMO8gPHUrQ/w200-h200/71wYU1QM+1L.jpg" width="200" /></a></div></b></span></div></div></div><b></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>THE GOODIES</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b></b></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Kleon has a very engaging style that connects us to him as a person immediately. <br />> I really like his approach to life, the artistic life especially, and the fact that he sounds like a decent human being that happens to be a famous writer by now. All of that is commendable.<br /> > Once more, Kleon debunks the myth of the lone genius, the bohemian starving artist that lives in the collective unconscious. Kleon shows that most great ideas are birthed in a collaborative way with other creative people or minds or ideas from other people. <br />> Kleon also debunks the myth that success happens overnight. <br />> His advise on online sharing is excellent. Kleon gives sound advice on when, how often, and what sort of stuff we should be sharing.<br />> The author's advice on how to give credit to artists whose work we share or quote.<br />> Kleon's reflections on how the value of any given work is affected by the story attached to it. That's why it's important to be a good storyteller. <br />> The information on the psychology of forgery is fascinating.<br />> Sound advice on how to deal with criticism.<br /> > Kleon's diaries snapshots at the end of the book give insight into his work process.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>THE SO-SOS</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">For the rest, it suffers from some of the sins that his previous books:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> The
content is still lean, and this feels, again, another diary/booklet/blog
turned into a book, what I call a blook. Kleon himself confirms "<i>a lot of the ideas in this book started out as tweets, which then became blog posts, which then became book chapters</i>." (Page 57). <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> There are too many quotes, no matter how good they are. Also, I miss the quotes being properly referenced, not just the name but also occupation and source (book, TV interview, podcast, newspaper, etc.). In this way, he'd be following his own advice about giving due credit.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Most of what Kleon says in this book is directed to people who show/want to show their work online and the book revolves about that not about showing your work in any other sort of way, like ezines, small art galleries, etc. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Although I like most of what Kleon says, the chapters are sometimes a bit off point.<br />> Repetitive at times. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Section 1 seems fitter for Kleon's "Keep Going" book. </span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Section 3 is very nice if you already have a name, but what about plagiarism? Not 'stealing' but totally using someone else's work? How do we counteract the online exposure with this very real every-day-happening fact? </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Section 4 on Tell stories is great, a first good approach to what good stories are made of. I found that this is great if you're a writer but not so much if you're a painter. For sure, there are paints, ours or others', who go attached to personal or collective stores, but others are not. So in which way can we share and make stories about artwork that has no story? I can make a story about a problem with a painting, how I tackled the problem and how it ended, but not all my paintings are a struggle, and some others have no happy ending and, to be honest, I don't think this might interest other artists or the people I share with. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Section 5 about sharing what you know is full of platitudes and statements that can be true for some online teachers I receive education from, or not. It is true that we gravitate towards artists whose art we like and can teach us but not all of them are good teachers or know how to teach. Also, there are too many online (mostly bad-mediocre) teachers whose art is also mediocre. I'm all about teaching your work if you have something good to teach. Being great at what you do doesn't equal being a great teacher. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Section 9 mentions the famous model of 'free' giveaways to get people's emails and then promote work or sell products or services. It definitely work. I guess it worked great when first came along. It works now? What I do is this. I get interested in something being offered for free. I use a secondary barely personal email address, I get the freebie, when I start to get marketing or promotional emails, I unsubscribe. Did it work? <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="978" data-original-width="1042" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mM8G6D_zZI__KSfBtxZQx2-IoMxH78qcMO35-OBDaIpAEjVyLhCrJsD_zKakDMWxlSOZYC4uw1a_BEzQjHvYgdrS_8Db3JJDkOVPsF2mR_JXUvOXAjw-4aD0IbbYQP5nlU_v2kZ3VZt96oPSP6Z5hbD4jAd7g1pE4RGQNFWu2MFfjhX7EhJObx5vgg/w200-h188/Screenshot%202023-04-26%20190656.png" width="200" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="622" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksJ0kwNyi0RixYv4GmxcPG_W184J2ue5eCUDHe2uYSH9-O5feNel4TmqP67RM8l-WUAJFO9WlNkZihLxdLoT924orQi9z9n39nMmgP0TUz9N43IUCuCeefxUsj4VwRhw6XZDbhIFWbXvcEPUUs1iOMfrIUxBUmWoKiMJboPeBfqLe2OgQgWXhcykNng/w155-h200/Screenshot%20(20230425-195842).jpg" width="155" /> <br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>SUMMARY OF THE BOOK</b></span></div></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i>1. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A GENIUS.</i> <br />> It is not about having talent about the way we contribute to the world. <br />> It's very important to have and keep a beginner's mind, have a passion for what we do and keep going as our work will improve the longer we stick around. Amateurs get less stuck than professionals. <br />> Before sharing your work, think about what you want to learn, and do so in front of other people. Pay attention to what others are NOT sharing and fill in the void with your online presence.<br />> The only way to find your voice is to use it <br />> Reading obituaries or biographies of people who made great things is a way to connect with the present, give direction to our lives and not waste our time. <br /><i>2. THINK PROCESS, NOT PRODUCT. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">By sharing with others our process online every day we can create an audience and bond with them. Many people are interested not in the final piece of art, but in how we get, the messiness to get them, how we deal with the messiness, etc. <br /><i>3. SHARE SOMETHING SMALL EVERY DAY</i>.<br />> If in the very early stages, share your influences or what inspire you. If in the middle of it, write about your methods or share works in progress. If the project is finished, show it. <br />> Share something every day (blog post, twit, video, etc.). <br />> Pick the online platform that best suits your kind of artwork. <br />> Stick to the question " What you are working on/" and you’ll be good. <br />> Don’t show your personal life; show your work. <br />> Don't worry about being perfect, most of what we do is crap, but sharing our work opens up to how people react. <br />> If you're too busy or your life is hectic, devote just 30 minutes to online sharing a day. <br />> Don’t post work online that you’re not ready for everyone in the world to see. <br />> Don't overshare. <br />> When you share regularly, you'll notice patterns, themes and trends emerging from/in your work. <br />> Create your online space and build a good domain name. Stick to it forever. Keep it simple and professional. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /><i>4. OPEN UP YOUR CABINET OF CURIOSITIES. </i><br />> Before we’re ready to share our work with the world, we can share our tastes, things that drive us, artists we love, our artistic interest and influences, and what drive us to work.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Show who you are, what you like, and don't let anyone pressure you on to saying the contrary or feeling bad about yourself for that. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Being open and honest will bring around those people who are in the same frequency. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Don’t share things you can’t properly credit. Find the right credit, or don’t share.<br /><i>5. TELL GOOD STORIES.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">If you want to share effectively, you need to be a good storyteller, therefore, know what a good story is and how to tell one. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> A good story has a set structure that works most of the time, from the old fairy tales to the modern novels.There’s the initial problem, the work done to solve the problem, and the solution. The first act is the past, the second act is the present, and the third act is the future.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Keep your audience in mind.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Used proper language, good spelling and punctuation. Write clearly and in a way that is understandable. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Speak about yourself and what you do. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">You should be able to explain your work to anyone and everyone but keep it honest, matter of fact, short and sweet.</span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i>6. TEACH WHAT YOU KNOW.</i> Teach your craft, or techniques or how-to as this will generate more interest in your work. When you share your knowledge/work with others, you receive an education in return.<br /><i>7. DON'T TURN INTO HUMAN SPAM.</i> Don't turn into that sort of people who show no interest on anything or anyone but themselves. The sort of people who cave attention, notoriety and followers but show no appreciation or interest for those very people who follow them. If you want to get, you have to give. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> If you want to be accepted by a community, you have to first be a good citizen of that community. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Forward-thinking artists aren’t just looking for passive-consumer fans, they’re looking for potential collaborators.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Notice and you'll be notice. Give and you'll be given. If you want to be interesting, you have to be interested first. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Make stuff you love and talk about stuff you love and you’ll attract people who love that kind of stuff. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> "Don’t be creepy. Don’t be a jerk. Don’t waste people’s time. Don’t ask too much. And don’t ever ever ask people to follow you. “Follow me back?” is the saddest question on the Internet." (Page 107). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Don't do what drains you. Don't give air to people who drains you. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Keep close those people who support and encourage you. Those you share your passions and view of the world. Praise them. Honor them. Be grateful for them. Collaborate with them. They're your inner circle. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Meet your online peers in person. </span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i>8. LEARN TO TAKE A PUNCH.</i> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Relax and breeth. Criticism is not the end of the world. <br />> The more criticism you take, the less it can hurt you. <br />> You can only control how you react to criticism .<br />> Being hated by certain people is sometimes a badge of honor. <br />> You can always hide work that is too close to you to prevent it from being criticized, but avoiding vulnerability won't allow you truly to connect to other people.<br />> Your work is something you do, not what you are. <br />> Care only about what the right people think of you. <br />> Don't feed the trolls. Block people. Turn comments off if necessary. <br /><i>9. SELL OUT.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Turn fans into patrons. <br />> Ask for support when necessary. <br />> Keep a e-mailing list. Free giveaways are great to collect emails and have a group of people to connect, share or sell. <br />> Paid it forward. Praise those people, platforms or organizations that support/ed you before you were well-known. <br /><i>10 STICK AROUND</i>. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Getting there takes time. If you keep going,you'll get there. Don't quit too early. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Success is never guaranteed, and nothing guarantees that after a success there will be another one. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Persevere no matter you're successful or not. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Use the end of one project to light up the next one. Ask yourself what you missed, what you could’ve done better, or what you couldn’t get to, and jump right into the next project.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Take long breaks or sabbaticals if necessary. Otherwise, take advantage of your idle time (commuting, exercising, enjoying nature or going to a park). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> When you feel like you’ve learned whatever there is to learn from what you’re doing, change course and find something new to learn; move forward.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGCzZi6J6DlL0bLqDzDF2B_lLgzwgmqYDHhlzbQi2r8-qlR6PrAq8k7ddHe4vpmKjVCCCWeVA5aS73-ZQox4Sr0KDuQOciwFFIw3QAMyR7kBTjyKQ_rwEjbg619gz-0QjxVj_1rZcEhvchM8peddsenjBM7z0VVFjNGyd68zLbZkiafFYh1KAT_DqT1w/s1805/81XRFm2vKvL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1805" data-original-width="1803" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGCzZi6J6DlL0bLqDzDF2B_lLgzwgmqYDHhlzbQi2r8-qlR6PrAq8k7ddHe4vpmKjVCCCWeVA5aS73-ZQox4Sr0KDuQOciwFFIw3QAMyR7kBTjyKQ_rwEjbg619gz-0QjxVj_1rZcEhvchM8peddsenjBM7z0VVFjNGyd68zLbZkiafFYh1KAT_DqT1w/w200-h200/81XRFm2vKvL.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>MIND</b></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> This book is not a how-to and doesn't have an in-built method. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> The book focuses mostly on our presence online, how to show our work online . <br /></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-2623095419351785872023-04-29T04:44:00.001-07:002023-04-29T04:49:47.885-07:00Mixed-Media Master Class with Sherrill Kahn by Sherril Kahn (2013)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS08WkfTiHrccFFd3lDfWbmAnfVnXUIZOs3laH8FAY4UZaN0kTEXJrrCPZyFjl4iLzGmwWzg8AbtP8Pp__yTodUHJziBdhZpYH1pJ5aFZwNE511RWMG4ZyGtLZfcJzMGYgfPZ0_6ZiKmuRsIJtV7kfUPy24NMmZLy6rRC6_qdN93pUbs1-Tm9woAVRsQ/s1360/mixedmediamasterclass.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="1051" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS08WkfTiHrccFFd3lDfWbmAnfVnXUIZOs3laH8FAY4UZaN0kTEXJrrCPZyFjl4iLzGmwWzg8AbtP8Pp__yTodUHJziBdhZpYH1pJ5aFZwNE511RWMG4ZyGtLZfcJzMGYgfPZ0_6ZiKmuRsIJtV7kfUPy24NMmZLy6rRC6_qdN93pUbs1-Tm9woAVRsQ/w154-h200/mixedmediamasterclass.jpg" width="154" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">This is one of those books that you want to have on our table when you start your mixed-media journey. I wish I had it on mine when I first started. Ten years have elapsed since the book was first published, but some of the techniques and content are still relevant and many of the techniques and supplies were unknown to me. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">This is a how-to book. I consider it good for for both mixed-media newbies or people who usually work with mixed-media but want to expand their technical repertoire. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Kahn says at the beginning of the book that her aim is just to provide us with techniques so that we can try them and/or incorporate them into our artwork, and she stresses that they're just techniques to use to create pieces that will then be incorporated into our artwork, so they're not intended to create masterpieces or finished pieces on their own. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="599" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2byDgtCR5txG2GMcWYFaMNah-rQ6vcJZ0iVoWMSHB6bEPDprjpTg9EfWBAfcnRG5n8NJNmHD_CjkBx-b_NGVsR5a1S3a4FaAOQvUAkG3GXimlzs2GbMb3EsVvI5IiM2lEwnWXNjW4IhGds2IZnvDxgLoskJlpinH9p7W-91sVfs0Ox42YYnmlJ7qjg/w156-h200/Screenshot%20(20230429-204720).jpg" width="156" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="758" data-original-width="582" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1VjShwpzwETPzvqIKvepnATJ7dsAk0wCHnWomE_9pS9F1YDO8xXl9TEQ8bbA7BIESD32Y6CL78YemFkaPtiFmapyqN-r05cPV72LXYQcbO3RkPC-U1NaTxFIjLgHY_SJmlDWgzL2bffCcSiYj6DcxdI3TQQdpGgYR9tfQM9W_Meht_dgF98LmlrMPvg/w154-h200/Screenshot%20(20230429-210231).jpg" width="154" /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>GREAT THINGS</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Greatly photographed and edited. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Kahn goes through every technique, from the use of different subtracts, techniques to create resist, use of different art supplies, ways to create textures, rubbings and hand-printing techniques, you name it. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> The book reads quickly, but this is one of those books that I want to keep at hand to come and apply some of the teachings in my work. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Kahn has an amazing knowledge of how different paper and textile substrates work, so she's able to properly advice on how the same technique works on different materials. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> The abstract artwork displayed on the book is gorgeous and very much my cup of tea. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> The tutorial to make a folding book. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> She uses inexpensive supplies most of the time, so that's great as I think this pushes us, or at least me, to try things without worrying about having this or that fancy supply. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> The last section of her book has examples of ho Khan put together some art pieces using the techniques she describes throughout the book. They're so beautiful. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="621" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgigGWOnlJ1AVbxGt8pMuEIWiH5dsQqI1HsMvsxNUALtieKFlUYT_7DGI-iZfKab1Vzadm5P458j8_3UqOpflOQy9F9LX6-EGYv35nak2fgdHjRV8LLtN9DNSuVKJlvY4Jh7cB3sYKTksQuvY-QVYQPWVBzvZH-NfuveS4HXW7qORrUdls3Jf0H5V8Dew/w159-h200/Screenshot%20(20230429-203106).jpg" width="159" /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzeDWneR6A6XoTA0zIYAqC32filA5CPvQda87FSWORWoFjd7EehPU_12Q3mYlLwpv1bpTaR5Mz_rTl-O2cmujtB_kYVylskqnhaSvngMKzPIDQRXJ68F1vcpkKstnSZ1CGTBFT_ANrzWJLgohqi1LT93l3RiSG_DGEN6UH-pGVAYPYuYdBxJjX5AZzYw/s770/Screenshot%20(20230429-203333).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="595" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzeDWneR6A6XoTA0zIYAqC32filA5CPvQda87FSWORWoFjd7EehPU_12Q3mYlLwpv1bpTaR5Mz_rTl-O2cmujtB_kYVylskqnhaSvngMKzPIDQRXJ68F1vcpkKstnSZ1CGTBFT_ANrzWJLgohqi1LT93l3RiSG_DGEN6UH-pGVAYPYuYdBxJjX5AZzYw/w154-h200/Screenshot%20(20230429-203333).jpg" width="154" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>SO-SO</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> We live in a world bombarded with video-tutorials and some of the things presented here are already popular and well-known. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> The text is not justified, something that always bothers me. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Some of the brands that Kahn mentions might be very common in the US but not elsewhere. I would have loved having a replacement mentioned, or just a generic product mentioned. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Thermofax machines were becoming uncommon when Kahn wrote her book and I don't think they're that common today. I have never heard for them, anyway. So, I don't think this is something that the average artist has access to. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="785" data-original-width="591" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-uINToM4kQ_4xoUk3DAxu4vYUR0-kRgktU-x6ljWxA4nEf9IyG18GQtbeIyanuktg_bYpQ_vSDH7JHlndGPaN15W0TYzgH2-2-xGoGm9LbVMiXb9NI1EYGzwR8Am5elNkAItKE7p_uwNl86wpc1lHmfRo1GHwNztaLQcuqO9NygRgY07GcEwxNp_ZIA/w151-h200/Screenshot%20(20230429-203016).jpg" width="151" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="601" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVjUym1ZNmKk-latqD1-fFPQ-zyc6s6zChCKiye1KpszhEHVUB3x14eGEfT9NNoBkWiT4N4TXIOqQn_M1-V8OCmpZiDuuu3I_PxYfiMDiz9q-mk_ddwUPRXcMHpX3z7mEnuEQPU026gQWFa7UhlUSZ2qVqWpZi20ANyV04mDl-4bQzBpsugwnBidBGAg/w154-h200/Screenshot%20(20230429-204543).jpg" width="154" /></div></div>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-89046365154143229782023-04-28T23:16:00.002-07:002023-04-29T00:04:45.208-07:00Explore Mixed Media Collage: Innovative Layering Techniques by Kristen Robinson & Ruth Rae (2014)<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSOqXBU5TpEmDUfqIIGxcy31Br5hZVBGpuBmHfTxtctexfGv7IfK_DFGD0dWKBUL_8mLksGOzi3e6ddZStvce7q3SI4DoDrmUC2JkSv-09T8Rk5WuPHlyZVKhIawOKWmvJjGwuhab4jE5_le2vpVluj1dNdwkxGaq7bgCNtu7za5xIzHXz2BmCQBiNw/s500/mixedmediatut.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="375" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSOqXBU5TpEmDUfqIIGxcy31Br5hZVBGpuBmHfTxtctexfGv7IfK_DFGD0dWKBUL_8mLksGOzi3e6ddZStvce7q3SI4DoDrmUC2JkSv-09T8Rk5WuPHlyZVKhIawOKWmvJjGwuhab4jE5_le2vpVluj1dNdwkxGaq7bgCNtu7za5xIzHXz2BmCQBiNw/w150-h200/mixedmediatut.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>This is a very handy book for both beginners and intermediate crafters
and mixed-media painters. It contains plenty of techniques, tips, creative
ideas and projects to try on and get inspired by.<br /><br />The book is divided in three parts.
The first one contains all the techniques that the authors will use in
the following mixed-media projects but isolated and photographed step by
step with simple clear effective descriptions. The second part contains
tutorials for 12 different projects by both authors, which are photographed and described step by step in the same effective manner as before. The third part contains 10 new projects, but they aren't
photographed step-by-step, just the steps described. <br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="744" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtCDPvUP0pXrfHHbJ_SzedwynCNtLd8K_qb40AiDnn_J3mh2xfrB29xATftAIdgjFXt7OBsBd-w9IMyNCFld2uwl0WTRN3qCCE_atWEHz6x783i0Pg-0dL8k-VjdI8vaqsnbAuv2yqPmJV1uxvY1cvGzE2ue0lM-ntsA1TwuAlB0SOqSL0yruzgudlA/w184-h200/Screenshot%20(20230429-154014).jpg" width="184" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="597" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigNfCBTRgaLa1tAwNmEUD8KOcR961iqJsaT8tWcwZqnZ-qNC9hiDQ-mv3emBhcKz4ucvy5Zn2iGSZLkEv-QeH34w2E6kMOfrK7eEco7bkDTy2UybxXSdLupT7B19vlQQ1RcDpeukJoqinRHSnvkVa8aakUSVYwIaEJzHsEk386tYcIW94Xqxo0kC8MHA/w152-h200/Screenshot%20(20230429-154303).jpg" width="152" /> </div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>THE GOODIES</b></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br />> I got plenty of inspiration and some ideas despite having worked on mixed-media for a while.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> The book is unpretentious and goes to the point.<br />> The tutorials are photographed and short-described wonderfully, so you can follow them quickly and effectively.<br />> Some of the tips spread throughout the book are extremely helpful.<br />> I love the fact that the authors use stitching, fabrics as well as sealing wax and wax in general as the results are very tactile and visually rich. <br />> The variety of styles and complexity in the projects included. It goes from the very simple to the challenging. I especially loved the projects Bounty of secrets, Our House, Devotion Shrine, Sweet Heart, Birds Nest, Kindness to Ruth, Flight, and My Secret Heart Hopes. <br />> Good quality photographs. <br />> No typos in view and good edition overall. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> The book having a index of subjects at the end, something that I always love. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> A quick read, but it can be used as a reference guide, as well. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="699" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ezG6drG74maGZ_oA3R08gCIsVIQhvvWbWI1o5Iv-4davy_qhgCy0ps6GX0ruz0BuHzMUzkK-vMvoW4QQY0a4mAvKSkoUSN2gWzrhD1kP_zoU2kdK4QmilqFE2MrWrcU2FgokovHI610zZ0rGShKxkQpNIc7Ht7f0Jcg6c1DNPvfmilWgBUBDy3vgRg/w148-h200/Screenshot%20(20230429-155814).jpg" width="148" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="948" data-original-width="670" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQilBpDQw5RITh0sot1FChs7GaB667ZOr5Mzgcn57aTfX9DBgqf-DKa0uE-VLm5Yx4vL_7WpMTPnyXL_eZlWPZ_K4pqeyaQ83PeUypP_mfF0clfGEpfoa1VeFlcYXPM-kaxYShSpoRbPaJwoV6OZ9pi8_iWXfLx9kF9CfmKlHNHzF070jy1BEyFFct1Q/w141-h200/Screenshot%20(20230429-155826).jpg" width="141" /> </div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>DOWNSIDES</b></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">>
The book feels a bit aged in some parts, but some of the techniques and results must have been groundbreaking when the book first came out 9 years ago </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Some of the techniques are very basic and won't be helpful to people who already work on mixed-media like me. <br />> I miss the second batch of projects being photographed step-by-step like the first. I don't know why they did it this way, to be honest. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Ain't a fan of rhinestones on artwork unless they're vintage, small and delicate. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Text isn't justified. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="913" data-original-width="643" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rNad5kb2C5V8GDlMNtHs2hwGxvhAtPHEGEo3YRtL7Eb6vGlHxcoZygUyQhpXK0roqFs3o8-BiMwZtD7U_OwDajLcdjXUJMoWJ9VCBg99aLSoT3t5OQznUQZi0QqSuzfCkq-s1SB7NMUfKK_nbfoNGPyfE2Swe4BbYmV351r6de1VDeq5vaBWplyCRw/w141-h200/Screenshot%20(20230429-155840).jpg" width="141" /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHlQ8hC1l9Xhv15ob846aj0-pmrTUUginl8NBbQNhIe9CbNQWz0Q2h8YPDN30oPS8gPQZPBzl2w1PGOUV35lw7tnD-4co7-6DFm30M4JTivg-D_GPiR1qcwCEnA-5AbzbTLQO4CVk_W3AeKmYhBE9KqfllUkzrRQueBFOZfc0lMdAvRQQLONxBsbnxA/s914/Screenshot%20(20230429-155638).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="614" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHlQ8hC1l9Xhv15ob846aj0-pmrTUUginl8NBbQNhIe9CbNQWz0Q2h8YPDN30oPS8gPQZPBzl2w1PGOUV35lw7tnD-4co7-6DFm30M4JTivg-D_GPiR1qcwCEnA-5AbzbTLQO4CVk_W3AeKmYhBE9KqfllUkzrRQueBFOZfc0lMdAvRQQLONxBsbnxA/w134-h200/Screenshot%20(20230429-155638).jpg" width="134" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-51583419750109239492023-04-22T22:22:00.002-07:002023-04-22T22:50:48.790-07:00Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad (2019)<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIt0ax8B0bG07JHCXxBiWGrJ9CaIMpKKMKsBWs6YgFTi19Hwb3nWfEi-8KpfhylZSXY602xyaf6JCObozxh72AMA8V52lRnBvxe4OFGq41Dqda5sy-l4dLyEUpIsLhtDET2JkVbmTFWbumNEgeawdXBwJVuH3tRiXKjGYylB2-RPpW6tA4GnVflfNf0g/s500/keepgoing.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIt0ax8B0bG07JHCXxBiWGrJ9CaIMpKKMKsBWs6YgFTi19Hwb3nWfEi-8KpfhylZSXY602xyaf6JCObozxh72AMA8V52lRnBvxe4OFGq41Dqda5sy-l4dLyEUpIsLhtDET2JkVbmTFWbumNEgeawdXBwJVuH3tRiXKjGYylB2-RPpW6tA4GnVflfNf0g/w200-h200/keepgoing.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>This is the second Kleon's book I read and the second from the trilogy directed to artists and creators. Like the first book, <a href="https://mtcrenshaw.blogspot.com/2023/02/i-have-very-mixed-feelings-about-this.html">Steal like an Artist</a>, it's a very enjoyable read, full of common sense and very down-to-earth advice. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Kleon departs from the premise that creative work is hard and it doesn't get easier even if you make a living out of it or are a famous artist. He debunks </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">the stereotypical image of an artist as a chaotic
flamboyant individual who's genius is boundless and has a semi-hippy life, that is, the image in the collective imagination. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">There
is more personal insights into Kleon's life in this book than in the previous one, I'd
say, and I appreciate that as I want to hear Kleon's voice, which might
be the sum of his influences, but it's still personal; after all, he's not the many people
he quotes from. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">I really like when Kleon gives us an insight into his own experience and life and not into someone's else. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">This book is also more philosophical than the first one, and I really enjoy that. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Keep Going is written in a simple way that has no pretense or jargon and is easy to understand. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">I love the illustrated vignettes and highlight
boxes summarizing points discussed, the author's personal views on things, or relevant quotes.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Regarding the digital edition, I
haven't found any typo or grammatical error. The structure, style and font use tell me
immediately that this is a Kleon's book. The book includes a short bibliography, which is great. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="805" data-original-width="829" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXJn9bEZi_4c9DUea27Dp_q873iLc6ipT5i6paDVza4OlaZ5ztSfuezJWVo8yQPUOskcJK0CHQKR0nSgAHaEbMjQQhpVpp5yRhZVp-z_GOihvapgFyyEKn0CZWQBnxPqakmsmwqVVnq-nXOqGuRIWuhbKo8xRSPzWPEQ_ojG7-Tof6RAjgiIFEZ0cVg/w200-h194/Screenshot%202023-04-23%20131205.png" width="200" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="784" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNenaThLFa2Pn_QSAu4YlBjwdPD4SjoVgNMMHePqaoE8LGJoZkHu-IbF0-MD6nnl58rv-w3IrLACdFD2JmqO8e6tiiZx_mx1ew430OxfNhWWVQ_m89rCmAuKmqux8zSCo5ghOw5urDKodFUiB8wlcopEEu0fSOXhJGXhEHpLHM1hCdcYgTG7sOTDzcQ/w196-h200/Screenshot%202023-04-23%20130837.png" width="196" /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>THE SO-SOS</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">This
book sins are similar to those I pinpointed in his previous book.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> The
content is still lean, and this feels, again, another diary/booklet/blog
turned into a book, what I call a blook, by adding generous margins,
large illustrations, frame boxes, humongous headings and plenty of blank
pages. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Like the first time around, there are too many quotes for my
taste. Not that I don't like most of them,but there are too many, so
Kleon's voice is always muffled by someone's else with his own consent. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> I also think that some of the chapters could have been meshed together, like chapter 2 and part of chapter 8, and chapters 5 and part of 9, and chapter 6 and part of 9.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Kleon says "<i>If we do not get outside, if we do not take a walk out in the fresh air, we do not see our everyday world for what it really is, and we have no vision of our own with which to combat disinformation</i>." (Page 129). I think this is a bit of empty talk, having a walk around the park won't battle disinformation, having a critical mind will. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> I miss the book having the quotes he includes in properly quoted, like the name of the person, occupation (painter, philosopher, writer, etc.) and the source from it comes from (like a book, or TV interview for ex.).<br /></span></div></div></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6M-YA1DfN6148Y0wfFjl29xzh9FuTk4rGi9tSFt1C3lsTP9rDw-0zxz-2bXevhfL6xL6upd5XMe-RCsvtryT1LszzLqOysO2wqEGTkrar7jyZloW6dR_2-1_oTNvrInjS9UDiYqEDiXguXjM5Ov0IovU-yIfhGHjdfMbRtRqEYkFwPh9CxsAoipbOg/s1920/Screenshot%20(20230423-141535).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6M-YA1DfN6148Y0wfFjl29xzh9FuTk4rGi9tSFt1C3lsTP9rDw-0zxz-2bXevhfL6xL6upd5XMe-RCsvtryT1LszzLqOysO2wqEGTkrar7jyZloW6dR_2-1_oTNvrInjS9UDiYqEDiXguXjM5Ov0IovU-yIfhGHjdfMbRtRqEYkFwPh9CxsAoipbOg/s320/Screenshot%20(20230423-141535).jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b> <br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>THE TEN WAYS</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">1/</span></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b> EVERYDAY IS GROUNDHOG DAY. </b>Take a day at a time as you never arrive at destination when you're are an artist. Life is full of ebbs and flows, so setting up a daily routine forces you to do something even when you don't know what. Even if you are inspired, it will help you not to waste your time. To set up your routine pay attention to the time you're usually more creative, or the times you can spare from work or family duties. Routine gives your direction and movement. When the day is over, be kind to yourself and remember and be grateful for all the good things that happened to you during the day. Do to-do lists, they will help you on track. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">2/ </span></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>BUILD A BLISS STATION. </b>Having
some disconnected time from our overly-connected overly/shared world and having some silence and solitude will favor your work
and creativity as you'll be able to connect to yourself. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Set up your work station in the way it works for you personally, something that varies from person to person. Condo's advice is not really relevant for creative spaces. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Don't wake up to the news or the Internet. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Say no to social interactions that are not relevant to you and say yes to yourself instead. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">3/ FORGET THE NOUN, DO THE VERB. </span></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Keep doing what you meant to be doing, writing, painting, sculpting, etc. Don't focus on the thing that you're trying to be or do, but on the work. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Don't take it too seriously; work with a sense of playfulness, like children do. </span><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">4/</span></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> <b>MAKE GIFTS. </b>Forget the art market, put making money at the back of your mind even if this is your way of living. Do what you love for yourself or others. Gift friends and family some of your art. When we try to monetize, there is pressure, there is adaptation and sometimes we lose our North or genuine self. If you put your artwork online, ignore the metrics, the likes, dislikes, views, ratings and so on. Don't get obsessed with analytics.</span><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">5/ THE ORDINARY + EXTRA ATTENTION = THE EXTRAORDINARY. </span></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Pay extra attention to the ordinary, the every day, so you can notice what's special or extraordinary. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Find magic in the mundane and translate this into art. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Slow down, get outside and draw/sketch anything.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Notice what you pay attention to or you usually do.</span><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">If you want to change your life, change what you pay attention to. </span><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">6/ SLAY THE ART MONSTERS. </span></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">We all have our our monsters and art monsters inside. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">If making art is ruining your life or somebody else's, it is not worth going on. The world needs more good people not more artists. </span><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">7/ YOU ARE ALLOWED TO CHANGE YOUR MIND. </span></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Changing once's mind is perfectly OK. Art thrives on uncertainty. We don't know what we'll end up with when we start each work. We don't know everything. We should be open to change.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> We need of other people to think us think so that we can think ourselves. Only in an environment that has diversity of opinions we can learn and grow. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Like-minded people keep you just where you are. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Seek people who are like-hearted, who might not agree with your opinions but do this kindly and help you get a different point of view. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> Also, revisit the past to get new ideas (as the adage goes, everything has already been said) but put your spin on them</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">, resurrect them, reinvent them, turn them around. </span><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">8/ WHEN IN DOUBT, TIDY UP.</span></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> Y</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">ou’re often most creative when you’re the least productive. There’s a balance in a workspace between chaos and order. Keep your tools organized and your materials messy. Tidying up a studio is a way of procrastination, of deflecting your attention from what you want to do, yet it allows you to clear your mind, or come across stuff that you didn't know you had or where it was.<br />> Another way of de-cluttering your mind is also having a nap. <br />> Tide-up your external world. Go an collect rubbish from your local beach for example, <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><b>9/ DEMONS HATE FRESH AIR.</b></span><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Exercising is one of the best tools to fight your demons. Walking is good for your physical, mental and spiritual health, great for problem solving and to help you with your artistic endeavors. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Art requires awakening your senses and walking/exercising is a perfect way to do that. </span><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">10/ PLANT YOUR GARDEN.</span></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">Creativity, like the weather, has its seasons and we need to know which one we're in and be patient in the off-seasons. Our lives have seasons but some people blossom at a young age and others at an old age. Every day is a potential seed that we can grow into something beautiful.</span><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="972" data-original-width="1106" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWZfV6Xi0Etfqp4tU20F38u9M3r3aCe9dyYGn-rA110VyGQ4Wo3nlJZ1SKKSm_giOhlFKjyoGUBr9F6vl4XuZIL7QLhOAYgTlh5JA5iU7CkFr1q1FGSAVb6ZezXKHqyJwivh4xpZSJAHagvlQuD2xKa2ASzbtt9MUQ1xEWVYn5oxHjN7UeegGC1Kj_Q/w200-h176/Capture2.PNG" width="200" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="882" data-original-width="1144" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhplrdDZ9KZ9ECBa2cMjSFJn6io9ITtP17C5ulciYNoP8GYZqOCpKm6o6v4qQxlTdjtVcQerM5MN5bTABlXEvgG586rwyMT-BJBMaWLH1GKOw7HBF6syeMOaLA80vOrs0f3iL0ZYWPJHWStreoQZwzLEedZ6Q4tHudJ8lc8BD6dPbKf5AzDtsOB9XIOqA/w200-h154/capture.PNG" width="200" /></div></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>PEARLS OF WISDOM</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> <i>Nothing makes play more fun than some new toys. Seek out unfamiliar tools and materials. Find something new to fiddle with. Another trick: When nothing’s fun anymore, try to make the worst thing you can. The ugliest drawing. The crummiest poem. The most obnoxious song. Making intentionally bad art is a ton of fun. Finally, try hanging out with young kids</i>. (Page 56-57). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> </span><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">"</span></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i>When
you start making a living from your work, resist the urge to monetize
every single bit of your creative practice. Be sure there’s at least a
tiny part of you that’s off-limits to the marketplace.</i></span><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> (...) </span></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i>draw the line between what you will and won’t do for money</i></span><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">.</span></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">"</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> (Page 64). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> >"</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><i>When
you ignore quantitative measurements for a bit, you can get back to
qualitative measurements. Is it good? Really good? Do you like it? You
can also focus more on what the work does that can’t be measured. What
it does to your soul"</i></span><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">(Page 68).</span><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> <i>"When
you have a system for going back through your work, you can better see
the bigger picture of what you’ve been up to, and what you should do
next</i>." (Page 86). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> "<i>Thinking requires an environment in which you can try out all sorts of ideas and not be judged for them. To change your mind, you need a good place to have some bad ideas</i>." (Page 102). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> "<i>When you’re only interacting with like-minded people all the time, there’s less and less opportunity to be changed. Everybody knows that feeling you get when you’re hanging out with people who love the same art, listen to the same music, and watch the same movies: It’s comforting at first, but it can also become incredibly boring and ultimately stifling.</i>" (Page 105). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> "<i>Art is not only made from things that “spark joy.” Art is also made out of what is ugly or repulsive to us. Part of the artist’s job is to help tidy up the place, to make order out of chaos, to turn trash into treasure, to show us beauty where we can’t see it." </i> (Page 125). </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">> "<i>I don’t want to know how a thirty-year-old became rich and famous; I want to hear how an eighty-year-old spent her life in obscurity, kept making art, and lived a happy life</i>." (Page 139). <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUcY6t_70ofCAXKUVw3daUYoNjDi6ZyurljQErdhg-QcsCb0MCsTniQym-tE4yjeps9-K-SEK1_h9hdCRtv9r288BERYbC9JCIKh9otIOPNPKi4x_nHaxC_HeroxDxSgEz6yWbMDlWkpYOuKM0JATw5w01_qbWRl7jdAzfDgp92typfQeuveCJ36HIQ/s1920/Screenshot%20(20230423-135143).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUcY6t_70ofCAXKUVw3daUYoNjDi6ZyurljQErdhg-QcsCb0MCsTniQym-tE4yjeps9-K-SEK1_h9hdCRtv9r288BERYbC9JCIKh9otIOPNPKi4x_nHaxC_HeroxDxSgEz6yWbMDlWkpYOuKM0JATw5w01_qbWRl7jdAzfDgp92typfQeuveCJ36HIQ/s320/Screenshot%20(20230423-135143).jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><b>IN SHORT</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">A very enjoyable reading, full of wisdom, sound advice and food for thought. But it reads more like a blog than anything else, it has too many quotes, and everything he says it has already been said. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span><br /></div>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-54599300296856180252023-02-17T19:56:00.001-08:002023-02-17T20:09:16.702-08:00Steal Like an Artist. 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon (2012)<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievAKoUQLuSWwy-61wDvdxiWO2VK5Mc26zWIxR-DINBEzcsbSgh2yJUlYagUHDef79sZ-1r2q3frhNB7IixpRQa_wNy7oleRqx-MNPvJQBdtCtaMpJ6J9CQHzQmUGej77jvEGWmePveYASGIeVXgAd1iRt0bpTC55BDMDWS16gAAYc4sau0n8XWIIs7w/s1805/steal1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1795" data-original-width="1805" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievAKoUQLuSWwy-61wDvdxiWO2VK5Mc26zWIxR-DINBEzcsbSgh2yJUlYagUHDef79sZ-1r2q3frhNB7IixpRQa_wNy7oleRqx-MNPvJQBdtCtaMpJ6J9CQHzQmUGej77jvEGWmePveYASGIeVXgAd1iRt0bpTC55BDMDWS16gAAYc4sau0n8XWIIs7w/w200-h199/steal1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have very mixed feelings about this book.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>I LOVED </b></span><br />> The author's colloquial language and lack of pretense. <br />> Good edition without typos or language oddities in view. The digital edition is acceptable and can be bookmarked. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The illustrations and note-cards spread throughout the book. The illustrations and note-cards spread throughout the book. I thought that some of the discarded task cards were excellent!. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The very down-to-earth approach to art and artistic creation. </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> A few good ideas. My favs are:<br />--- Find your own creative/artistic genealogical tree and position yourself in one of the branches where you stand alone as a result of what has influenced you. The way this is explained is really simple, effective and inspiring.<br />--- "<i>The reason to copy your heroes and their style is so that you might somehow get a glimpse into their minds</i>." (Page 38). </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">--- <i>He puts the idea of the rebel artist in the bin. "I’m a boring guy with a nine-to-five job who lives in a quiet neighborhood with his wife and his dog. That whole romantic image of the creative genius doing drugs and running around and sleeping with everyone is played out. It’s for the superhuman and the people who want to die young. The thing is: It takes a lot of energy to be creative. You don’t have that energy if you waste it on other stuff</i>." (Page 98). <br />--- "T<i>he art of holding on to money is all about saying no to consumer culture. Saying no to takeout, $4 lattes, and that shiny new computer when the old one still works fine</i>." (Page 99). <br />--- The Logbook idea and focusing just on the good things that happened, which are often overlooked due to something negative taking all of our energy and thoughts. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8AXK2KckZgXhdCbepASV-q2bbSdA_1XP_S_PlFh-W4usVJPhusExhU_9CF5W1-553yNtu19t0LpuIdSQkS_drQzLcvYisetgheuRDJZy9aCg9_c1NcPiFI8eatYEjx98aaT3OBO-3vvAuZHuip9AaQ61Pot3DJ8NCYLTauQvbnq3v9WQ098zV2H0yEA/w200-h113/Screenshot%20(12h%2056m%2050s).png" width="200" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="2560" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxGFLAZXJuC9lyLmGBXnQPlSE_p_evPviLRyPj6XuXyZjRi7y-NIpaGWZ00a5ouDEZj-0Ch2TUyib-IA1RvLUDhQ7iw4r90w4050M0ktmwQbFa7AGxsMv52tzDf6IUARC9Z49mCr_BvSuGuo51E0xc9iexsvd3Lf3kzuGVeIg92xHnymID7wh1P5JAbw/w200-h100/steal3.jpg" width="200" /></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>NOT SURE</b></span><br />> > Kleon sometimes struggles making clear that you have to stay home and work, but at the same time go out and do nothing, procrastinate to allow the creative spark to spark. Like I get that there is a balance, you cannot be consumed by your art because it will consume you and you'll get an artistic block, that ideas and inspiration sometimes come from your siesta, your walk or your music/movie streaming. Yet, the way it 's put in the book feels like he's saying something and then the contrary.. <br />> "<i>Draw the art you want to see, start the business you want to run, play the music you want to hear, write the books you want to</i>" (Page 46). I agree and disagree with this. My fav art is abstract and surrealism, but what I hand paint is mostly abstracts. I sometimes paint surreal-hinted imagery and I do mostly surreal when playing digitally. So, in short I don't always want to do the art I love the most. Also, the fact that I love surreal paintings (not only digital collage) doesn't mean that I can draw well and realistically. You know what I'm saying'?<br />> "<i>Don’t worry about unity—what unifies your work is the fact that you made it. One day, you’ll look back and it will all make sense</i>." (Page 63). I also agree and disagree. The cohesiveness of your artwork will come from things that give them unity, like your colour palette, mark making, textures, composition and energy. Yet, if there is not cohesiveness, there is no unity and it's not crystal clear that paint 1 and paint 2 belong to me. So, I worry about unity and cohesiveness. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> "<i>So get comfortable with being misunderstood, disparaged, or ignored—the trick is to be too busy doing your work to care</i>." (Page 93). Sometimes we don't understand some art and consider it 'bad'. I have heard tons of people saying this of Picasso's works because they don't get it neither viscerally or intellectually. But, it's also true that sometimes we dislike something because it's bad art, mediocre writing or not good enough. I can see my own flaws and struggles when I look at my artwork, and in all honesty I can tell when it is good or bad, even if somebody tells me, oh it's really nice. <br />> "<i>The trick is to find a day job that pays decently, doesn’t make you want to vomit, and leaves you with enough energy to make things in your spare time.</i>" (Page 102). That's the ideal, I agree wit this. However, employability decreases with age and area where you live, and whether the job that feeds you actually gives you enough money to survive. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnw0tayEonBBORXfUsKqNotw6F4iBXNNepUQAWI-s83wX2CTb0CmaUuOlvNERDHUmhD88ihPJpf2_IXuI_RpWY3CbvP_Xnwu9YiccKk3JXOCCNC9P_u2xvih8c9IB-qJGj1S5oAc7A7eM4j1FALo8P5N_M9u0149icRuzQozxrD78T6AwUniA3mfvPPg/w200-h113/Screenshot%20(17h%2021m%2039s).png" width="200" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQyYlSaAs9kPY14qh0zCR9y0-20vOX9KDGV1fpres9yHdMCcBD7_ehQOfpn11kTe_lS4AnjMf3ivgWCBLYGsZWzrK09BYx49oCzUo-IqRRQkTriv98UfH6GtvcuxQEIyY8le15_ekuqKuC3WjE_3R99x4zxX-bWbwNxS4WjPW7Bqb_XoeHdNxi-8s-2Q/w200-h113/Screenshot%20(18h%2005m%2052s).png" width="200" /></div><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>I DIDN'T LIKE </b></span><br />> The very lean content. More a booklet than a book due to the small number of pages and the fact that these have wide margins, some of them have just the section or the chapter title, and the font is on the large size overall plus the illustrations. <br />> The overwhelming presence of somebody's else quotes. I love quotes, mind you. The ones Kleon provides are of my liking. However, I consider constant quoting unnecessary because I guess the author has his own voice and can speak from there. Like, when there are so many quotes, I wonder why the author didn't gather all together and put them cozily packed under the heading, as this would have sufficed to give sound advice. Yet, I think that Kleon has plenty of stuff to say, it's just that he doesn't take the plunge. The quotes are like crutches he leans on when, in fact, he can walk on his two legs perfectly. <br />> Some lack of cohesion throughout the book. <br />> It feels like a published blog. If this was a blog, I'd like it. As a book, I think it lacks depth and tools to really inspire or support emerging artists and writers. </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Many of the ideas and sentences I liked could be put in a single blog entry. </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The book is full of platitudes, especially evident those about the Internet and traveling the world. <br />> Lack of conclusions or summing up of the main points in the book. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii9spPrjaiChNP5Rw3UhmFvccac5gNrgPoliNQBnb1xYwukeEwFwaF8gZvtshOq7cx7Sks-k0NZfqR-A74oJ80NCPRbG87YMIs0_yN7TDFKjQGi4B4Wa31UVlFuM8LQteJgr5iMZAGAGihcdvp99tYKfmqerfPgsP5pAHPCuxTXQdHTVbjzaBtvZ2L3Q/w200-h113/Screenshot%20(09h%2045m%2020s).png" width="200" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHWGjfOkU1MxCzJCawWP1IHG269zlo0yY0dspRDYMrDZLL3bhgJL5RoMoebtQWqe16pSHs6LXmiCerveSb9kDdGsLHz1TfxQjjL9QaCShJfk2ZsCvwNnUg1Bdm7rLY44Uj_EA7NbIgjbKj6ugShYsvttzJoKNY-xLYv0qw-i4YB5Z-aBos-00LFWngTQ/s1920/Screenshot%20(09h%2046m%2026s).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHWGjfOkU1MxCzJCawWP1IHG269zlo0yY0dspRDYMrDZLL3bhgJL5RoMoebtQWqe16pSHs6LXmiCerveSb9kDdGsLHz1TfxQjjL9QaCShJfk2ZsCvwNnUg1Bdm7rLY44Uj_EA7NbIgjbKj6ugShYsvttzJoKNY-xLYv0qw-i4YB5Z-aBos-00LFWngTQ/w200-h113/Screenshot%20(09h%2046m%2026s).png" width="200" /></a></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>IN SHORT </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">An enjoyable light reading with some good ideas for emerging artists and creative people. Bloggish and lacking depth, full of platitudes. Nice illustrations. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmO6cfwCFptZQsAOaakJo9B89iMI0VVOXrPZBTbKA7QPRIR0UTIovGAjSSilqsI4UBp7YxScOg4PzTg5NRBDz7Wapz6YUhQjIJVPREd-Kd_CdYWlC1QCiezbWPItRFTMd7tJvA1UDyL3eSsZ4_B5mUbjrHX9vOLgWb95tJhIHSVholQt0BlGsWBwcFJg/s1802/steal2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1795" data-original-width="1802" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmO6cfwCFptZQsAOaakJo9B89iMI0VVOXrPZBTbKA7QPRIR0UTIovGAjSSilqsI4UBp7YxScOg4PzTg5NRBDz7Wapz6YUhQjIJVPREd-Kd_CdYWlC1QCiezbWPItRFTMd7tJvA1UDyL3eSsZ4_B5mUbjrHX9vOLgWb95tJhIHSVholQt0BlGsWBwcFJg/w200-h199/steal2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-67219767815316167362023-01-30T01:40:00.004-08:002023-01-30T01:59:52.976-08:00 Small Space Style: Because You Don't Need to Live Large to Live Beautifully by Whitney Leigh Morris (2018)<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEEm7fLuLUuV4jFCUDq1CArDcI_bZ-D6_mHs0y9AFCKSXFYNc2i-6_bAVbXbycOErLc1o9kpAn7JmSQ4m2EMqzvzYGDDYoU3dFmKlCFm4DaKnVn3vOl-spyGZ_QuLgY8b1vQX6SuHZ3AqzaGr6T58D0k_qZ1lCm7CHqrQTI8uv_6tLOgGQ28-Dqa3f-g/s1785/SSS1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1785" data-original-width="1400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEEm7fLuLUuV4jFCUDq1CArDcI_bZ-D6_mHs0y9AFCKSXFYNc2i-6_bAVbXbycOErLc1o9kpAn7JmSQ4m2EMqzvzYGDDYoU3dFmKlCFm4DaKnVn3vOl-spyGZ_QuLgY8b1vQX6SuHZ3AqzaGr6T58D0k_qZ1lCm7CHqrQTI8uv_6tLOgGQ28-Dqa3f-g/w157-h200/SSS1.jpg" width="157" /></a></div>This book is a mixed of I'm showing you my tiny home, get ideas for a tiny minimalist home from me and my pals, and let's do some pretty DIY.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>WHAT I LIKED</b></span><br />> The edition of the book is awesome. Wonderful photos and illustrations, DIY tips and ideas.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The book is clearly and simply written and well structured. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> This is a good startup guide if you want to live in a tiny house or just have a tiny home and want to take advantage of any space available. There are many ideas and tips that I can see adopting in my place, even though my home is average, not tiny. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> I think this book can be really useful to renters, like me, who sometimes struggle to use a small apartment to its potential. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> I love the overall Boho decor, the mix of neutral tones and white, the airiness and lightness of the spaces, the basketry and pot plants and very much everything. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> This is a good repository of ideas that I can use to update a small property. Many of the ideas are simply cute and very practical and can be implemented in tiny or not tiny spaces. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33aRJVVAr3Oqb7RJrgsgRrN5K3g_7Kw8ssq5LwzF6IYIY-oiaRpUg5VNlYiUn6_8dDd8MPnzPUL9m3UAWTlRZ7XE67v7LcN0ArT6v-fa-Ut4eU-aOzvxXcfsy7o3E5G6LpZyDRxak4ZMVE3r9Q6tETHXoBFpr3C_A1Bm8GtOdYrLIo0df5aNZ-ftrNw/s2216/SSS4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="2216" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33aRJVVAr3Oqb7RJrgsgRrN5K3g_7Kw8ssq5LwzF6IYIY-oiaRpUg5VNlYiUn6_8dDd8MPnzPUL9m3UAWTlRZ7XE67v7LcN0ArT6v-fa-Ut4eU-aOzvxXcfsy7o3E5G6LpZyDRxak4ZMVE3r9Q6tETHXoBFpr3C_A1Bm8GtOdYrLIo0df5aNZ-ftrNw/w200-h126/SSS4.jpg" width="200" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="2216" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdTmMDRnE_eE1ZFdJdj9UZMuAfE-66-vvSQfTdgnhFeFslw4gucNf6otqSA3lM4iQQuZSvdc6zYF7xWS6A-qZ2Yp85B0MKiG0n2T1rCkcYSKpLtKMF-9XPdWz16d4ts-dj2XDQkVNGi_4L3rsup8tZUfGDJ7AS4nyZenxOJsP92lZp-9QmTVU-CA9JAQ/w200-h126/SSS3.jpg" width="200" /></div></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> If you watch tiny-home videos & blogs on the Internet, you'll have the tips and ideas in this book ready available. In other words, nothing new on the horizon. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> This book seems targeted to a young crowd, some things like loft upstairs would be a problem for some people with disabilities, knee problems or if you have a broken leg. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The space is great for singles or young families; if your children are in their teens, not sure whether this tiny place ideas would need of an overhaul.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The Boho style might not resonate with everyone.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The studio and home office section is really underdeveloped. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">-- Yes, for sure we can do most things from our laptops nowadays we can have a hole library on Kindle or digital format, but many of the things the author says apply to her and her life and I don't think represent many people who actually work from home and need way more stuff than a laptop in their tiny home. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">-- Taken, we all, me especially, have a thing for pretty stationery and have too many pencils, pens, markers, or whatever, so we can all reduce the junk. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">-- Now, what about if your work from home involve doing some craft or photographing things you make, or painting on paper? Just to name some obvious things.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">-- Ditching the office chair is just a bad idea if you spend 8 hrs working at home, because I've been there and that killed my back. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">-- Re ditching the printer, that's another not so good idea. It's great aiming to something that is small and that can be concealed. However, if you need to print A4 paper, there is a limit to the smallness. Also, why would I ditch my printer to go and print some pages to the local library, when, if, I did that, I wouldn't have the freedom to print many pages at my own time without having to take the car or public transport to go to a local library to get 2 sheets of paper printed; like it takes 5 minutes to switch the printer on and print 2 pages; how long would take me to go to my local library? Way more. What about if I need to print something on a Sunday. Like a basic good quality printer is actually super cheap and you can store it anywhere. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">-- Some professions require of reference materials or specialized books that aren't always available on digital format. I can borrow them from my local library or purchase them, but those are going to be on my studio and are often a few.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The author says in the Introduction that she's not minimalist or part of any movement, but her home and tips all lean towards minimalism and her home is definitely tiny. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="2216" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjduIIKOXTy-zAgTdpiyW_j5F_uDFPXiP6BorVbGvd8IluGa5pBT8SOTd8qwdjM71Ubvv_I9Q1RZW8fP7AtyI26g6U_HIh9rXHQwp0G-tUw3Hz82koQcbVoSkQpCQ_xjwp7YHil4lr865zdDHfxmnc_DBBG8abs5Sm84NkSQWsXzP4TTiqURfwuScvSHw/w200-h126/SSS5.jpg" width="200" /></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="2216" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5H_fFDGNnl747wOtd6yj6xWLWu8bEEFhUuundEw6VTu3BgnI9AxNPDOWoSbEAixiE9JRDJ32g1CyRtMh-ic6hvDh4FOlSfmbwfa2J2tpqIRcQBBK48M29AiUN9Ez3eviihVZpngZWGB8cFU2PUPxv1siFvLa6Fl3R-WxXjiFyKoJCTvDxWglsMwFUg/w200-h126/SSS7.jpg" width="200" /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>POOR DIGITAL EDITION </b><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The lettering contrast is deficient in some parts of the book, too faint to be comfortably read on on my 15"-screen laptop at 100% resolution. It's only possible to read it without squinting when I use 150% or full-screen mode. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The font size is overall too small to be comfortably read without magnifying to 150% or full-screen mode. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The table of contents don't display on the side bar. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The Index of Contents is not linked to the content area. </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> No bookmarks possible in this edition, which certainly defeats the purpose of having so many tips on each page that I would like to bookmark for future reference. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Due to the previous issues, the book is not practical or much usable on Kindle, so I'd rather have it on hard copy. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMqlliSrAphTYclqeIzaCW-dnkUH4wWWcQWVhsnJCMYlTRRiToHI2B2aj-EUX5tEOolagnrfXqQKbFrxGzd26VUd0FqSA8bBuw3XqnVgEu5UmujWDRez6TyKqe7nXY0TbNqcoQYPMcHCpukY3GsCqLGGbJn5i5XRz9rYxh6wF4T0hdlW3Se1zFdJC3g/s1920/Screenshot%20(19h%2042m%2036s).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMqlliSrAphTYclqeIzaCW-dnkUH4wWWcQWVhsnJCMYlTRRiToHI2B2aj-EUX5tEOolagnrfXqQKbFrxGzd26VUd0FqSA8bBuw3XqnVgEu5UmujWDRez6TyKqe7nXY0TbNqcoQYPMcHCpukY3GsCqLGGbJn5i5XRz9rYxh6wF4T0hdlW3Se1zFdJC3g/s320/Screenshot%20(19h%2042m%2036s).png" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">IN SHORT</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">OK book. Nothing new on the horizon of tiny homes. Pretty photos and cool ideas. One of those few books that I'd like to have on hard copy. <br /></span></span></div><p><br /></p>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-18191310436104973032023-01-25T19:01:00.005-08:002023-04-22T23:02:19.205-07:00Brave Intuitive Painting. Let go. Be Bold. Unfold by Flora Bowley (2012)<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigO88GT32qyqWhjcAeP4kwo50JRLiZxdIDjTexgziBRhhKSKN4OXQVnGfIBTLDgQucQBw9YZ9cYin9z43ZWbGAXMrjQQt2nWN7SEvS8QFBKcucn9j7jhTLihdS64vtd1pAA9YGMlAXjrrdL8R7coRgpQDaOIoY8KpCtrxo5lgf7djauO0De-B5F64LQA/s773/Screenshot%20(12h%2059m%2051s).png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="595" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigO88GT32qyqWhjcAeP4kwo50JRLiZxdIDjTexgziBRhhKSKN4OXQVnGfIBTLDgQucQBw9YZ9cYin9z43ZWbGAXMrjQQt2nWN7SEvS8QFBKcucn9j7jhTLihdS64vtd1pAA9YGMlAXjrrdL8R7coRgpQDaOIoY8KpCtrxo5lgf7djauO0De-B5F64LQA/w154-h200/Screenshot%20(12h%2059m%2051s).png" width="154" /></a></div>This book grew on me from the first pages, when I quite disliked it, to when I finished, which I really liked it. This isn't a tutorial kinda book, it's a book to harness your intuition for artistic purposes and give you tips, prompts and techniques that will translate that into your paintings.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I DID LIKE</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>>
The lovely design and style of the book, from the lettering to the
doodles incorporated into the pages to the gradient boxes with the
exercises. The book has high quality full-color reproductions, too. </span></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Some of Bowley's artwork displayed on the book.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>.
The technique prompts in the first chapters of the book are excellent,
especially for beginners and something that I haven't seen in other
teaching Art books. Prompts cover the use of water spray bottles,
fingers, rags, etching, stamping, and small brushes and foam brushes. I also loved the tip on how to create a glass palette<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Bowley provides us with a great selection of exercises to harness our intuition for artistic purposes. This is actually the best part of the book and something I haven't found in other Art books out there. We're given tools on how to approach a painting, how to go through the hurdles when we get stuck, how to finish a painting, when should we finish it, and how to create from our inner voice. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> The fact that Bowley advises us to ask ourselves 'what's working' (instead of what's not working) when we're stuck or when a painting isn't working. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>>
How simply but effectively color theory is explained in p. 59 and the
examples of which color combinations create/don't create mud in p. 69. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> The Taking
Stock section on page 120 contains 13 questions for us to ask ourselves before deciding whether a painting is finished or not. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKt7WJfCetlh6yG2wgdirVbWbqU70kkRMQddBDLiej9vd5ohzj9Drbd_A5lLVg3b6fseDwACpiqgjLVN8MlhB_00aKTX-Ag83_4ncpTW866xxpVvDySQfHLOziA5QfouxkbxRKAAS9TmzP_6jlYA6u10k2UtDsgSIKuaI7dfe6FyVE_tLK65AJsoxqXw/s816/Screenshot%20(12h%2059m%2029s).png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="609" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgokoyPzyWqPNnPvBP7fWr3u05jr897VQlJ8JQqDVV7AVne1vkDBT2q6rDhPJFY0yb49Jnk7ndibTpRmAOwTSny8J7ZWklNXQj0ZREFeT3gFUXsPF1lVIHWWygXB8yD4JLyZEJW-hLrZ-yAkvsZxfkM_goDXL2VWodXgiRZq7wyet2MYjG2fMHHl_64Xg/w159-h200/Screenshot%20(19h%2013m%2036s).png" width="159" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKt7WJfCetlh6yG2wgdirVbWbqU70kkRMQddBDLiej9vd5ohzj9Drbd_A5lLVg3b6fseDwACpiqgjLVN8MlhB_00aKTX-Ag83_4ncpTW866xxpVvDySQfHLOziA5QfouxkbxRKAAS9TmzP_6jlYA6u10k2UtDsgSIKuaI7dfe6FyVE_tLK65AJsoxqXw/s816/Screenshot%20(12h%2059m%2029s).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="721" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKt7WJfCetlh6yG2wgdirVbWbqU70kkRMQddBDLiej9vd5ohzj9Drbd_A5lLVg3b6fseDwACpiqgjLVN8MlhB_00aKTX-Ag83_4ncpTW866xxpVvDySQfHLOziA5QfouxkbxRKAAS9TmzP_6jlYA6u10k2UtDsgSIKuaI7dfe6FyVE_tLK65AJsoxqXw/w177-h200/Screenshot%20(12h%2059m%2029s).png" width="177" /></a></div><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">SO-SO</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> " Remember, only you can paint like you". (Page 112). </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">-- This isn't totally true. There are people painting The Monalisa like Da Vinci at the dozen in China and they're really great. Also, remember the forfeiting paint industry, which needs of super-qualified experts to distinguish the original from the copy. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> The Blindfolded finger painting exercise is fab, but what about if we don't paint on canvas and use A4 or A3 watercolor paper instead? </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> "Make sure you always have at least two canvases in progress at all times (...) as it allows one canvas to dry as you work on the other." (Page 66). </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">-- Not sure if this is valid for paper either.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> "It’s tempting, and very natural, to want to know what your paintings are going to look like before they are finished, but the truth is you never really know what the future holds. Incredible amounts of energy are wasted by chasing what you cannot catch." (Page 28). </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">-- I see this sort of statement repeated everywhere these days but it doesn't ring 100% true to me. Many artists and art masters in the past have painted and paint on commission and within strict guidelines, or like to produce whatever final product, like a realistic portrait of the Queen, just to mention something. I don't think that all artists let their creativity go wild. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Bowley's paintings in the book aren't named or dated. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="602" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_cIwClIji2MX8vpuZr9Cnh1lxvBUzlxck-CB23xbtiNW0kqTZZla_rpw47LF56n-bbH5DcrnxpoyRvwMbX6-s4w_a0PmMOs0hOUPvDZXK9MryTXXk8FKmnWCwmMSQqKFxLIBC11R_kA8al06jEGwIWjJZV0LobgQ-hoyuj9b7wqliULshq1MvR1Rd8w/w154-h200/Screenshot%20(18h%2038m%2027s).png" width="154" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="602" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibiYLwqVMWup5xh_j9nBePKeYOsn_W4HZwczFq6q1C3vtxM03sYpFmrRaAMIQ5Seoi-1RkhJGB5pEtmZf8893awtDqglvvovIInoW700FuibaI83ECpCb-Fj62F0bBteteh6ibCFwjoBcuwvWcBotW9qDOdKcy1dKqQEBbQibjxpxT4I1f3xz7sFkfnw/w155-h200/Screenshot%20(19h%2012m%2004s).png" width="155" /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I DIDN'T LIKE</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> The book has 129 pages, but the written part of it covers half of the book. Many pages contain full-page photos, most of the others have half-page photos and 1-2 columns of text or 1 exercise boxes. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Too many quotes, covering half page. I like them, but, are they necessary? No!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The positive-thinking New-Age Law of Attraction spiritual philosophy that pervades the book. It's like something I've read gazillion times in other places for other purposes. Ready-made sentences that mean little to me. Not every painter is spiritual. Not every painter who's spiritual is into New Age or yoga or whatever. You can be a good teacher and be agnostic and in a wheel-chair. You know what I'm a saying?<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Relax by taking a bath... I haven't seen a bath in urban rentals in the huge city I live in for decades. Not even in many of the newly-built small houses.Having a bath is like a fantasy these days, like a luxury, but the sentence comes up so often together with relax that's annoying.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> "Human aliveness is inseparable from creativity. We are all artists already… each and every one of us." (Page 13). </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">-- I don't agree with this. We are all creative and creators for sure, not all of us are artists. Not every painter who lives out of their sales is an artist either. I think there are not many true artists around these days. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> The About
the Author section at the end of the book is vague/generic, and says that Bowley has works published in books, albums and in paintings in galleries.
So, which galleries, which albums and which books? It reads more
like a FB, Amazon or Fivver profile trying to impress customers than something fit for a book bio. In fact,
Bowley's profile elsewhere is more specific and mentions just books not galleries or albums. Vague biographies rest credibility
to any author. Also, I would have loved knowing whether Bowley studied
Art in Art School or a self-taught painter. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="714" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgucUJc6d3fGcFK0SDoHAfKtWpnlaUZLYnqvev1MrUgOHr4Cm5hkLCLVfPS8zGgqiJCWKKW1tPTZAw-2NNugsIznLsldzb7IoaJwQY3c1lrvAlOe9TyypJKsC-dZ-ES1dErQkuL8PTRP9FQdTFZMCBYCo0NY0ZgugUh5tlnAsOJoXZYWW9C84jxlbfaNw/w173-h200/Screenshot%20(12h%2059m%2002s).png" width="173" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="589" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8o7CpXyDfuZcmM1nAb-jj6NFGvnpvFODn9QEVgEzRbgu0j2w2plWnCvBUzejIBWU4CrP567Ib2EvsikzD3AIE3NjS1wNx3Mrk9bRncULi79rmwHvYnEhilbmzUbR6qo_kaqY3s9_THbqDkyJhRPdaZ-tKHyE9vzawifxJd8vheIC3VhjbrAlgVYnssA/w154-h200/Screenshot%20(16h%2019m%2003s).png" width="154" /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">TYPOS</span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Overall the book is well edited, but I noticed, on page 117,the following: </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">"If you premeditate on using a word before you’ve started your painting, you run the risk of your words seeming contrived. ask yourself whether your words feel forced, or whether they are a natural extension of your process?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Notice that ask should be in capital and that the interrogation mark is unnecessary in this sentence as it's phrased. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="574" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLV7WGjbfYfy5u_GNd8fCnVijHao1aUZRlYOjAVdP5-uoZqdk5ChNWn9niM1Vmb_A1GYFxxMuxFbHrSa3A0ni6drUxrDtt1WFawsj-V6eEfeE_wvhiPS7h4Uufp0zJWACW0IaqGZKax-FLI-YPnW3L4qb8iKn5DEnBvisTdyKF3qJxoSwh_Acgv4RpwA/w149-h200/Screenshot%20(10h%2005m%2033s).png" width="149" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="777" data-original-width="606" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMCNO_E1cizgjCYvHisb1uw0PVfDzyV9OrJQ6woAbbt1b-gI1rFrbM-JJGavbX63SeqzzUxPizRsZJXqG-CWWtbAZ1Xid6SwjxlUvnWFkfGAnM8eHs4GJ--4C7lTfWKtPLnDHqb1p51-VqfXd9-zh9jlFoJosiR3Tzf0L2O-TYzCemxBc_y-CvCzLxcQ/w156-h200/Screenshot%20(18h%2035m%2057s).png" width="156" /></div>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-41411727338887353422023-01-08T00:30:00.004-08:002023-01-17T17:31:15.247-08:00True Vision: Authentic Art Journaling by L.K. Ludwig (2008, 2011)<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1IgCsxVnSmWFNwT3rp9BB4Yq7B8DllalYLQDREVnyopxXfq_Diud8_X4gOEEM5jdshTbjD6v4Ty8wEpAGoWTJNGcSfnhO5MWenVfuqwJ6il6dUQ_HH-Zki1DgM9m9Ou47dTPZcKJAKrBSmdpmq3MS6Mz0u2_J-q3T09ztG75URnGNC1fqHtEbf24DfQ/s500/truevision.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="387" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1IgCsxVnSmWFNwT3rp9BB4Yq7B8DllalYLQDREVnyopxXfq_Diud8_X4gOEEM5jdshTbjD6v4Ty8wEpAGoWTJNGcSfnhO5MWenVfuqwJ6il6dUQ_HH-Zki1DgM9m9Ou47dTPZcKJAKrBSmdpmq3MS6Mz0u2_J-q3T09ztG75URnGNC1fqHtEbf24DfQ/w155-h200/truevision.jpg" width="155" /></a></div>Despite the years elapsed since this book was first published, True Vision is still the book I'd recommend to people to start with if they're new to mixed media, art journaling or both. This work was first published in 2008 and the Kindle edition I used to read is from 2011; yet, it's the most compressive work I've found for art journaling while being authentic to who you are, without copycatting anyone. I find the book both inspiring and helpful. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>THE STRUCTURE</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The book is structured in <b>chapters evolving about different journaling themes</b>, which Ludwig analyzes extensively: The written word, relationships, currents events, places and spaces, self-explorations, spirituality and dreams. Each chapter contains information about how to explore the theme as well as sections devoted to techniques, visual and journaling prompts, as well as intermezzos with interviews with different art journalists. <br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>>> The <i>Visual Toolbox </i></b>sections make you learn new techniques
and/or increase your proficiency level in art journaling. Some of them were borrowed years later by other more popular
art journal artists, like Dina Wakley. These techniques are: Making a stencil portrait. --
Text onto metal mesh. -- Writing with fluid acrylics. -- Adding
Structured Texture to an Art Journal Page. -- Silhouette figure study.
-- Altering a child's board book. -- Faux landscape painting. --
Photographic self-portrait. -- More than the sum of our parts. --
Ink-jet transfer. -- Patina on paper. -- Blind contour drawing. --
Carving a self-portrait into a printing block. -- Altering scrapbook
papers.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>>>
The<i> Insight Activity</i> </b>sections describe some techniques to journaling and filling a journal page: Unblanking the blank page. -- Using
your best stash items. -- Automatic writing. -- Creating and using a
vision deck. -- Creating an imaginary musical alphabet. -- Using old
notebooks as a substrate or collage element for your artwork. --Using
poems. -- Creating versions of the same item (circumstance, day,
happenstance). -- Creating a page that summarizes your week. -- Creating
abstracts. -- Being a tourist in your own town and using using the
experience to journal. -- Building our sense of home. -- Using dream
characters to create pages.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>>> <i>Take a Closer Look</i> </b>is where Ludwig interviews other artists whose journals fit the theme under examination: </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Bee Shay, Nina
Bagley, Traci Bunkers, L. K. Ludwig (herself), Juliana Coles and
Loretta Marvel. Many more artists are mentioned throughout the book, and
their art showcased, to exemplify what's being taught.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>>> The appendix</b> contains the Vision Deck for printing, a list of contributors (names, websites and/or email addresses), and a list of resources (art supplies, books and magazines as well as artists to look up).</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="602" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLYKTcif9jXBS33BKGoq--zCpaMCcYyyXj4PqUXB6SXFJLM_oMco_Opwr_9v31ayvDMVvBZXrZsR_PhQ_DPPGe9qux-w9t6L_FBM5BG9bc_zEhxDTv0Q_VvcDc8P8SDv1FrOFYiPkvcMHSHrvfdGI4024usxSuN4GEkgKBeKSpsSrkVCGLJm2w5Nn-g/w151-h200/Screenshot%20(17h%2016m%2000s).png" width="151" /> </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="604" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWOnszBPJEFmVwu-CTJVUYBYl9XDBwEK7om2yyKO2i-Z27Vb1TuBr4FIux2JUtJW0T1hZ1biQ-uEGnf4yJpWGqhl9tcUNVrgXPQHsYDIHaa-rHafWrNCxUaohYAeZev_HydZt2lhG8HkfRny_HD96Sfn418yK_ypPB0hbanwornmVSoqozE69MEoDD9Q/w156-h200/Screenshot%20(17h%2021m%2034s).png" width="156" /></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">THE GOOD</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Despite the many years elapsed since first written,
the book has aged well and is still relevant and my first recommendation for anyone wanting to start journaling or improve their journaling. </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Beautifully designed book, from the color palette (which changes from chapter to chapter) to the flourishes, the font type and sizing, as well as the overall layout. It is a very stylish book. Everything is just well thought and visually rendered. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Excellent photo quality and sizing. The images almost feel 3D. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Ludwig not only tells you how to journal and about what subjects, but also gives you tools and techniques that allow you to journal and to grow as an artist. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> I find some of queries at the bottom of each section not only good for journaling but also to know thyself. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> I love all the attention devoted to dreams as source of inspiration for journaling, especially because Ludwig has a clear Jungian and Gestal approach. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Most of the small tip boxes are really helpful and great. Like, they aren't obvious things. </span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="604" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTfXDGGU078eAmBXlxZsOADxJIxJU-XDbLU-iSaHCUQK0-ttEKy3pibWyk27_7ELZSHb6YXUC_oEjPdbfUZsAY6FCjr7Hw6WNLKDKjicLTjoEHudM8WwD0VBxOM5YzrR4VGxOvBeOjRwXNaxtJUOQpk3YNM2yj5d_jd9gNDGJj-zUXO9JSW70uJmBF3w/w154-h200/Screenshot%20(17h%2015m%2040s).png" width="154" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="595" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMjiHpn4VSB0DrYjsISFt71bwYGVEn3j9BdnOmk1l1Es48Qtn0xQtDrAhvAC6FQU3nO0EFiCsie_cWWI6io_g_ZtYr-CIBUka70q4f69tg4SwDeHMCL6xr-fXL87e-K9vyKMNoZs4YzaG37cAimLHlXlLfJ19LGYaeeK-2Nosrv9KByidOt3QTBdkQWQ/w153-h200/Screenshot%20(17h%2026m%2050s).png" width="153" /></div></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">THE SO-SO</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> The Interviews with other artists whose artwork isn't appealing to me. Yet, they also provide with invaluable feedback on different people's creative process. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> I don't see the need of constant quoting. If you have to say anything, just be brave to own your own opinions. I confess that some of the ones chosen here supplement the idea under discussion well and they aren't the usual quotes repeated everywhere either, so that's OK. Yet, I don't like constant quoting.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>>T</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">he Photographic self-portrait visual toolbox is good but seems redundant
in this Selfies Era.</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> In this overwhelmingly age of the image, I miss a photo-by photo tutorial of the Visual Toolbox section. Ludwig describes the steps clearly and concisely, but I'd rather have a photo tutorial.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> The
prompts vertically written on the right hand side of some pages are very
difficult to read if you're using a digital copy unless you totally
twist your head. They're great, so I've copied them at the bottom end of
this review.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Some of the prompts asking about things that happened when we were in second grade or very long time ago. Unless you have a savant memory, it's difficult to remember what happened unless you're picking up the book, say, in High School. </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> The book ends abruptly without conclusion or final words.<br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="587" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YuKBL4U6XlwWD91oDfs1HmEG1jCN6oPik5ckM5Fx7HM3fyVCx6xfLqiGktmSP0OqhhhFp0E_4trCSP03D9WUVepo7QUbfJ0dW9FMdIJrBymZelgnEgaiYoQxlj_iHPYIuwK8G-bP6l7Br5YN8Je1tbmN5HfZBuNT_Qx2_cvZ3rkdAEz73vF4hu_gPA/w153-h200/Screenshot%20(17h%2022m%2001s).png" width="153" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="574" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQQxAJjWBmki1JL58xMIv090OLo0HfhwIVXu4HUczP_QAmCKPMQsW-usFSNuQLEmU-tF7KOokZOOb549NrniaSOtcOep8riBc2-BxukIQezbdwfRv-OapI1FitJ_STljBUhsqP2qzM1V4G3mw43Dby0uFSqo03LB5l5SuZka9IGFEc2tD6oOQRQhKn_A/w150-h200/Screenshot%20(18h%2010m%2026s).png" width="150" /></div> VERTICAL PROMPTS, FYI<br /></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ol><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Usurp an ordinary object for artistic purposes—a fork, perhaps. Bend the outside tines into a loop until they touch the fork, then spread the two middle tines apart. Is this a fork or a flower? Anything can be used. Think beyond the ordinary.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Use serendipity. When something you read or experience dovetails with important things in your life, use it as topic about which to create. Messages from the universe should not be overlooked!</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Start out on one subject and wend your way around to another completely unrelated topic using a series of images copied to the same size. Start somewhere and end somewhere else.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Map your path to work, the coffee shop, or the grocery store. Create an actual map, by drawing doodles of buildings, landmarks, squiggly trees... Make the scale how long it feels to get to a place, not the actual distance</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Place 4” (10 cm) squares of white, cream, and gray paper in a well-lit room. Notice how the light affects the colors as it changes over the course of the day. Try replicating these effects in your journal using watercolors.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Empty an anxious heart onto your pages. Clip, paint, snip, scribble, splatter, write. Don’t consider the appearance of your page, just release your burden onto the paper. If this isn’t a page you want to commit to having in your journal, do it on scrap or deli paper.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Take an old book from your hoard to use as a new journal. Instead of using it the way it opens, turn it 90 degrees and use it from that direction</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Turn up the volume: go for brighter versions of the colors you were going to use. Whatever you were going to do, do it bigger. Spill it off the page. Make it so big as to be unrecognizable. Make it so loud in color that anything else is hard to see, or so black that it could be a cave. Bigger, bolder, more volume!</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> New journals can be daunting. Break in pages by dipping the book into a bowl of coffee, tea, or watered down ink. Hold the book by the cover boards to dip. Fan open to dry.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Glue an envelope to a journal page. Write a love letter to someone, perhaps yourself, tuck it inside and seal it shut.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> When using text on a page, give it visual punch by creating words that jump off the page through their arrangement, color, or style.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Find one image or object that is the quintessential distillation of someone or some place you cherish and create a page that supports the image or object.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Make a photocopy of your palm. Head to the library and look up palmistry. Give yourself a palm reading and Create a page about what your palm has to say. Are secrets there?</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> In second grade, what did you want to be when you grew up? What other things did you want to be when you grew up? Have you done any of those things? Do you still want to do any of those things?</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Try on different handwriting styles.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Construct a page that interacts with the viewer. Try pull tabs, flaps, and small doors.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Prove you exist.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Collect doorways, or rather, images of doorways. Thinking about the nature of doorways can lead into some interesting journal work.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Tear a piece of newspaper or tissue into rectangles and strips. Adhere these pieces to your page with acrylic medium. For additional texture, crumple the pieces before attaching them.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Coat a page in wax and scratch marks or text into the surface. Rub graphite or charcoal into the scratches.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Folding pages adds new perspectives. Fold before starting, to create separate spaces. Fold after, to create texture and dimension.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Save your doodles. You can enlarge and copy them to create interesting backgrounds.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Vagary. Despite its naughty sound, a vagary is a whim, an odd or eccentric idea. For one week, collect all your odd ideas, not just those that are art-related. Now choose one, two, or more and make pages about them</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Gravity. Use it. Spill coffee or paint onto a page, even one in progress.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Create a visual joke, something that makes you smile each time you see it.</span></span></li></ol></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="793" data-original-width="585" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvEHJSDTB3LSUY3XjoTWQb_8LBtJuCGse6Z2lZW6HJjWFE6cZKLp3ZUGrFswwq1PQM0VPUQfG1Vn8KKRKLAN1pzOJpzq3KhDWQJ-YRlLHQmTqBSF7ngUzfrngACqDiIquW549CulyGH6ofSnr4hrFIgzC5ma1MYgvqP6uQf49YFgfuD3kuvqw1Cnl2sQ/w148-h200/Screenshot%20(17h%2026m%2040s).png" width="148" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="802" data-original-width="582" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8UqjXz1jbEYggUDhlD4hI5q8GHgXTqSeoNKy4pHduP4dScLiuvbSc4_XIks2Q1i8um2mHEJKnmXHYyi5GY83cxPFzAk9yb4eM0AUAAAOqpjMr_4Pc2AB4LapN88jf1mAn9I0HiwuVnhNaW-LMMPpfRILRMoMN_n0Dajk7RHiO3zk5vSDdOjX0o6vZQ/w145-h200/Screenshot%20(17h%2027m%2012s).png" width="145" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-23184960849845383212023-01-07T21:42:00.004-08:002023-01-17T18:11:14.317-08:00 Intuitive Painting Workshop: Techniques, Prompts and Inspiration for a Year of Painting by Alena Hennessy (2015)<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlAEO9kl1OAAKspoo-PW9IPW1pFKWtXI0yxAcByCXM0Uoh4IzQrS8N2ewe_ZZ2ijXyhEqeUf7HrWSKL5GQejmT452p_jn_PHncdE1yInPuazjP_Ld962jDeSsgEyzDfdSmzsCtN2gl9HtVmL5veAfiPM9Boq76Et_zahJtySQcHcwMF0yEeW8-m64biA/s2560/intuitivepainting.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1942" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlAEO9kl1OAAKspoo-PW9IPW1pFKWtXI0yxAcByCXM0Uoh4IzQrS8N2ewe_ZZ2ijXyhEqeUf7HrWSKL5GQejmT452p_jn_PHncdE1yInPuazjP_Ld962jDeSsgEyzDfdSmzsCtN2gl9HtVmL5veAfiPM9Boq76Et_zahJtySQcHcwMF0yEeW8-m64biA/w152-h200/intuitivepainting.jpg" width="152" /></a></div>As the title reveals, this is a book written to showcase the creative process and teachings that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@alenadora123/videos">Alena Hennessy</a> follows with her students on the online program <i>A Year of Painting</i>. I'm sure that the online workshop is fun and encouraging, but since I'm reviewing the book, I can only say that I'm happy that the book was handed on to me and I didn't spend any money on it. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />The book is structured following the four seasons. There is a seasonal checkup with journaling prompts and suggestions, activities and ideas for each month of the year, plenty of quotes, artwork by the author and her students as well as a detailed tutorial for each month.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>GOOD THINGS</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Very pretty book edition overall and no typos or odd things on view. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> I love some of the naif paintings showcased throughout the book.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Good quality photos.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Greatly photographed step-by-step tutorials, which are great for beginners.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Easy to follow tutorials even for people who have not much experience painting or with mixed media. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The suggested list of materials is short and sweet. The reader won't feel overwhelmed by the demand for huge stash or super-duper specialized products. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The Journaling prompts on the seasons check-up section are great. </span></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Hennessy's comments on the beginner's' mind, on putting in the work and the hours, and on holding back the inner critic in us are all good advice. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>
"Certainly don’t feel bad if you want to mimic a work you see—you will
still make it your own and your style will grow stronger with time.
(Page 8)." I think this valid for beginners and it's brave for her to say it. It's not about copycatting
anyone style/voice but about practicing techniques and experimenting having
an end in mind. For sure, it won't help you find your creative
voice, but it will get your hands loose. </span></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Basic glossary of art terms. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> A traditional index at the back.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="569" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmj47dmrIgxCnPXVOFXFvqAhjbBFcGeI-5ur3_4RhAHokQqMYISeFdipGlsjeZDjpGspMuwkNpCrOGYyZ1SKnU4K-t3-yF2SCLOMyLtHKaUN71nZ9uEdIouRKR1U8ndmtsZc0sT4zIQ6ybY2bdrBNRifm-L_hsrgfglOtHnxHyB4mSiOCf9ZbFgWbwQ/w149-h200/Screenshot%20(18h%2036m%2016s).png" width="149" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="759" data-original-width="549" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgVFpTwwLVb8GyyCq8qwxiXKIcEwGsVCXGDmIQWmO9ppY_b0OqXLSLlocKhzj8nN1rIBHZKz8srstjMYLhgHA0AfW6_flPZ-20hFVR-1qMwF8TYSHj5676losTqqc9lJ4576YWmcDovM-UuaBPFJp4Fq-s7xSuYEzRuNVprrQhZn4PRvCpd-OLDHOb1A/w144-h200/Screenshot%20(13h%2016m%2041s).png" width="144" /></div></span></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">NOT SO GOOD</span></b></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Not a good book for intermediate or professional painters. Like, it's too basic. It feels more a book targeted at craft painters than anything else. I think this is also highlighted by the overall quality of the artwork showcased in the book. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Some of the monthly and seasonal projects are totally unimaginative, uninspired and even childish. Like create a work of art about love in February for St Valentine's, or a holiday theme for Xmas in December, or paint Spring flowers in Spring or Summer flowers in Summer. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> After each tutorial, there are several artworks </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">from Hennessy's students </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">showcased to further inspire the reader on the suggested theme. Yet, in many cases those pieces don't relate at all or very vaguely to that theme. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The author says "This book is a bit different than other how-to painting books out there. It is inspired by my popular online course, A Year of Painting, and includes the work of many of the wonderful artists who participated in the course, so you’ll receive an array of approaches and styles as examples for each monthly lesson." (Page 8). That's quite pretentious and not true, at least in year 2023, when there are gazillion art books inspired in online workshops showcasing students' artwork. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> "If you are an experienced painter, allow this book to get you to try new things within your own style. My experience is that it can only deepen a portfolio and add to your creative toolbox. (Page 8)." Also pretentious. If you're an experienced painter, you don't need to open this book, you know more than the author. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The Art Terms, i.e. the art glossary, is located at the beginning of the book and not at the end, which is a commonplace in edition. Many readers won't certainly need it while others will definitely do. This being the case, placing the glossary at the end makes even more sense. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The "What You need" sections at the beginning of each tutorial have, at least in the digital edition, way bigger font than the text accompanying each month prompt and the tutorial written steps. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Over-presence of 'paint flowers' suggestions and artwork. I love the theme, and I get that this is part of Hennessy's thing, but I would have also loved a bit of more variety. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> In the March prompt Hennessy says "The experienced artist will also enjoy this lesson for it allows us to “paint” with paper—not something commonly done by painters.(Page 41)." That's utter nonsense. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Advising being intuitive while telling you how to follow a tutorial and make a painting that represents who she is, it is just counterintuitive. There are not hints on how to work with your intuition, especially in a book that follows the seasons and is quite linear and uninspired.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The structure of the months follows the Northern Hemisphere not those of the Southern Hemisphere. So Xmas and Summer go together there, but this isn't considered. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Too many unnecessary quotes that add barely anything to the book. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="615" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizkKC-FCRKmEQFxA-UMDXX8g9Ff6TViUJnKOP7VcqotAb6HvOePBAD6n1jOJSwZl5zC0lTvkNDHh9pyyBb-sDW60qqkubXXAzSHybpCOvFJwOlZLxk0VW-p7sm_DI9YgzUhsy_twyJnfSf9-JwBuOv7HktJXOHFcdA1FEIIs_D_BuigILoyLzkdm9_tw/w151-h200/Screenshot%20(13h%2017m%2000s).png" width="151" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="584" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNUIuV-0UfVyk7ou2DBsPBSRg3h1GDv_LJm_626KiBK6t-0N217RdhniBs8Y-Ae0ksPL08GfkPrHAqQw7JOZl7E7Od-UdZqIE-F_LobT_8eThv1HZyzE6NF_h5vEUAZaS74Gi1HK5nMkFIeYc6XtB2tW3Zs3ghMxcWZr19WRan1GCv_ABCEo6pjq8PLg/w148-h200/Screenshot%20(13h%2036m%2050s).png" width="148" /> <br /></div></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>IN SHORT</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's a OK book for beginners. One of the many naif art books out there with nothing original that you cannot learn elsewhere, on YouTube for example.</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Overall, I find it amateurish and a bit pretentious, but also useful for craft painters and people who have never tried mixed media. I have no doubt
that the online course is way more fun. You can look up the author name on YouTube and find some of her tutorials. See if it's your cup of tea and whether the book is for you or not. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxpdjuJfjF0RFlWrnXyYHcpZZKA4nKMI9bY0cm18rqpshvRSyKtIovy4DltPhgxji55qh2YX-bB7MYXuwzDgfvbODRmzvKDOlRooDNak6ztIIDf6T53ZFIjdBtJ5oLCXsirZHAt4QaS0Q1tITOvc6PGCTX860mNeYJmzAj9gcjkBu1rdOYjhfrF_odSg/s797/Screenshot%20(13h%2019m%2044s).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="797" data-original-width="668" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxpdjuJfjF0RFlWrnXyYHcpZZKA4nKMI9bY0cm18rqpshvRSyKtIovy4DltPhgxji55qh2YX-bB7MYXuwzDgfvbODRmzvKDOlRooDNak6ztIIDf6T53ZFIjdBtJ5oLCXsirZHAt4QaS0Q1tITOvc6PGCTX860mNeYJmzAj9gcjkBu1rdOYjhfrF_odSg/w168-h200/Screenshot%20(13h%2019m%2044s).png" width="168" /> </a><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><img border="0" data-original-height="738" data-original-width="599" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGjDMfg6DIZOk2b4dtj8rkJa7CELX-5iGp6-u2LkkZueXANI4qJDb5Fq7r_BuxcRaDEiEs1NWZYvuh-UtgB83dP_zBEWSr7kjlGcccv6XQ0M0KYe12Q7Dzj2FFSjZCIYXb17Bl1O-Txw3tdAF2A0f78_ri-2cPjRHaHLk0eZTw-sLj0KShvnBEk34Tg/w163-h200/Screenshot%20(13h%2033m%2014s).png" width="163" /></div><br /></span></span></div>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-26777756448666001712022-12-27T20:16:00.012-08:002022-12-30T19:44:16.266-08:00Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl (2008, 2013)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVMRpxGOrt18sDtVmEaCqzCak58xh2yYa0a3x-VHcTnkMbUzpZ5TVtpwjd3pcEljZnygHdG5t1NDPo2IcML9oKzCaLES3CW2HjllT68mBijBspLcAhAW5xvnJaV1hyphenhyphenhO7dNbFiuCH93vi/s1033/frankl2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1033" data-original-width="650" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsVMRpxGOrt18sDtVmEaCqzCak58xh2yYa0a3x-VHcTnkMbUzpZ5TVtpwjd3pcEljZnygHdG5t1NDPo2IcML9oKzCaLES3CW2HjllT68mBijBspLcAhAW5xvnJaV1hyphenhyphenhO7dNbFiuCH93vi/s320/frankl2.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>This 2008 digital edition of Frankl's 1945 book is a must read for every human being who wants to lift their spirit in moments of despair.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>The book is structured in three different parts. The first one (Experiences in a Concentration Camp) and the Postscript (The case for a Tragic Optimism) fit beautifully together, and are the basis of Frankl's philosophy and psychotherapy system called Logotherapy. They are narrated in a very conversational way because they are, after all, a memoir. They differ greatly in style and tone from the second part (Logotherapy in a Nutshell), which is a summary of Frankl's therapy system, partially based on Frankl's experiences and observations as Auschwitz inmate, and partially on techniques and views of the world that he had started elaborating before he was sent to the concentration camp. This part is drier in style, way more technical and not as approachable for the reader, unless the reader is really into therapy or a therapist. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>Harold Kushner</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span>'s preface to this 2008 edition is a good summary of the book main points, while Frankl's preface to the 1992 edition summarizes well how the book and Logotherapy came to be. </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>The book has many pearls of wisdom, and is very uplifting despite the brutality of what we read. In all honesty, I already expected that when I picked up the book. Some prisoner's stories are utterly poetic despite their tragedy. I'm glad that those people's historical memoirs had been so beautifully preserved. On the other hand, this is a survivor's first-person narration of the events, so that allows for invaluable insights into the reality of the extermination camps and into the inmates' mental/emotional state and fortune.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><br /><span><span>Since we live in 2021 and we're pretty aware of the Nazis' atrocities against the Jews, most of the things that Frankl tells about his experience are somewhat lessened by the impact on the reader of dozens of documentaries and movies on WW2. It might have been chilling reading the book in the postwar era, when all the atrocities were still unfolding and the world came to realize what had really happened. What we didn't know before reading the book is that a new therapeutic model, Logotherapy, was greatly influenced by the Jew's suffering in Auschwitz, and that there is hope even in the biggest moments of despair. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span> </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span>For the rest, Frank's take on life is admirable and full of wisdom, whether you are into Logotherapy or not. I especially liked his comments on love, the youth and unemployment, as they are still, more than half a century later, valid. </span></span><br /><br /><b><span><span>LOGOTHERAPY, SOME CORE PRINCIPLES AND POINTS I LIKE</span></span></b><br /><span><span>>
The great task for any person is to find meaning in his/her life.
Frankl saw three possible sources for meaning: Work (doing something
significant), Love (caring for another person), and Courage in difficult
times.</span></span><br /><span><span>> Suffering is meaningless; we give our suffering meaning by the way in which we respond to it.</span></span><br /><span><span>>
You cannot control what happens to you in life, but you can always
control what you will feel and do about what happens to you.</span></span><br /><span><span>> Logotherapy aims to curing the soul by leading it to find meaning in life. </span></span><br /><span><span>> What matters is to make the best of any given situation.</span></span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><b>> </b></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span><span></span></span></b><span><span>Man’s main concern is not to gain pleasure or to avoid pain but rather to see a meaning in his life. </span></span><br />> The aim of life is not to be happy as the seeking of happiness can increase someone's unhappiness.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Suffering is unavoidable, is part of life, and we need to accept it and re-frame it. <br />> Tragic optimism, i.e., <span><span>one remains optimistic in spite of the “tragic triad, or those aspects of human existence
which may be circumscribed by: (1) pain; (2) guilt; and (3) death and that we should say 'yes' to life in spite of all that.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span> <i>We may also find meaning in life even when
confronted with a hopeless situation, when facing a fate that cannot be
changed. For what then matters is to bear witness to the uniquely human
potential at its best, which is to transform a personal tragedy into a
triumph, to turn one’s predicament into a human achievement. When we are
no longer able to change a situation—just think of an incurable disease
such as inoperable cancer—we are challenged to change ourselves</i>. (p.
116). </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><span><span>> To suffer unnecessarily is masochistic rather than heroic. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span>> Success cannot be pursued but it is an end result that the unintended side-effect of one’s dedication to a
cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one’s surrender to a
person other than oneself. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><span><span>>
“Unemployment neurosis” originated in a twofold erroneous identification: being jobless was
equated with being useless, and being useless was equated with having a
meaningless life.</span></span><br /><span><span>> Depression, aggression, and addiction in young people are due to what is
called in logotherapy “the existential vacuum,” a feeling of emptiness
and meaninglessness.</span></span><br /><span><span>>
<i> But even if each and every case of suicide had not been undertaken out
of a feeling of meaninglessness, it may well be that an individual’s
impulse to take his life would have been overcome had he been aware of
some meaning and purpose worth living for.</i>(p. 143). </span></span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span><span>SOME CRITIQUE</span></span></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span>Frankl poignantly mentions that despite all the inmates being subject to the harsh situations (food and sleep deprivation, hard-work labor, extreme cold, beatings, etc.) some died and some survived, and he ways that, many of those who died did so because they gave up on life and lose hope in getting alive out of the camps and resuming their lives after the war. <br /><br />I love most of what Frankl says and his attitude towards life. However, we cannot say that Frankl survived just because he had a specific mindset, hopes of getting alive, finding his family and publishing the basics of Logotherapy included in this edition, which he had already started writing before being taken to the camp. First of all, he was an intellectual and a psychiatrist, i.e. a person with a strong mind, mentally stable with enough intellectual harnesses to re-frame anything in his head to give it meaning. He certainly was an optimistic, like it's in his nature. Not everyone was so well equipped mentally and emotionally. What's more, there must have been other people who, like him, had hopes of surviving, seeing their families and doing something with their lives in the outside world, but they never made it because, I can only hypothesize, their physique and immune system, as well as their mental state weren't Frankl's. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span>MIND</span></span></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span>This edition published in 2008 by Rider, but digitally in 2013. Published in 2004 in Great Britain by Rider, an imprint of Ebury Publishing. A Random House Group company First published in German in 1946 under the title <i>Ein Psycholog erlebt das Konzentrationslager</i> Original English title was From Death-Camp to Existentialism. <br /></span></span></span></span></div>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-30646043455117593742022-12-27T01:55:00.005-08:002023-01-17T17:42:19.073-08:00If You Can Doodle You Can Paint by Diane Culhane (2017 )<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3dgOhX4aN6dSFPOAB8VyrVTcr58073GyENwFSXiRR4rXUQw29K2AfCnFr5bUgnX7tSD70a4ERFXLBw2bHPy--srP4b1RFjL53NG6U-2hVLlBevxR9sU3jFScgeH3a2RBqAX747TukLmSW5xRpPeViDpiSByvk-_fqUIXjgXvNN1pUsIUMbAQs3XONA/s2560/doodling.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="2165" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3dgOhX4aN6dSFPOAB8VyrVTcr58073GyENwFSXiRR4rXUQw29K2AfCnFr5bUgnX7tSD70a4ERFXLBw2bHPy--srP4b1RFjL53NG6U-2hVLlBevxR9sU3jFScgeH3a2RBqAX747TukLmSW5xRpPeViDpiSByvk-_fqUIXjgXvNN1pUsIUMbAQs3XONA/w169-h200/doodling.jpg" width="169" /></a></div>This is a workshop packed in a small book that teaches how to doodle and how to go from doodling to mixed-media painting in simple steps. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>THE BOOK IN A NUTSHELL</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>1/</b> We collect all our doodles and make connections between them re style and themes. We upgrade their presentation by framing them or putting them in the center of a sheet of paper. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>2/</b> We make doodles using just lines. They can be thick, thin, tall. short, curvy, straight, dotted, dashed, etc. <br /><b>3/ </b>Then we make small doodles by just using our hand and fingers; sticky notes are perfect for this. Then, we make medium-sized ones by moving the wrist and forearm; paper sheets are perfect for it. Finally, we make large doodles by moving the full arm and even the whole body; big rolls of butcher paper attached to the wall are perfect. We can use three sheets of paper one for each king of doodling size and also mix the three doodle movements in a single piece of paper.<br /><b>3/ </b>Now we explore doodling by mixing circles and lines, starting with 7 of each,mixing and matching them in different ways and layouts. <br /><b>4/</b> This is the time to start a doodle from the left side of the page and keep going, as if we were writing without a stop; when we reach the end of the line, we move to the one below, starting from the right side. We fill in a page this way. <br /><b>5/</b> Doodle while reading is the following exercise. With one hand we hold the book we're reading and with the other, without looking, we doodle automatically and without much thinking.<br /><b>6/</b> Now is the time to pick a theme and doodle about it repeatedly: flowers, animals, things, leaves, trees, birds, landscapes, everything goes. <br /><b>7/ </b>Take a line for a walk, inspired by Paul Klee's work, is a variation of the exercise described in point 4. We walk the line all around the page, starting with a black pen or marker, and then we fill in the white spaces with colors. We can use different colored pages as a substrate. <br /><b>8/ </b>Now we start preparing for the painting. We prepare the paper with <i>gesso</i>, add texture and color. There is a tutorial to build a simple lovely colored paper book where to doodle. We can also use old journals to create a substrate on where to paint. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>9/</b> We then enlarge (or shrink) our doodles by zooming them out (or in) via photocopy or scan. Then we color them and apply warm, cool or neutral hues, or a mix of them. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>10/</b> We use a wood panel, apply rice paper with gel medium and them copy one doodle, previously enlarged as follows: "Trace the doodle with the pointer finger of your non-dominant hand, and with your dominant hand, use a marker to simultaneously recreate the image on the rice paper." (Page 78). Then, we add acrylic color. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>11/</b> Another exercise is to draw a grid and use it to position several doodles inside. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>12/</b> We can practice the painting techniques described above to create a series. This can be done by using figurative or abstract doodles. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Voila!</b><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjKdxw7muP9RUg9_GCyFBAWO8GIg5bQSrWM-WGYaG0tRemS7NVb9zVeeq0pKWT6jVQyuQYCoq2tq-cx17j7S1Of_IHOykAMqKI_8DpAsUwU5uzmx8y0jko5fL3T_qPqTcx4ladowSI61QOZJMLWUACuVGgAusYvBATnrzQ7fHdBlAyBNLmV2hDxIoDA/s1600/Screenshot%20(19h%2051m%2025s).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjKdxw7muP9RUg9_GCyFBAWO8GIg5bQSrWM-WGYaG0tRemS7NVb9zVeeq0pKWT6jVQyuQYCoq2tq-cx17j7S1Of_IHOykAMqKI_8DpAsUwU5uzmx8y0jko5fL3T_qPqTcx4ladowSI61QOZJMLWUACuVGgAusYvBATnrzQ7fHdBlAyBNLmV2hDxIoDA/w320-h181/Screenshot%20(19h%2051m%2025s).png" width="320" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWXFisToHm92xkRo8EhKv7pKBlrIc73BekPkqnzkLpOdPE2wXGzOt8LMEsTq-61hIrbrQLlnt9AkPikWWAy2R5AcNyJHmSv8BDD4HA4x3Hehiy3CM6oDIY4-6uCBM7_tRZJzEizawI7nSSOBZQhMiV9TZJcyp98UeIat_OIpwI6ET5Ian1iE7pqD2uGg/s1600/Screenshot%20(19h%2052m%2032s).png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWXFisToHm92xkRo8EhKv7pKBlrIc73BekPkqnzkLpOdPE2wXGzOt8LMEsTq-61hIrbrQLlnt9AkPikWWAy2R5AcNyJHmSv8BDD4HA4x3Hehiy3CM6oDIY4-6uCBM7_tRZJzEizawI7nSSOBZQhMiV9TZJcyp98UeIat_OIpwI6ET5Ian1iE7pqD2uGg/w320-h181/Screenshot%20(19h%2052m%2032s).png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">GREAT</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">>> This is a simple easy-to-follow method that is both practical and enjoyable. </span></span><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Culhane demonstrates that any humble doodle is important for art making and why. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> The structure of the book is great and organic.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> The step-by-step photographed tutorials.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> The book has plenty of photos of the artist at work, of her doodling, and of the process and exercises she she explains </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> The easiness of the exercises and the fact that they don't require expensive art supplies.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> The reuse of old notebooks for art purposes is brilliant.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> The color wheels in page 74. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> No typos or editorial oddities in view. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Very user-friendly digital edition. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyFEkvrF65NSY8FlOIYke52Ha0W3jIxAq0OzviZ95EA65DtaWg2c3z4gkBtbWCyIwcpzp6Td8RiMjHw7Mlpl9jgMOZqcqLsGxAhSLDxcRB1kPVSzax9cASJc2Q5_dS3awldvzO5_5j0j2YOMUKht97PPSlM-DQQXlUBSPJTGSRJlfmf7HqhvX6I4oiAg/s1600/Screenshot%20(19h%2053m%2001s).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyFEkvrF65NSY8FlOIYke52Ha0W3jIxAq0OzviZ95EA65DtaWg2c3z4gkBtbWCyIwcpzp6Td8RiMjHw7Mlpl9jgMOZqcqLsGxAhSLDxcRB1kPVSzax9cASJc2Q5_dS3awldvzO5_5j0j2YOMUKht97PPSlM-DQQXlUBSPJTGSRJlfmf7HqhvX6I4oiAg/w320-h181/Screenshot%20(19h%2053m%2001s).png" width="320" /></a><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe1oW71e4J6pc-tucFfPIOaFMxmumnpmt8MmjpwlGdWzingTcQBiL6GP2MUEwfFpllDryjVGjOUNOWV06K_5gYxFf9fF2fnBwPm_XZo0SQEEzIET6eoWD_EYLMigWT_P5a2-9GZ4tKXFO5b6-Trrszf6sqCdjVFlieh7dbgNeTq1C91avuwUacDHeMfw/s320/Screenshot%20(20h%2038m%2042s).png" width="320" /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></b></span></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></b></span></div></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">DOWNSIDE</span></b></span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> I don't think you need wood panels to carry out the last part of the workshop unless you're a professional painter and/or want to sell or gift the outcome. I think watercolor paper will do the job at a fraction of the price and it's easily archivable. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> Even though I love the idea, using bill rolls of paper attached to a wall is nothing renters can do, at least in the country I live in. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> The Artist Gallery at the end of the book, is a bit too small. Also, I would have loved the author explaining the criteria used for the selection. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">>> The digital price is a bit high for such a simple book.Just my opinion. </span></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGxj3w41KPrXd4VmoZ0rwuzeH_O7dY9AUKJew1yEEXHSoim9mWwk9ADd0F2lpbF_loEUxvGxNA7gv-OVrreOLKXbQsa-2CIZRFHS9Qa_gRFmXjv66bAeLrqFX9nQnlhZdpscpU54iU8nC8bomHSRxHjpaQ12JkX5ulymvX-5sJm2XcPbItfk2TXC8QQ/s320/Screenshot%20(18h%2054m%2036s).png" width="320" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVdxz_6ZJJStnfzbJ6cH_QCpgyjrxJBBaXFXelrWKrHDU7P7IgHEjCgNsuBFG8hpdw3bGurHIKCH3DsSuTix2ZsYZP9LKRw7AR1M4Di54qi60U0NAjVIIWrJ2QkPka_CQ0ursWI0uHAKFwlzjTcZ7CwMjzbVjPuT9Eqj0yDohm3sZfpYuaSWsbMTzWA/s1600/Screenshot%20(20h%2038m%2031s).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVdxz_6ZJJStnfzbJ6cH_QCpgyjrxJBBaXFXelrWKrHDU7P7IgHEjCgNsuBFG8hpdw3bGurHIKCH3DsSuTix2ZsYZP9LKRw7AR1M4Di54qi60U0NAjVIIWrJ2QkPka_CQ0ursWI0uHAKFwlzjTcZ7CwMjzbVjPuT9Eqj0yDohm3sZfpYuaSWsbMTzWA/s320/Screenshot%20(20h%2038m%2031s).png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p><br /><br /><br /><br /></p>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-41301546592712883812022-11-28T21:25:00.003-08:002022-11-28T22:01:02.003-08:00Fragmentation and Repair: for Mixed-Media and Textile Artists by Shelley Rhodes (2021)<div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6N5qLicFqqvQW-yxSI9OuUB2ZjEnqIA6w0wG6k9JO1CHEXQtsHJ0J4Yi9BUchJCAhlEftk63IJTGsdA_NIQSgxJ5OXdfh5ZJ27rCvBSjBhKn_-_tTP-yHPFjSnDFdXwQsidlS5BgA5mTjNvhhYRbvQ2G1xvGp3Ai19wkqJpgOUZY_pbdOEaEZhjNlw/s1417/fragmentation.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1417" data-original-width="1118" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH6N5qLicFqqvQW-yxSI9OuUB2ZjEnqIA6w0wG6k9JO1CHEXQtsHJ0J4Yi9BUchJCAhlEftk63IJTGsdA_NIQSgxJ5OXdfh5ZJ27rCvBSjBhKn_-_tTP-yHPFjSnDFdXwQsidlS5BgA5mTjNvhhYRbvQ2G1xvGp3Ai19wkqJpgOUZY_pbdOEaEZhjNlw/w158-h200/fragmentation.jpg" width="158" /></a></div></span></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is a great book for both amateur and professional textile and mixed-media artists. The book reads well, has great quality full-color photos and there are plenty of techniques and ideas that I'll be trying out in my artwork. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><b>THE BOOK'S CORE</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">The book explores
how to fragment and deconstruct mostly salvaged, recycled and reused cloth,
paper and objects before repairing and reassembling them into a new
artistic whole or series. This is achieved by using different techniques: manipulation, weathering, washing,
soaking, burying, abrasion, staining, burning, scorching, making
holes, fragmenting, reassembling, folding, deconstructing,
reconstructing, repairing, and collage, among others. Working small allows extensive experimentation and exploration before taking on large pieces of projects.The message is:</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><blockquote>"Do not discard
things that are fragmented or seemingly mundane, as they can provide
inspiration for drawing and mark-making and may be included in finished
work. Looking closely and embracing imperfection can lead to stimulating
and visually exciting work. Allow traditional methods of repair to
inspire and stimulate innovative, contemporary ways to join and
reassemble. Finally, remember that everything can be altered and
adjusted – if something is not working, it can be reworked, and often
the results will be far more dynamic and exciting than the original."
(p. 283)</blockquote><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="shelleyrhodesmixedmediaartist">Shelley Rhodes'</a>
work is strongly influenced by Japanese, Bangladeshi and Korean
textile and paper techniques, concepts and aesthetics as well as by
Western quilting, patchwork and mixed media art. <i><br /></i></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSxG6CKQpaxDObqzzn99rS3z2LKyuOjqEyPAiydgIWYF2VM1xMWmD0BKPc6sx3cuWw8qkSPhP-7pORoh2MOklKr930474ogku-86AuNgMi46vubJNAsqDnIhKT4ngWCyba589oRLPH_p00SLIzMyIp66X8lm1F_-wryZRNAVjoviL6GdDm0a6DBxNd4g/s2560/fragm2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1663" data-original-width="2560" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSxG6CKQpaxDObqzzn99rS3z2LKyuOjqEyPAiydgIWYF2VM1xMWmD0BKPc6sx3cuWw8qkSPhP-7pORoh2MOklKr930474ogku-86AuNgMi46vubJNAsqDnIhKT4ngWCyba589oRLPH_p00SLIzMyIp66X8lm1F_-wryZRNAVjoviL6GdDm0a6DBxNd4g/s320/fragm2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p></i></span></span><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>-- Japanese <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boro_(textile)">Boro</a> (</i>heavily
patched and repaired clothing and bedding made through necessity in the
far north of Japan and worn by poor fishermen and peasant families in
the late 19th century. They're made from rags, repaired and patched with
many layers stitched together using fabric scraps to patch holes and
thin areas). <i><a href="https://www.kimonoboy.com/short_history.html">Sakabukuro</a> sake bags</i><i>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabi-sabi">Wabi-sabi</a> </i>(the aesthetic that finds beauty in imperfection and impermanence), the concept of <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mottainai">Mottainai </a> (or using every last scrap of fabric), <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momigami">Momigami</a> </i>(the art of paper kneading, which involves the repeated scrunching, crumpling and unfolding of paper) and<i> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washi">Washi </a>paper </i>printing techniques. </span></span></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>-- Bangladeshi <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kantha">K</a></i><i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kantha">antha</a> </i>double-sided embroideries created from worn-out saris and dhotis. </span></span></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">-- Korean <a href="https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/jogakbo-traditional-korean-patchwork"><i>Jogakbo</i></a>,
a style of patchwork traditionally used to make wrapping cloths by
sewing together geometric scraps in an irregular, improvised way, using a
special seaming technique to create a flat seam, which gives the cloth
the appearance of a stained-glass window.</span></span></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Beyond her own work, <a href="http://www.shelleyrhodes.co.uk">Shelley Rhodes</a> comments on other artists' artwork at length: <a href="http://www.beverlyaylingsmith.com">Beverly Ayling-Smith</a>, <a href="http://www.instagram.com/sharonjbrownartist">Sharon Brown</a>, <a href=" www.textilestudygroup.co.uk/members/jenny-bullen/">Jenny Bullen</a>, <a href="http://www.axisweb.org/p/elizabethcouzinsscott/">Elizabeth Couzins-Scott</a>, <a href="http://www.alicefox.co.uk">Alice Fox</a>, <a href="http://www.matthewharriscloth.co.uk">Matthew Harris</a>, <a href="http://www.debbielyddon.co.uk">Debbie Lyddon</a>, <a href="http://www.distantstitch.co.uk">Sian Martin</a>, <a href="http://www.62group.org.uk/artist/jan-miller/">Jan Miller</a>, <a href="www.instagram.com/sallysladepayne ">Sally Payne</a>, <a href="http://www.wenredmond.com">Wen Redmond</a>, <a href="http://www.textilestudygroup.co.uk/members/dorothy-tucker/">Dorothy Tucker</a>, and Donna Watson. Their websites or Instagram are mentioned at the end of the book. </span></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWvODLVBWE1cDxDdNrf83CNX4jP3m5lUpN96c148n50bgifOFAhruT6MLFD9uuWl81uDUnF0hb5mLPyPq9y-K7hSFstdXZ-YxiGo5fQKIusqfX5QUmyv3gFY9SCl0pKI73x98jafJZJWv8PUTdMUarpdUGzK5mTvSWB54HSx31oovWlqkcpYFXp4R8DQ/w95-h200/Screenshot_2022-10-29-12-35-58-38_45fb746795678a1ded33faef3c58e9c7.jpg" width="95" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxV67Ux_HNQEky6vFri911K9xvLmP1tueDyVwTbt5o_zsUKNUQrhaAFVaOOhp4k4LjujIfzf3_yFH3UlclzCvoauFAiJzPfHWb3OrTp7QbsfSQroQnkPRYtRQV_Jtw-IOUVck3wUjMS5EQnoPuK69aQn8Y3jYC47MDnKzDn5W8rJkm1OE0-ncOSewwBg/w95-h200/Screenshot_2022-10-29-11-22-12-44_45fb746795678a1ded33faef3c58e9c7.jpg" width="95" /></div></div> <br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>I LOVED </b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">I really got inspired by some of the techniques and ideas that Rhodes mentions throughout the book, as well as by seeing examples from her own and other artists' work showing these put into practice. All the </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">'Things to try' suggestions in the book are really inspirational, as well as other well-explained techniques and experiments that Rhodes mentions. Her creativity and dedication to her trade are amazing.</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The book is also great explaining how art pieces are conceived, tried out and made. Besides, Rhodes provide invaluable guidance on how to present, display and exhibit artwork.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVwYiUERpSqo-Z5gtiG2zCQ4PV3XQ39s5wrgWuUse5q1yBCQVFv08pd9NaM1ImpnmP4qEjvao-9F11-V-T-Ki9B5_ugLud6OiENhbKSWrCrLOtDZ_zAclX_hLfXp4e2p_LhrjR-bwbKUyTtLMgd0zmE_GUdeaJDhE2uFBf85_Q1c-WQd3tzL64g5_A6g/s2560/fragm3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1667" data-original-width="2560" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVwYiUERpSqo-Z5gtiG2zCQ4PV3XQ39s5wrgWuUse5q1yBCQVFv08pd9NaM1ImpnmP4qEjvao-9F11-V-T-Ki9B5_ugLud6OiENhbKSWrCrLOtDZ_zAclX_hLfXp4e2p_LhrjR-bwbKUyTtLMgd0zmE_GUdeaJDhE2uFBf85_Q1c-WQd3tzL64g5_A6g/s320/fragm3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">IMPROVABLE</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some of the techniques mentioned in the book are difficult to replicate due to the need of specific tools, materials/mediums and working space that aren't ready available without expending a bit. Just an example, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devor%C3%A9">Devoré</a> paste recipe. I'd rather have this mentioned and then an alternative product mentioned as substitute. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />Some of the explanations that Rhodes gives or her own or other artists' work are full of jargon and unnecessarily complicated. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Although the quality of the photos
is excellent, I would have loved having full page photos because the current sizing, in both my android and PC, aren't the best to enjoy the artwork at its best.</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6v2Pqp0gysVDOYhHFi7Xs8l0X_tn7jqMJMvdoQHA1br5ytBw7fTOSkvYK_5SNY63U9pVaTsE-eWW3UgnoArUK3wcMiRz_vT4vHPAWfoQjMtDdaYw2j1aex666xfh-qdn_mz3r3ubjXgXbDdCdn218BGuxJjHTFYPlMNGw_JAQB1Vv8_rFh2h-4Iw7hQ/s2560/fragm4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1618" data-original-width="2560" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6v2Pqp0gysVDOYhHFi7Xs8l0X_tn7jqMJMvdoQHA1br5ytBw7fTOSkvYK_5SNY63U9pVaTsE-eWW3UgnoArUK3wcMiRz_vT4vHPAWfoQjMtDdaYw2j1aex666xfh-qdn_mz3r3ubjXgXbDdCdn218BGuxJjHTFYPlMNGw_JAQB1Vv8_rFh2h-4Iw7hQ/s320/fragm4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">KINDLE EDITION</span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">>> On the bright side: </span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">-- No typos on view and the edition of the book is excellent overall.- There are plenty of good quality photos, which display well by double tapping. </span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">-- The book comes with a subject index, which is properly hyperlinked to the pages the different entries relate to. </span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">>> On the downside: </span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">-- The footnotes and the hyperlinked references in the text aren't well linked and take us to an area or page that are the correct one, at least on my Kindle for Android. I guess that this changes from device to device, phone screen size to another, and whether you read the book on a smartphone, tablet or computer, but ain't sure.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">-- The chapter Making Changes has two sets of 11 samples photos experimented with, which are shown before and after the experimentation. However, they aren't displayed side by side, and, even worse, the samples aren't numbered on the photo.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZTSozGtRNCxVjU9Vq4dAU0kb88FPg-NYjr7sikbs36hMlX9MRdEsziOSSITDKIP8zIKkw2JDuLs9CXhvn3gqqqNDA9i97B5WxJXVm9P6ebA9XglMnyRR_YTwR6wdjYmnD5qZ4O2q5Iw2qbw9icY6P9s-Ri_oC2jk7z6cwd9oZWyMK91Z5KuIL44hbg/w95-h200/Screenshot_2022-10-22-05-11-24-92_45fb746795678a1ded33faef3c58e9c7.jpg" width="95" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9EQdGOC396X4ysFsAhl7MGLhD_V1io1Zh9jyOAsxNnJWt3XQHgo8nOQIwFwjsGrCSijiuIPZp6Pwj4JGDJSs43tsnkqwIeVdA24enzvFPCUshBv49myIeMbqWQyNcrn1F71hxVWFpTjpt8ecNvBZUqljWBagwLOqciO0NVPL2b6YxzRiyUIDSAQ2blQ/w95-h200/Screenshot_2022-10-20-01-49-51-80_45fb746795678a1ded33faef3c58e9c7.jpg" width="95" /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">IN SHORT</span></b></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">A great inspirational well-edited art book that has given me plenty of tools and ideas to put into practice in my own artwork, which is more than what I get for most mixed-media art books. </span></span>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-62488831019521093862022-10-16T00:56:00.000-07:002022-10-16T00:56:09.883-07:00The Wild Unknown Journal by Kim Krans (2018)<div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2578" data-original-width="3783" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5FeMc-xeU2LdASQxEn9qT2vCg35gRhdI5wgZza53yFAKpcNJz8Zl2ns_67eJgYCXfNgoPxg9R1qGgd1aEEJoUW37ct4K-JUWfq2KUhB2rCVIP_zz2MRSwEh6BdeHyttdmgmByq2mYtbyX_QwxKCyfshsS5F8OTuN449qDN3CxrATGMu0i5GNczvMotA/w200-h136/IMG_20211228_185114.jpg" width="200" /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">I was super excited to get this art journal as I love Krans' tarot imagery and artwork. The excitement lasted while I browsed the book, but then, when the reality of the journal quality sank in, I felt equally disappointed. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">EXCITED </span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The whole journal design, colour scheme and Krans' artwork are very much of my liking.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> This a great practice journal to get your creativity started, flourished or regained. You can use the journal to write, paint or collage, or all of them, whatever you want. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> I see this journal as suitable for children and beginner artists. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The cover image (an eye in the centre of the labyrinth) really resonates with me because the creative process is just an insight into a soulful labyrinthine path that expresses itself through our eyes, psyche, and hands. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Great hard-cover binding. The journal can be fully opened without you feeling that the pages are going to come off at the turn of the page. Besides, the hard cover makes the journal more elegant and durable.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> White-page fear no more. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> I can use some of the pages in the book as collage paper into my artwork. </span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KLM12rLRpyLkATZCrumnZMPbMh2dJZucyaIT5wIynzKasaEIUMK31y0TPsUXeGPkYjOFCxzsDwhujI2KiqQL4kOZXKzRK6lGwA2YNaqc6ze7rMCWYffdjw2sRoZp3LG1D598Ncd4w39UCftgiGaoGNngbKjGxeUyVYWzzKQlq6zp1uur1t3YCLeEUw/w200-h150/IMG20211228163938.jpg" width="200" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUVOL0jhNfTJSOIUGKSWtvnuHnc3gPQBr_WKe6hT5e9_7wnf85zJnHJIi_ZCKq8_tMchm2dHsOdeaSh0HhMTwlTZL5-ovScZsOkWtioQvU2X3Br_1siQUhC6P4QpHu4pi_sfr0tKrz8dHUdwUdmIQlMKoJIw4783A5XTc20Hgy_sV5jkvVo4Q_AJloag/w200-h150/IMG20211228162724.jpg" width="200" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3BUCpU8x0J_v5MhIy8U-0k5D4Uv7Ppt9JgR__rdMnyn8NcC0J_EQlPsngBe2BIYfLm77iwF8foGRr7HMYLF-GmgRa8IHr9K_qmzxsojr1VBodTeusI3HJa7Tb8D85eM9O8GciTHufZQElH02F34XEVlE_TgtqHgVVnigvfL_IKULzWhqlmLjNyW36w/w200-h150/IMG20211228162804.jpg" width="200" /> </div></div><i and="" art="" artwork.="" as="" book="" browsed="" but="" disappointed.="" equally="" excited="" excitement="" felt="" get="" i="" imagery="" in="" journal="" krans="" lasted="" love="" of="" quality="" reality="" sank="" super="" tarot="" the="" then="" this="" to="" was="" when="" while=""></i><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">DISAPPOINTED</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> > The journal is intimidating, in a way, as the author's artwork is already done, and, in my case, I feel like a frog beside a princess. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The paper is not especially good for anything liquid or inky unless you apply translucent/white gesso primer beforehand. Pencils are OK. Oil pastels need of a fixative as they don't hold well onto this paper surface. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> I don't find that prompts help me create anything meaningful to me. In that regard, to me, the journal is more a level-up colouring book than a journal. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The hieroglyphs (decipher exercises) in the book, which I find delightful, are wrongly done. If you create a symbol and give them an equivalent letter, as Krans does, you then transcribe any text following this system. However, that's not the case here; if you use the same equivalents you won't be able to transcribe some of the texts because the same symbols are given different equivalents in different pages. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> No ribbon bookmark. How could the editor forget that?! </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdrXMMXq_9wLCpmQn2mhe_9attimWxztBIQsk0kplzOb5iAxuAC42orvxV84WToXXWXy1WbAslOuPI0t7-Y_d091hiWOFpf2Swne6bYS3XuuGzWbjz_0TjPJuDHN45q02ImLvr-wDyFWlcwd7Gd0Er2DaLwWr5aI4oKmB3kDZO2XSTDQDKXvyZL8JnnQ/w200-h150/IMG20211228162649.jpg" width="200" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaRV-qOKgU4NamdV8BnrJp842kuJ9I-gTclszh4YbloXTc82OXT9gwKRfqOAka0wUQ-ef9bD2_e3m2LFc9HRrAJs2C3f6SpKKAgFcmWswAWtnp4jd_VU_J2UorCLnZvKXv9KLTE_KMF6aU_n8LU8OHBIgzyrhGUfyQxmeUSaGcL-R7X6sFT1t5fuK3Bg/w200-h150/IMG20211228162655.jpg" width="200" /></div><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">OVERALL</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">I Love Krans' introduction and artwork, but the bad quality paper and the simplistic prompts do not help me create on this book. However, I owe to this journal the rekindling of my artistic pursuits on proper paper surfaces and with my own intuition as prompt. I will be using some of the pages to transfer images into my artwork or to incorporate them into my own artwork or just as an inspiration. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEW4QkUu9voBysXMrL3AVinDDYHEZrlTzDFA2_ATIPMZwjtCVdQG5GDWBeDpF8jcHC-yYct0BTMPyxhccb2zcI-mXOespKLu8Y3TERdcdj_rh5gS6lBf9OZRBonQk59E29-7pbYBQDi1PfUD-skGhi39kIxvN0shPbcs0U3TJ6xU_1Ex6Gj_Z6g9eHVw/s4608/IMG20221016175952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEW4QkUu9voBysXMrL3AVinDDYHEZrlTzDFA2_ATIPMZwjtCVdQG5GDWBeDpF8jcHC-yYct0BTMPyxhccb2zcI-mXOespKLu8Y3TERdcdj_rh5gS6lBf9OZRBonQk59E29-7pbYBQDi1PfUD-skGhi39kIxvN0shPbcs0U3TJ6xU_1Ex6Gj_Z6g9eHVw/w150-h200/IMG20221016175952.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3Zw9JBVfVk4zM00NJdjnPgHMFuTPOU7MveR_sAmoISBJhNGgE5YOec-rEwO6y7FhFDO3P_WEwu7Q3z1p78JFmv0dldQ8Dw58Wa7GuxfFPeIyuLOTNh4ccjy9bY98gqToEFFmyBidJOSlgJwR8tg912dE9bK2ymM1ytLmxfK5h_nyCuemrlH0Ahq_mA/w200-h150/IMG20221016180031.jpg" width="200" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSmgbbGr1Ixrqm_zbbfypIOUF57nRNQQIO57z7Cyc_vQ2L77vdRoG74Pu_Wy4GWdXAhHyYpaiX7WMiVQLTo009a8Ms6MQOTd7tumwzVzZYIZIv3EXMv7h2fblPDzk9MLJuPdHoJJxcdKx33YsnlvOLI4ulKrHSEaS8c-SjNLTaPY2xlKGfNqsi9bBUUw/w200-h150/IMG20221016180217.jpg" width="200" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /> </div><br /> </span></span></div>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-36521641036862226302022-10-08T14:57:00.001-07:002023-04-22T23:05:23.173-07:00 Find Your Artistic Voice: The Essential Guide to Working Your Creative Magic by Lisa Congdon (2019)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSluOdE164JCS-NGKfjVH23VhpEvULPYBv23HrF6KYAOrM0VmI6jrGJBdXtyufrdHYtvblpSm3V1U86m8H9wK_LFoVY_V0F1vR9tn_hshs0XfCzlkxd3aF_ZaqXsDaodGops0D0FM4muecCbCSPbIE0kuyzowgvhOl-oxKUEXtQ3dAGzkjtrzJGoUSzQ/s500/artisticvoice.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="384" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSluOdE164JCS-NGKfjVH23VhpEvULPYBv23HrF6KYAOrM0VmI6jrGJBdXtyufrdHYtvblpSm3V1U86m8H9wK_LFoVY_V0F1vR9tn_hshs0XfCzlkxd3aF_ZaqXsDaodGops0D0FM4muecCbCSPbIE0kuyzowgvhOl-oxKUEXtQ3dAGzkjtrzJGoUSzQ/w154-h200/artisticvoice.jpg" width="154" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="a-size-base review-text review-text-content" data-hook="review-body"><span>This
is a very enjoyable, simple to read, sound book with advice for
artists, from beginners to emerging, on how to develop our artistic
voice. It delves into what an artistic voice is, why is important having
one, how to find it, and the struggles on how to get there. The book
inserts ten interviews with renowned professional artists (mostly
illustrators and mostly women) in with the author poses these and other
questions to them, and discusses the creative process in general. The
artists interviewed are: </span></span><span><span>1/ <a href="https//www.seanqualls.com">Sean Qualls </a>& <a href="https://www.selinaalko.com">Selina Alko</a>. 2/ <a href="https://andreapippins.com">Andrea Pippins</a>. 3/ Fin Lee. 4/ <a href="https://www.kindahkhalidy.com">Kindah Khalidy</a> 5/<a href="https://www.andyjpizza.com">Andy J Miller</a> 6/ <a href="http://www.krysa.com ">Danielle Krysa</a> 7/ <a href="https://www.katebingamanburt.com/">Kate Bingaman-Burt</a> 8/ <a href="https://www.libbyblack.com">Libby Black</a> 9/ <a href="https://ayumihorie.com">Ayumi Horie</a> 10/ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/martharich63/?hl=en">Martha Rich</a></span></span><span class="a-size-base review-text review-text-content" data-hook="review-body"><span>. My fav interview was, Kate Bingaman-Burt's. Congdon's delightful
humorous illustrations spread throughout the book. I really love her
style.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="a-size-base review-text review-text-content" data-hook="review-body"><span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="a-size-base review-text review-text-content" data-hook="review-body"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVKjtxULmIpTxAf1FDCiKn4MncNJ4zZpwpvmRZCE6kTVV8tiNOsciov3JAPliIbtVnREPi_dRa4NNkqTaefmN_FPXZAU1wdtibwzXXV6WYFlrhfukJeJMP8j2-zMSIMQd6q0nRLMeYiKrS6SyPWzqICYzRFophaSJ16QWBbX8fHQxozeqRsM1vW2ul5g/s2280/Screenshot_2022-09-09-04-36-55-62_45fb746795678a1ded33faef3c58e9c7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVKjtxULmIpTxAf1FDCiKn4MncNJ4zZpwpvmRZCE6kTVV8tiNOsciov3JAPliIbtVnREPi_dRa4NNkqTaefmN_FPXZAU1wdtibwzXXV6WYFlrhfukJeJMP8j2-zMSIMQd6q0nRLMeYiKrS6SyPWzqICYzRFophaSJ16QWBbX8fHQxozeqRsM1vW2ul5g/s320/Screenshot_2022-09-09-04-36-55-62_45fb746795678a1ded33faef3c58e9c7.jpg" width="152" /></a></div></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="a-size-base review-text review-text-content" data-hook="review-body"><span>Our artistic voice is the art that we make when we listen
to our inner truth and convey it to the world in specific ways. Our
artistic voice is made of "all of the characteristics that make your
artwork distinct from the artwork of other artists, like how you use
colors or symbols, how you apply lines and patterns, your subject matter
choices, and what your work communicates." (p. 7).<br /><br />Congdon says
that to find our voice we need to show up, make art every day, be
disciplined, practice-practice-practice, 'positivize' boredom and
embrace our fears and self-doubt. We also need tons of patience because,
as mastering a musical instrument takes years of hard work, so does
Art. Embracing our fears and doubts is especially important for
beginners, and, that being the case, we have to have compassion and
patience with ourselves and our mistakes, with the disasters and ugly
pieces, because they're the stepping stones on which our artistic voice
is gonna be built. For the rest, all the interviewees agree on the fact
that hard work and expressing our personal truth and who we are, are
the recipe to find our artistic voice; except for some 'geniuses', most
professional artists have to work at it. Congdon says, "The unfolding
of your voice requires showing up and working hard. It requires being
willing to create failures, to ask for feedback, and to go back and try
all over again. It requires staying open. It requires moving outside
what’s comfortable and being vulnerable." (p. 119).</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="a-size-base review-text review-text-content" data-hook="review-body"><span> </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="a-size-base review-text review-text-content" data-hook="review-body"><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsulnjOnngR3pYCGUNJS1VGlN35F3W9qrj1GUuAyCvEg2CKa2zguqb_K5iZNbgO8HEE_60IOnKNdur-Q_lcHgihMR6YUeleAhvMjATLbijwBUT14Cwbt-IewwDLVHzBvXJk8RDjE6qfrDinUavnYULBQiexoiyxvVqNQfcVOccIKAyKhdIy4tIUVBOkA/s2280/Screenshot_2022-09-09-04-35-36-61_45fb746795678a1ded33faef3c58e9c7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsulnjOnngR3pYCGUNJS1VGlN35F3W9qrj1GUuAyCvEg2CKa2zguqb_K5iZNbgO8HEE_60IOnKNdur-Q_lcHgihMR6YUeleAhvMjATLbijwBUT14Cwbt-IewwDLVHzBvXJk8RDjE6qfrDinUavnYULBQiexoiyxvVqNQfcVOccIKAyKhdIy4tIUVBOkA/s320/Screenshot_2022-09-09-04-35-36-61_45fb746795678a1ded33faef3c58e9c7.jpg" width="152" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBhgDyjX0SK7Rd3QauzE5jmBLUF83znbEtcU3smORnbw89zgMsHhNBpCpoFxhRW3OpOo0b_SzACj54brz88xfMIRNdAREGndGGxsDUxH6-F3VGGqhlFIw8zLs9FeLrdqgbSYchKRzYu6gOg-DlTIyOfiqSZ9Dp2YRfGisVoRt04K8af5OtS143nS9aA/s2280/Screenshot_2022-09-09-04-27-58-80_45fb746795678a1ded33faef3c58e9c7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBhgDyjX0SK7Rd3QauzE5jmBLUF83znbEtcU3smORnbw89zgMsHhNBpCpoFxhRW3OpOo0b_SzACj54brz88xfMIRNdAREGndGGxsDUxH6-F3VGGqhlFIw8zLs9FeLrdqgbSYchKRzYu6gOg-DlTIyOfiqSZ9Dp2YRfGisVoRt04K8af5OtS143nS9aA/s320/Screenshot_2022-09-09-04-27-58-80_45fb746795678a1ded33faef3c58e9c7.jpg" width="152" /></a><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="a-size-base review-text review-text-content" data-hook="review-body"><span> </span></span></span></span><br /></div></div></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="a-size-base review-text review-text-content" data-hook="review-body"><span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span class="a-size-base review-text review-text-content" data-hook="review-body"><span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="a-size-base review-text review-text-content" data-hook="review-body"><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>STRATEGIES TO DEVELOP YOUR VOICE</b></span><br />Congdon also advises twelve strategies for developing our own artistic voice, and they are:<br />1/
Marke art every day, even for a few minutes. 2/ Don't stop, keep going,
when thigs get hard or tought. 3/ Embrace the monotony and boredom to
break through and experiment. 4/ Create challenges for ourselves and
stick to them, no matter who's paying attention to them, even if it's
just ourselves. 5/ Learn to practice mindfulness when we go outside
into the world to notice new things, new colours, curious weird stuff.
6/ Find a space to be alone to create. 7/ Find a feedback partner or
critique group. 8/ Take classes. 9/ Brainstorm. 10/ Develop your
vocabulary of interests, knowledge, and ideas. 10/ Support other artists
and learn from other artists. 11/ Stay open to all experiences.</span></span></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzFuEQlz71-beyTw7ssuGEjTUZm0rsgEuZyNM-bjc5-dF7YLywg3i85q_8KZuCpKpit3_a9qhTWBJEQ1Os7cFNETsE5D1BYzoost93niVtgQxlz6dW2JaAfWvktd1VuJoOczeFDZvcZRs__VC1P0hIcHBwu5AnVWeWmHePowi8vvC1LwVUelVD_TTtrQ/s320/Screenshot_2022-09-09-04-39-28-23_45fb746795678a1ded33faef3c58e9c7.jpg" width="152" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="a-size-base review-text review-text-content" data-hook="review-body"><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>MIND</b></span></span></span></span></span><br /></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="a-size-base review-text review-text-content" data-hook="review-body"><span></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="a-size-base review-text review-text-content" data-hook="review-body"><span>The
book is intended mostly for artists who want to have an artistic career
or are professional artists. Yet, the advice is great also for
everyone, even beginners like me, who want to have a distinctive voice
and express their own world views.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>THINGS I MISSED</b></span><br />The
interviews with other artists are very interesting, but I see them
fitter for a blog or art magazine, and some of the most important points
they make could have been summarized or the reader without the need to
go through the whole interview. Besides, I would have loved having the
invited artists' artwork featured int he book (like 2-4 i medium size
mages per head) as well as their website and social media accounts
listed.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu36LLnDMcjEf6T522sEadTFTG3YZIhLLfC1_GiH_QStzInAoSeeJkD7HZ3MivhEwUCOV4u_mNn6tyIXeLpCdmdXHx7q0UfkSyA7kMn74ZAJRSNhn-mupa0tc-4SI2XXk7OoObUMdAUd_Cl6AAOeJH8EXMjUqWzMYlAEeqnCJsrGPyUbpvvZU1x33wqg/s320/Screenshot_2022-09-10-08-20-12-71_45fb746795678a1ded33faef3c58e9c7.jpg" width="152" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidw1GUwobLZFq9p9RnBVWGfjR7SQumy7fWXSGhfQjy1f2LvZpSkd6fwDF48qqhVV94MSlgPTxbMjw6c4KM5iyCaUQyo06jn5uN9Cntoka0mfopXys5KaMtJ6CCy3sTOBpp1QhSFAG-tZ4K5GvI5C-ra6YJFbT20NPi7nrwR7fuB2Tf24PFIbszh2yzmg/s320/Screenshot_2022-09-09-15-18-28-55_45fb746795678a1ded33faef3c58e9c7.jpg" width="152" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div></span></span></span></span></div>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-40768659004748469902022-09-08T21:40:00.002-07:002022-09-08T21:43:11.527-07:00 Picture This: How Pictures Work by Molly Bang (2016)<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJ__pTeVxsDdp5Jx9zo_3Ouo3bXR0xaSoLA9lape_bn4ttFhu9OWtH83kSstPaIa35ETtW8DWaOtpvY8gqgVUekHxE93oXFNt5EUs2wnYNB9IQS_Gt6HbXViUlcuLfuK2cjSUCGf-LtuGIyz3RyCfCPj99eYs2h-EXtI1c8sAzCxRlo7EMcTfAkXjiQ/s260/41Ki8swY9WL._SX260_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="260" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJ__pTeVxsDdp5Jx9zo_3Ouo3bXR0xaSoLA9lape_bn4ttFhu9OWtH83kSstPaIa35ETtW8DWaOtpvY8gqgVUekHxE93oXFNt5EUs2wnYNB9IQS_Gt6HbXViUlcuLfuK2cjSUCGf-LtuGIyz3RyCfCPj99eYs2h-EXtI1c8sAzCxRlo7EMcTfAkXjiQ/w200-h193/41Ki8swY9WL._SX260_.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Some images simply work, they feel right to us. We don't consciously know what makes images work because many times, when we look at an image, we attribute value to what we like. However, an image works or doesn't regardless whether we like it or not. So, which elements or principles make an image work? <br /><br />This is the premise for Picture This. Molly Bang asked herself this question 25 years ago, dived into the world of imagery and then came up with a series of principles that make any image work and give it more or less expression and emotional content. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmDs-pcGmEm4N36K6rO9YY-iepdyvE9AlJCh66TaDxyH4w1cT8GNs3xULLRt9yKYErVqYNl5UM-rIxOB8Kf68Zi4S4_zhpbQ-VxLMbueukfF1f98BMwm_jEUxL2uu4AJ7PRItdCeFhPtPq6eJs7t6ySjLLn8wJeo63L1aUNZEz_zefeCnjFLjmHuH2qA/s1053/Screenshot_2022-09-02-22-28-19-93_45fb746795678a1ded33faef3c58e9c7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1053" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmDs-pcGmEm4N36K6rO9YY-iepdyvE9AlJCh66TaDxyH4w1cT8GNs3xULLRt9yKYErVqYNl5UM-rIxOB8Kf68Zi4S4_zhpbQ-VxLMbueukfF1f98BMwm_jEUxL2uu4AJ7PRItdCeFhPtPq6eJs7t6ySjLLn8wJeo63L1aUNZEz_zefeCnjFLjmHuH2qA/w200-h198/Screenshot_2022-09-02-22-28-19-93_45fb746795678a1ded33faef3c58e9c7.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> </span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>BASIC PRINCIPLES SUMMARY</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">These are basic staple principles that Bang lists and are grounded in our instinctive positive or negative responses to the world. </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">The concepts are always used in combination and within a given context. </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />> Smooth, flat, horizontal shapes give us a sense of stability and calm. <br />> Vertical shapes are more exciting and active. Vertical shapes rebel against the Earth's gravity. They imply energy and a reaching. <br />> Diagonal shapes are dynamic because they imply motion or tension. <br />> The upper half of a picture is a place of freedom, happiness and power; objects placed in the top half also often feel more spiritual. The bottom half of a picture feels more threatened, heavier, sadder or constrained. Objects placed in the bottom half also feel more grounded. <br />> The center of the page is the point of greatest attraction. <br />> The edges and corners of a the picture are the edges and corners of the picture-world. <br />> White or light backgrounds feel safer to us than dark backgrounds because we can see well during the day and only poorly at night. <br />> We feel more scared looking at pointed shapes and more secure or comforted looking at rounded shapes or curves. <br />> The larger an object is in a picture, the stronger it feels. <br />> We associate the same or similar colours much more strongly than we associate the same or similar shapes. <br />> Regularity and irregularity—and their combinations—are powerful.<br />> We notice contrasts as contrast enables us to see.<br />> The movement and import of the picture is determined as much by the spaces between the shapes as by the shapes themselves.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSKXKHYrAuurHlipXUvQnbmU30Z5PAZNdGSKmkaaoxvyBzta0vneJnsR5w69dhwdpQNNXVXPdzkOp98mxGt0uixrhBRnNudJqeB20fp2fJWs0yJfWtLF2P-PTdn5f9IZZgmmLvG_cYjorTHx_jyUOctvzSa6Qdw57gY31XDG8Pi1P1XU08CGtPhAbTw/s997/Screenshot%20(20h%2043m%2012s).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="997" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSKXKHYrAuurHlipXUvQnbmU30Z5PAZNdGSKmkaaoxvyBzta0vneJnsR5w69dhwdpQNNXVXPdzkOp98mxGt0uixrhBRnNudJqeB20fp2fJWs0yJfWtLF2P-PTdn5f9IZZgmmLvG_cYjorTHx_jyUOctvzSa6Qdw57gY31XDG8Pi1P1XU08CGtPhAbTw/w200-h168/Screenshot%20(20h%2043m%2012s).png" width="200" /></div></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>I LOVED</b></span><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">> The book
feels fresh despite this being the 25th anniversary of the first
edition. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">> The book is short and sweet and gives artists some tools to consciously create images and scenes that work. Some of these rules might sound simplistic, but most of us would not come up with this conclusions when looking at any sort of artistic imagery. //<br />> Bang explains everything in simple language and using minimal imagery that shows, without a doubt, how and why images work. <br />> The initial chapter "Building Emotional content of Pictures" in which Bang uses simple shapes, basic colours and an exploratory approach to build an image for Red Riding Hood. as she verbalizes her art process. I also loved the example she gives at the end of the book, with imagery from her illustration book When Sophie Gets Angry—Very, Very Angry, exploring her depiction of the arch of feelings in the book. <br />> The exercises mentioned at the end of the book. Even if I haven't done them yet, because the advice given is sound when creating an effective picture. One of my takes from this section is also the fact that, sometimes, we tend to focus on the details in a picture, but the question is, are the details necessary and contribute to enhance the feeling or message or emotional impact of the picture, or a distraction? </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz21yGpfc-m_UHWEGLo2jlMf4p8q48aW4JwwZM-ilzLnG0gOJYplp9SU0S5ezPdQBZHakNsSA-42IpTJKYzHxkr8ekkl3CKIJ_bWFdx-NbDThIJ7I0HH5O5SkBS7IrRFlAjBVOwhg_CqNiBBvwPAap_g9ZQkMO_6SprqTo67LlHy5XG_ejciPtctue8Q/s989/Screenshot%20(21h%2051m%2024s).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="989" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz21yGpfc-m_UHWEGLo2jlMf4p8q48aW4JwwZM-ilzLnG0gOJYplp9SU0S5ezPdQBZHakNsSA-42IpTJKYzHxkr8ekkl3CKIJ_bWFdx-NbDThIJ7I0HH5O5SkBS7IrRFlAjBVOwhg_CqNiBBvwPAap_g9ZQkMO_6SprqTo67LlHy5XG_ejciPtctue8Q/s320/Screenshot%20(21h%2051m%2024s).png" width="320" /></a></div> </span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>DOWNSIDES</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">> The epigraphs font size is too big and there is no gradation in sizing when there are sub-epigraphs or big sections. That's an edition problem that can be easily fixed in the Kindle edition.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">> Bang mentions that the principles are a work in progress. Since these principles were explored and listed 25 years ago, I would have loved Bang mentioning if any others can be added . </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">> I would have loved having some famous paintings being analyzed following each of the principles listed, so that we could see them working in action. This would have rounded the book beautifully and it is easy to do digitally. </span></span><br /></div>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-81730831785328140222022-09-01T22:27:00.003-07:002022-09-01T22:54:11.418-07:00The Adjacent Possible: Evolve Your Art. from Blank Canvas to Prolific Artist by Nancy Hillis (2021)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmieeJBlUn7C2LhcZ4cYwVG3uFkaW7QjHd1ZtvVjA0L3QfkA7nuJ0P2itJwSIWAomSDp1pO4bJZy3ptXcVD55Od4yYGdR2MfJDBzL3m9ZfhHaAwFJsUlgjSejEpru0FP9PoRiU8Nn4RM8YQ4SVZfBICW19tgmJfrr4AMBfyOjnsE8BBFQ2FMyHjKt4g/s1000/zero21.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmieeJBlUn7C2LhcZ4cYwVG3uFkaW7QjHd1ZtvVjA0L3QfkA7nuJ0P2itJwSIWAomSDp1pO4bJZy3ptXcVD55Od4yYGdR2MfJDBzL3m9ZfhHaAwFJsUlgjSejEpru0FP9PoRiU8Nn4RM8YQ4SVZfBICW19tgmJfrr4AMBfyOjnsE8BBFQ2FMyHjKt4g/w200-h200/zero21.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hilli's book is both a source of inspiration and a constant frustration to read. This could have been a great book if anyone had bothered to edit the book for content. It has great advice and concepts, but it is too wordy and repetitive and feels amateurish.</span> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><b> </b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><b>MAIN CONCEPTS</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">> <b>Zero to One</b>, there is more distance or space between zero and one, than from one to two, two to three. In art, this means that the most difficult thing to do is starting anything. That is why a blank canvas can be terrifying and we postpone or delay working on it. </span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">> <b>The adjacent possible</b> shows that any option that we make, whether in life or art, leads to something else that was unpredictable or unknown. It is something like the butterfly effect. So a new mark or line in a canvas might create, for example, a shape that inspires us to create something else that we hadn't thought about. For that to happen, the artist has to be ready for the unknown, dive into the unknown, allow the unknown to materialize by opening to it, and leave the predictable, the rules and the comfortable behind.</span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">> <b>Exploration and experimentation</b> are at the core of creativity, and are the basis to progress, grown and evolve as an artist as complacency gets artists stagnant.</span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">> <b>Ugly art</b> is necessary and teaches us invaluable lessons. We need to get comfortable with our ugly stuff and see that as a stepping stone for improvement and growth. </span></span><br /></div><div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>THINGS THAT I REALLY LIKED</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Beyond the concepts mentioned above I liked some of the points that the author made. Here some of them:</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Not being a known artist is actually a blessing, as this allows to create good art. However, even professional artists benefit for the approach of obscurity: What would you create if you were invisible? How would you sing if no one were watching? What if you were unself-conscious in your art making? What risks would you take if the outcome didn’t matter? </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> It is never pleasant when someone is critical of your art. The worst part: however, is when a part of you agrees with the criticism.(p. 60). </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Advice on how to keep track of our art. </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The questions to make a self-assessment of our art.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The technique trap: No amount of technique will move you closer to expressing your deepest art. Technique is painting from the outside in, rather than the inside out" (p. 148). </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Learning that Joseph Campbell wasn't the father of the concept of the hero's journey.but Edward Burnett Tylor. </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The fact that luck is related to two habits: changing up daily routines and avoiding over-scheduling. </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> I thought that the best chapters in the book, due to their content, structure and clarity, are: </span></span><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">-- 12 Three tips for artists (keep a journal, just start, and work in a series).</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">-- 13 Three massive mistakes even the pros make (painting paralysis, the tyranny of technique, and empty virtuosity). </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">-- 14 Four traps artists face where old beliefs are replaced with new ones ( the critique trap,</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">the imposter trap, the judgement trap, and the technique trap).</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">-- 15 Three invisible paradoxes ( the refusal, the perils, and he dark night of the soul).</span></span><br /></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Finally, I also liked the recaps at the end of some chapters, some of the simple exercises advised and the fact that any major point discussed in the book has a real life story attached to it. </span></span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz6KoPLIey4tn-rSWVIPVYGAanRz_PQ5w0WiCBehqqXaTApL2vc3o10468sHwt2mHgRQjtdl-uRZUzQJEtxPjCLWW8eA5VAO5CW0np4YxTD8NSAHWMvkXE2NOvevXLMh3-6B5mGIbfmNy_v6qWD1SAa5Zs2O0O6WNu0UTH9PgmPS4HjZFwGEUg7CIYUg/s1072/Screenshot_2022-08-31-06-05-07-30_45fb746795678a1ded33faef3c58e9c7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="1072" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz6KoPLIey4tn-rSWVIPVYGAanRz_PQ5w0WiCBehqqXaTApL2vc3o10468sHwt2mHgRQjtdl-uRZUzQJEtxPjCLWW8eA5VAO5CW0np4YxTD8NSAHWMvkXE2NOvevXLMh3-6B5mGIbfmNy_v6qWD1SAa5Zs2O0O6WNu0UTH9PgmPS4HjZFwGEUg7CIYUg/s320/Screenshot_2022-08-31-06-05-07-30_45fb746795678a1ded33faef3c58e9c7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">NOT SO GOOD</span></b></span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This is a self-published book and, unfortunately, shows terribly. The book lacks a good structure, lack of cohesiveness in structure to be precise, as repeats the same ideas na concepts over and over, <i>ad nauseam</i>. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">One gets exhausted after the same ideas are repeated <i>ad nauseam</i> for nearly 200 pages. <br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Some of the more scientific concepts are unnecessary discussed in scientific jargon when in fact the simple explanation given at the beginning is sufficient. I thought that the description of what the hero's journey is was too long. Also, Hillis has a tendency to divert from the discourse at hand to then go back to it. <br /></span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For the rest, the book seems addressed to professional or established artists not as much to beginner artists.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMMGMK80yz8b7De7y9kcJjpYZYXfvO2YfWjypJyHwCPGPitTdPRtyzcZoPu_Fm3QGGPnIwppAj69p4i0WUdlX740XaXOs6DIS0-LEOY5FusMaweIjcgcFiQdQTGONcbP1H7b13Dwmghrf2Ca_B4F_x9yid0jqzIOIv3VowbVH1iJl_htCtv8BlYODiA/s1336/Screenshot_2022-08-30-20-38-03-76_45fb746795678a1ded33faef3c58e9c7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="1028" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMMGMK80yz8b7De7y9kcJjpYZYXfvO2YfWjypJyHwCPGPitTdPRtyzcZoPu_Fm3QGGPnIwppAj69p4i0WUdlX740XaXOs6DIS0-LEOY5FusMaweIjcgcFiQdQTGONcbP1H7b13Dwmghrf2Ca_B4F_x9yid0jqzIOIv3VowbVH1iJl_htCtv8BlYODiA/s320/Screenshot_2022-08-30-20-38-03-76_45fb746795678a1ded33faef3c58e9c7.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>KINDLE EDITION</b></span></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The Kindle edition is well edited except for some minor typos. Some of the ones I've noticed:<br />-- p. 78 short dashes should be replaced with long ones. <br />-- p. 155 there is the 3rd item of a list, mistake number 3, but is mistakenly labelled as mistake #1 .<br />-- p. 215, an hyphen is used instead of a long dash. </span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">IN SHORT</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The core of the book is as follows: start something even though that's the most
difficult part. Experiment, be fearless, accept your mistakes and learn
from them. Do art that reflects who you are not what other people want
to see. Keep open to experimentation and the unknown as these are
the keys to artistic growth. Technique serves art and it is not art per se. </span><br /></span></span></div></div>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-31202971915557675922022-06-18T01:00:00.003-07:002022-06-18T01:08:23.217-07:00Art Journal Courage: Fearless Mixed Media Techniques for Journaling Bravely by Dina Wakley (2014)<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSCKPo7k3dV7t2qFuZkcxpPwjwAucNq2vdL46e-d1OCComl5mFV3VtrKhAWn4Mr3yR2ZYvSUM2C9hRUf0SZJLkejyN9-oB6HhYJFIb79nMvZSul1boMUSfY5Dffo8GiN5ckOlXHIFMiPNmNo73-mMwcJST3zkl1C1bn8rTcDGihkHCxyxZ49YpzUnjw/s1454/wakleycourage.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1454" data-original-width="1103" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkSCKPo7k3dV7t2qFuZkcxpPwjwAucNq2vdL46e-d1OCComl5mFV3VtrKhAWn4Mr3yR2ZYvSUM2C9hRUf0SZJLkejyN9-oB6HhYJFIb79nMvZSul1boMUSfY5Dffo8GiN5ckOlXHIFMiPNmNo73-mMwcJST3zkl1C1bn8rTcDGihkHCxyxZ49YpzUnjw/w152-h200/wakleycourage.jpg" width="152" /></a></div></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This is another great book for beginners by art journalist extraordinaire Dina Wakley. It's packed with very easy to follow (and well photographed) tutorials, encouragement to start or continue with your art journey, and plenty of mixed-media techniques, like creating your own stencils, just to mention one that I loved.<br /><br />Each chapter tries to motivate us to leave fears aside and start creating and the advice given is simple and sound:<br />-- Fear: I don’t know what to write! And I don’t like my handwriting. Courage: Writing takes practice! Plus, the only person who doesn’t like your handwriting is you.<br /><br />-- Fear: I can’t draw. Courage: You can draw once you know the formula. And once you commit to practice!<br /><br />-- Fear: I don’t want to, or know how to, include my image in my work. Courage: Examining yourself is a time-honored artistic tradition that helps you learn and grow as an artist.<br /><br />-- Fear: Layering is hard. I don’t know what to do next. Courage: Breaking down the layering process into tools and methods will help you layer with confidence.<br /><br />-- Fear: You don’t have the newest, trendiest art supplies so you can’t make good art. Courage: You can use supplies in unexpected ways to keep your artwork fresh and exciting!<br /><br />-- Fear: I have to have everything planned in my head before I work. Courage: By working organically and intuitively, you can create interesting art and push yourself to see more.<br /><br />-- Fear: Working in my journal is comfortable, but I’m afraid to move on to other projects. Courage: Moving your art from the journal page to other substrates and mixed-media projects is satisfying and exciting!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The language used in the book is simple and effective, no technicalities. Even if you don't follow the tutorials to the letter or not at all, you'll still learn a lot of stuff that will improve your artwork.<br /><br />The table at the end of the book with the properties, uses and downfalls of each media type is excellent. <br /> <br />Wakley, who has a huge range of mixed media products for sale in the craft market, doesn't promote them in the book at all, so that's really refreshing. <br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxUeYa0rs4R40Vp-lrqg-pw0JrICgOQ-u46mYX6flb_jpNnKRatrhSdU1OMkscH9bMr4Qkr3CRlSJzKXh48fdA4SvnPB3jSpy919AKGhw_3TFQWHjOERXhiSw5Q5_7VrWa3anfdE_ybnNbiAbz85HHDms6oSCt59lxzSZSa2ikgGBwXuVGUQ-WXMRQ7w/s1920/Screenshot%20(16h%2029m%2007s).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxUeYa0rs4R40Vp-lrqg-pw0JrICgOQ-u46mYX6flb_jpNnKRatrhSdU1OMkscH9bMr4Qkr3CRlSJzKXh48fdA4SvnPB3jSpy919AKGhw_3TFQWHjOERXhiSw5Q5_7VrWa3anfdE_ybnNbiAbz85HHDms6oSCt59lxzSZSa2ikgGBwXuVGUQ-WXMRQ7w/w400-h225/Screenshot%20(16h%2029m%2007s).png" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">KINDLE EDITION</span></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The Kindle edition is really good and the images have good resolution. Besides, the pages can be bookmarked and annotated easily, unlike other art books on Kindle.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimeNCT0NrJcg3z4QlvSbcGpsFVy_k-_7Rzz7lWvGZ96BxZiZs1fOMJ6MQmWS570b-sG_l5iWuSFPSn5YOxIvIWV_O9MJD3E0DEa9kQzwhiwUgKiyqySdP7ybA67HqmCoGtOmk92mglXhLwaUe-64BjNsKMqwiflQJTonixY4nkFJI-V54nP2JV-pABDw/s1920/Screenshot%20(20h%2007m%2007s).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimeNCT0NrJcg3z4QlvSbcGpsFVy_k-_7Rzz7lWvGZ96BxZiZs1fOMJ6MQmWS570b-sG_l5iWuSFPSn5YOxIvIWV_O9MJD3E0DEa9kQzwhiwUgKiyqySdP7ybA67HqmCoGtOmk92mglXhLwaUe-64BjNsKMqwiflQJTonixY4nkFJI-V54nP2JV-pABDw/w400-h225/Screenshot%20(20h%2007m%2007s).png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>DOWNSIDES</b></span> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">> The initial chapter on tools and materials is a copy-and-paste of Wakley's previous book Art Journal Freedom.<br />> Chapter Six starts with a big statement about the fact that we don't need expensive supplies to art journal or paint. Yet, in the tutorials included in this chapter include the use of very expensive <i>PanPastels </i>and <i>Caran D'Ache </i>Neocolors. <br />> I would have wanted a bit of more guidance on face shading because the book barely provides guidance on this subject. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtl6sxH-8p7_t7XGXwVu_Umh06C-nrFXC3ZXBNxtM8w-oDDgMPmMWWpFftzQpSUmkvAeQskmY2wEI5QN2Pg6OOhbIt417jPEomszyMgxm9wfMnccdUxy0zOr1wyX4Kdsm61AZYLvPinQtecv1Xw5jBMF-tuomrdY1lUuY-XXYooqDz2BUUhS9SQMX-Q/s1920/Screenshot%20(21h%2012m%2032s).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtl6sxH-8p7_t7XGXwVu_Umh06C-nrFXC3ZXBNxtM8w-oDDgMPmMWWpFftzQpSUmkvAeQskmY2wEI5QN2Pg6OOhbIt417jPEomszyMgxm9wfMnccdUxy0zOr1wyX4Kdsm61AZYLvPinQtecv1Xw5jBMF-tuomrdY1lUuY-XXYooqDz2BUUhS9SQMX-Q/w400-h225/Screenshot%20(21h%2012m%2032s).png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>TYPOS </b></span><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Bold is missing from the words 'fear' and 'courage' at the start of chapter 6.</span></span><br /></div>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-36332787242281972052022-06-14T02:24:00.001-07:002022-06-18T00:47:16.987-07:00Art Journal Freedom: How to Journal Creatively With Color & Composition by Dina Wakley (2013)<p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQECDoEGATEZWhoKmk8kkl9e8ekFndlOArr5cdI9k4plIpr0ASP4rWAH9ri17nzRu6j4smjgB9kgBKnmCG8Bk53TWbzsea0UUV5lC2zEn-bL7xLcaoRPxN9nK_xxQ_A0aqqipft8x2r2me2gxlWGKo_dTwc181wdNowa68m-QUek5DpEiBVld-rfalzA/s2560/wakley.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1942" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQECDoEGATEZWhoKmk8kkl9e8ekFndlOArr5cdI9k4plIpr0ASP4rWAH9ri17nzRu6j4smjgB9kgBKnmCG8Bk53TWbzsea0UUV5lC2zEn-bL7xLcaoRPxN9nK_xxQ_A0aqqipft8x2r2me2gxlWGKo_dTwc181wdNowa68m-QUek5DpEiBVld-rfalzA/w152-h200/wakley.jpg" width="152" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Without a good composition, images simply don't work. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm a fan of Wakley's art products so I thought I'd give this book a try. This is a short enjoyable read, great to understand basic rules of composition and colour. Everything is explained in a very simple effective way, in a language that has no technicalities or complexity. Wakley also shows how to break the rules and when to do it. By the end of the book, one gets to understand why some images work and others not. Subjects discussed in the book are: symmetry/asymmetry, white space, continuance, closure, proximity, dominance, repetition, colour basics, contrast with colour, and colour as composition tool. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-6wyPP17RZaP0ly7nLKzwhsxJzxkbgztR4lVzWbsB6bFXSIitKdGz7Ylz5zoiC5oiguRyKv_tcdHla8vZ0SbJCAO5jxXChkmgxz9bE8mfJVRvmiMouU4bPlK1EeamxGMIdCh4gqA_tGLF-I6cu0phhoR_L6ryq8Hl_MXHW4HHn4yXFWq_W1ZkYKzIJw/s990/Screenshot%20(19h%2045m%2019s).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="990" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-6wyPP17RZaP0ly7nLKzwhsxJzxkbgztR4lVzWbsB6bFXSIitKdGz7Ylz5zoiC5oiguRyKv_tcdHla8vZ0SbJCAO5jxXChkmgxz9bE8mfJVRvmiMouU4bPlK1EeamxGMIdCh4gqA_tGLF-I6cu0phhoR_L6ryq8Hl_MXHW4HHn4yXFWq_W1ZkYKzIJw/s320/Screenshot%20(19h%2045m%2019s).png" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>THINGS I LOVE</b><br />> The book is a workshop on its own. <br />> Good for anyone wanting to start painting not just art journaling. <br />> The summaries at the end of each book with taglines about the major points discussed.<br />> Everything Wakley says is exemplified by images coming from her own artwork, so it is not just theoretical talk. <br />> Each chapter has a tutorial, simple but beautiful, really well explained and photographed.<br />> Each page has prompts to put some of the points discussed in practice.<br />> Although the book is for beginners, it has plenty of value for intermediate artists. <br />> Great Kindle edition and quality images. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEOJFdZ8ybBYDX2PcZ57LMBfvFdPCTIKMldvcI_ehm9CpK_vTgFL9k-Eo5NHSB4nojwvUyyQmmU_8oh-U3S-1a-rUi2nhqoaQQerh6UCY3Zh8XbyW48SVTuqF-XXrSNXJecX4v1wZVFZ7frMoLyZ6KMsceST3dmB_qOsCK9HfMdWlj02Bm0xcbSa9uw/s916/Screenshot%20(21h%2006m%2017s).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="777" data-original-width="916" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEOJFdZ8ybBYDX2PcZ57LMBfvFdPCTIKMldvcI_ehm9CpK_vTgFL9k-Eo5NHSB4nojwvUyyQmmU_8oh-U3S-1a-rUi2nhqoaQQerh6UCY3Zh8XbyW48SVTuqF-XXrSNXJecX4v1wZVFZ7frMoLyZ6KMsceST3dmB_qOsCK9HfMdWlj02Bm0xcbSa9uw/s320/Screenshot%20(21h%2006m%2017s).png" width="320" /></a></div></b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>I DIDN'T LIKE</b></span><br />> The fact that a sewing machine is one of the tools needed. I don't have one, and I don't think this is really necessary. Some of the things Wakley does with the machine can easily be achieved with a marker or pen, so why not providing this alternative? <br />> Although I love Wakley's artwork, I would have loved having visual examples from other artists exemplifying what she says. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigwul6o09tkhN1A7G5cYOA3GB6pJppiu6xYZZNdE-7qF6Y5pf0GzkFfotnrFR4tQ65yv_3pQ58SUQ4foe5AXvU_QG_62SOsKTW1IwLQpLscaMMSXgw8Lg0_uZMhsEYG3kUBOTDIQHPQTGzevOWpIORFP5MqLOk0LTVG2cUVYHo8Obh-1skRbN-zbjr5w/s975/Screenshot%20(21h%2017m%2031s).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="975" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigwul6o09tkhN1A7G5cYOA3GB6pJppiu6xYZZNdE-7qF6Y5pf0GzkFfotnrFR4tQ65yv_3pQ58SUQ4foe5AXvU_QG_62SOsKTW1IwLQpLscaMMSXgw8Lg0_uZMhsEYG3kUBOTDIQHPQTGzevOWpIORFP5MqLOk0LTVG2cUVYHo8Obh-1skRbN-zbjr5w/s320/Screenshot%20(21h%2017m%2031s).png" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>MIND</b></span><br />> This is a book thought for beginners, so take it as such. <br />> This is a book about mixed media not drawing or painting per se. </span></span><br /></div>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-44750773479750110182022-05-24T21:49:00.001-07:002022-06-07T00:46:27.328-07:00 World of Artist Journal Pages by Dawn Sokol (2015)<div style="text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlSUV7ME7MgTF_r3X0cgA9j40BObdWf4sz5OJej-0vJb7ccvJ2FCd-6xryWDF4Up-UcgQvvY8eSTdmNTqfX0JMz-wC8suFsaXj0uJJxFBxtEbWmwl3iEeo1xGE4IwkIh5FVAvDWmAHHVbxd95-PQW8B04tTR-_N2ONQHaLyB4LnrdKBkwCbea2ZNYgCQ/s1002/yur1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlSUV7ME7MgTF_r3X0cgA9j40BObdWf4sz5OJej-0vJb7ccvJ2FCd-6xryWDF4Up-UcgQvvY8eSTdmNTqfX0JMz-wC8suFsaXj0uJJxFBxtEbWmwl3iEeo1xGE4IwkIh5FVAvDWmAHHVbxd95-PQW8B04tTR-_N2ONQHaLyB4LnrdKBkwCbea2ZNYgCQ/w179-h200/yur1.jpg" width="179" /></a></div></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is a lovely selection of art journal pages and images from authors around the world although most authors come from the US. In the introduction, the author confesses that she did choose some of her favorite authors and pages while the majority were chosen after an online call out for submissions.<br /><br />Most of the artwork is of my liking, and I got inspired by some of the interviews and pages in the book, which is the reason I got it in the first place. There is a mix of techniques and media (illustration, painting, collage and mixed media) and styles (whimsical, dark, abstract, surrealist, visual diary, etc.). The interviews with the featured artists are short and sweet and very encouraging for non-professional artists. <br /><br />I hesitated about whether to buy the Kindle or hard copy edition. I'm happy that I chose the former. The kindle edition is great and allows me to zoom in without loosing quality image, so I can appreciate the smallest details and lettering in each work. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLwUvXiJrj5UWRSG-e5YE2QeXZdCgY8hCqYk3rbJ2NIGqPq1hbwk3Z_uWoUeHermtvk9zGQMthNIK-noGKuTa6cbqaDHiTrlXjh0eU2K4mXoQ45hPmHQdVJPJCseRygsnv5lAlCkwg0yTxZlIj5ZSzxSuhTd_iQZU17f_cdk2eeHi8NRUfLvJ5z7Y4Q/s1200/yur3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLwUvXiJrj5UWRSG-e5YE2QeXZdCgY8hCqYk3rbJ2NIGqPq1hbwk3Z_uWoUeHermtvk9zGQMthNIK-noGKuTa6cbqaDHiTrlXjh0eU2K4mXoQ45hPmHQdVJPJCseRygsnv5lAlCkwg0yTxZlIj5ZSzxSuhTd_iQZU17f_cdk2eeHi8NRUfLvJ5z7Y4Q/s320/yur3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2vI6CFK36bUntNkLMyisB5B0YdBhlMRfNc91nNYvrBgskicedn_TmWzofVCh0I3wdzTfqSmkijR6P6kmOL2BmSnLdcVgj8G18kfcSrADAYjTfmItrjHctLFpreVH_Iku8EKItJmQcVAob8Xf4lrEn8Hx4Fygx2786-BfLEgkSrY-FiFPGGhex4ngTw/s1200/yur4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2vI6CFK36bUntNkLMyisB5B0YdBhlMRfNc91nNYvrBgskicedn_TmWzofVCh0I3wdzTfqSmkijR6P6kmOL2BmSnLdcVgj8G18kfcSrADAYjTfmItrjHctLFpreVH_Iku8EKItJmQcVAob8Xf4lrEn8Hx4Fygx2786-BfLEgkSrY-FiFPGGhex4ngTw/s320/yur4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>DONWSIDES</b></span><br />> This Kindle edition does not allow page bookmarking.<br />> The structure of the book is not of my liking. It's organized alphabetically, by country of origin, which is fair enough, but I'd rather have it by types of art (conceptual, abstract, whimsical, etc.) as I would personally focus on specific areas.<br />> The book reads like a published blog. This being the case, it lacked insight on the creative process. Each image is accompanied by a generic list of elements, but that's also simplistic.<br />> Although there are many authors and styles in the book, I missed some avant-garde or dark journaling. <br />> There is a heavy weight on US authors, so the world overview is, in the end, quite unbalanced. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxupBvjvwh_d5ury-23tk0iZzDTDTrxal5IVkFYiWSF2hNeE4wmrrKLVUPMsyQFQv_qInwej3Ke7Vbq_eOZk5RGedK1RBATTIKEUj7oVZe6MBwx2CKFTu50VK-_JTilFZtz85hFfGJsDjMmHCxrp6uiMdTiPNh9lMKX0_xOzvqq_hyTQlKlq2ahnwCA/s1200/yur5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxupBvjvwh_d5ury-23tk0iZzDTDTrxal5IVkFYiWSF2hNeE4wmrrKLVUPMsyQFQv_qInwej3Ke7Vbq_eOZk5RGedK1RBATTIKEUj7oVZe6MBwx2CKFTu50VK-_JTilFZtz85hFfGJsDjMmHCxrp6uiMdTiPNh9lMKX0_xOzvqq_hyTQlKlq2ahnwCA/s320/yur5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnr8nJbHNE06GcJMf2uMbwHUVcG5N7WbwfD4LRmrdipde3SktSJlSQ2EGxN0Cvs9ZArgIbvcEwniLF0w1tEzfGuFzxd4RDQGLwDhtJ0SMtBBqOf122UgszERiSZDm-BVUun-1yhwgIJYazrRecZS--WsV9F0wrCfFjKOQwssWbL_uMtuQdwpa5vFRbsg/s1200/yur6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnr8nJbHNE06GcJMf2uMbwHUVcG5N7WbwfD4LRmrdipde3SktSJlSQ2EGxN0Cvs9ZArgIbvcEwniLF0w1tEzfGuFzxd4RDQGLwDhtJ0SMtBBqOf122UgszERiSZDm-BVUun-1yhwgIJYazrRecZS--WsV9F0wrCfFjKOQwssWbL_uMtuQdwpa5vFRbsg/s320/yur6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> </span></span><br /></div>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-50597475113608349102021-12-31T01:36:00.007-08:002021-12-31T15:23:53.924-08:00 Gratitude: Inspirational Card Deck and Guidebook by Caitlin Scholl<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhd2Ja32mqPDgGup8p4lxM1dO_dkLa76R-xG7xw7QEARxbq-AE8AeLqtbC-Ga1s3JHQljFl0DNucZrQja5HX4ZtKa27gy5qtOeMjuQqINy_mR2CXgmA1ALR-TAxn-AOaPvBUdWtz-EHY_M-t3e21F9CsneHxyq10lYoQw6gli0gpKiUp2V4uukg9_zfsQ=s1752" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1752" data-original-width="1400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhd2Ja32mqPDgGup8p4lxM1dO_dkLa76R-xG7xw7QEARxbq-AE8AeLqtbC-Ga1s3JHQljFl0DNucZrQja5HX4ZtKa27gy5qtOeMjuQqINy_mR2CXgmA1ALR-TAxn-AOaPvBUdWtz-EHY_M-t3e21F9CsneHxyq10lYoQw6gli0gpKiUp2V4uukg9_zfsQ=w160-h200" width="160" /></a></div></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>THINGS I LOVE</b></span><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> <a href="https://www.caitlinscholl.com/">Caitlin Sholl's </a>texts and the advice given are terrific. The author guides us and
allows us to deep dive into gratitude with prompts to make us find
things we are grateful for, and tips on how to express gratitude. Scholl's definition of and introduction to gratitude are wonderful and very unique. <br /></span></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">> The deck structure. The cards are organised in three sections and energies: 1/ Affirmation, connected to the morning. 2/ Inspiration, connected to midday. 3/ Reflection, connected to the evening. They have three different coding colours (yellow, green and violet) and each card comes with an inspiration quote at the top, and some items of advice to follow on the day, plus the extended advice in the guidebook.<br /> > The overall pastel colour scheme and the whole visual design of the deck, which is minimalist and very elegant.<br />> The plush deck bag, which is an awesome bonus.<br />> The quality of the cards and the fact that they shuffle well.<br />> You can use just the cards or just the booklet without missing anything.<br />> You can use the different sections at different times of the day or shuffle all of them at once. In that regard, the deck is very versatile.<br />> The booklet is printed in good quality glossy paper and is bound loosely so you can open it comfortably.<br />> Good value for money</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgPIvXS0j094FGdrX9ELMVoWKfN5JINAhsjOKisvPfTAXRIPWTfLjZtD9LQmkpiKPMHiYxquQusJmvnr6xg_cVLogD6u3zywEHQjyjcss66OAwqTiIpFCwQlv0boMADt78wIj7nkjPuljbvTbLfdx1u-i-al57QdPs8wiAKgQsfXvyLGVD-v56LWx0BjQ=s2560" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1227" data-original-width="2560" height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgPIvXS0j094FGdrX9ELMVoWKfN5JINAhsjOKisvPfTAXRIPWTfLjZtD9LQmkpiKPMHiYxquQusJmvnr6xg_cVLogD6u3zywEHQjyjcss66OAwqTiIpFCwQlv0boMADt78wIj7nkjPuljbvTbLfdx1u-i-al57QdPs8wiAKgQsfXvyLGVD-v56LWx0BjQ=w200-h96" width="200" /></a></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqYskI65kjToY0AgWnTcZPQg0Hsq4TqZVjkQtmz-JTWlQw0Ke9Hvt0hw7yEVGgcBVTZ6W-K4Q9nhjufFWO_Bi9iQXu9lE7tVdvEnM5jgY9Yjo_KSlXzZUPeGTUyRn5Ld1s_H3jmje7RTPLrtBbx04e0bZmYnAvlvqRaG_QzKoc_mA7VIP-IIQ2wFd-7A=s2100" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="2100" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqYskI65kjToY0AgWnTcZPQg0Hsq4TqZVjkQtmz-JTWlQw0Ke9Hvt0hw7yEVGgcBVTZ6W-K4Q9nhjufFWO_Bi9iQXu9lE7tVdvEnM5jgY9Yjo_KSlXzZUPeGTUyRn5Ld1s_H3jmje7RTPLrtBbx04e0bZmYnAvlvqRaG_QzKoc_mA7VIP-IIQ2wFd-7A=w200-h133" width="200" /></a></div></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>NOT SO GOOD</b></span>> The contrast between the background and the lettering is deficient overall, but especially noticeable in the yellow set.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The booklet's deficiencies are unforgivable:</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">-- The binding is just lightly glued. I was just gently browsing the booklet and two came off unglued from the bottom. Can you imagine if I use this properly?</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">-- The cards aren't numbered, so the awesome extra information on each card has to be looked up in the guidebook manually, just within the corresponding section. As the cards are made to shuffle, this look-up can be a bit labyrinthine, time consuming and not very helpful. I find surprising that the editorial house didn't pay attention to something so important for a guidebook, because, otherwise, it's not a guide, it's a book where to search for information.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">-- The index is too generic to be of any use.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">-- The cover is just paper, not even a bit of cardboard to hold the whole thing together.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">-- This being the case, I feel hesitant to gift someone with this deck, even though I think this is just a wonderful deck.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> I can use just the booklet or just the cards, not both combined for the reasons mentioned above.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuFEUDchoxcpYDqEbOL3ZMprfFZ5uVTpPKGwriqjz6sNz_QLXcb9CuM1eHw8jAEgZ8b1eWmWtGCPEQRZp4C3h6bQ6zf4-hZblXLpVWM72QCz-eKHkYJvR1uh6BqoDN6x7WOWXw4l01v4Y22KfcEYMBYJ-RCmmoHt6kapDpnXMXcFro-gj9SqK6ddT7Kg=s2050" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2050" data-original-width="1400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuFEUDchoxcpYDqEbOL3ZMprfFZ5uVTpPKGwriqjz6sNz_QLXcb9CuM1eHw8jAEgZ8b1eWmWtGCPEQRZp4C3h6bQ6zf4-hZblXLpVWM72QCz-eKHkYJvR1uh6BqoDN6x7WOWXw4l01v4Y22KfcEYMBYJ-RCmmoHt6kapDpnXMXcFro-gj9SqK6ddT7Kg=w137-h200" width="137" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqqN_ZITDdtVed3sHqOIkl8ewQfdVDuHli_VnE9oe8b8dh_LbWuMwyDTNcxnT9lbLW2lJJJq71hx32w2GCsk1RbYszcJ868amZuIEf_t4cRLSc_5az6K3Sl86kzHrPKMZRK-lJU5gSd2SgBSFcHgTWqyS-LVGnOBi6NVAfvdy2CcpL_fXnI919BcUw5Q=s2050" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2050" data-original-width="1400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqqN_ZITDdtVed3sHqOIkl8ewQfdVDuHli_VnE9oe8b8dh_LbWuMwyDTNcxnT9lbLW2lJJJq71hx32w2GCsk1RbYszcJ868amZuIEf_t4cRLSc_5az6K3Sl86kzHrPKMZRK-lJU5gSd2SgBSFcHgTWqyS-LVGnOBi6NVAfvdy2CcpL_fXnI919BcUw5Q=w137-h200" width="137" /></a><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>MIND</b></span><br />The cards are on the large side, so if you, like me, have small hands, you might struggle with the shuffling.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">WISH</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">I would love seeing the booklet properly reprinted and edited. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFceGfLzHmj-MQ7wyZQAnZGtAN_zL2O8zWsS38dTLuTitjoEliNBxMEI7zw81E3wxUdvpJci4jvT_jefEA5ws-o31bpmw5aPwZ1WHb4OxdlYBllIPiFsnWIoF8n54dsohPPe7bVO3EgImRWwlKj7eFnnJdvmLnXQredYSkmhFjJte5iu2SZrU0JVKlwQ=s2050" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFceGfLzHmj-MQ7wyZQAnZGtAN_zL2O8zWsS38dTLuTitjoEliNBxMEI7zw81E3wxUdvpJci4jvT_jefEA5ws-o31bpmw5aPwZ1WHb4OxdlYBllIPiFsnWIoF8n54dsohPPe7bVO3EgImRWwlKj7eFnnJdvmLnXQredYSkmhFjJte5iu2SZrU0JVKlwQ=s2050" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiVXJxr5drF2kYWVRbQqz5OoXStROUIhCQweW7nmEwYYxauPWvIkPWvBz7YREdgRdAc2DbpeRj9Z6ToQDWxJ8SepOwmfo_oOhNLgDThtu5yyR3dFkNSB_oFHIQV3pd_Rvd0CW_QZy097Ayw_Had9_bWvzjtxU5w6RVQcORzKTRw7Ml1XGmWaeM28PHcSQ=s2050" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2050" data-original-width="1400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiVXJxr5drF2kYWVRbQqz5OoXStROUIhCQweW7nmEwYYxauPWvIkPWvBz7YREdgRdAc2DbpeRj9Z6ToQDWxJ8SepOwmfo_oOhNLgDThtu5yyR3dFkNSB_oFHIQV3pd_Rvd0CW_QZy097Ayw_Had9_bWvzjtxU5w6RVQcORzKTRw7Ml1XGmWaeM28PHcSQ=w137-h200" width="137" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFceGfLzHmj-MQ7wyZQAnZGtAN_zL2O8zWsS38dTLuTitjoEliNBxMEI7zw81E3wxUdvpJci4jvT_jefEA5ws-o31bpmw5aPwZ1WHb4OxdlYBllIPiFsnWIoF8n54dsohPPe7bVO3EgImRWwlKj7eFnnJdvmLnXQredYSkmhFjJte5iu2SZrU0JVKlwQ=s2050" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2050" data-original-width="1400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFceGfLzHmj-MQ7wyZQAnZGtAN_zL2O8zWsS38dTLuTitjoEliNBxMEI7zw81E3wxUdvpJci4jvT_jefEA5ws-o31bpmw5aPwZ1WHb4OxdlYBllIPiFsnWIoF8n54dsohPPe7bVO3EgImRWwlKj7eFnnJdvmLnXQredYSkmhFjJte5iu2SZrU0JVKlwQ=w137-h200" width="137" /> </a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFceGfLzHmj-MQ7wyZQAnZGtAN_zL2O8zWsS38dTLuTitjoEliNBxMEI7zw81E3wxUdvpJci4jvT_jefEA5ws-o31bpmw5aPwZ1WHb4OxdlYBllIPiFsnWIoF8n54dsohPPe7bVO3EgImRWwlKj7eFnnJdvmLnXQredYSkmhFjJte5iu2SZrU0JVKlwQ=s2050" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div> </span><br /></span></div>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-81161323937692344602021-12-26T01:14:00.003-08:002021-12-31T01:57:12.276-08:00Self-Care: Inspirational Card Deck and Guidebook by Caitlin Scholl<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOg1UocrYfkykIizysAjXRWjo1CCmA267wh5fDRYwEf_1nRVPife6awD2AW3UvNSFiyHpx-PljdTmNg2hTl2LR5W4PwkynZ0cL3nU8tyb-cgH1isknJrrJD3WloqRFtSccNr4Lg0UPxKoaYxWbqVeqDEQvswFtMKJtVcL4etp0OcI5a4Vh1tzcDeOztQ=s1806" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1806" data-original-width="1400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhOg1UocrYfkykIizysAjXRWjo1CCmA267wh5fDRYwEf_1nRVPife6awD2AW3UvNSFiyHpx-PljdTmNg2hTl2LR5W4PwkynZ0cL3nU8tyb-cgH1isknJrrJD3WloqRFtSccNr4Lg0UPxKoaYxWbqVeqDEQvswFtMKJtVcL4etp0OcI5a4Vh1tzcDeOztQ=w155-h200" width="155" /></a><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">I bought this to give it as a gift a friend who would benefit from such an inspirational deck as she's going through a lot. The conception and healing properties of the deck are undeniable, yet, the quality of the final product isn't good and I ended keeping it myself, as I don't want to gift anything that looks cheap.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><b>THINGS I LOVE</b><br />> The structure of the deck. </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">The deck is
structured on three sections (affirmation, inspiration and reflection)
with three different pastel colors (blue, green and violet) and each
card comes with an inspiration quote at the top, and some generic advice
to follow on the day, plus the extended advice in the guidebook. </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The quality of the writing and the advice given by <a href="https://www.caitlinscholl.com/">Scholl </a>are terrific and covers not only self care when you're are on your own, but also when you're in social settings. <br />> The overall pastel palette of the deck, which gives a calming vibe to it. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The quality of the card stock. </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span>> The elegant imagery and card design. <br />> The plush pouch bag being included in the set, also the fabric is very pleasurable to touch.<br />> The booklet is printed in good quality glossy paper and is 'bound' loosely so you can comfortably open it flat. <br />> The quality of the keepsake box.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Good priced an good value for money. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhu8v3w1FlYHq67lOpB-0lxQJ8KQ7av8yp9VCPtCuuoheaHmYZfXVtCnFLYUx1xQJhPu6Vqv4UKR0AldAd7YV72W57Q8WCI7LE4VEp1hxIseFtUxmEN-mwUBK9mOnzyTHJZTaY1gmKKxltLZHHsgw_d7bMc3V4LFINzzuIafyy2GcaY-x4ZmqhcLWPOGw=s2100" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="2100" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhu8v3w1FlYHq67lOpB-0lxQJ8KQ7av8yp9VCPtCuuoheaHmYZfXVtCnFLYUx1xQJhPu6Vqv4UKR0AldAd7YV72W57Q8WCI7LE4VEp1hxIseFtUxmEN-mwUBK9mOnzyTHJZTaY1gmKKxltLZHHsgw_d7bMc3V4LFINzzuIafyy2GcaY-x4ZmqhcLWPOGw=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>NOT SO GOOD</b><br />> As per my photo, the top layer of the printed paper arrived bubbled up. This is not the result of the posting and handling as the deck arrived sealed in plastic and well packaged, but the result of not spreading well the sheet of paper on the cardboard on the glue. This being the case I couldn't gift my friend with something it looks used or badly done. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Some of the quotes and the advice given on them is not always really connected, at least to me. <br />> The booklet's deficiencies: <br />-- The binding of the booklet is just glue, and it's so tightly done that the pages will certainly come off as soon as I start to use it frequently. <br />-- The structure of the booklet. The cards aren't numbered, so the awesome extra information on each card has to be looked up manually, just within the corresponding section. As the cards are made to shuffle, this look up can be a bit labyrinthine, time consuming and not very helpful. I find surprising that the editorial house didn't pay attention to something so important for a guidebook, because otherwise it is not a guide, it is a book where to search for information. <br />-- The index is also too generic to be of any use.<br />-- The cover of the booklet is paper thin, literally just paper, not even a bit of cardboard to hold the hole thing together. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtoHVrzVX251jpMLqn98ff3QbZdLHZafPjtXv69c2jP_kQOr79h2zAeUYoKyQoGrZ1AXYtoHGm7sXXDK0fPwz5ScXrzERdRm9TyPm86uwbjVAxtOgYqVJ1paVluP6idNdnjR6cmrO-gq0o3ra7MoiJaUjrGnrJJgK5bqHMmmDKzFkriIxPhFCUK2snXA=s1648" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtoHVrzVX251jpMLqn98ff3QbZdLHZafPjtXv69c2jP_kQOr79h2zAeUYoKyQoGrZ1AXYtoHGm7sXXDK0fPwz5ScXrzERdRm9TyPm86uwbjVAxtOgYqVJ1paVluP6idNdnjR6cmrO-gq0o3ra7MoiJaUjrGnrJJgK5bqHMmmDKzFkriIxPhFCUK2snXA=s1648" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtoHVrzVX251jpMLqn98ff3QbZdLHZafPjtXv69c2jP_kQOr79h2zAeUYoKyQoGrZ1AXYtoHGm7sXXDK0fPwz5ScXrzERdRm9TyPm86uwbjVAxtOgYqVJ1paVluP6idNdnjR6cmrO-gq0o3ra7MoiJaUjrGnrJJgK5bqHMmmDKzFkriIxPhFCUK2snXA=s1648" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1648" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtoHVrzVX251jpMLqn98ff3QbZdLHZafPjtXv69c2jP_kQOr79h2zAeUYoKyQoGrZ1AXYtoHGm7sXXDK0fPwz5ScXrzERdRm9TyPm86uwbjVAxtOgYqVJ1paVluP6idNdnjR6cmrO-gq0o3ra7MoiJaUjrGnrJJgK5bqHMmmDKzFkriIxPhFCUK2snXA=w272-h320" width="272" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkCUdbbOBTyDT_QlRJAJX6A2ODlq1_bq0qjDezyxvFI9FRSya5upryPYujTHZMWvKXF7_33-Xf29uR5b1ic130GYoz2EOIh08wM6jfk1cTPhjf9hUZA4XXfSkGVauRepbequ1LG58bnBQYTsPmEBH9jGFZye4iXLWVyC_fa4A__28wHdKU4LQiF3MXZA=s2053" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2053" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkCUdbbOBTyDT_QlRJAJX6A2ODlq1_bq0qjDezyxvFI9FRSya5upryPYujTHZMWvKXF7_33-Xf29uR5b1ic130GYoz2EOIh08wM6jfk1cTPhjf9hUZA4XXfSkGVauRepbequ1LG58bnBQYTsPmEBH9jGFZye4iXLWVyC_fa4A__28wHdKU4LQiF3MXZA=s320" width="218" /></a></div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtoHVrzVX251jpMLqn98ff3QbZdLHZafPjtXv69c2jP_kQOr79h2zAeUYoKyQoGrZ1AXYtoHGm7sXXDK0fPwz5ScXrzERdRm9TyPm86uwbjVAxtOgYqVJ1paVluP6idNdnjR6cmrO-gq0o3ra7MoiJaUjrGnrJJgK5bqHMmmDKzFkriIxPhFCUK2snXA=s1648" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b> MIND</b> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">The cards are on the large side<br /><br /><b>OVERALL </b><br />This could have been an awesome deck if the some basic stuff had been been tended to properly. Despite the undeniable psychotherapeutic quality of the deck as a self-care tool, the overall cheap quality of the product and the poor structuring of the guidebook end resting value to a deck that deserves being better curated and produced. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPDtzM3D-kDkwfWFlO5S6S6Jn1ka81bmmbScmQ7lKqf2WohkenAL8yUio1zH78f9me5a8LIzMn5nRf5kJfMNCgbfm62kQEewezA2Hk-VYuo9JtCSe2IItLp0SikGE_pjoXSO6DpjnTrysNy0S4rlLtTyX4zz9BlQhIxnQcxUspiwnY_QxIy5YhWmEjaA=s4608" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPDtzM3D-kDkwfWFlO5S6S6Jn1ka81bmmbScmQ7lKqf2WohkenAL8yUio1zH78f9me5a8LIzMn5nRf5kJfMNCgbfm62kQEewezA2Hk-VYuo9JtCSe2IItLp0SikGE_pjoXSO6DpjnTrysNy0S4rlLtTyX4zz9BlQhIxnQcxUspiwnY_QxIy5YhWmEjaA=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></span><br /></div>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-1183327518686829102021-12-20T22:56:00.004-08:002021-12-31T01:44:25.255-08:00Everyday Witch Tarot Mini Cards by Deborah Blake & Elisabeth Alba<div style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUr8gMit3R0Uk4uc4ZoqI9VsOaP3BqKW2G2GpaxEwsoSTQDI7vqAcd_v_3JQcCrCUT4APfv24_cPscTsocJYL4SmhirqBqg8Hgk2owCgLzeHvzChz_EgLytWuLAUgrpJEonjNfzsnILsEDqfCoKLy3WXH7ZhFBsg5dvhpzWLrbRPeWD-2stHKvMCIDgA=s1000" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="674" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUr8gMit3R0Uk4uc4ZoqI9VsOaP3BqKW2G2GpaxEwsoSTQDI7vqAcd_v_3JQcCrCUT4APfv24_cPscTsocJYL4SmhirqBqg8Hgk2owCgLzeHvzChz_EgLytWuLAUgrpJEonjNfzsnILsEDqfCoKLy3WXH7ZhFBsg5dvhpzWLrbRPeWD-2stHKvMCIDgA=w135-h200" width="135" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://deborahblakeauthor.com/">Deborah Blake</a>, who has authored numerous fiction and non-fiction books on modern witchcraft, hit the jackpot with this Tarot deck, first published in 2017 and the mini format in 2020. This is one of my fav Tarot decks because of the general jolly vibe, the overall narrative, and the artwork.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>I LOVE</b></span><br />> <a href="https://www.albaillustration.com/">Elisabeth Alba's</a> juicy imagination and artwork that adjusts to the structure of the RSWT Tarot but creating a wizard world that's unique and colorful not dark or gothic. We are allowed into a magic world of modern boho witches and wizards, whose lives are full of fun, adventures, dangers and challenges. Alba is an amazing illustrator and, </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">if this wasn't a Tarot deck, this would make a stunning graphic book. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">> The imagery is rich enough to get my intuitive juices flowing even if I didn't anything about Tarot.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">> Good quality card stock.<br />> Great quality printing.</span></span> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">> Cute card back illustration. <br />> The deck shuffles beautifully.<br />> Easy to carry in a small camera bag. <br />> Good for people with small hands.<br />> Children's friendly re size and imagery. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">> Cat lovers' delight. If you, like me, love cats, you'll be delighted with the important role that cats play in each card image, and with the way they are depicted. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibt5M727oJCoBjtiJ-kDNU051jWjyqfXN6DV5lI-neCBrvQh34WV3Cz2yNjysNDgaEhtVpi0wkFD18jdb7Ts8hwUJrD0ivJqCB1le-kHHhfVpJ_t2h9-JJiR4f6d2X5OJB1AVeyoW10NuEq0XCUy-q-V_4EeFZmdQV9ZjYPFWiLvyeajVEP24jZzTbDw=s2560" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibt5M727oJCoBjtiJ-kDNU051jWjyqfXN6DV5lI-neCBrvQh34WV3Cz2yNjysNDgaEhtVpi0wkFD18jdb7Ts8hwUJrD0ivJqCB1le-kHHhfVpJ_t2h9-JJiR4f6d2X5OJB1AVeyoW10NuEq0XCUy-q-V_4EeFZmdQV9ZjYPFWiLvyeajVEP24jZzTbDw=s2560" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibt5M727oJCoBjtiJ-kDNU051jWjyqfXN6DV5lI-neCBrvQh34WV3Cz2yNjysNDgaEhtVpi0wkFD18jdb7Ts8hwUJrD0ivJqCB1le-kHHhfVpJ_t2h9-JJiR4f6d2X5OJB1AVeyoW10NuEq0XCUy-q-V_4EeFZmdQV9ZjYPFWiLvyeajVEP24jZzTbDw=s2560" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1532" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibt5M727oJCoBjtiJ-kDNU051jWjyqfXN6DV5lI-neCBrvQh34WV3Cz2yNjysNDgaEhtVpi0wkFD18jdb7Ts8hwUJrD0ivJqCB1le-kHHhfVpJ_t2h9-JJiR4f6d2X5OJB1AVeyoW10NuEq0XCUy-q-V_4EeFZmdQV9ZjYPFWiLvyeajVEP24jZzTbDw=w120-h200" width="120" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9FdFqe4vHDQtqVdhFVlP2FlJ7Qw9cPqSacRs03ylRwern_Tb7wG7jQKb7DXByxbNQnaA2vziC5tcEa7-kV3fNMHR3Gofyq3z9PAF3357qdwod81ZfsWefVxMI718whDGp9LY1bq_2FA0D5LT6PmV7g3I3Jk3g46OFgN7sr8SBeZuoE1N328JgbH8mAA=s2560" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1532" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9FdFqe4vHDQtqVdhFVlP2FlJ7Qw9cPqSacRs03ylRwern_Tb7wG7jQKb7DXByxbNQnaA2vziC5tcEa7-kV3fNMHR3Gofyq3z9PAF3357qdwod81ZfsWefVxMI718whDGp9LY1bq_2FA0D5LT6PmV7g3I3Jk3g46OFgN7sr8SBeZuoE1N328JgbH8mAA=w120-h200" width="120" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibt5M727oJCoBjtiJ-kDNU051jWjyqfXN6DV5lI-neCBrvQh34WV3Cz2yNjysNDgaEhtVpi0wkFD18jdb7Ts8hwUJrD0ivJqCB1le-kHHhfVpJ_t2h9-JJiR4f6d2X5OJB1AVeyoW10NuEq0XCUy-q-V_4EeFZmdQV9ZjYPFWiLvyeajVEP24jZzTbDw=s2560" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>SO-SO</b></span><br />> Bad quality box, which arrived with the corners squeezed and slightly damaged.<br />> No booklet/leaflet. I have the app with the digital book, so that's fine with me. However, if you aren't familiar with the deck, you might need to get the full size deck with the accompanying guidebook. <br />> The card back gives away whether the card is coming straight or reversed. <br />> People with average-size hands might struggle with the sizing as this deck is more a tiny deck than a mini deck. <br />> Unlike Blake's <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Everyday-Witch-Oracle-Deborah-Blake/dp/0738760323/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2O13YWBMC9YQN&keywords=EVERYDAY+WITCH+ORACLE&qid=1640066250&sprefix=everyday+witch+orac%2Caps%2C386&sr=8-1">Everyday Witch Oracle</a>, this deck has no ethnic/racial diversity whatsoever, which is inexcusable as the deck was first published in 2017.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKOSplJuZrIcGUQOKGz5iXmgI0dq71sLFrpDPoPhvZ3woDVE70TAYCHILkyhurN6E1_dKdiYX5UIOi0sDOrepxtR0MxKc7lW9f7Z5tMbT9jRn_gGDpU-ywOsAaMw4vztCHU4pCr6F8NgMhffUQ6XZ142o3BEUo-xTSs0aY3jVKHVfVD4fu1oGPXVuYpw=s2560" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKOSplJuZrIcGUQOKGz5iXmgI0dq71sLFrpDPoPhvZ3woDVE70TAYCHILkyhurN6E1_dKdiYX5UIOi0sDOrepxtR0MxKc7lW9f7Z5tMbT9jRn_gGDpU-ywOsAaMw4vztCHU4pCr6F8NgMhffUQ6XZ142o3BEUo-xTSs0aY3jVKHVfVD4fu1oGPXVuYpw=s2560" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiePAU8bqM13XoT_V0w1jMA1gEbyYaQA_EESjbK1Mf0sRduxp2PGlqYr2VetGV93VkP5yNJ47jOdL32J-6HHlbyjwBNniAtlPYCGYdJ0BRpGL_zgj2t4eK25U_i4WnzIhcEeNwbB1GOjqzgkRHFOd_ZqAfq1Z3x1WtWLS9TG0Sk-Aq32As-48Qgh9sHxg=s2560" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1532" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiePAU8bqM13XoT_V0w1jMA1gEbyYaQA_EESjbK1Mf0sRduxp2PGlqYr2VetGV93VkP5yNJ47jOdL32J-6HHlbyjwBNniAtlPYCGYdJ0BRpGL_zgj2t4eK25U_i4WnzIhcEeNwbB1GOjqzgkRHFOd_ZqAfq1Z3x1WtWLS9TG0Sk-Aq32As-48Qgh9sHxg=w120-h200" width="120" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKOSplJuZrIcGUQOKGz5iXmgI0dq71sLFrpDPoPhvZ3woDVE70TAYCHILkyhurN6E1_dKdiYX5UIOi0sDOrepxtR0MxKc7lW9f7Z5tMbT9jRn_gGDpU-ywOsAaMw4vztCHU4pCr6F8NgMhffUQ6XZ142o3BEUo-xTSs0aY3jVKHVfVD4fu1oGPXVuYpw=s2560" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1532" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKOSplJuZrIcGUQOKGz5iXmgI0dq71sLFrpDPoPhvZ3woDVE70TAYCHILkyhurN6E1_dKdiYX5UIOi0sDOrepxtR0MxKc7lW9f7Z5tMbT9jRn_gGDpU-ywOsAaMw4vztCHU4pCr6F8NgMhffUQ6XZ142o3BEUo-xTSs0aY3jVKHVfVD4fu1oGPXVuYpw=w120-h200" width="120" /> </a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKOSplJuZrIcGUQOKGz5iXmgI0dq71sLFrpDPoPhvZ3woDVE70TAYCHILkyhurN6E1_dKdiYX5UIOi0sDOrepxtR0MxKc7lW9f7Z5tMbT9jRn_gGDpU-ywOsAaMw4vztCHU4pCr6F8NgMhffUQ6XZ142o3BEUo-xTSs0aY3jVKHVfVD4fu1oGPXVuYpw=s2560" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>MIND</b></span><br />> Based on the RWST, with some adjustments in the imagery, the most noticeable being the female Hyerophant. <br />> Teen and youngster vibe overall.</span></span><br /></div>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-53402625508693099102021-11-13T23:36:00.002-08:002021-11-13T23:36:06.757-08:00True Love Reading Cards: Attract and Create the Love You Desire by Belinda Grace & Lori Banks<p><a href="https://belindagrace.com/product-category/oracle-cards/"></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggo8dXy1JO6Ik4f8qsa7T-vOBQlj1YvBpcgqXNmj5RBYs9oiyjhVeqsIcZxO4TXCW34y7M95F9XG92j7yKIPOLcm90pBKgb5J4jhD-4Yf0u1CnWVJw_1uM0W83wGWt0ZNeIa5R512o4yW0/s2044/tl1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2044" data-original-width="1399" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggo8dXy1JO6Ik4f8qsa7T-vOBQlj1YvBpcgqXNmj5RBYs9oiyjhVeqsIcZxO4TXCW34y7M95F9XG92j7yKIPOLcm90pBKgb5J4jhD-4Yf0u1CnWVJw_1uM0W83wGWt0ZNeIa5R512o4yW0/w137-h200/tl1.jpg" width="137" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://belindagrace.com/product-category/oracle-cards/">Belinda Grace's </a>oracle is a soulful exploration of romantic relationships that will be useful for singles or partnered people. The imagery draws on issues that affect and influence relationships for good or bad. Some of the imagery uses well-known world myths to illustrate couple dynamics and qualities of relating. This being the case, the cards can be used in counseling or therapeutic settings. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Interest/Lori-Banks-Art-199482986747845/">Lori Banks'</a> artwork is just my cup of tea: colorful symbolic paintings that are pregnant with meaning and very intuitive to use. However, what makes this decks so lovely to me is not just the cute artwork, is the quality of the guidebook and the texts that accompany eachc card. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>FAB QUALITY </b></span><br />RockPool demonstrates, once more, that other Tarot publishing houses have much to learn on how to produce affordable good-quality decks. <br />> Beautiful keepsake box with magnetic clip.<br />> The quality of the booklet is amazing. Premium glossy paper, color illustrations, good-sized lettering. <br />> Flexible good quality glossy cards, easy to shuffle and handle. Despite the size, the deck is light and not bulky. <br />> Good value for money. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVvScqFSqYeAc9sxXvVlQylAmIEJwPTe4a8kTS9klfSBDjT-RVgesrX12WGgWJKA1TCfOwPcd2u41WMaAOp-7dPg1TYE_fi-e9vF_CrN2Sz-uNXYofamk7D1aqDxdVc7Tv5L1m6Lp_vVz/s1705/tl2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="1705" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVvScqFSqYeAc9sxXvVlQylAmIEJwPTe4a8kTS9klfSBDjT-RVgesrX12WGgWJKA1TCfOwPcd2u41WMaAOp-7dPg1TYE_fi-e9vF_CrN2Sz-uNXYofamk7D1aqDxdVc7Tv5L1m6Lp_vVz/w400-h179/tl2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">ON THE FLIP SIDE</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The cards are a big too big for people with small hands.<br />> No ethnic or gender diversity.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Three of the full body frontal images have wrong proportions between head and body, thus, the characters look a bit dwarfish: The Divine Masculine, Chivalry and the Sacred Woman. </span></span><br /></div>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4426202909963773210.post-24657934101752226162021-10-31T02:56:00.003-07:002021-11-05T20:00:00.154-07:00The Wild Unknown Pocket Tarot by Kim Krans <div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZ17R35347oV-lLB-YOGepWWA66m8xXCiSD9pnTwrO4nt83s079_YxOf11MgrkCmWOdhEpseE9IRJDBnnl_NAy3nqNyay8f8SPNbn-0_zUYjy2Fm5uIrlgfLmtxMmSQnuY6JwyZuc099i/s2048/wild1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZ17R35347oV-lLB-YOGepWWA66m8xXCiSD9pnTwrO4nt83s079_YxOf11MgrkCmWOdhEpseE9IRJDBnnl_NAy3nqNyay8f8SPNbn-0_zUYjy2Fm5uIrlgfLmtxMmSQnuY6JwyZuc099i/s320/wild1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Wild Unknown Tarot pocket size in a tin, is just a great good quality deck. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">This tarot deck has <a href="https://www.kimkrans.com/">Kim Krans</a> unique unmistakable atmospheric illustration style, which is immediately recognizable because of the simplicity of the elements, abstract predominantly B&W imagery with splashes of bright colors. The imagery relates to the natural world, the woods and the animals that populate it. This is a night-time-vibe Tarot, as the night scenes dominate most of the images and, overall, it has a strong night energy.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">Beyond the imagery, there are other things that I like about this deck: <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The sizing is fantastic, really good for people with small hands. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The cards shuffle and fly off beautifully and the deck is not heavy at all. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The tin design is just fabulous.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The major arcana, aces and court cards are really beautiful, but the deck, overall, is just artistically congruent and fabulous. I also love the snake-skin card back. </span></span> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVnboFobgJv-c0q_AQwP4RkXHIhCOvZjqh36lhxjGgVoNnthuzZEXke9ZQC5fe76SCbvPlqUduqw3HqjhokR_L_HCLRxABK6tgP-tM4t3yUzSog1MTxYK10FvDMYg9F_CelUJEX0-Ijcr/s2048/wild2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVVnboFobgJv-c0q_AQwP4RkXHIhCOvZjqh36lhxjGgVoNnthuzZEXke9ZQC5fe76SCbvPlqUduqw3HqjhokR_L_HCLRxABK6tgP-tM4t3yUzSog1MTxYK10FvDMYg9F_CelUJEX0-Ijcr/w400-h266/wild2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>ON THE FLIP SIDE</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The card stock is a bit flimsy.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> The booklet is mass produced, bound too tightly and using bad quality paper. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Some of the imagery used for the minor arcana seemed too abstract. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Despite the fact that I admire this deck, I cannot connect with it. Said differently, I love the artwork, but it doesn't work for me. I find it too dark in mood and lacking warmth. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Not a deck for beginners. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">> Not an intuitive deck. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">I actually returned the deck to the seller, because although I loved the artwork, I thought I would not use this deck and would sit on my shelves untouched. <br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>MIND</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: small;">The deck follows
the structure of the RSWT but </span></span>the court cards are daughters (pages), sons (knights), mothers (queens) and fathers (kings).</span></span></div><p><br /> <br /></p>MTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02709448087148780560noreply@blogger.com0