Creative Collage Techniques

Sometime back in the 1990's I took a several days class in collage at the Manitou recreation center in Tacoma Washington. It for me was absolutely ground breaking and we were doing things like making brayer paper and crystalline paper and newspaper only collages...turns out it was right out of this book. It was one of the best classes I've ever taken at a parks and rec in my life. Thankfully it's all clearly delineated in this book and even more in the new edition. This book has really stood the test of time. It's a great reference book for collage and mixed media artists. It is geared more towards paper though and if you are more interested in using grandmas doilies and more assemblage stuff such as a 2 star rater of this book is, I recommend you start with Roxanne Evans Stout as she is routinely using fabric and lace in her pieces and routinely stitching wiring gluing etc found objects to her work (start with her website, check out her books which happen to be on Amazon, take the free online course or one of her other online courses, and then ideally take a live workshop.

*****I have been reading collage books in order to get ready for a collage class I'm taking next month; while all the ones I've read have their strong points, this book is truly the "Bible" of collage---it contains the widest and most in-depth information of all of the books I've read. It covers so many topics, and for a beginner, enables me to see just what can be done with collage. As I become more experienced, though, I am certain that I will refer to it again and again.Ever type of collage conceivable to me is covered here, with step by step instruction. It is written in an instructional (as opposed to entertaining) style, and is definitely a reference book, but one that I think every collage artist should have.If you are wanting to learn more about collage and can only afford one book, this one is it. It covers many different styles, so unlike other books, if your style is not the same as the author's, you might be left out---no chance of that with this book.Highly recommended.*****

Ms Leland starts with the basics but includes many ideas and techniques that were new to me. It is clearly written and easy to follow. It is organized on a project based system. You could almost work through the projects like a workbook. I'm only sorry that I did not get the spiral bound version which lies open and flat, so as I worked I could consult the section I was interested in.

I am a Chinese painting artist and recently opened a store on Amazon selling handmade mulberry paper and rice paper, and I searched the key words "Rice Paper" and "Collage" and found this book. I am so amazed by the authors' intensive knowlege on the application of oriental rice paper in comtemporary collage, including rice paper collage, combination of watercolor and baisc rice paper collage, rice papger overlay, creating a monotype with rice paper, creating layered support with rice paper, encasing materials in rice paper, marbling and stained rice paper technics etc. This book serves as a bridge between the Eastern and the Western, the traditional and the modern arts. Highly recommended! And don't forget to check out my store to get some nice mulberry rice paper for your projects Mulberry Fiber Rice Paper for Chinese Painting or Sumi-e (12 Sheets 13" X 17") Mulberry Paper #2 Heavy Fiber Large Sheet 57" X 27.5".

Extremely well done and even though it was published in paperback in 2000 it contains information and examples that are adaptable for my current mixed media art. The cool thing is that I found the "outdated" material actually refreshed my memory. I am rediscovering forgotten materials & techniques that I am incorporating in my latest work ! I am a professional artist and former art teacher. This book has a lot of basic elements and principals of design presented for the beginner.

I'm speaking as someone who knows zilch about collage -- or close enough to zilch that it doesn't matter. Which means I'm extremely impressed by the way the authors clearly explained techniques and concepts in a manner that didn't confuse the ignorant (me) while informing both beginners and experts. I'm guessing they DO inform experts just because of the wide range of information. The result is that I feel I really begin to understand the basic concepts without being overwhelmed. My only problem is to choose which fun methods to try first. There is certainly an exhaustive array of options. I can't speak for more experienced people but, for beginners, I can't imagine a book being more helpful than this one.

This book does offer specific projects and yet leaves an open-ended aspect for artist innovation and personal touch. There are a lot of methods explored and so this text is a great one in addition to the works of others in this genre. The greatest part about this book is that contemporary collage artists are featured and this gives the reader a connection with his/her peers. There is no "art history" and "these are the famous collage artists" feel to this book: it is 100% TODAY people who are creating collage art. This aspect makes the world of collage feel approachable and in the here and now.

This book was actually a text book for a college class. As a not very artistic person, I found some of the projects to be a bit intimidating. However, the explanations were very helpful. The pictures are beautiful. I found the descriptions of the elements of design very helpful.