Tag Archives: make

Book Review Monday: Celebrate Your Creative Self: Mary Todd Beam

Celebrate Your Creative Self (CYCS from here on) is a book that is for "artists" it's supposed to help you unleash your inner artist. There are 25 exercises in this oversize book that if you are in an artistic rut that if you read and DO them that can help get you out of that rut. (Sort of like when you get your car stuck on ice and you use your car mats to get unstuck…) The key here is that the ideas within are EXERCISES. That means you have to get your materials out and use them. That's the hard part.

The exercises are easy and can get you working sort  of in that automatic writing style. Once you get going you "get going."

This book is easily found just about anywhere and is easy to read but it's a studio book and not a bed side book.

I give it 3/5 binder's needles and 1 paint covered thumb up, only because I like my art instruction separate from my inspiration. This is a great book if you like the 2 mixed. You can get it here.

Here's a video from Millande with a short clip about the book. Turn your volume up, otherwise you won't be able to hear her audio.

Good idea for plein air painters or those who want to start

This blog has a great idea on how to make a watercolor or gouache pallet out of an altoids tin and old milk caps. It's seriously very cool. I was thinking and I think I've seen out there a blog with instructions on how to dome something similar with sculpy or fimo clay. The milk caps are the fastest I've seen thus far though. How easy is it to simply hot glue those in? I've also seen one where the guy used tin snips and created dividers with sheets of metal.

Book Review Monday: Book Binding for Book Artists: Keith Smith and Fred Johnson

 This is Keith Smith's first book on book binding and a great one. All the styles he lists in this book require no specialized tools or equipment and can be made by anyone with patience and determination to create books. While this book was not my first on binding it is one to which I return to for clarification when I have a question. These styles of binding are those that once you learn them you'll be able to make them again and again without referring to the book or diagram.

The entire first section is devoted to paper and tools. It's an excellent introduction to basic bookbinding tools. In this section Smith gives the most detailed and best description and instructions on pasting I've ever read. The instruction starts with simple pamphlet sewn books and moves its way up to more complex styles.

This is an introductory book but it is an excellent reference book for those of us who have been binding for years. It's not the easiest starter book out there, but if like me, you tend toward liking clear excellent diagrams and detailed descriptions this is a good book to start with. I would also recommend it if you are simply looking for a good reference on binding or are looking for a great introduction to pasting your own book cloth.

I give this book 5/5 binder needles and 2 paint covered thumbs up.

You can find most of Keith Smith's books on binding at his website www.KeithSmithBooks.com