Creating Art With Alcohol Ink - Book Review

Title: Creating Art With Alcohol Ink; Complete Guide to 12 Easy Techniques, 17 Spectacular Projects

Authors: Laurie Williams and Sheryl Williams

Publisher: Design Originals

Publication Date: January 17, 2023

Length: 144 Pages

About the Authors
Laurie “Trumpet” Williams is a mixed media and alcohol ink artist, instructor, and influencer. 
An award-winning artist in watercolor, alcohol ink, oil, and charcoal, Sheryl Williams loves to teach. She teaches her skills online through the CreateSmArt Academy, offering an online Alcohol Ink Master Course that starts at the very beginning and works all the way up to advanced representational art.

Great Resource for Artists Are you interested in alcohol ink art?

This resource provides a list of tools and supplies, safety considerations, twelve alcohol ink techniques, and an inspiration gallery that features completed projects.

The book is appropriate for beginners as well as experienced alcohol ink artists and crafters. The detailed instructions and color photos lend themselves to an excellent learning experience.

My Thoughts I chose this book because I have dabbled in alcohol ink art and I am interested in learning more methods and techniques. I was not disappointed...this book provided some techniques that I was familiar with and many new methods to try.

I was pleased with the way a detailed list of the supplies was listed at the beginning of each new project. The color photos are helpful in understanding the techniques. I am very impressed with the clarity of the instructions.

Alcohol ink is best if used on non-porous surfaces. It can be used on treated canvas, Yupo paper, glossy photo paper, jewelry, candles, switch plates, tabletops, ornaments, glass bottles, and even musical instruments.

There is an informative section on how to seal your alcohol ink projects so they won't scratch or fade.

I highly recommend this book for inspiration and instruction. You can never have too many art books! I have included one of my alcohol ink paintings below ( 5" by 7" on Yupo paper).

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley.

Alcohol ink art by Janette Fuller

 

Diary Comics Can Tell Your Personal Story

 

Title: My Day In Small Drawings: Write. Draw. Reflect.

Author/Illustrator: Matilda Tristram

Publisher: Leaping Hare Press

Publication Date: September 21, 2021

Length: 240 Pages

About the Author
Matilda Tristram is an animator, illustrator, and scriptwriter for Peppa Pig. She taught at Kingston University for ten years and at the Royal College of Art. She lives in London, U.K.

Write. Draw. Reflect.
This book offers a unique insight into recording your daily life and embracing the ordinary through comic art.

My Thoughts
The author started writing diary comics and posting them online after a cancer diagnosis during her first pregnancy. She used comics to journal about the people, places, and situations that she was facing in her everyday life.

Ms. Tristram believes diary comics can be used as a therapeutic outlet or just for the fun of creating. She provides 52 sections of prompts in this book and blank pages after each prompt for practice (in the print edition).

The drawings are simple doodles that anyone could have fun drawing. I like the way the author encourages the reader to reflect on the different aspects of the day and record impressions in a journal using both words and drawings.

This is a type of art journaling that can be done with nothing more than a notebook and pencil. You don't need any expensive equipment or supplies.

Many of us have kept written diaries or journals. This book demonstrates how we can take it to the next level with comic illustrations. 

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital review copy of this book from NetGalley.

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Art Book Helps You Discover Your Unique Creative Style

 

Title: Fresh Paint; Discover Your Unique Creative Style Through 100 Small Mixed-Media Paintings

Authors: Flora Bowley & Lynzee Lynx

Publisher: Quarry Books

Publication Date: August 2, 2021

Length: 173 Pages

About the Authors
Flora Bowley is an internationally celebrated painter, workshop facilitator, author, visionary, and inspirationalist. Her soulful and transformational approach to painting has inspired thousands of people across the globe to "let go, be bold, and unfold" as they move through fear and welcome joyful, spontaneous expression back into the creative process.
Lynzee Lynx enjoys creating in many mediums, including paint, beads, metal, and fabric. She’s passionate about ecological preservation, personal style, embodiment, cultural art practices, and mindful consumption.

How to Discover Your Creative Style
The authors believe there are eight key ingredients needed to discover and develop a personal creative style. These ingredients are:

1. Desire
2. Self-Inquiry
3. Trust
4. Awareness
5. Expansion
6. Exploration
7. Gentleness
8. Dedication

The reader is challenged to create 100 small paintings as a way to connect more deeply to yourself and the world around you, to trust in your own inclinations and preferences, and to "do the work".

My Thoughts

This is not your typical art book. You are not given exact instructions on how to do specific projects. Instead, you are offered a variety of prompts, exercises, and philosophies to consider. 

This book focuses on creativity and how to develop your own unique style. If you follow the guidelines provided by the authors and create 100 small paintings, you will be well on your way to discovering your artistic preferences and specialties.

I like the way the written exercises and prompts encourage you to go outside of your comfort zone and try new techniques with new materials. There are no mistakes when you are expanding and exploring your artistic skills. This book offers a framework that will lead both beginners and experienced artists to consider a fresh outlook and mindset.

One of my favorite ideas from this book is to let your ancestry and family traditions inspire your art. I hope to let my German ancestry and my rural upbring come out in my future art projects. 

The ambitious goal of creating 100 small paintings is a bit overwhelming but I am sure it can be done with some gentleness and dedication. I read a digital copy of this book and plan to order a print copy so I can dive in a little deeper.

Highly recommended.

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley.

Male Molestation Victim Pens Emotional Memoir

Songs from an Imperfect Life

Author: J. Ronald M. York

Publisher: St. Broadway Press

Publication Date: March 18, 2018

Length: 228 Pages










About the Author
J. Ronald M. York graduated from Belmont University with studies in voice and piano. He spent the next two decades in the field of interior design before opening his first art gallery. When not in the gallery, Mr. York can be found in his studio painting, at his piano composing, or assisting numerous nonprofit agencies with fundraising. He is the author of "Kept in the Dark."

“Secrets. We all have them, and we all hope they will never be revealed. My parents, relatives and a handful of close friends took our family secret to their graves. And yet, my parents held on to a box of incriminating evidence, through five moves in three different cities, to be left for me to find long after everyone was gone.”

Revealing is Healing

This is a story of family secrets and the effects these secrets had on the author's life.

The author's father was arrested, pled guilty and served jail time for molesting boys in his Boy Scout Troop in the 1950s. 

Mr. York was first molested at the First Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee when he was seven years old. The male predator was a respected, upstanding member of the church. 

The sexual abuse continued at church, in movie theaters, in public restrooms and department stores until the author graduated from high school.

As an adult, Mr. York pursued a homosexual lifestyle and participated in many risky sexual acts and dysfunctional relationships.

The author is now in his sixties and has written this book about his life with insight, understanding and compassion. It is time for healing and forgiveness.

My Thoughts

Mr. York's family appeared to be a normal church-going, white middle class family. No one would have guessed the secrets that were never discussed. However, keeping secrets came at a high price. The author never told his parents about the inappropriate touching at church or any of the other sexual encounters he had as a child. Yet, you have to wonder if there weren't many warning signs that were intentionally ignored.

Mr. York provides many examples of how his childhood abuse changed the way he perceived himself and those around him...and not in a good way. This story of abuse is very disturbing, but the author does not consider himself a victim. 

This is an account of resilience and determination to overcome the past and walk confidently into the future. This is a gripping memoir that is worthy of your time. Highly recommended!

MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

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Book Review: Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon

Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative

Author: Austin Kleon

Publisher: Workman Publishing Co.

Date Published: February 28, 2012

Length: 160 Pages



About The Author
Austin Kleon is a writer and artist.  He speaks about creativity and being an artist online for organizations such as SXSW, TEDx, and The Economist.

Unlock Your Creativity
Question: "Where does an artist get his ideas?"

Answer: "He steals them."

The author believes that a creative person is inspired and motivated by other people's work. All creative work builds on what came before and nothing is completely original.

This book features clever photos, graphics, charts and quotations to make the case for good theft vs. bad theft.

Favorite Quotations
"You are, in fact, a mashup of what you choose to let into your life."    

"If you copy from one author, it’s plagiarism, but if you copy from many, it’s research."    

"Your job is to collect good ideas. The more good ideas you collect, the more you can choose from to be influenced by."     

 "Not everybody will get it. People will misinterpret you and what you do. They might even call you names. So get comfortable with being misunderstood, disparaged, or ignored -- the trick is to be too busy doing your work to care."                            

My Thoughts
This is a short, entertaining and FUN book to read. I believe the author has accomplished his goal in getting people to think about creating awesome books, art, music, plays, businesses, etc.

You don't have to be a genius to create...you just have to do good work and share it with people.

Mr. Kleon provides a chart on page 39 that illustrates the differences between plagiarism and research/influence/remixing/transforming.

The light bulb truly came on over my head as I read this book. The message is very simple and nothing really new...but VERY inspiring. It is something we all need to hear and act on.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I read a print copy of this book from my local public library.

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Handmade Card For A Young Artist

I make my granddaughter a handmade greeting every week. She is in the fourth grade and is an excellent little artist.

I think she will like this "artist card" because she loves all kinds of art and crafts projects.

I am entering this card in Mo's Challenge #169 - Emboss It!

This is how I made the card:
(1.) I started with a blank kraft card that measures 4" by 5 1/2".
(2.) I chose "Stars Embossed - Gold" (the Paper Studio) for the background. I used a Loops paper punch on the corners and attached it to the card.
(3.) I used the digital image "Jo Painting" from Mo's Digital Pencil Shop. I colored the image with Copic sketch markers. I used a Spellbinders die to cut around the image and I inked the edges with distress ink.
(4.) I cut and dry embossed a black frame for the image. I glued the colored image on the black frame and then used foam squares to attach the image to the card.
(5.) I used a small pink paperclip to attach a Tim Holtz "Bliss Ticket" to the card.
(6.) I embellished the card with a cute bumblebee sticker and two rose stickers.

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