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by Mary Schoeser

What has 567 pages, over 1,000 images, weighs over 7 pounds, and has enough inspiration to keep your artistic juices flowing for a very long time? Mary Schoeser’s latest book: Textiles The Art of Mankind.

The book features work from around the world, with both historical pieces and contemporary ones.  It is an overwhelming tome of text and visuals that I will periodically be dipping in and out of for a long time to fully take it in.

One of my quilts, Squared Illusions 6, is included (bottom right above). I do wish that the important fact that the piece is primarily made from digitally-printed pigmented ink on fabric was included in the description. Even so, I am incredibly thrilled and honored to have work in this book.

Books published by Thames & Hudson are often beautifully displayed at museums around the world, and for good reason. They are gorgeous to look at, informative to read, and provide massive amounts of inspiration. This book is no exception. While expensive, at $95 retail, Amazon sells it for nearly $30 less. And, since the book is over $25, you can get free ground shipping with it. If you love textiles, consider treating yourself to this beauty.

On New Year’s Day I did my yearly ritual of finishing off my 2012 journal and starting one for 2013.  The book is a printed weekly calendar that has one week spread horizontally across a two-page spread.  I tend to write in it at the end of each week, reflecting on things that went on during the week, maybe adding some photos, copies of drawings, some memorabilia, a show I got into, something published, and whatever. It gives me a good sense of what I’ve done during the year and helps me focus on what I’d like to do in the coming year.

Every time I try put away a yearly book, I start pulling out and looking through older journals, including various sketchbooks. That gets me hungry to do more sketching/painting. In that regard, I also start looking through my books. And there is was: One of my all-time favorite drawings books — Successful Drawing by Andrew Loomis.

If you have any interest at all in drawing, and if you don’t have this book, you might want to consider checking it out. The 9×12 159 page book is loaded with illustrations by the author, who is also considered one of America’s leading illustrators.

The book starts with a chapter called The Fundamentals.  In part he writes, “Drawing is vision on paper. More than that, is is individual vision, tied up with individual perception, interest, observation, character, philosophy, and a host of other qualities all coming from one source. It cannot, and to be successful should not, be anything else.” I found the chapter an interesting read because it clearly applies to more than just drawing. “The knowledge of our craft must be pooled, as it is in the sciences and other professions, each of us absorbing and in turn contributing. … There is much material which the student can apply to his own work without reference to any particular style or technique of mine.”

“When drawing is convincing to the intelligent perception of the spectator because of its rightness of form, texture, space, and lighting, and at the same time appeals to his emotions, the artist can depend upon a favorable response.”

The goal of this book is developing your skills to elicit such a response. The  book covers what he calls the Five P’s — proportion, placement, perspective, planes, and pattern; and the Five C’s — conception, construction, contour, character, and consistency.

There are no step-by-step instructions in this book, and it’s not for a total beginner.  Instead, the major focus of this book is understanding the use of perspective primarily in figure drawing with solid information on lighting.

I’m glad that in the process of putting away my 2012 journal, I rediscovered this book on my bookshelf. I’m already re-reading parts of it and getting back into refining some fundamentals. While the book is pricy at $39.95, you might be able to find it used, and Amazon sells it at a good discount. I included the link above.  Happy drawing!

Nurture Your Creative Spirit, by Vikki Pignatelli

Do you ever find yourself needing a swift kick in the get-your-creative-mojo-going pants?  If so, pour yourself a nice cuppa tea and curl up with Vikki Pignatelli’s latest book, Nurture Your Creative Spirit, Wisdom and Insight Learned Through the Art of Quilting, a book she wrote with the encouragement of her students. Although, fair warning, it will take more than one cup of tea to get through this book!

Vikki starts the book with how her artistic style developed from fingerpainting to art quilt making, including why she calls herself an “improbable quilter.” The bulk of the book, however, is the intertwining of the personal stories and symbolism behind her beautiful quilts with the traits that nurture creativity — such as determination, persistence, humor, flexibility, patience, courage, curiosity, etc. — and with creativity itself. In her stories, nothing is off-limits, including how her personal storms, such as her husband Denny’s diagnosis of kidney cancer, affected her quilt making.

In a section entitled “Have Faith In Yourself,” Vikki talks about a question she was asked during a lecture about why she uses fabrics other than cotton in her work. It never occurred to Vikki not to use other fabrics, which made her realize the person asking the question simply hadn’t been exposed to the idea of using other materials.  She reminds us that we have no restraints, either as artists or as the spiritual beings we are, other than those we place on ourselves.  She encourages us to be fearless and embrace creative opportunities.

I returned to this book again and again, with a post-it note pad, pen, and highlighter in hand, unable to take it all in during one sitting.  Vikki includes pages throughout the 152-page text-heavy book for your personal notes and encourages you to answer questions such as why do you make art? Are you feeling satisfied and enjoying your creative journey? Are you growing both artistically and as a creative human being? Do you put passion in your artwork?  What stops you from being productive?

Vikki Pignatelli is a woman of many talents: an award-winning art quilter, a teacher, an author, a designer, the founder of the national Sacred Threads Quilt Exhbitions.  Her warm writing style is like listening to a good friend who is open and honest and unafraid to share her personal journey. Her introspection and insights are humbling and inspiring, and her hope is that you see yourself in her struggles and triumphs and recognize and nurture your own artistic journey.  She states her purpose “is to motivate, encourage and strengthen the creativity and self-confidence within each individual,” and this book, written from the heart of an artist, does just that, regardless what your artistic medium.

$29.95 available from VikkiPignatelli.com.

Contemporary quilt artist Sandra Meech writes books for quilt and textile artists that focus on artistic growth. In the past, I purchased her Batsford-published titles while in England. Recently I was pleasantly surprised to learn her latest book is also published in the U.S. by C&T Publishing, and I rushed to get it.  Connecting Design to Stitch is another highly-recommended winner!

The book’s focus is on the elements of design and how to use its principles to create engaging compositions for textile and quilt art. There are six main sections of the book – Design; Design Styles; Design Elements; Design Principles; Abstraction; and Composition for Stitch.

Each section is further broken down. For example, in the first chapter entitled Design, Sandra discusses the textile artist’s design process, ten vital design considerations (such as finding an inspired theme, creating a dynamic focus, being original, and trusting your own judgment), and design essentials (such as using a design wall, a camera, and creating mixed media surfaces for design exercises).

The chapter ends with a “design class” (there are five design classes in the book) called Making a Bound Sketchbook.  In only two pages, Sandra crams in information on how to make a sketchbook and offers ten compositional exercise ideas to fill the pages of your book. These two pages alone could have been an entire chapter.

Sandra encourages you to work in abstract design, collage, fabric, and stitch.  Emphasis is always on good composition, and there are exercises throughout the book that push you to explore.

Sandra is a true gem in the world of design instructors for art quilt makers and other textile artists, and she pours her knowledge into the pages of this idea-rich book. I love how her emphasis is always on good design and color use, rather than using the latest trendy materials which can often get in the way.  And while I have a lot of books on design, this is already a personal favorite that I highly recommend.

If you don’t have Sandra’s other books, I recommend that you also check them out.  They include: Connecting Art to Stitch, Contemporary Quilts: Design, Surface and Stitch, and Creative Quilts” Inspiration, Texture & Stitch.  Amazon has some good bundle deals on her books, too!

Diana Tatro!

Diana, I will email you for your address which I’ll then email to the publisher.  The publisher will send a copy of the book directly to you!

Thank you everyone who participated. I’m also happy to share that I talked with the publisher and she is offering a special discount to everyone who left a comment.  If you purchase Jane Sassaman’s new  book by July 12, you can get free shipping! This is for US addresses only!

Go here to order the book, type “FREESHIP” in either the “Discount Code” box or the “Message to Seller,” and the publisher will refund your shipping charge.

Do you have a stash of gorgeous “personality” fabrics — those prints screaming for attention — that you aren’t quite sure what to do with?  If so, you are in for a treat!  Jane Sassaman, quilt maker extraordinaire and whose name is synonymous with graphic, bold design — has a new book out, Patchwork Sassaman Style, Recipes for Dazzling Quilts, published by DragonThreads.

In it, Jane shares her principles for successfully working with large prints, such as the bigger the print, the bigger the block, and letting the fabric do the work. Those principles set the table for the meat of the book: 20 “flexible” recipes that can be adjusted “according to your taste and ingredients on hand.”

Each recipe is based on the mixture of bold printed fabric, such as her trademark graphic fabric designs, and traditional quilt block patterns. The excitement comes in how you blend your ingredients. In other words, how you cut into your personality fabric and what other fabrics you use in the mix. Jane explains how random cuts, “fussy” cuts, and mirror-imaging can each create a totally different look.  The resulting quilts from the recipes are gorgeous, and the flexibility in approach means you can create all kinds of variations. This book will excite today’s “modern” quilter along with those who have been making quilts for decades.

Would you like to win a copy of this book?  Do you have an address in the United States?  If you answered yes to both questions, please leave a comment on my blog anytime through the end of day, July 8th.  On Monday, the 9th, I’ll select a winner, and the publisher will send a copy of this book directly to the winner!  There will be other goodies that the publisher will be offering.  So be sure to leave a comment!

And, remember, the blog hop continues through July.  Here is the remaining schedule:

July 9:    Melissa Peda 
July 10:   Susan B Knapp
July 11:   Jacquie Gering 
July 12:   Weeks Ringle 
July 13:   SewCalGal 
July 14:   Jessica Kovach 
July 15:   Pam Matthews
July 16:   Frieda Anderson 
July 17:   Pat Sloan 
July 18:   Jan Krentz 
July 19:   Anita Grossman Solomon
July 20:   Lyric Kinard 
July 21:   The Quilt Show
July 22:   Jane La Fazio
July 23:   Free Spirit 
July 24:   Nancy Zieman

Award-winning artist Jane Sassaman has a new book out called Patchwork Sassaman Style, Recipes for Dazzling Quilts, published by DragonThreads. To help celebrate the release, an exciting book blog tour is scheduled throughout July! And, if you have a U.S. address, you have 22 chances to win a copy of the book. All you need to do is visit a blog on each day of the hop and leave a comment for a chance to win. In addition to the book, Jane and her publisher will also be giving away some of Jane’s patterns and fabrics! My date is July 8th, so be sure to stop here on the 8th and leave me a comment! This is a beautiful book that you’ll want to get your hands on.

Here is the schedule:

July 2:    Laura Wasilowski  
July 3:    Jessica Sloan
July 5:    Judy Coates Perez  
July 6:    Jane Sassaman
July 7:    Linda Teufel 
July 8:    Gloria Hansen
July 9:    Melissa Peda 
July 10:   Susan B Knapp
July 11:   Jacquie Gering 
July 12:   Weeks Ringle 
July 13:   SewCalGal 
July 14:   Jessica Kovach 
July 15:   Pam Matthews
July 16:   Frieda Anderson 
July 17:   Pat Sloan 
July 18:   Jan Krentz 
July 19:   Anita Grossman Solomon
July 20:   Lyric Kinard 
July 21:   The Quilt Show
July 22:   Jane La Fazio
July 23:   Free Spirit 
July 24:   Nancy Zieman

by Maggie Macnab

Earlier this year I came across this book while at Photoshop World. With one quick flick of the pages, I immediately had to have it! Design by Nature, Using Universal Forms and Principles in Design by Maggie Macnab is by far the best design book I’ve come across in some time.

The introduction of the book starts, “At five years of age, I stood above the clouds at sunset atop a mountain with my father. He told me to never forget the moment. I never have.” And I was hooked. “By recognizing the principles, patterns, and processes of nature, you can create intuitively elegant and aesthetic design at will rather than by chance.”

The book is divided in three sections: Memory: Remembering What We Know; Matter: Understand and Create; and Motion: The Experience Enhanced.  This is a book I could not put down, and I read it from cover to cover.  I still find myself picking it up at different moments and drifting off into re-reading sections, like “Wabi-sabi and Grunge” (which alone is food for thought) or “Using Nature’s Elements in Design.”

The book is written for designers and creative thinkers of all types.

It includes insightful profiles of guest designers, quotes, concepts, learning objectives, put-it-into-practice exercises, images, illustrations, and even external links for more information.

Macnab’s skillful weave of compelling text and imagery strikes  just the right balance to convey the subject matter and provide the reader with a better understanding of how to incorporate nature’s shapes and patterns into meaningful design.

Important to note is this is not a new book with a pretty cover and nothing of substance inside. Instead, it has a clean cover and an inside bursting with nearly 300 pages of stimulating, provocative information written by a person passionate and knowledgeable about her craft. I cannot say enough good things about this book, and it is an absolute keeper.  No matter what your present design skill, chances are you will benefit from reading it.  Published by New Riders, it lists for $44.99 although you can get it through Amazon for less. It’s also available for download on your Kindle/iPad/eReader.

Lessons in Classical Drawing: Essential Techniques from Inside the Atelier, by Juliette Aristides, is a quiet 208 page book that explains the drawing process in manageable chunks of information.  I say “quiet” because it’s not loaded with bright, colorful images jumping off the pages.  Rather, it has an understated beauty and seriousness that deserves time to study and absorb the lessons being taught.

The book contents include, The World Through an Artist’s Eye; A Study of Proportion; A Discussion About Line; the Illusion of Depth, the Third Dimension; Tonal Composition, a Palette of Nuanced Gray; Light and Shadow, and the Creation of Form and Character.

A fantastic bonus is the companion 1 hour 17 minute DVD.

There is a section on materials …

but I particularly enjoyed her processes.  In one section she explains that she saves her charcoal dust into a small plastic container.  She then uses it to sprinkle onto her surface and completely cover it.  From that surface, a mid-tone gray, she works in the lights and darks to create her image.

In another section, she discussed the value sphere and how without light and shadow, it would simply be a circle.  She waxed on about how the study of light is always key in the subject and how the character and quality of the light dictates the interest in what you are looking at.

In another segment of the video, Juliette does two separate figure drawings from two different models.  She draws while talking about how she works from general to specific.  She starts with blocking in the head, ribcage, and pelvis.  Then she indicates the mapping of the figure with lights and shadows.  A time-lapse repeat of the start to finish of each drawing is included.  Other parts of the DVD are shot outdoors in Florence, Italy; different artists talk about art, such the making of stuff rather than the consumption of stuff.

The book is excellent, something you’d expect to be the required text in a college art class. It’s the inclusion of the DVD, however, that brings it all to life and makes the Watson-Guptill suggested retail $29.95 an excellent value and the Amazon $18.95 price a downright steal.  If you want to go beyond the whimsical and into learning classic and elegant drawing, you won’t be disappointed.

I’ve love sketch books — textured-filled experimentation books, books of drawings, text and picture filled journals, and so on — they all get my attention.  While at Blick Art Supply in San Francisco, I came across the Artist’s Journal Workshop, Creating Your Life in Words and Pictures, by Cathy Johnson (with insights from 27 artists).  After picking it up and doing a quick perusal of the pages, within moments I got the “ooh … I have to get this” reaction.  Every two-page spread in the 145 page full-color book has eye-grabbing illustrations on it.  The book covers what you need to get started, testing driving materials, what type of journal is right for you, finding time and making time to develop a habit of journaling, and pulling it all together.

The illustrations are engaging; the text is beyond fluff and is instead filled with solid information.  For example, “If you don’t get the Moleskine type (she’s not a fan of thin weight or overly slick paper in journals) specifically made for watercolor, you’ll want to add a bit of soap or detergent to your paint water to make the paint adhere to the slick surface.”  Or, “If you really hate an image, you can paint over all or part of it with gouache or acrylic. … Be aware that acrylics can cause pages to stick together.  Gouache doesn’t.”

I don’t generally read this type of book from the beginning to the end.  Rather I skip around a lot, going from one area to another depending on what grabs my attention.  Each time I do so in this book, I find another helpful tidbit, such as the advantages of having a blue-gray watercolor pencil as part of your travel-light kit.  This is a good book — lots of helpful information, many gorgeous illustrations, and plenty of fuel to keep your journal pages filled.  If you like keeping a sketchbook, or if you’d like to but don’t know where to begin, check out this book.  If you don’t get it from your local book store, Amazon sells it for under $16 –worth every cent!

by Julia Triston and Rachel Lombard

When I first read this title, “How to be Creative in Textile Art,” I sort of rolled my eyes.  Was a single book really going to cover that broad of a topic?  However, I then saw the book was published by Batsford, meaning excellent work coming out of England, and I gave it a try.  Wow, this book did not disappoint!

The first thing I noticed was the feel of the book. It’s cloth covered, but hard bound, and it is very nice on the fingers. Better still is the content. I love looking at sketchbooks, especially those that show the visual growth of ideas into their eventual fiber form, and this book is loaded with them.

The first main section of the book is called gathering. It covers ideas on how to use a sketchbook for selecting a theme and setting boundaries within that theme; and it continues on with collecting information, recording, evaluating, putting order to your project, sketching, stitching samples, and so on. You’re encouraged to gather and explore everything that you think may be relevant to your project.

The three other main parts of the book are exploration and development (which goes through design development); moving on to stitch (with more ideas, samples, and experiments); and making and evaluating (finalizing your design and creating you textile). There are also some health and safety info, a glossary, further reading, organizations, suppliers, and an index.

The sketchbook above, called the Lion Sketchbook by Rachel Lombard, contain textures that were created with plaster, threads, dripped candle wax, and plastics.  Wow!

Authors Julia Triston and Rachel Lombard, two artists and teachers, share several of their processes from ideas through finished work.  The result is a book that is more than just eye candy; it’s some serious food for creative thought. Highly recommended!

Sandy from California!  Sandy, you won a copy of Jill Berry’s Personal Geographies, Explorations in Mixed-Media Map Making book. I wrote you in email and hopefully you’ll email me your address so that the publisher can send you a copy of Jill’s book.  I was torn among several comments, but Sandy I loved that you would want to, in part, honor your great-aunt who owned a knitting store.  I can only hope that one day my one of my great nieces would want to remember me in such a loving way.  Sandy, I hope to hear from you soon!

Thank you everyone for sharing your comments.  I hope you consider purchasing Jill’s book and making your hand map.  If you do, please do be sure to share a photo of it with me and Jill.