As I mentioned last week, I had asked the question, “What is your favorite art/craft book?” There were lots of great suggestions and I thought I’d compile them into one big list (in several parts) in case you’re a book junkie like I am!
To be clear: I have not read most of these books. These are suggestions from blog readers!
Cards That Pop-up, Flip, and Slide by Michael Jacobs
Dazzle your friends and loved ones with the one-of-a-kind projects in Cards that Pop Up, Flip & Slide. A few simple cuts and folds are all it takes to create over twenty cards and envelopes with moveable parts. From pop-up trees to flipping leaves and sliding message panels, the mechanism that make these cards spectacular are easy to re-create or adapt to whatever suits your fancy!
Journal Spilling by Diana Trout
Whether you’ve been carrying around an art journal for years, or have been waiting for just the right push, in the pages of Journal Spilling you will learn new ways with mixed media as well as new insights about yourself. Step-by-step instruction will make the process easy.
Art Saves by Jenny Doh
Inside Art Saves, experience the stories of 20 artists who found that artistic expression and the artistic process is worth living for.
Objects of Reflection: A Soulful Journey Through Assemblage by Annie Lockhart
Objects of Reflection brings you a new form of visual journaling–that of assemblage–by creating art that is extremely personal and evokes your fondest memories. Inspiration pours from every page as author Annie Lockhart takes you on a journey inside of her own heart, sharing her stories for building pieces with tiny treasures and common objects.
Life Artist by Ali Edwards
Follow along with Ali as she teaches you how to scrapbook your life moments and share your stories in a way that’s real, authentic and a true reflection of your personality.
Unfurling by Misty Mawn
This book begins with art exercises in drawing and painting that include portraiture, contour drawing, backgrounds, layering, and working with a still life, followed by collage and image transfer techniques. The second section offers exercises and projects in stamp carving, paper pottery, sculpture, origami, paper doll making, and surface design. These tactile explorations offer an enjoyment of the process as well as wonderful handmade projects. The last section shares a variety of approaches to visual journaling.
Creative Quilting: The Journal Quilt Project edited by Karey Patterson Bresenhan
In 2003 Karey Bresenhan, president of Quilts Inc., organized the first ever Journal Quilt Project one of the most popular exhibits ever shown at the International Quilt Festivals. Since then, hundreds of artists from around the world have participated in the Journal Quilt Project every year, making small, 8″ x 11.5″ quilts every month to explore new techniques, express fresh ideas, and experiment with the myriad of resources available to quilters today.
The Photomontages of Hannah Höch by Hannah Höch
Richly illustrated with 104 full-page color plates, numerous in-text illustrations, some in b/w. The most comprehensive look at Hannah Hoch’s body of work.
I also found Hannah Höch: Picture Book for sale.
A central figure in the Berlin Dada circle, friend to Kurt Schwitters and Piet Mondrian and lover of Raoul Hausmann, Hannah Höch (1889-1972) is probably the most important female artist from the German modernist period. She is best known for her pioneering works of photomontage, which briskly juxtapose mechanical and organic forms, ancient and contemporary bodies, symbols and text drawn from brands and headlines, also edging feminism, commodity critique and other political concerns into the mix.
Daring Adventures in Paint by Mati Rose McDonough
Through a myriad of both practical applications and creative exercises, Mati shows artists how to “find their magic”—the place of confidence from which they can access the vision of what they want to share with the world.
Artist’s Journal Workshop by Cathy Johnson
Artist’s Journal Workshop provides all the guidance, structure and inspiration you need to create a meaningful art-journaling practice. Starting with the question, “What do you want from your journal?” you’ll build a sound journaling concept that will serve your unique creative needs and give you the freedom to practice, play and develop as an artist.”
The Sketchbook Challenge by Sue Bleiweiss
Have you ever bought a new sketchbook, opened to the first page, and thought, ‘Now what do I do?’ Sue Bleiweiss and the talented minds behind The Sketchbook Challenge are here to help. Imagine a supportive community of artists sharing the innermost pages of their sketchbooks and offering you tips and techniques for overcoming creative blocks. That’s what The Sketchbook Challenge is all about, and the popular blog of the same name has already inspired thousands.
Creative Albums by Donna Downey
What do an old cigar box, a stack of used CDs, and a bunch of shopping bags have in common? To author Donna Downey they are all scrapbooks–yes scrapbooks. In Creative Albums, her first book in the ‘Yes, It’s a Scrapbook’ series, Donna shares 25 ‘out of the box’ ways to capture your most meaningful memories. And best of all, you can finish most albums in an afternoon or over a weekend.
52 Scrapbooking Challenges by Elsie Flannigan
Ready to take your scrapbooking style to the next level? In this exciting book, creative designer Elsie Flannigan presents you with 52 fun scrapbooking challenges! Follow along as Elsie and her team of designers take each challenge. Then challenge yourself to do the same. Learn how to discover your personal style, increase your scrapbooking creativity and create layouts that are uniquely you.
The Decorated Page by Gwen Diehn
Most of the book is devoted to the how-tos, from customizing a blank book to avoiding the straight and narrow via mandalas, diagonals, cutouts, or grids. Illustrations come from the artist’s perspective: a textured 3-D diary and a rolling-wheels travel journey, among many others. Two- to three-page sidebars highlight specific genres, such as pillow books, nature journals, and illuminated manuscripts.
1,000 Artist Journal Pages: Personal Pages and Inspirations by Dawn DeVries Sokol
This is the first book to offer examples of over 1000 journal pages in one eye-catching, visual format. Artists can embrace and experiment with this medium and will benefit from this rich collection.
Part three is coming your way next week! You can find part one here.
If you have read any of the books in today’s post, please leave a comment letting us know your opinion on the book!
Thanks for stopping by!
I’ve read Journal Spilling twice now. Its my fave journaling book and helped me to get past the blank page. It also helped me to open up and be more free in my journal.
love
Jill
x
I had two copies of Elsie Flannigan’s 52 Scrapbooking Challenges. I gave one away to my friend and did all 52 challenges in the book – 2 a week!
It definitely was challenging but it was great having the inspiration and starting points and I did some of my most favourite layouts during that time – it was BB (Before Blogging) so I might have to resurrect them.
I have Cards That Pop-Up, Flip, and Slide. I love it! I have used several of the ideas in both cards and scrapbooks. I don’t know how many times I have read the book at this point. Love that I can make really nice cards with stuff that I have in my scrapbook supplies.
I also have several of Donna Downey’s books, including Creative Albums. The projects inside are just gorgeous. The only caution I make with this book is that it makes it very hard to throw anything away! You will want to figure out how to turn it into a scrapbook!
Gwen Diehn’s Decorated Page – was one of my first art books quickly followed by her The Decorated Journal. I love these books and get inspired every time I open one or the other. Her description and assistance in putting together workstations so that you could stop and journal at a moment’s notice really helped me get to Art Journaling Every Day! Thanks for this delicious post – Amazon is going to thank you too!
I have not read any of these books, but ‘Journal Spilling’ really interests me. I have bought books before and been disappointed, so may try to find this one in my library first…then buy if its a “keeper.”
Love this series so much I started something similar on my blog (hope you don’t mind – I “stole” with pride and linked to your blog as well).
I have read unfurling and I think its one of the better books I have purchased. I would say it almost covers too much at the expense of getting into detail on any one topic!
What a great list…thanks for sharing! I own Unfurling and Journal Spilling. It would be hard to pick a favorite because both are excellent. Great ideas and inspiration and instrucion. I have borrowed and read Artist’s Journal Workshop and Art Saves. I think I prefer the first, but again something to be learned from each book. I can just never get enough ideas and inspiration. All of my books and magazines are at my bedside where I refer to them daily. I love, love, love them all!!!!
Great books! I have only read Art Saves Lives (friend owns it) but the others look amazing!
I have Dawn DeVries Sokol’s 1000 Artist Journal Pages. I bought it after learning about this amazing concept called Art Journaling here on your blog and needing to have something in hand to devour! Not a technique book, but an awesome collection of visual inspirations. Something new catches my eye every time I pick it up, even though I’ve seen every image countless times before!
thanks so much for sharing these with us – i’m always on the lookout for books/mags that i can return to over and over again for inspiration. these look like winners!
I am such a sucker for books. I have Diana Trout’s “Journal Spilling” book and taken several classes with her at Journal Fest. I would recommend both highly. Especially if you are a beginner at art journaling it will really help get you going. I also have Cathy Johnson’s book “Art Journaling Workshop” and it is also very good. Gwen Diehn’s book, “The Decorated Page” has been out of print for some time now but there is a recent edition that blends her two books (“The Decorated Page and “The Decorated Journal”), called “The Complete Decorated Journal.” Although I thought a lot of the pages in this book were really “old school” art journaling since they were done up to 10 years ago, it is also good. Lots of good information in these books. When is Julie’s book coming out???
Aloha, Kate
Not until November 2013. 🙂
The Hannah Hoch books are amazing. Her work is sometimes so odd or disturbing but always well done and fascinating. 1000 Artist Journal Pages was fun to look at.
i own journal spilling. i think it’s okay, but not really my art style. i own 52 challenges. i loved it, at the time, but it feels dated now. i currently follow elsie’s blog. i’ve taken 2 of her online art journaling classes. 🙂 i’ve owned 1000 artist journal pages, for several years, & it has stood the test of time! there are so many types of art journaling to be inspired by, depending on what kind of art you want to focus on, or your mood. it’s not a how to book. it’s a book that shows lots of creative art journaling styles. i still adore it, & go to it again & again.
Love “Life Artist” by Ali Edwards and have Designing with photos by Donna Downey….both have been fabulous in starting me with scrapbooking. Lately I’m drawn to two books you posted here: Artist Journal Pages and Artists’ Journal Workshop.
Thank you, julie, for having this forum!!!
Since starting a busy new job in April, I have been journaling but not arting. Just reading this post has jump started me. I own about half the books. I am off today, and going to make a point to pick one up and the open some paint… I LOVE 1000 artist journal pages. No matter my mood I can simply get inspired. I also reread my copies of Art Journaling magazine…over and over and over.
Thanks for the inspiration!
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