Yaa Hooo New Art Books!!!

Not to worry this is not a book review, cuz honesty I am hardly qualified to review the table of contexts of any art books. But after all these years of living with myself I have a pretty good idea of how best I learn. And I gotta tell you I love both of these new books for totally different reasons.

Cynthia Thornton's book  "Enchanted Adornment" is truly (no matter how trite it sounds) an enchanting art jewelry book. As we all know  Cynthia is Green Girl Studios and creates some of the most bewitching metal clay charms. In her book she has created 20 projects that she very skillfully walks us through. And yes they all either involve polymer or metal clay. And yes I don't work with either, and I doubt I will be working with either for some time still. It's not that I'm not just itching to learn to create with metal clays. However both techniques require very specific materials and equipment that I don't have and have no access to here. Soooooo these will remain on the proverbially back burner. The thing is there are all kinds of substitutes for the pieces that are created from clay. And I have certainly become the "Queen of Improvising" since moving here. Which is a good thing because it really stretches and exercises my "little Grey cells". :)

 

But it's not the technical aspects of the book that has made it my all time most favorite art book. Cynthia has the most infectious imagination, and story telling abilities. She has created a wonderful elfish faerie tale around her projects, which makes the book just plain fun to read!! She has included lots of wonderful ethereal sketches with her descriptions, instructions and stories

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No I don't know why Blogger decided to turn this picture on it's side. But I'm willing to bet they (whoever they is) love sitting around cooking up ways to completely frustrate us and remind us just who exactly is in control!! :(

Cynthia's instructions are very easy to follow and understand and her photos show you the whole piece so you don't have to guess what something looks like by seeing a closeup of 2 inches of a piece.

She finishes her book off with an "inspiration gallery" featuring 14 different mixed-media jewelry artists creation's of elfin delight.

The other book is Jean Campbell's  new release "Steampunk Style Jewelry" Gads I'm really enamored with this book also. Although they are nothing alike this one also reaches out to play with my imagination as well as providing well thought out easy to follow instructions

 

Jean also features 20 different pieces of art jewelry that are heavily influenced by a bit of the Steampunk feeling. Unlike Cynthia who is the creator of all her featured pieces Jean has brought together 20 different artists The photos and instructions are very easy to follow, and assimilating new techniques is easier then you might have thought.

Jean doesn't tell any tales or let us sneak into the land of elves and faeries, but I found her book just as entertaining and imagination stretching. She has included all kinds of interesting facts, trivia, and just plain fun information of the true life of the world of steampunk. In the side bars she explains where it's roots are, what influences the Victorian and Edwardian periods had in it's development.

One thing is for sure when you get done reading all her nifty side bars you are garuenteed to win the steampuck section on the Jeopardy board!! :)

Jean also has a great gallery of designs by some impressive mix-media jewelry heavy weights that already have my imagination shifting into high gear
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So I guess you can see why I am as excited as a little kid to have these books to play with. Unlike the bloglandian artists up north I don't have the chance to go to different conferences,workshops and retreats that the new year and spring brings. I have to depend on well written, (and entertaining) books and the rare video to expand my abilities, learn new techniques and explore different types of art. I truly am a book and technical tutorial junkie (and proud of it) !!!! :)

Time for this little junkie to take her new books and curl up for a second read through. Have a most audacious today or tomorrow depending on where in the world you are  p;)