Kaleidoscope: Ideas & Projects to Spark Your Creativity

This is a fantastic book which I read cover to cover. I have heard of the art zine culture, but never have seen much of it. This book showed me how my art is real and not fake and how I can show it to the world without having to jump through all the hoops that the publishing world gives to those of us who are terrified or believe we are 'fake' artists. I recommend this book to anyone who does collage, mixed media, ATCs, shrines or even rubber stamp art. It gave me fresh, new ideas to use in my work and also places I would have never thought to work on them. Also, it gives you all the information on how to create your own art zine, be it a one volume zine or a zine that becomes so popular you have multiple issues.

This is an exceptional book. It has some of the best stuff I've ever read (and I've read a lot) on the creative process. Highly recommend it to all artists.

I've been waiting for this book to come out, and POUNCED on it when I finally saw it, buying it sight-unseen. And I'm not disappointed. It's like a full-book-length zine, with contributors who have literally STUFFED the pages with creative encouragement, inspiration, and motivation. All with a decidedly unique style that screams "MAKE STUFF! MAKE STUFF NOW!" It's not a patternbook. As in, there aren't step-by-step instructions so that you, too, can make the exact same thing pictured, just like everyone else. Instead, it's about the Art of Life and a Life full of Art and better yet...a Life of CREATING. If you've been inspired by the pretty pictures in other books and then ran off and did your own thing with the techniques, you will *love* this book. It's definitely on my studio table as inspiration fodder, and has been carried into my bedroom for some reading pleasure, as well. I can't recommend it highly enough.

In true "Arts and Crafts" tradition, Kaleidoscope is another elegant AND useful volume for which you will want to find permanent space on your inspiration shelf. A fun 8x10 size and richly designed pages filled with information, observation and art are the first things to notice. Once again North Light has created a publication that rocks the possibility of an "art" book seeming sensuous! Although the book is introduced and has random thoughts and several articles by Suz, editor and publisher of ARTitude, an enormously popular zine among mixed-media and collage artists, it's literally filled to bursting with "articles" by Sylvia Luna, Elsie Sampson (Chinese Sweatshop), Marney Makridakis (Artella) - nearly three dozen other equally clever and articulate artists and journalers. Additionally, a dozen more artists contributed images alone. Indexed under Art Technique, Improvisation in Art and Art Psychology, its sections are as diverse as "Mark Making", "Sanctuary", and "Obstacles". Its articles include "Personal Symbols, Found and Made", "Purging for Peace", and "Reluctant Journaling". There are also several projects including an instructional for making a trés swell Packing Tape Purse. Kaleidoscope may not have it all, but it has a LOT.