Making Paper and Fabric Rubbings: Capturing Designs from Brasses, Gravestones, Carved Doors, Coins and More

It's not easy to find a really good book about making rubbings. In fact, this is the only one I've seen. This art form is accessible to almost everyone, yet few realize the resources around them. "Making Paper & Fabric Rubbings..." covers a wealth of ideas and techniques. You'll enjoy this at home, but especially as you travel. If you keep a diary or journal, you'll find wonderful new ways to illustrate it with rubbings. If you're a fabric artist, rubbings can be great material for unusual quilts and wall hangings. Even better, once you start making rubbings, you'll look at the world in a different way. You'll notice more than colors and shapes, but also textures. I go through a lot of books. Some delight me at first, and then I don't refer to them again. This one is a keeper.

Yo, outdoors/history/crafts project lovers: I got one of these for my artist sister, then read the surprisingly highly-rated tempest-in-teapot review below, and immediately perused the book, including especially the "Methods" chapter. Bottom line: this title definitely rates 5 stars, without reservation. First of all for the *superb* color reproductions of a huge variety of exceptional rubbings (i.e., rubbings of exceptionally beautiful objects). Then I read the Methods chapter sections -- comprising 5 or 6 diverse methods (including wet and dry paper techniques and even Gyotaku -- Japanese "Fish Printing", as in real fish!). Each is spelled out step-by-numbered-step (with up to 9 steps), including preservation -- of both the rubbing and the rubbed object. "Sketchy"?? The first Methods chapter page sez it all: Here are the simple basics, now try them on a variety of objects around the house, and you'll quickly learn about the major problems and challenges (listed FYI), and the medium's opportunities. 'Nuff said -- now go out and try your hand at one or more of the "field trip" methods so fully spelled out. This ain't rocket science, it's quick ramp-up fun! The book also discusses rubbing's history, kids' projects, papers, crayons etc., and lays out a dozen crafts projects -- all on shiny white paper, compleat with pre-printed bookplate on the front fly! What's not to like, or more to ask for?!? DO get this bargain title (through Marketplace resellers) if you're the slightest bit interested in this fascinating and potentially hugely educational craft medium. Enjoy, enjoy!...