Reviews for An Introduction to Mixed Media

The average rating for An Introduction to Mixed Media based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2018-06-29 00:00:00 Stephen Hook This is an excellent book for learning about the origins of mixed media (briefly) and ways other artists have produced mixed media pieces. As someone who has just begun delving into art, I found it to be interesting intellectually, but only marginally useful on a practical level. There are, for instance, only two tutorials offered the reader for how to produce a mixed media piece and the steps aren't very detailed. The audience for this books seems to be experienced artists who now want to expand into mixed media. For someone familiar with various artistic mediums (especially pastels and acrylic), this book is full of examples that will undoubtedly prove quite useful, as it not only showcases other mixed media works, but also offers a brief analysis of the techniques used in those works. It also gives tons of ideas for different kinds of materials you can use and different ways to use them. If you're new to creating art, it might be better to read this book once you're fairly versed in using a range of artistic mediums and have a decent set of techniques already in your artistic toolbox. I plan to check it out again (or maybe even buy it) once I have a bit more experience myself.

Review # 2 was written on 2013-10-08 00:00:00 Dddd Ddddddddddd An introduction is what this is -- a little info about a lot of different techniques (after a brief history and explanation of art supplies). Most of it seemed to rely heavily on drawing, which I can't really do, so that was discouraging. Each mixed-media book I have seems to mention different types of mediums and fixatives and adhesives and whatnot, leaving my head spinning. Like, is PVA glue the same thing as Modge Podge? And it didn't tell me what I most wanted to know: how to use printed paper as a background. (How do I paint over it smoothly, and am I supposed to just glue the paper to a canvas??) Still, there are some cool ideas and at least one step-by-step practice exercise, plus a recipe for making wax encaustic. Now I know how to make a surface appear grainy, what bas-relief means (kinda), and that block printmaking (fancy phrase for stamps) is your friend. I'm so green I probably don't know what I'm talking about. I was hoping this book would leave me feeling confident and inspired... did it? Yes and no.