Rating: 
Summary: We loved this book
Review: A couple of months ago my husband and I took a long-planned and fondly-anticipated trip to France. Neither of us is a serious watercolorist, but we enjoy dabbling. We'd never thought about keeping a travel journal until we read the Art Escapes book. It was a real inspiration for us and enriched our trip more than I can tell you.
Each of us kept our own journal, and it's amazing how different our perceptions of the same scenes turned out to be. Reading through the journals takes us back to France in a way that just a batch of photos never could. They're also going to be raw material that we mine for months to come. I've already got a wall picked out for the watercolors we plan to make of our travels.
I shouldn't leave the impression that all we got out of Art Escapes was the inspiration to keep our travel journals. It has a terrific collection of suggestions and exercises that got us thinking and creating in new ways. And it's written in a really engaging and approachable way. There are also lessons that really helped our technique. I'm thinking especially of the color wheel and different color palettes the author recommends and the description of perspective that suddenly made it all seem so simple.
The best thing about the book, I think, is that it enabled us to see and experience France in a deeper and more thorough way than we ever could have otherwise. The sights, sounds and smells didn't just wash over us, as they have on other trips. We learned to truly savor our experiences. Isn't that what art is, really?
One last thought: There's no law that says you can keep a journal only on your trips. There's plenty right here around us that we should start to appreciate on a conscious level. I've just started keeping a journal and using the Art Escapes ideas as part of my regular life, and it's been wonderful.
Rating:
Summary: Unexpected delivery
Review: I got this book delivered to my door when the mail got screwed up and we did not receive a club mailing until a month too late. My book club sent it to me since I did not refuse it, which I usually do.However, when I got the package, I was upset with the hassle of returning it. I kept it for a while and then FINALLY got the club mailing. I decided to take a chance and keep it. Boy what a TREAT! This spiral bound book is a delight not only to read, but to turn the pages. I am tired of the bindings flipping closed on books. This one stays open no problem! The layout is delightful. Illustrations are profuse and rustic. This book is in no way intimidating like some art books tend to be. I actually feel like I can relax while reading it with nothing to live up to and no frustration with how hard I am going to have to work to achieve desired results. Dory writes with a warm friendly demeanor and the book is loaded with creative exercises that are easy to do, and RELAXING. As an artist, I have almost no time to paint with little ones around. Art Escapes offers a perfect compromise. Keeps me painting and going in small spatters, instead of monumental undertakings. Think of a quiet calm day, warm cup of tea, beautiful sunshine, neither too hot or cold weather, curled up in a chair admiring life itself, and you pretty much have this book captured in essence. A delight to own and USE. For any level artist. We all need vacations and escapes!
Rating:
Summary: Unexpected delivery
Review: I got this book delivered to my door when the mail got screwed up and we did not receive a club mailing until a month too late. My book club sent it to me since I did not refuse it, which I usually do. However, when I got the package, I was upset with the hassle of returning it. I kept it for a while and then FINALLY got the club mailing. I decided to take a chance and keep it. Boy what a TREAT! This spiral bound book is a delight not only to read, but to turn the pages. I am tired of the bindings flipping closed on books. This one stays open no problem! The layout is delightful. Illustrations are profuse and rustic. This book is in no way intimidating like some art books tend to be. I actually feel like I can relax while reading it with nothing to live up to and no frustration with how hard I am going to have to work to achieve desired results. Dory writes with a warm friendly demeanor and the book is loaded with creative exercises that are easy to do, and RELAXING. As an artist, I have almost no time to paint with little ones around. Art Escapes offers a perfect compromise. Keeps me painting and going in small spatters, instead of monumental undertakings. Think of a quiet calm day, warm cup of tea, beautiful sunshine, neither too hot or cold weather, curled up in a chair admiring life itself, and you pretty much have this book captured in essence. A delight to own and USE. For any level artist. We all need vacations and escapes!
Rating:
Summary: Everyone can be an artist!!
Review: I have been lucky enough to attend one of Dory Kanter's creative art workshops. What an amazing experience! Dory's book not only lets me share her enthusiastic attitude towards making art easy for everyone, but allows me to play with more creative journaling exercises than we were able to cover in one weekend. I have seen firsthand how Dory's excellent instructions and unique techniques create artists through her journaling exercises. The funny thing is that as you make her collages, paper weave simple images into dramatic designs, try one-minute sketches, Creatively Doodle your way through staff meetings and use blends of colors to capture sensual input like smell, taste and touch, for example, Dory is painlessly tricking you into learning drawing skills, color theory, perspective and composition. Before you know it, you really understand yourself as an artist! Wow! At the end of my weekend with Dory, every student had a journal filled with colorful memories and reflections of their unique personalities. Watching the delighted faces of artistic novices like dentists, homemakers, company CEO's and college professors light up as they explored their "surprising" talents was an emotional experience. I think each of us had a little tear in our eyes as we realized we were artists. All we had to do was trust Dory. After that we sailed on with our own explorations. Since then I have spent many happy hours with my journal at home and while traveling around the world. That is the gift that Dory is sharing with her book. Please, take her gift and see how a few minutes of inspired creativity each day can build into colorful records of the moments and emotions of your life.
Rating:
Summary: The Art of Seeing
Review: I have had the privilege of watching Dory paint and teach. She helps me see things in a different light, both literally and figuratively. Since I describe myself as an admirer of art rather than as an artist, I am in awe of those who have mastered their art, can practice their art with ease, and can teach it to others. Dory is a master in all these areas. In one of our lessons, when someone asked how do you know when you're finished with a painting or collage, she spoke about simplicity. She suggested we always look at what we have done and ask ourselves 'what can I leave out'. This helps us see and stay focused on the essence of what we're doing, with no frills. A valuable lesson not only in art but life in general. I always feel inspired by Dory's instruction and by her work. She makes it look so easy! She always encourages her students to be true to themselves, to create what comes from within. Her book is a marvelous collection of all that she embodies and teaches.
Rating: 
Summary: Big Disappointment
Review: I'm giving it two stars, though it may deserve one more, to balance out the rave reviews by others. Take warning, this book is not what it appears to be. The cover looks appealing, the subtitle is misleading. There are better books to help you "discover greater creativity and artistic confidence." (One is Paint Happy by Cristina Acosta.)
This book is mostly about keeping artistic track of your travels throughout the world in the form of a creative journal. It does also include ideas for making business meetings more entertaining--i.e., by drawing your colleagues--but many of those ideas may not appeal to stay-at-home or housewife types of people (which I am). About half of the activities are less exotic, but there were too many exotic or really boring ones for my taste.
The book is not set up very well. The chapter titles are clear enough, but the pages are sort of mushy looking. It is not easy to tell at a glance if the page is a project page or a sample of other peoples' art page; it doesn't seem to have many projects.
The main media used in the book were drawing and watercolor. The collage section was kind of nice. Most of the projects are for pages in your creative journal, not for paintings you might want to hang up somewhere, but she does show you how to develop some the ideas into paintings, which is nice.
All in all though, this book just didn't appeal to me. It should have been crammed full of fun ideas and it wasn't. My advice is to look through the book completely before you buy it because it is an expense and it takes up space.
Rating:
Summary: Art Escapes has lots of ideas!
Review: The subtitle of this how-to book says it all! Art Escapes is chock-full of creative ideas, hints for success, and practical step-by-step exercises for beginners and experienced artists. And the examples, both initial sketches and finished work, are inspiring and informative.
The author is so down-to-earth, encouraging and freeing that I found myself writing and drawing in the margins! This really made it my reference book for daily practice.
I also like the advice and ideas about how to jump-start my creativity each day.
Rating:
Summary: A Jumpstart for the Creative Juices
Review: This is exactly what "the doctor ordered" for jumpstarting the creative juices & getting out of an "artists' block"! It is filled with pictures, instructions, ideas/suggestions to springboard from...can't wait to dive in! You won't be disappointed!!!
Rating:
Summary: A Jumpstart for the Creative Juices
Review: This is exactly what "the doctor ordered" for jumpstarting the creative juices & getting out of an "artists' block"! It is filled with pictures, instructions, ideas/suggestions to springboard from...can't wait to dive in! You won't be disappointed!!!
Rating:
Summary: This will be your new favorite book for journal ideas
Review: This is going to be one of my favorites. It will prove to be a favorite for all of us who crave inspiration and creative journaling and painting ideas.The editional review above is correct. These are ideas we can put to immediate use while learning new techniques and having lots of fun in the process. A comprehensive supply list with color and palette choices and a triad chart are all in an easy to use format.Try some of her ideas if you have been considering illustrating a journal. The page-a-day of travel art tips shows a collection of the ice cream cones of France that she sampled while doing her journal "research".Charming! It inspires me to put pen and paint to paper to record in a more creative way those special remembrances.
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