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The Collage Workbook: How to Get Started and Stay Inspired
Both a popular hobby and a recognized art form, collage encompasses a wide range of creative styles and techniques—explored here by the creator of the popular A Collage a Day blog. Offering step-by-step instruction, visual inspiration, and even a library of copyright-free images, this hands-on guide covers all the necessary materials, tools, and know-how, from adding color and transferring images, to décollage (tearing away layers). And to spark the reader's imagination, there are 52 creativity prompts, such as a collage using the letters of a single word.
132 pages, Paperback
First published June 5, 2012
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337 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
September 30, 2016
The Collage Workbook offers a beginner's introduction to basic collage and use of mixed media.
The book provides a list of tools and mediums utilized by the author. A brief, comprehensive lesson is given on Elements of Design (like shape, texture, and line) and Principles of Design (like balance and proportion). Helpful instructions are provided for transferring images from tracing paper, as well as a step-by-step guide for matting your final art piece. The book includes 50 very simple exercises, followed by a small but intriguing selection of images that are free to use.
Unfortunately, the author relies heavily on the rule of thirds, so much of his work feels formulaic and repetitive.
The Collage Workbook: How to Get Started and Stay Inspired is a nice introduction to basic collage tools and use of mixed media, though the lack of variation results in a body of work that's a tad monotonous.
The book provides a list of tools and mediums utilized by the author. A brief, comprehensive lesson is given on Elements of Design (like shape, texture, and line) and Principles of Design (like balance and proportion). Helpful instructions are provided for transferring images from tracing paper, as well as a step-by-step guide for matting your final art piece. The book includes 50 very simple exercises, followed by a small but intriguing selection of images that are free to use.
Unfortunately, the author relies heavily on the rule of thirds, so much of his work feels formulaic and repetitive.
The Collage Workbook: How to Get Started and Stay Inspired is a nice introduction to basic collage tools and use of mixed media, though the lack of variation results in a body of work that's a tad monotonous.
March 23, 2019
I am often disappointed with how-to-books; either they are too basic (so you don't really learn to do anything you didn't already know how to do) or they are too specific (teaching a very limited technique or method), fortunately "The Collage Workbook" is neither. "The Collage Workbook" offers very clear and useful introduction to basic collage, it is a great booke for anyone new to this way of working.
September 24, 2017
Re-reading this in preparation for a collage-making instructional zine I'm currently working on with Portland artist Jackie Treiber and others. Lots of good ideas in here, many of which move beyond simple collaging and into multi-media. I took an on-line class with Mr. Plowman a couple of years ago when I first started collaging. He's a good person to learn from, especially for beginners.
January 28, 2013
This was a good solid book and there was a lot to like about it. I preface the review with the fact that I am a painter more than a collager so that is my bias.
There is excellent design and composition information at the front end of the book which is a really useful reference. I found it really interesting and it was very clearly written and illustrated.
There were 50 prompts to explore as well, and he provides examples of where he went with the prompt. Many of the prompts I thought were really good and prompts that would be easily translatable to an art journal or an art piece and there were quite a few that I want to explore further.
He also provides some images at the back you can scan and use if you wish, and digital downloads of the images are available at a website he provides.
I think the book is really good in terms of the prompts provided, and would be a good book for many mediums.
The book did not really explore any new techniques or push the idea of collage to new levels, which may be understandable when all the work featured was his own so would be of the same general style.
I found it a really good introduction book for beginners to collage, and it was not intimidating at all. He gives a good overview on the materials you require and getting started. I am glad it was the first one I read, and I recommend it for the prompts if you are a prompty person and there were quite a few new prompts that I hadn't seen before and you could taken them in all sorts of directions to inspire your work.
There is excellent design and composition information at the front end of the book which is a really useful reference. I found it really interesting and it was very clearly written and illustrated.
There were 50 prompts to explore as well, and he provides examples of where he went with the prompt. Many of the prompts I thought were really good and prompts that would be easily translatable to an art journal or an art piece and there were quite a few that I want to explore further.
He also provides some images at the back you can scan and use if you wish, and digital downloads of the images are available at a website he provides.
I think the book is really good in terms of the prompts provided, and would be a good book for many mediums.
The book did not really explore any new techniques or push the idea of collage to new levels, which may be understandable when all the work featured was his own so would be of the same general style.
I found it a really good introduction book for beginners to collage, and it was not intimidating at all. He gives a good overview on the materials you require and getting started. I am glad it was the first one I read, and I recommend it for the prompts if you are a prompty person and there were quite a few new prompts that I hadn't seen before and you could taken them in all sorts of directions to inspire your work.
October 17, 2014
I enjoy Plowman's work and was curious to learn more about his approach to collage. The art is beautifully photographed; this is a gallery of Plowman's work more than anything else. It would have been lovely to include photographs that captured the texture of the collage work. So I like this as a beginner to intermediate collage idea book. The prompts are playful and varied. Collage concepts & techniques were not covered in any depth.
August 20, 2019
This book offers a clear and gradual introduction to collage that captured my curiosity and made this art form seem within my grasp. I loved the exercises the author offers which were satisfying by offering a taste and showing how collage might lead to a desire for total immersion. This book confirmed my interest in collage.
June 9, 2016
I'm in the midst of the 100-day project, and creating a collage a day, so thought this book would give me some ideas. It's a basic introduction to collage, and there are some exercises to try, but it felt more like a showcase of the author's work, than something I found useful. If, however, you are completely new to collage, this might be just the right book for you.
August 13, 2020
This book had a lot of creative prompts to get you going. The only thing I would have like to have seen different was more instructions on how they did their collages. They gave prompts and finished examples but not how they did it so you are still trying to figure that out on your own.
November 24, 2020
This is a 3.5-star rating.
"In the end, collage is really the art of "listening" to your materials. If you stay open, you'll surprise yourself with what emerges." Introduction - pg. 9
A nicely laid out book, that begins with a full explanation of a basic tool kit, followed by an astute reference of the Creative Process, such as Design Elements, etc, then moves into 50 separate prompts to get your genius primed and ending with an Image Library & Resources. Excellent for a novice and still effective enough to assist and be a refresher to an intermediate as well. It was published in 2012, so there's a lot more info available now and certainly a wider range of products to explore; however, Randel brings his passion and know-how for the medium making this a valuable resource.
"In the end, collage is really the art of "listening" to your materials. If you stay open, you'll surprise yourself with what emerges." Introduction - pg. 9
A nicely laid out book, that begins with a full explanation of a basic tool kit, followed by an astute reference of the Creative Process, such as Design Elements, etc, then moves into 50 separate prompts to get your genius primed and ending with an Image Library & Resources. Excellent for a novice and still effective enough to assist and be a refresher to an intermediate as well. It was published in 2012, so there's a lot more info available now and certainly a wider range of products to explore; however, Randel brings his passion and know-how for the medium making this a valuable resource.
January 2, 2019
Nuttig boek. Het begint met de verschillende materialen die nodig zijn voor collage: lijm, schaar, mesje, verf etc. Het gaat in op design en het maken van lagen. Dan zijn er 50 verschillende opdrachten voor collages, in die zin is het een inspirerend boek om aan de slag te gaan met verschillende technieken en ontwerpen. De voorbeelden zijn allemaal uit het werk van de auteur, en zijn stijl spreekt me minder aan, maar dat is natuurlijk een kwestie van smaak.
May 23, 2022
This book has a lot of interesting ideas. There is a comprehensive list of supplies you can use at the front of the book with descriptions of each item. I liked the info about where to get images online and it has a bunch of images at the back you can photo copy to use. Some of the 50 projects are of varying interest to me, but plenty to work with here on my quest to explore more collage. Additionally, the author covers matting, storing, and creating a home press.
June 8, 2025
I got this book out of the library recently and couldn't put it down. I'm definitely buying my own copy of it. As a collager, I am always looking for new ideas, and this book is amazing! I learned so much from it including the supplies to use, where to get ideas from, making ink transfers, using maps and cardboard. The list is endless. So glad I happened to see it at the library. I highly recommend this book to people who are collage fanatics like me. It's wonderful!
November 10, 2019
Simple and to the point ideas for collage. There is only a small amount of 'tutorial' at the beginning of the book before jumping into ideas. If you need fully explained step by step tutorials this would not be the book for you.
April 30, 2020
Excellent little book for those first timers wishing to dip into the world of collage. Plowman provides simple, clear instructions and project ideas to give you a good basis for getting you started and into the exciting world of collaging. What more could you want!
July 22, 2021
This was a fantastic book if you’re interested in collages. Collaging can be so much more than what we did in elementary school. It’s a lot of fun, relaxing, good for our mental health and this book has wonderful ideas! I can’t wait to get to work!
November 9, 2022
Love this book! the first 1/3 is spent covering the basics of tools & techniques. The last 2/3 is spent covering creativity exercises. I love, love, love, the creativity exercises as they stretch not only your creativity, but your skills, prompting you to try things you might not have before.
January 4, 2024
I got a few nice ideas on how to set up collages. I enjoyed making collages in elementary school and in my journals. I'm definitely going to try out some of these techniques. I also liked the idea of a collage a day but I think a collage a week or a month would be more for me.
March 28, 2019
action pocket
July 6, 2019
One of the best collage books out there! There are so many cool ideas and projects. Plowman makes it seem so easy to be creative. I can't wait to get started on my next project!
December 1, 2019
For those who know nothing about collage work, this is a good introduction. Recommended for kids and doodlers of all ages.
May 8, 2021
Beautiful images and useful hints and tips.
tpl-art-books
July 14, 2021Seems to be best for starting from scratch of those I've recently looked at.
December 16, 2021
Getting in touch with my inner artist 😊 this is a great jump start for me. I’m contemplating buying it.
February 1, 2024
Gave me great ideas for creative spreads!
May 23, 2013
It's less of a text and more of an inspiration book. Yes, there are some fast how-tos, but largely there is a double spread with some tips on one side and the image of the completed collage on the other. At the end there are copyright-free images you can use in your own work.
The collages were largely OK rather than well done. There are many of them, and I got the feeling that some of them were done for the book rather than done with time and purpose and collected for the book. The free images are not high enough quality to make me want to scan and use them.
Of course, this is highly subjective, so your opinion may vary. Of the how-to books, I prefer Claudine Helmuth, and of inspiration books, Collage Lost and Found by Giuseppina Cirincione.
The collages were largely OK rather than well done. There are many of them, and I got the feeling that some of them were done for the book rather than done with time and purpose and collected for the book. The free images are not high enough quality to make me want to scan and use them.
Of course, this is highly subjective, so your opinion may vary. Of the how-to books, I prefer Claudine Helmuth, and of inspiration books, Collage Lost and Found by Giuseppina Cirincione.
November 1, 2012
I picked this up second hand at Powell Books in Portland. I was intrigued by his style as I flipped through the book - again, not a lot of 'new' techniques, but lots of ideas, inspiration and room for further exploration.
July 13, 2016
There was a lot of interesting instruction and some good exercises in this book. Unfortunately it looks like the constantly referred to image library on the author's website has been removed; however he does offer quite a few images at the back for the purpose of scanning and reuse by readers.
August 10, 2016
I bought this book when someone in Amazon recommended it. I thought I would be learning new techniques but I found this book for someone who is new to collage art. And how could the writer have some spelling errors? or could have it been that this was not proofread at all? this is a big turn off.
March 9, 2013
More of a gallery book than a workbook. Good for idea-gathering.
April 7, 2013
Fun hobby -- great ideas, organization and images!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews