Collage Unleashed Paperback – May 29, 2006

I purchased this book in 2007 and wanted to love it. I don't. It's now 2023, I pick up this book time and again, hoping it will click with me. It doesn't. There are many ideas and techniques presented, but they feel hollow and manufactured to me. And the layout is too busy. I find it hard to dive in and study any particular method. I don't know—it's just too much. I have other books on this subject that speak to me in a calmer, more meaningful way, and I go to those time and time again without feeling stressed. I wish I felt differently about this one.

I used to buy just about any art journaling book that came out because 5 years ago they were few and far between. Not so anymore and I've gotten more picky - trying to match my purchases with my tastes a bit better.I had stayed away from this book because it seemed many of the reviewers seemed to know the author or took her classes - which would make them perhaps more biased to like her work. Some books on collage just drive me nuts too - if I see another collage done with someone taken from an old timey photograph wearing a pointy clown hat I will puke!I picked up this book at a local store though and looked through it and immediately knew I had to have it. You might not exactly want to copy her style but she has a TON of good ideas. She does combine many techniques and maybe you don't want to use them all (like fabric and sewing) but you will probably be tempted. I love her doodling style. The back of the book even has some pages meant to be photocopied and used in your own artwork and pages to use to make stencils, etc. This is one of the best books on collage I've seen - maybe THE best book.

FINALLY, I HAVE FOUND THE COLLAGE BOOK I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR,(I HAVE BEEN COLLECTING THEM FOR YEARS). THIS APPROACH TO COLLAGE IS SO FREE AND FUN, ANYTHNING GOES. THE AUTHOR DOES NOT FOCUS ON BRAND NAMED PRODUCTS, WITH AN EXCEPTION OF A FEW OF HER FAVORITES. ANYONE CAN PICK UP THIS BOOK AND MAKE A COLLAGE WITH SIMPLE SUPPLIES, WHICH IS SOMETHING I REALLY APPRECIATE. NOT EVERYONE CAN SPEND BIG BUCKS TO "PLAY" AND EXPERIMENT UNTIL THEY FIND THE EFFECTS THE ARE LOOKING FOR. I ALSO LOVE HER IDEA OF WASTING NOTHING. SCRAPS, OLD ART, CLEAN UP PAPER TOWELS, ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING HAS A PLACE IN HER ART. I HAVE BEEN TRUELY INSPIRED. I HAVE ALSO PURCHASED HER DVD "RETRO RAGS", ANOTHER WINNER! I CAN'T WAIT TO USE SOME OF HER FUN TECHNIQUES IN WITH MY ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS.IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A FUN, NON-FUSSY APPROACH TO COLLAGE MAKING,BUY THIS BOOK BEFORE YOU BUY ANY OTHER. HAVE FUN!!!

One of my favourite books since Sabrina Ward Harrison. I really love this book, I see it as "an absolute must" to have and keep absolutely. Everything is crazy in it, but it's exactly how I love to work, and though I'm a teacher in Art&Craft, and Artist and writer, I learnt a lot of new things in this book. I read it several times, and I tried many things from it. It's also a lot of fun, it is for readers who like original, crazy, different Art. If you like the very classical way, oh no, it's not for you.There is a true freedom of way to do things in this book, and it is what I love, it is fun, not heavy and sad. It is for everyone and it's not pretentious, it is exactly how should be Art : Beauty for everybody.Yael from Paris

*****This collage book is chock-full of ideas, examples, and text that helps you to give yourself permission to play, to experiment, and to come up with creative and unusual ideas of your own. There is a plethora of techniques covered, including fun things to do with text (which I especially liked), more than enough to keep me busy for a long, long time. It is staggering what can be done with collage, and "Collage Unleashed" does exactly what it promises---unleashes your imagination and gives you tools to explore with collage!Highly recommended!*****

This is a really wonderful book and the ideas that Traci Bautista gives are fresh and original. I love her 'girlie girls' and how simple her collage ideas are to do. Nothing in the book is beyond even the novice like me to do.I would recommend this book to anyone who wants fresh inspiration, fantastic colors and easy ideas to wake up their own collage or altered art projects.

If you already know how to do these techniques then this book is for you because it will give you lots of ideas for different ways to do things. But if you need a little more instruction, if the how-to is what is important to you, then I do not recommend this book. I think the book would have been better if, instead of taking up a lot of space page after page exhorting us to just have fun and follow our creative whims, she had included more specific instruction. I got a little bored reading idea after idea thrown at me without more specifics. Maybe I am too concrete, but there are a lot of other great collage and art journalling books out there that have more "meat" and how-to in them. Not recommended, in my opinion.

Sorry, just can't get excited about this one. My biggest complaint is that it lacks variety in ideas. For example, the author relies heavily on making your own paper designs. Also, hard-to-read fonts and garbled book design make this book tiring to wade through. I know the publisher was trying to make it look as if it's "collage-y" but it ends up being unnecessarily difficult to enjoy. However, it's not a total loss: some may find it fun and interesting.

Traci Bautista gives so much information and advice which I still need to digest. Lots of coloured photographs to inspire and encourage the reader to experiment with. Ideal for the beginner or more experienced and useful for art journaling, collage or modern embroidery.

After reading this, I'm not sure if I like the thought of decoupage anymore - it all seems terribly complicated.

great pictures and is a book that shows how too save time in learning the processes but will develop the imagination to further experiment

fantastic book great ideas and easy things to use great for newbies and us oldies.great to read a book that i'd don't need to buy a ton of new supplies to start using the book.

Lots of ideas and promts, love it.