If you’re feeling
creative but don’t have much time on your hands, Fast Art by Monique Day-Wilde and Angie Franke is the perfect
solution. With 50 art projects ranging from fabulously fast (finished in a
flash), fairly fast (in a few hours) and fast, you can take your pick and
finish in no time at all.
This is a no-nonsense
book. There aren’t any tedious introductions to read or hefty chapters to
browse through before getting down to the nitty-gritty. It starts with a short
explanation of how the book works: choose a project from one of the three time
constraint sections, flip to the back for a glossary (if you need to brush up
on some terms) and then get going. There is also a section on colour and colour
mixing, and some useful lists to help you minimise prep time so you can get
started in a jiffy.
Now we get to the
exciting bit! If you choose the “Fabulously Fast” chapter, expect to find
projects that can be finished in a flash. Use wax and Styrofoam to create
interesting pieces, or try monoprinting. The “Fairly Fast” chapter introduces
you to mixed media – learn how to create textures using tea bags, pattern paper
and plaster of Paris. Finally, “Fast Art” is about the bigger pieces – make
stone carvings and plaster models of your hands, use clay to make cute tiles or
try glyph engravings.
Each project is given
a two-page spread. All projects are explained in four easy steps, accompanied
by progress photos. The finished product is shown off with a whole-page photo.
This layout showcases the finished product, and makes the tasks look easy and
manageable.
The great thing about
this book is that it introduces you to new techniques. Although the finished
product is guaranteed to look amazing (Angie and Monique make sure of that)
it’s the art-making process that looks like the most fun.
Reviewed by Tarryn
Henrick
Published by Metz Press