The Organic Artist by Nick Neddo

I give this book ten out of ten acorns!

The layout, photography and information are all excellent...very well written and illustrated.

I like how he explains each procedure in detail and also allows for variations.
He encourages us to experiment and most of all have fun.
There are so many interesting ideas here for adults and children alike it was hard to focus on one to try.
The crayons caught my interest first, beeswax and pigment. I have been collecting small red stones and feel like they would grind well and be a wonderful color.  He suggests japanese knotweed tubes to mold the crayons, something that can be removed easily when they are set up.  I think I can find something more local, which is something he encourages.

I love the fact that along with experimenting and coming up with step by step instructions for a diverse set of organic art supplies, he also uses them in his own amazing art work.   He even explains how to wood fire the clay vessels he makes to hold the paints.

I'm excited about this book...if anyone is into gift giving this might be 'the one'.

I gave this book to an artist friend and client, without having read it myself, and I think they enjoyed it, though sometimes you don't know if they are just being polite.

So today I was overjoyed to hear your glowing review, Judith!

Now, I think another artist (or two?) might be getting this for Christmas this year...

I give this book 10 out of 10 acorns.

I usually don't do a book review if I haven't read a book cover to cover... I got the copy I'm reading from our Regional Library and they just sent me a "book is due" notice. I figured that renewing the book wouldn't be difficult, but alas, all three copies are signed out and there's a hold in the queue. For a book published 10 years ago, that speaks for both the quality of the book and that there are people out there who are concerned about the toxins involved in buying commercial products (yes, I'm the type that does *not* like the smell of magic markers - yuck!)

What is very interesting is the crossover to other areas of interest. The book describes making rock pigments for paints. I've been watching a number of archeology videos and in one there was a discussion of how long rock art pigments last and why. Rock pigments are time consuming to grind, but they are rock and will essentially last forever, unlike modern chemical pigments that fade and deteriorate within a decade or less.

This book has step by step instructions for making much of the equipment you need to do art, or even just write a letter - making a quill pen, making ink, making paint brushes, making paint, making paper - it's all there. Will it be bright and splashy like modern chemical colours - not likely if you're making the easily available colours from the earth on your land. But you will be able to make beautiful art with the comfort of knowing you aren't polluting the environment.

Personally, I wish every elementary teacher had this book and had their children make their art from nature. There you may not care for longevity, so plant dyes would be fine and much easier to make than rock pigments.