I'm going to be honest, I have zero art skills. I might be able to rustle up a stickman, but if you didn't know better, you would be forgiven for thinking a child did it. However, I do have happy memories of being sat in my room with a magazine, cutting it up to make collages. With that in mind, I was really intrigued by "Collage Your Life" by Melanie Mowinkski.

It's a stunning book with examples of collages throughout, that I felt I wanted to pour over for hours. The book is formatted into helpful sections from an inspiring introduction "What you make doesn't matter. All that matters is that you make something!" as well as chapters on materials, tecniques. prompts for collages and even steps on how to create your own book for your collages. There's profiles of artists who use collages as their medium.

What can I say - this book is many things at once - its' a coffee table art book, it's an informative guide to collaging and I even think I will use it as a new years resolution and start collaging in 2022.

I can't wait to buy a physical copy of the book when it comes out next summer.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to review an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review - I am so glad I got approved, I have loved the book.

This book is packed full of inspiration and ideas for the reader to create their own collages.
It begins with lots of useful information, for example, about materials you might want to use, or tools that might come in handy, plus an overview of colour theory, the principles of composition and a guide to some techniques you may want to try. All are illustrated with colour photographs.
Throughout the book there are full colour examples of the author's own work plus a multitude of works from other collage artists.
The second half of the book has 55 prompts to "jumpstart your practice". These are a great way to get you making, so often the hardest part of art is that first mark on the paper. The prompts aren't full step-by-step instructions, but thoughts and ideas and suggestions of techniques to try. These also have examples of relevant collages to accompany them. Interspersed between the prompts are short profiles of professional collage artists,
At the end, there are also instructions on how to make idea-generating cards to help you get creative. The book has a long list of suggested cards covering the topics of medium and technique, elements and principles of design, narrative, portraits and more. I really like this idea and can see me putting this into practice, and not just for collage art.

This is a great book for kickstarting your creativity and get you making some collages. There is also lots of information that could be transferred to other art forms. I recommend this book.

Thank you to Storey Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC

Get ready to set your creativity free!

As someone who has the trifecta of - owning far too many craft items, a need for perfection and a desire to release my creativity - Collage your life is a beautiful introduction to getting started with what you’ve got, experimenting and enjoying the process of collaging.

Guided by well over 50 collage prompts and insight into the how-to of creating your own collage books at home, you’ll finish Collage Your Life feeling confident and comfortable in your ability to go forth with a regular collage practice.

I mean, that’s after you get over the materials section and realise that you don’t own a bone folder, gesso, compass, versa-tool, half a dozen substrates of paper and glue beyond a glue stick. Despite not making a single trip to the craft store I was able to fulfill all of the collage prompts without the fancy equipment and only used the resources I had on hand - scissors, glue, paper (magazines and scrapbooking paper) and pens.

Nevertheless, I had an absolute blast getting reunited with my creative self as I experimented with colour, shapes and a few new techniques that I now adapt into my art journaling practice.

Despite a lot of the prompts being known by those that have engaged in prior collaging, scrapbooking, or art journaling you’ll still benefit from having Collage Your Life as a resource in times when you get a little bit stuck and need a nudge forward.

Special shout out to Melanie Mowinski, Storey Publishing and Netgalley for early access to Collage Your Life.

This is a great book for anyone who would like to get into collage, or anyone who already knows everything they need to know and are looking for more inspiration. Many projects with photos and instructions, along with awesome stories along the way. Highly recommended.

What an absolute treasure of a book this is. I started handcut collages myself a few years back and have mostly learnt by doing. This book is absolute gem for both established collage artists and those who are considering taking it up and giving it a try. The first part of 'Collage Your Life' runs through the materials you might want to consider using from adhesives to papers and cutting equipment. It's all a very clear introduction to the tools of the trade. This book is peppered with profiles of collage artists and their stories, along with eye-catching collages showcasing the different styles of collage. My absolute favourite part of the book is the '55 prompts to jumpstart your practice.' There are so many great ideas here and I can't wait to dive in and give some a try. I have read quite a few books on collage and this for me, dives a little bit deeper. I can't wait to buy the hard copy and really kickstart my collage practice in the 2022. Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy.

This is a beautiful book. It is full of useful information that has been provided in a friendly way. I am inspired by the vast array of artwork and look forward to giving this art/craft a go.

As someone who is already familiar with some of these concepts and ideas, and collage-style journaling in general, I would recommend this book to beginners or to those looking for a new creative outlet, or even those experiencing an art block.

It's a quite basic guide for the most part, but then it also adds some more complex ideas like perspective and composition, or other techniques and it just felt this book trying to do too much sometimes.

Although I did I find it rather inspiring visually! I also thought the prompts were rather creative and the binding instructions in the end are pretty interesting. I might return to this book for those.

A book that will make you want to create.

I'm fairly experienced in collaging but this book has still given me so much inspiration. The book is full of beautiful colourful images to whet your appetite and just to soak up. With chapters on colour, technique, composition, and prompts to get you started, or find your mojo if it's missing.

There is a whole chapter on how to contain the collages you've made. I've made books before, but some of the techniques haven given me new ideas on how to reuse packaging and create inexpensive journals and books. If you've fallen out of love with collage or not sure where to start then this book is for you.

The biggest takeaway from this book from me is - just start and stop expecting it to be perfect.

So many projects, so little time! This book has an amazing array of creative ideas using materials that would otherwise be discarded. A good way to give another purpose to old greeting cards and magazines you might have lying around. The photos are very well done and there are many. Being a beginner to collage I feel this book is very useful to me. Thank you Melanie!

Collage your life is a book made for the creative minds out there who want some point in beginning their journaling journey. It is filled with ideas of art and craft and simple ways to nudge your inner artists. It is filled with detailed information regarding the things you would need to v=begin your journal. It begins from basic things such as the paper on which you want to journal, types of tools and equipment to keep, their alternatives, the scraps that you can find around your house but are generally ignored and go into the dustbin.

Now, let’s talk about the amazing cover plus the amazing snaps from the journals of other people that have been put on display in this beautiful book. It is characterized by their names under each piece. The range of journals and types included in this book is amusing and terribly vast. It feels like the whole world of journaling has been reduced down to those 232 pages of Collage book. After explaining the basics of art and composition, the author moves ahead to give us some prompts that would assist us in beginning our journaling if we decide to work upon them. However, the author insists to keep our mind broad and always attentive because inspiration can come in any form and get expressed in journals in any form too.

The prompts in themselves are of variety. Some of them are open-ended and make you want to think, and some are pushes you right towards your page with a purpose and aim. The variety is something that will help you if you are having a difficult day or can’t think of anything. Apart from those prompts, there are multiple examples from the given prompts that you can see and gather inspiration from. The beauty of the book is in the reality of the words written there. All those prompts and actions are doable and the examples shown are so beautiful that they make you want to pick up a brush right away.

Overall, I liked this book. I will highly recommend this book to those art enthusiasts who want to begin their journaling journey but are not sure where or how to begin. This book covers the basics as well as advanced levels of journaling. It also includes several tips and tricks that you can use while journaling. I hope this works for you, happy journaling along with the author as the instructions tell you.

I'm probably the most critical reviewer of this guidebook. As a youngster, we were introduced to collaging and I learned most of the topics presented albeit in a more simplistic format. I somehow thought this book would help me in my scrapbooking pages, but it hasn't presented anything new that I'm not already incorporating in my pages and photos.

The content might be a little too overwhelming for the beginner and some of the products used are more than household items. So, this book wasn't a hit with me. Two okay stars.

Full of clear, full-color illustrations and photos that demonstrate design ideas, collaging techniques, and graphic suggestions, this book is a treasure trove for anyone who enjoys collaging or crafting. Lots of step-by-step instructions to help you stencil, letter, stamp, glue, and get more creative in what you cut, how you put it together, and where you put it. I loved this book and am grateful to Netgalley and Storey Publishing for letting me enjoy a free copy in exchange for my honest review. But really, this is a book I want to own as a hard copy so I can fully enjoy the illustrations and refer back to it as needed. Would make a great holiday gift for anyone you know who loves crafting.

This is a great intro to the concept of collage. It had great prompts and solid tips. The book definitely makes you think you can make beautiful, fantastic things yourself. I took some time to try out some projects. The first attempts definitely weren't great, but I think I have enough tactics and hints and prompts to help me keep going while I learn this new art form.

Very informative book. Gives comprehensive guide to all different materials and methods to incorporate in a collage. Its very useful as a starting point for a beginner in collage techniques and reference to seasoned collage makers. It is also filled with pictures and demonstrates each method.

Collage has been around for a long time, we have done it at school and kinder, we create mood boards with this technique and we also make fabulous pieces of Art Galley art!
This book is really a lovely starting point for people who want delve into how to incorporate all sorts of material and technique to be creative.
The book starts to basic tool to use and suggestions on how to create and add fabric, text, found objects, stencils, feathers, printing and lots more.
The part I like best it the section on " Prompts" where a topic is given with various suggestions to create a fitting artwork for the topic.
There is also a section on projects such as book covers, cards etc to make with you collage pieces.

This book is great for artists looking for a more sophisticated version of the craft we all made as kids. Mowinski starts with the basics, providing primers in color theory and composition before moving on to collage-specific techniques. Layering, adding text, printmaking, and using multiple media are some examples. The coolest section of the book gives prompts for different collage projects. I would recommend this book.

3 crafty stars

Collage Your Life is a valuable resource for anyone new to collage. Mowinski takes us from simple steps and techniques to more complex ones in a well-organized way. Build Your Materials covers general tools, materials, color and design basics. The second section develops techniques including using paper, fabric, feathers, and found objects. She shows how to carve stamps and make stencils. I Particularly enjoyed the 55 Prompts to jumpstart projects of many types. The idea generating cards are also inspiring. The last main section suggests what to do with the collage pieces you’ve created.

The many accompanying photos are bright and colorful, making each step perfectly clear. Words are at a minimum – an asset when wanting to grab the concept quickly. The book ends with a reading list about creativity and online resources, as well as a comprehensive index.

The author encourages ‘playing’ with the collage pieces in a non-judgemental way. Just make something! Many samples by professional artists are included.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Collage Your Life, I mean as I began to read, I was already inspired. A great book for beginners in collaging and for experts as well. The detail that has gone into explaining things is so good. I mean from what tools you'll need, to basics in color theory, it's phenomenal. There are prompts and exercises that can help the readers find a new passion or try something new if doing collaging is already something they enjoy. Melanie Mowinski does a great job of encouraging your own artistic talents and to be curious, it's fun to be curious and try new techniques and tools. Great for the creative person in your life.

This book is an eclectic collection of empowerment and encouragement to discover your abilities, learn to be patient and allow yourself to be creative on the page without comparing yourself to others.
Collage Your Life should be part of every library collection, including school libraries because it encourages you to challenge yourself and discover techniques you may not have used before.
The Pro Tips are really appreciated throughout because they inspire ideas and take your collage to new places.
Each of the profiles gives you insight into other artistic types of people who have developed their styles through life experience, each person creations unique and personal to them.
One of the biggest lessons I learnt was that college is more than a creative medium, it's also a way to work through feelings, let go of hurts and embrace the fact that you get to reflect on your life in a creative way.
Complete with tutorials and an inspired reading list, this is a must-have book.

Woman of my own heart! I have saved so many cards, letters, feathers, leaves, etc... I am a crafter and try to incorporate ephemera, but there is just so much! I am somewhat familiar with the idea od collage, but havn't ever pursued it artistically. This book might just be what I need to get started! Loads of ideas and how-tos. Step-by-step on tools, colors, and techniques. Incorporating stencils and rubber stamps.... Great book! I look forward to purchasing it!