Wednesday, March 5, 2014

The Trickster's Hat: A Mischievous Apprenticeship in Creativity

Written by: Nick Bantock

First line: If you want a shortcut to originality...this isn't the book for you.

Why you should read this book: It's not about reading as much as it is about action: making a serious effort at cultivating playfulness and beginner's mind in artistic endeavor, no matter where your ability lies. The book comprises forty-nine exercises employing various media--paint, pencil, collage, words, and so on--which, when used as a roadmap, may take the reader on a journey into new lands. I tackled all forty-nine activities with varying degrees of interest and varying degrees of pleasure in their outcome, and it feels like I've been somewhere, and have a number of wonderful souvenirs to show for the trek.

Why you shouldn't read this book: To me, Bantock can be a little precious at times, although I did not let that interfere with my enjoyment of the book. Keep in mind that, unless your rainy day craft box is very well stocked, you may end up spending more money on supplies than you do on this book.



No comments: