A Passion for Colour: Exploring Colour Through Paper, Print, Fabric, Thread and Stitch
You only have to look at the first few pages of Ruth Issett's new book to know you are getting a cornucopia of delight and lusciousness. The book starts with descriptions of colour all around us, and how she observes it everywhere. The materials, papers and fabrics, dyes and inks are all discussed and it is great to see photographs of the different sketchbooks and dye record books that are used, just to see how much detail and experimentation is done in pursuit of the perfect colour. For anyone wishing to explore colour mixing and combinations in more detail, this is like a bible. Sensible advice is given on what to have as your basic core of colours, and not limit yourself to the primary colours of red, yellow and blue. The way that Ruth Issett talks about colours is so rich and vibrant. Talking of 'egg-yolky yellow' and 'velvety ultramarine blue' conjures up the colours so effectively that you can't help but keep reading. A colour wheel created out of fabric just makes the book so much more special  -  you see this in a lot of books where colour is discussed but rarely do you see it with a personal touch. The book does not limit itself to printing and colouring fabric. It moves onto using stitch to create texture as well as colour. It explores different colourways and focuses on a section about foliage to look at different approaches with colour and how to enrich it with stitch. A visual delight and so informative for those who don't have the natural instinct or patience for the years of experience that Ruth Issett has under her belt. So many tips are given for good colour mixing and different recipes for colour combinations, this is a book that you will be refer back to again and again.-Workshop On The Web It is sheer delight to be able to hold this book in my hands. I love colour and if you do, you are in for a treat. Bold, bright and beautiful. This book is for all textile artists, use it for inspiration, colour ideas and more. You'll see colour that will make your work sing. There is quite a lengthy introduction, which includes useful notes on using your sketchbook and exploring colour. Much of this is basic art and design course work lifted with superb illustrations and really vibrant colour. Ruth looks at intensity, transparency and opacity as well as layers. She works with paper and fabric, looking at collages. She then looks at adding stitch, cutting back and developing design ideas. I felt it did not quite go far enough. We have all seen colour before, and Ruth does use it in an extraordinary way but perhaps too much of the book is dedicated to colour pics without really letting on about the processes involved. There is no instruction as such just a very general and vague guideline. However, this is a glorious book to look at.-Yarnsandfabrics.co.uk/crafts The title of this book says its contents in a nutshell; it concerns the author's passion for color.  Ms Issett is a textile artist and embroiderer, and her mission is to impart this enthusiasm and help readers to explore their own relationship with color in all its glory.  Her work is largely abstract, and the lush photographs in this large and lavishly illustrated book certainly got me itching to grab a handful of colorful materials and get creating.  She starts with talking about her love of color, and lists all the things she can think of under each color heading on pages covered with lush pictures of bright and subtle fabrics.  Then the next chapter explores materials and what you need to get started and why, through keeping a sketchbook and why this is a good idea.  Get started with making color charts and wheels yourself, discovering how colors mix together, working with black and white and looking at the values of colors from transparent to intense.  Looking at the vibrant pictures and reading the author's excited and passionate words certainly got me wanting to explore colors more fully and I like the idea of making paper collages then using them as a starting point for other work.  The chapter after this looks at fabric collages, and how to select fabrics and also make pictures of just strips.  Other topics include looking at the work of other artists for inspiration and taking work further into pure color studies, depicting foliage and developing your own ideas.  This is a book to sit down with read fully, or just delve into when in search of inspiration and a starting point for a new project.  I think it would have something to offer for both artists and craftspeople  -  an exciting and vibrant way of looking at color.-Myshelf.com A 'Passion For Colour', whose subtitle is 'Exploring Colour Through Paper, Paint, Fabric, Thread and Stitch', just about says it all. The same passion for color, the same amazing imagery and excellent instructions and the same color sparks for your own creativity abound in the pages of this book. Search Press always seems to hit the 'nail on the head' when they publish textile arts books, and this book is no exception to that rule. Ms, Isset explores using color families and color combinations to create cloth that has an impact and stitches that create texture. Colorful paper collage is also a part of this book that provides further inspiration, and it is a boon for people like me who are enamored with both cloth as well as paper arts! Also contained are brilliantly photographed sections about the basics; materials and equipment such as choosing fabrics, papers, threads, paints and markers of various types. I liked this quote from the author, " ... I am fascinated by how colour responds to different surfaces such as papers, fabrics, threads and fibers, as well as printed and stitched surfaces. How I work tends to reflect the materials and media I use..." and I think that it really reflects what this book explores so well; the different ways that media is affected by both color and materials used. This is a book that will provide any artist, no matter what their chosen medium, with inspiration and creative ideas. For textile and paper artists I think this book is a treasure trove of information that is sure to get your creative juices flowing. Ruth Isset has another brilliant book to her credit and we all can share in the fun!-Musing Crow Designs Ruth has an intense passion for colour, and her enthusiasm for the subject is what makes this book so inspiring. The book is lavishly illustrated throughout with vibrant photographs of Ruth's experimentation with paper, fabrics and stitching techniques alongside her tips and guidelines. The emphasis of this book is the versatility of colour, and Ruth urges the reader to be more aware of the colours in their surroundings and to analyse the effect that different combinations can have. This title is jampacked with inspirational images as well as encouragement to experiment and find out how colour can work for you!-Sewing World Colour is something we take very much for granted, and it takes an author like Ruth Issett to make us fully appreciate this wonderful phenomenon. While she is an artist working mainly in fabric and mixed media, she takes us on a journey through the different materials and techniques she uses when working with colour. She tells us of the uses of different papers and fabrics, drawing materials, paints, dyes and coloured threads and how to make sketch books. She shows us the methods of printing, painting, collage and stitchcraft, as well as working within different colour ranges. However, this is not a mere text book, for throughout it her love of colour shines through. The book is well illustrated with good quality photographs that clearly show the colours and different techniques, while the text is highly informative, interesting and so enthusiastic that it makes you want to get started in creating original colourful images. While there is an emphasis on working with cloth (the author has studied and lectured in textile design) she has clearly written this book for anyone interested in art of any kind and it is a valuable resource to anyone who loves creating in colour.-Yorkshire Gazette & Herald The names Ruth Issett uses to describe a yellow palette in mouth-watering terms give some idea of her appetite for colour: sherbert, clotted cream, custard, saffron and turmeric. Even what may be traditionally considered duller tones, like brown, become appetising here. Chocolate, coffee, chestnut and cinnamon instantly evoke images not only of colour but also of texture, providing a kick-start to a jaded creative palate. Close-up colour photography takes the reader to the very heart of the textile pieces described. If this book doesn't get you excited about colour, you're a confirmed member of the monochrome set. Ruth has some great, simple ideas for experimenting with colours, for example by working with torn, coloured fabric strips. An exuberant striped piece in fuschia and lime leaps off the page and invites you to dig out fabric ends and start playing. Ruth's practical tips help you make the most of your forays into her colourful world, for example suggesting that readers dye threads along with their fabric. Ruth advises making skeins tied at one end to prevent tangling before immersing or dangling them into the dye. Collage, sketchbooks, printing and many more applications are covered in this love song to colour.-Stitch