A  look at an art book for quilting inspiration.

I’ve been a fan of anime for a long time.  I don’t really watch it as much as I used to, but I have always been a fan of the look you find in anime.  Angled hair styles, big eyes, very dramatic reactions, all of that!  I also really enjoy the little peeks you get into Japanese culture that are sprinkled in every anime I’ve seen.  So when I saw this book, Manga Art available from Blogging for Books, I wanted to give this a look!

I mean, look at that sweet Vespa! ❤

As I’ve become a quilter, I have found inspiration in several things.  Whether it’s floor tile patterns, colors I wouldn’t have imagined look nice together, you name it, there’s inspiration all around!  I have found this book to be incredibly inspirational!  As the writer Mark Crilley discusses how he first got into manga art, colors, deriving scenes from real life, his life in Japan, and more, it’s very easy to see that all artists seem to pull inspiration from the world around them.

I think that this book would be a fantastic inspirational addition to any artist’s collection, even if you’re not into manga art style.  There are several prompts in the pages of artistic exercises that I’ve found very helpful, like recreating a scene from a picture but only focusing on the details you’d like, to sort of make it a different place.  If you’ve ever found yourself in a slump, like I know we all have, little things like this can really help you bust down creative road blocks.  And since these are from an illustrative perspective, it may be things that say, a quilter or even a sculptor may not have thought of to help open up creative outlets.

The artwork in this book is also really fascinating.  If you’re a fan of concept art, and seeing how things change from the beginning to the finished product, there’s lots of this, and it’s also very helpful for your own creative processes.

If you’d like your own copy, pick it up at your local book shop, Amazon.com, or wherever you enjoy shopping for books!  It’s available now, and on all platforms.  Until next time, happy sewing!

I received this book via Blogging for Books, which is a fantastic way to expand your library while giving books and writers honest reviews.