" A Passion For Colour" by Ruth Isset

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Search Press (November 1, 2013)
• ISBN-13: 978-1844487455

I generally post my book reviews to my book blog, but this book just "feels at home" here on Musing Crow, and I thought that you might enjoy knowing about it.

Ruth Isset is one of my favorite color artists. Her passion for color is obvious and dominates all of her work, both textiles as well and paper. I was enthralled by her 1999 book, "Colour On Cloth", which focused on some special effects of dye on cloth and stitch. Her 2007 release "Print, Pattern and Colour" is another favorite . These two books have remained solidly on my book shelf through all of my recent book purges . They are both keepers as is this new book, "A Passion or Colour".

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.

Some sections of the book that I especially enjoyed are: 'developing design ideas (pg 114), 'creating colour charts' (pg 41- these are not just your ordinary color chips) and 'practical application (pg 98). 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!