There’s a new book on our crafty radar and we can’t get enough of it! We caught up with the multi-talented photomontage illustrator, and author of Cut, Paste, Create, Eleanor Shakespeare, to find out all about her new title. She’s the brainchild behind the ingenious design book we know you’re going to love.
What first prompted you to write Cut, Paste, Create?
It’s the second book I’ve had published and is the sister to my first title Collage and Keep. Both books encourage creativity through the art of collage and inspire the reader to explore this fantastic, versatile medium. Crafters that have read my first book will know that it focuses specifically on your personal journey and serves as an intimate, diary-like journal. However Cut, Paste, Create offers more style-based prompts and ideas for example; you can design your own wallpaper, create fashion ranges and collage a classic book cover. You really do become the designer.
What do you love most about collage?
It’s so accessible. People build roadblocks in their heads about creativity, many tell themselves from an early age that they ‘can’t draw’ or are simply ‘not creative’ – but anyone can collage! What’s even better is that it can involve personal photos or collected items, which makes it so unique, but also resourceful and approachable for everyone.
How can readers get the most out of your book?
Cut, Paste, Create is all about having fun and experimenting. Each prompt is designed to give you an idea to start creating and exploring. Many find an empty page of a sketchbook rather intimidating, so these pages set the scene for your imagination to run wild. If you don’t collect patterned papers, you can use newspapers and magazines to create interesting textures.
Who is your favourite illustrator?
I have so many! Martin O’Neill is a fantastic example of a traditional collage artist and illustrator. My other favourites include children’s book creator Keith Negley, and designer and lettering artist Jessica Hische.
What other crafts do you enjoy?
I love quilting. A few years ago I made a king-size quilt using material donated from friends and family. Each piece of fabric was therefore associated with a specific person, which gave my final result huge sentimental value. There’s certainly a parallel, I think, between the ephemeral value of fabric and that of paper materials for collaging. It’s all about the idea of collecting, arranging and binding together.
What’s been your worst crafty blunder?
Although I do love quilting, that’s not to say they’re particularly well made! I’m a fairly impatient person and always racing to see the end results. I’ve learnt with subsequent quilts to take my time and not to cut corners - literally!
Can you predict any creative trends for 2017?
I wonder whether the colouring book market may slow down. If that’s the case, collage could provide the perfect opportunity for crafters to try something new and I think equally as therapeutic. Scrapbooking and cardmaking both use paper layering techniques, so there is certainly scope for this medium to take off further.
Cut, Paste, Create by Eleanor Shakespeare (£9.99, Frances Lincoln) quartoknows.com
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