Dan Cormier has just released his new ebook Relief Beyond Belief and I purchased it along with a set of the recommended dies. I am still waiting for the dies to arrive from Canada but since it’s an ebook I had instant gratification by just downloading it.
I have to say that I am a relative newcomer to this medium and am reviewing it from the standpoint of a newbie with a working knowledge of polymer clay. Also it is the first ebook I have ever purchased so I wasn’t sure just what to expect.
I had the sense that this book wasn’t sure if it was supposed to be an art book, a history of jewelry book, or an instruction manual. However, I have to say, I have never taken a master class from Dan and Tracy; I am unfamiliar with their style of instruction. After getting through the obligatory forward and preface then came an introduction to metal die-forming in jewelry. I enjoyed the background on die-forming in metals but didn’t think it was necessary to using the technique with polymer clay.Once I got into the “meat” of the instruction I felt as though I were actually taking a class. Dan lists in great, clear detail all the supplies needed, the timeline and any other little asides he happens to think of, which is why it feels like a class. At one point we are instructed to make sure our nails are clipped short lest we mar the surface of our chosen veneer. While it may seem silly, it is just the sort of thing a teacher would interject casually while instructing a student. Scattered throughout the text these little asides made it feel more personal, as if Dan were standing over your shoulder. Even though I realize this book was about die-forming I was hoping to get a little on veneers; but alas only a few glimpses of eye candy teasing us with his smooth, sleek designs.
I was asked if I thought it was worth the price of $35; I have to say I am a book addict so I don’t feel bad about it. Others may not want to pay that much for something you can’t put on the coffee table. But that’s not what this is about. It is about instruction and it does fulfill that promise. If you download it to a reader or iPad it “talks” to you as well. I found it helpful to be able to make notations on my pdf just like highlighting or circling in a real book. Again, I am a novice in the world of polymer clay; and so my review is colored by that. A veteran clayer may feel differently, although it might be a good reference book if you have ever taken a class from Dan and Tracy.
At the end of the book there was a bit of a tease about future things to come. I am anxious now to bring this instruction to life with my own veneers.
I have to say that I am a relative newcomer to this medium and am reviewing it from the standpoint of a newbie with a working knowledge of polymer clay. Also it is the first ebook I have ever purchased so I wasn’t sure just what to expect.
I had the sense that this book wasn’t sure if it was supposed to be an art book, a history of jewelry book, or an instruction manual. However, I have to say, I have never taken a master class from Dan and Tracy; I am unfamiliar with their style of instruction. After getting through the obligatory forward and preface then came an introduction to metal die-forming in jewelry. I enjoyed the background on die-forming in metals but didn’t think it was necessary to using the technique with polymer clay.Once I got into the “meat” of the instruction I felt as though I were actually taking a class. Dan lists in great, clear detail all the supplies needed, the timeline and any other little asides he happens to think of, which is why it feels like a class. At one point we are instructed to make sure our nails are clipped short lest we mar the surface of our chosen veneer. While it may seem silly, it is just the sort of thing a teacher would interject casually while instructing a student. Scattered throughout the text these little asides made it feel more personal, as if Dan were standing over your shoulder. Even though I realize this book was about die-forming I was hoping to get a little on veneers; but alas only a few glimpses of eye candy teasing us with his smooth, sleek designs.
I was asked if I thought it was worth the price of $35; I have to say I am a book addict so I don’t feel bad about it. Others may not want to pay that much for something you can’t put on the coffee table. But that’s not what this is about. It is about instruction and it does fulfill that promise. If you download it to a reader or iPad it “talks” to you as well. I found it helpful to be able to make notations on my pdf just like highlighting or circling in a real book. Again, I am a novice in the world of polymer clay; and so my review is colored by that. A veteran clayer may feel differently, although it might be a good reference book if you have ever taken a class from Dan and Tracy.
At the end of the book there was a bit of a tease about future things to come. I am anxious now to bring this instruction to life with my own veneers.