Art & Photography Books

Book Synopsis"Charming book for creative types who find a blank page a little too overwhelming." - The Guardian"In her charming journal-cum sketchbook, Matilda Tristram inspires us to look at the everyday things in life in a new way. As well as encouraging us to explore the extraordinary in the ordinary, she also provides guidance, insights, tips and inspiration." - Flow Magazine "Whether you're on the train to work, in the park on your lunch break or people watching at your local coffee shop, Matilda's book will help you see the world through fresh eyes!" - The Big Draw. Explore the extraordinary in the simple and ordinary with with My Year in Small Drawings: a charming visual diary like no other! Learn to see everyday things in a new way by creating and collecting the small details around you. Build up dozens of dinky drawings, from tangles of cables, to window frames and tree buds, and notice the simple - and sometimes surprising - beauty of every day scenes and objects by drawing them. With 365 daily prompts and space to explore each, expert advice on how to simplify what you see; which pens and pencils to use; colour; and using perspective, plus suggestions for drawing every day of the year, this beautiful little book will help you embrace your creativity, and build up a unique and delightful collection of personal sketches for you to cherish, forever. Whether you're an experienced artist, someone looking to get back into sketching, or you can't draw at all, this book is for you!If you like this book, you might also be interested in I Can't Draw. . . Trade Review"This charming journal will encourage you to pay more attention to your surroundings and help record moments, objects or scenes you want to remember." * The Simple Things *""This gorgeous little book can accompany you everywhere and really does help you appreciate the little things that you might otherwise miss. The illustrations are perfect for inspiring your own creativity – even if you're someone who doesn't usually draw." * Oh Comely *"This is a beguiling small journal that provides an easy framework for anyone who might not know quite where to start with their mark making." * Slow Muse *"It's both a visual diary presenting some sweet, energetic sketches and a guide to drawing itself: each page offers her valuable insights on abstract things, like how to see the world anew by drawing it, as well as more technical aspects of drawing like which pens and pencils to use for different tasks and how best to use colour. It's like one of those ubiquitous colouring books, but better." * Creative Boom *"Matilda shows you how to easily copy the objects all around you. You’ll find it’s very calming." * Daphne's Diary *"This book encourages you to draw, draw lots, and make the most of each day, as she evidently does. Who could argue with that?" * Urban Sketchers London *"Inspiring and fun, the book examines how to draw with purpose and look outwards to find the stories of the places and things around you. The more you draw, the more it may feel natural and flow like writing. The book provides guidance, tips and inspiration throughout." * Psychologies *"Cleverly designed to be carried around, My Year In Small Drawings invites you to notice and draw the simplest details in life, from your daily commute to curious travels around the world. Plus, Matilda Tristram offers her expert advice on colour and tools so you can observe, sketch and enjoy!" * Papercrafter *"This charming paperback inspires everyone to sketch daily life; the underlying purpose is drawing as mindfulness, but it could be just for fun!" * Daily Mail *"By actively encouraging us to slow down and look at the world around us, books like these enable us to take time out of our busy lives and just enjoy the present moment." * The Book Bag *"Like draw-it-yourself Instagram. The book is a route to mindfulness and a way to get more creative, which has been shown to benefit health." * Clearly Magazine *"If you've ever struggled with the enormous pressure that a blank page or canvas demands of you, then Matilda's 'My Year in Small Drawings' is just the ticket to ease you back into the joys of drawing or help you have a go for the very first time! "Whether you're on the train to work, in the park on your lunch break or people watching at your local coffee shop, Matilda's book will help you see the world through fresh eyes!" * The Big Draw *"Perfectly sized for travelling or a daily commute, this small journal is for drawing the things that surround you." * Art Sharp *

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Book SynopsisAn ambitious history of Britain told through the stories of twenty-five notable structures, from the Iron Age fortification of Maiden Castle in Dorset to the Gherkin.''An illuminating history of Britain ... fascinating'' CountrysideBuilding Britannia is a chronicle of social, political and economic change seen through the prism of the country''s built environment, but also a sequence of closely observed studies of a series of intrinsically remarkable structures: some of them beautiful or otherwise imposing; some of them more coldly functional; all of them with richly fascinating stories to tell.Steven Parissien tells both a national story, tracing how a growing sense of British nationhood was expressed through the country''s architecture, and also examines how these structures were used by later generations to signpost, mythologise or remake British history.Rubbing shoulders with some ''expected'' building choices the Roman baths at Aquae Sulis, the early Gothic splendour of Lincoln Cathedral and the Tudor jewel that is Little Moreton Hall are some striking inclusions that promise to open doors into what will be, for many readers, less familiar areas of social history: these include The Briton''s Protection, a Regency pub close in Manchester city centre and the Edwardian Baroque Electric Cinema in Notting Hill, one of the country''s oldest working cinemas. Thus as well as identifying the relevance of certain iconic structures to the unfolding of the national story, Building Britannia finds fascination and meaning in the everyday and the disregarded.

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Book SynopsisPart of a new, exciting series of ethical, sustainable and earth-friendly jigsaw puzzles that feature powerful and popular works of art. This high-quality, 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle from Flame Tree is made with FSC-certified and recycled materials, and has sturdy pieces and a recyclable bag. The 1000 pieces will satisfy your need for a challenge, with Gustav Klimt''s iconic The Virgin. Intended for adults and children over 13 years. Not suitable for children under 3 years due to small parts. Finished Jigsaw size 735 x 510mm/29 x 20 ins.Renowned Austrian artist Gustav Klimt is well-known for his golden masterpieces full of sumptuous ornamentation, as well as his incredible depictions of the female form and vibrant landscapes.SUSTAINABLY SOURCED. This puzzle is created using FSC paper, board and a recyclable bag. Flame Tree actively strives to promote ethical development and environmental conservation.

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Book SynopsisArt/Assassins Creed Black Flag Remaster.

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Book SynopsisA beautifully illustrated, accessible guide to bold, brave and colourful interiors by interiors influencer @the_shoestring_home.

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Book SynopsisLearn how to draw all kinds of woodland animals using this fun and easy step-by-step method. Starting with simple shapes, Susie Hodge shows you how easy it is to develop circles, rectangles, squares and ovals into an exciting selection of animals and birds including rabbits, badgers, woodpeckers, wolves, squirrels and chipmunks. If you have never drawn before this is definitely the book for you, and there is a lot here to inspire more experienced artists too.Table of ContentsIntroduction Rabbit Stag Badger Grey squirrel Great spotted woodpecker Fox European peacock butterfly Raccoon Stoat Hedgehog Doe Grey long-eared bat Beaver Dormouse Red squirrel Meadow vole Tawny owl Fawn Weasel Shrew Wood mouse Chipmunk Lynx Robin Pine marten Grey wolf Kestrel Hare

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book Synopsis**AS SEEN ON BBC2's BETWEEN THE COVERS**A Guardian Book of the YearMaggie Nelson is one of the most electrifying writers at work in America today, among the sharpest and most supple thinkers of her generation - Olivia LaingBluets winds its way through depression, divinity, alcohol, and desire, visiting along the way with famous blue figures, including Joni Mitchell, Billie Holiday, Yves Klein, Leonard Cohen and Andy Warhol. While its narrator sets out to construct a sort of 'pillow book' about her lifelong obsession with the colour blue, she ends up facing down both the painful end of an affair and the grievous injury of a dear friend. The combination produces a raw, cerebral work devoted to the inextricability of pleasure and pain, and to the question of what role, if any, aesthetic beauty can play in times of great heartache or grief.Much like Roland Barthes's A Lover's Discourse, Bluets has passed between lovers in the ecstasy of new love, and been pressed into the hands of the heartbroken. Visceral, learned, and acutely lucid, Bluets is a slim feat of literary innovation and grace, never before published in the UK.Trade ReviewTranscendent.... very inspiring. She’s an amazing writer. -- Lorde * Irish Times *Maggie Nelson... She's so much better than anything I've read for a long, long time. -- Karl Ove KnausgaardThe book that changed my life... it's just brilliant. -- Sophie Mackintosh * Guardian *I remember where I was when I read each of Maggie Nelson's books in the same way I remember a place where I heard important news. Her words come, as though from a great distance, and strike incredibly close. I did not actually read Bluets, I think - I just let it hit me. -- Anne EnrightMaggie Nelson is one of the most electrifying writers at work in America today, among the sharpest and most supple thinkers of her generation. -- Olivia Laing[Nelson's] candour, also evident in The Argonauts, gives Bluets a turbo-charged vitality, precision and authenticity that frees her to reflect on the way female desire is too often sidelined or ignored.... In her dark excavation of grief, she has collected messages of great wisdom and powerful beauty. -- Gavin Francis * Guardian *A gorgeous, eddying read. -- Claire-Louise BennettNelson… looks sideways at her heartbreak, allowing for moments of piercing clarity as feelings come into focus. There is wisdom and beauty in this short work. -- Fiona Wilson * The Times *A luminous meditation on the author’s love for a single colour that displaces itself onto the grief prompted by the end of a relationship and the serious injury of a friend. -- Jenny Hendrix * Times Literary Supplement *Arty, smart and gorgeous meditation on the color blue. * Time Out *Bluets is a slim but intense volume dedicated to the colour blue, and to feeling blue. Nelson takes a Wittgensteinian form and fills it with feeling. In 240 loosely linked fragments she moves between memoir and analysis, from spiritual inquiry to erotic obsession… Beautiful. -- Tom Graham * Financial Times *A real short-sharp punch in the heart. Truly sad and beautiful, it’s a raw meditation on falling passionately in love with a colour. * Big Issue *What could be more invented than a life story that reads like a novel? Bluets doesn’t invent that way: its inventions are wilder, wiser (and more true) than that… each proposition is breathtaking. * Brick *A syncopated arrangement of 240 prose poems collected across three years of slowly dwindling grief and heartbreak, it centres around the colour blue and how it helped to heal Nelson’s pain. -- Isobel Thompson * A-List *This discussion of the colour blue is a gorgeous read, almost religious in the way it defaults to the beautiful and the sublime. -- Anne Enright * Guardian *When I want a sprawling, consuming book about love and loss, I turn to Maggie Nelson’s Bluets. The compact hybrid book of literature, memoir, and poetry at only 99 pages in length lingers long after the cover is turned over. -- Sarah MacDonald * Vice *I can’t stop thinking about [Bluets]. -- Darci PhenixAlways beguiling, her writing is powerful, incisive and so singular that it defies categorization … raw, honest and urgent… [Nelson] always prompt me to see some aspect of life very differently. -- Alice Rawsthorn * Observer *Last year, while recovering from a break up with a long-term partner, I carried the book with me everywhere... The way that she renders her experiences and thoughts in such vivid, aching and raw detail served as a shelter for me, and a way to articulate feelings I didn't yet have the distance or strength to put words to. -- Zaina Arafat * Good Housekeeping *Bluets is an expansive, intensely poetic text about Nelson's life-long infatuation with the colour blue... in Nelson's most visceral moments of divulgence, we see a testament to love in all its inexpressibility. -- Martha French * Varsity *

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Book SynopsisPoised at the start of the 21st century, we can see clearly that the previous century was marked by momentous changes in the field of design. Aesthetics entered into everyday life with often staggering results. Our homes and workplaces turned into veritable galleries of style and innovation. From furniture to graphics, it’s all here—the work of artists who have shaped and re-created the modern world with a dizzying variety of materials. From the organic to the geometric, from Art Deco, through to Pop and High-Tech, this book contains all the great names—Harry Bertoia, De Stijl, Dieter Rams, Philippe Starck, Charles and Ray Eames, to name only a very few. This essential book is a comprehensive journey through the shapes and colors, forms and functions of design history in the 20th century. An A–Z of designers and design schools, which builds into a complete picture of contemporary living. Lavishly illustrated, this is design in the fullest sense.Trade Review“…destined for the reference libraries of designers and architects but also a swell entertainment for the layperson.” * The Wall Street Journal *“An important and accessible reference.” * The New York Times *

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Book SynopsisBring the soothing sounds of Bob Ross and The Joy of Painting into your home or office with the one and only mini Bob Ross Talking Bobblehead. Kit includes:- 4 bobblehead figure that plays 10 different wise and witty sayings from the art master- Mini easel book featuring 30 of Ross''s landscape works, which can be displayed alongside the bobblehead figure

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Book Synopsis''Endlessly intriguing . . . I was enchanted'' - DAILY TELEGRAPH''Illuminating in every sense of the word'' - John HiggsIn an illuminating blend of memoir and art history, The Other Side explores the lives and work of a group of extraordinary women artists. From the twelfth-century mystic Hildegard of Bingen and the nineteenth-century spiritualist Georgiana Houghton to the pioneering Hilma af Klint, these women all - in their own unique ways - shared the same goal: to communicate with, and learn from, other dimensions. Weaving in and out of their myriad lives, Jennifer Higgie considers the solace of ritual, the gender exclusions of art history, the contemporary relevance of myth, the boom in alternative ways of understanding the world and the impact of spiritualism on feminism and contemporary art.Trade ReviewIn effervescent and atmospheric prose, Jennifer Higgie explores some of history's most innovative artists and their spiritual investigations into this realm and the next. I was entranced from start to finish, as she takes us on both a personal and artistic journey across time and across the globe. The Other Side is an exhilarating read -- KATY HESSEL, author of THE STORY OF ART WITHOUT MENInvigorating . . . The Other Side [is] endlessly intriguing . . . I was enchanted * DAILY TELEGRAPH *The Other Side lit up my brain. A radical, fascinating exploration of art and the otherworldly, Higgie is an expert and erudite guide in this brilliant reclamation of female artists -- SINÉAD GLEESON, author of CONSTELLATIONSThe Other Side is a colourful, varied look at the many artists and thinkers who have touched worlds beyond our own - and a necessary reconsideration of why they have all too often been "brushed aside" * PROSPECT *Wonderful . . . Higgie guides us through overlooked stories from the history of art and reveals the insights into the nature of imagination which reside there. Illuminating in every sense of the word -- JOHN HIGGS, author of WILLIAM BLAKE VS THE WORLDA rewarding and invigorating read * SYDNEY MORNING HERALD *An entrancing look at formerly neglected artists who navigated thresholds between this world and the next, and a crucial exploration of realms formerly dismissed. Elegantly expanded my thinking on the eternal mystery of where art comes from -- JENNIFER LUCY ALLAN, author of THE FOGHORN'S LAMENTA majestic account of the ways in which women's art has developed in response to spiritual experience. Higgie traces a compelling route through an alternative history that attends to the astonishing work of female artists whose practice was deeply connected to spiritualism and the occult, and which was often far ahead of its time, anticipating practices and modes of modernist abstraction . . . endlessly surprising and ambitious -- Stephanie Bishop * THE MONTHLY *Ranging from 12th-century mystic Hildegard von Bingen to 20th-century painters such as Ithell Colquhoun and Hilma af Klint, Higgie teases out links between spiritualism, feminism and art history in this evocative study * APOLLO MAGAZINE *Jennifer Higgie is the most splendid of guides on this enthralling journey of a book. With tremendous intelligence, sensitivity and a receptivity nearly equal to that of her subjects, she leads us through a gallery of remarkable women artists whose dialogue with other realms became the font of their creativity as well as a sanctuary. Excellent, inspiring and transformative -- CHLOE ARIDJIS, author of SEA MONSTERSIntriguing . . . There is a vein of optimism and wonder running through the text -- Mary Gabriel * NEW YORK TIMES *

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Book Synopsis'Unlock your inner creativity and ease your anxiety' Daily Telegraph 'I absolutely love this book' Emma Gannon **THE MULTI-MILLION COPY WORLDWIDE BESTSELLER** Since its first publication, The Artist's Way has inspired the genius of Elizabeth Gilbert, Tim Ferriss, Reese Witherspoon and millions of readers to embark on a creative journey and find a deeper connection to process and purpose. Julia Cameron guides readers in uncovering problems and pressure points that may be restricting their creative flow and offers techniques to open up opportunities for self-growth and self-discovery. A revolutionary programme for personal renewal, The Artist's Way will help get you back on track, rediscover your passions, and take the steps you need to change your life.Trade ReviewThe queen of change * New York Times *I absolutely love this book ... It's a really good starting point to discover what lights you up -- Emma GannonIt's a great tool for any type of creative person. I've given away so many copies -- Tayari JonesFascinating (and fun) ... Three times in the last decade I've committed to doing The Artist's Way's program, and each time I've learned something important and surprising about myself and my work ... Without The Artist's Way, there would have been no Eat, Pray, Love -- Elizabeth GilbertIf you have always wanted to pursue a creative dream, have always wanted to play and create with words or paints, this book will gently get you started -- Anne LamottUnlock your inner creativity and ease your anxiety * Daily Telegraph *I found my way to writing to an artist workbook called The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron ... Being introduced to that book, over 20 years ago, really changed my life. I still do [the morning pages] every day; it gets everything out - right at the top of the day. All the anxiety, all the fear, all the mess - it comes out and then it cracks open and leads you to wherever it is that you're supposed to be inside your creativity. I never wrote until I started The Artist's Way, so I would say: Start there -- Billy PorterSo inspiring -- Reese WitherspoonI picked this book up for the first time when I was twenty-one years old. It completely changed my life. I did it again ten years ago and the impact was again life-altering. Something in my soul was stirring me to come back to it. So ... here we go ... I'm excited to meet myself on this path again -- Kerry WashingtonThis is a book that addresses a delicate and complex subject. For those who will use it, it is a valuable tool to get in touch with their own creativity -- Martin ScorseseIf you'd like to learn more about getting into the creative mode, I highly recommend The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron -- John CleeseCameron wants you to have a serious think about what you really want from your life * The Times *Julia Cameron invented the way people renovate the creative soul * New York Times *Cameron is simply encouraging her readers to be a bit more open, more patient, and kinder to themselves * New Yorker *This book has been revolutionary in my creative life. It's a must-read for every artist -- Ito AghayereA classic that never loses its power -- Amanda de CadenetUnleashing our creative potential is the key to a more meaningful life * Psychologies *The Artist's Way is great ... the moment I did that, that's when [the music] started to flow -- Ed O'BrienThe book that made a real impact on me is The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. My friend [actress and comedian] Sophie Willan recommended it to me years ago, and I still have it on my desk. It enables anyone to tap into their creative self regardless of themselves - we often get in our own way when trying to achieve. Want to write that novel? That play? This is the book. -- Lemn Sissay * ELLE Decoration *The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron is my favourite book -- Precious Lee * Vogue *Cameron's morning pages have shaped the lives of millions of others -- Elle Hunt * The Guardian *

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Book Synopsis'The definitive overview of Karl Lagerfeld and Virginie Viard's creations for Chanel, now fully updated, featuring over 180 collections presented through original catwalk photography in a beautiful cloth-bound volume'.Trade Review'Glossy ... a unique opportunity to chart the development of one of the world’s most influential fashion brands' - Cent Magazine'Explores the next chapter of the Chanel story' - Country and Townhouse'The infamous Catwalk book series, published by Thames & Hudson, are made up of the modern day fashion worshipper’s holy bibles ... The Catwalk books are extraordinary in mapping out fashion trajectories lost to the pre-digital age' - SHOWStudioTable of ContentsIntroduction: 'Fashion Fades, Style is Eternal' by Patrick Mauriès • 'Karl Lagerfeld: A Short Biography' by Patrick Mauriès • The Karl Lagerfeld Collections 1983–2019 • ‘Virginie Viard: A Short Biography’ by Patrick Mauriès • The Virginie Viard Collections 2019-2020

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Book SynopsisPhilippe Halsman was one of the greatest portrait photographers of his generation. He rose to prominence during the 1940s, photographing 101 covers for LIFE Magazine and collaborating with Surrealist artist Salvador Dalí for 37 years. His work is held in permanent collections at MOMA, Metropolitan Museum of Art, V&A and the Getty. Oliver Halsman Rosenberg is the co-director and archivist of his grandfather Philippe Halsman's estate. A multi-disciplinary artist, writer and curator, he is the author of Unknown Halsman (2008).

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Book SynopsisHelmut Newton (1920–2004) always showed a healthy disdain for the easy or predictable, so it’s no surprise that the SUMO was an irresistible project. The idea of a book the size of a private exhibition, with spectacular images reproduced to state-of-the-art origination and printing standards, emerged from an open, experimental dialogue between photographer and publisher. With the SUMO weighing in—boxed and shrink-wrapped—at 35.4 kg (just under 80 pounds), Newton created a landmark book that stood head and shoulders above anything previously attempted, both in terms of conceptual extravagance and technical specifications. Published in an edition of 10,000 signed and numbered copies, the SUMO sold out soon after publication and quickly multiplied its value. It now features in numerous collections around the world, including New York’s Museum of Modern Art. The legendary copy number one, signed by more than 100 of the book’s featured celebrities, broke the record for the most expensive book published in the 20th century, sold at an auction in Berlin on April 6, 2000 for 620,000 German marks—about 317,000 euros. Now, this XL edition celebrates 20 years of SUMO, the result of a project conceived by Helmut Newton some years ago. Revised by his wife June, the volume gathers 464 images and a booklet that takes us through the making-of this publishing venture—a spectacular tribute to the larger-than-life Helmut Newton, now in a friendly format.Trade Review“Fashion photography is a competitive field, but there's one art book above all that remains incredibly monumental: Helmut Newton's SUMO.” * gq-magazine.co.uk *“Cool, controversial and classic.” * Amateur Photographer *“A collector’s item if ever there was one.” * Refinery29.com *“TASCHEN reminds us what all the fuss was about with an anniversary edition of SUMO, a collection of museum-sized prints bound and elegantly packaged in a monochrome casing with one of Newton’s Giant Nudes on the cover, a hint at the arresting selection of silver, pearl and shadow-toned captures within.” * LA Weekly *“Timeless. A reference work.” * Der Standard *

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Book SynopsisSusan Sontag''s On Photography is a seminal and groundbreaking work on the subject.Susan Sontag''s groundbreaking critique of photography asks forceful questions about the moral and aesthetic issues surrounding this art form. Photographs are everywhere, and the ''insatiability of the photographing eye'' has profoundly altered our relationship with the world. Photographs have the power to shock, idealize or seduce, they create a sense of nostalgia and act as a memorial, and they can be used as evidence against us or to identify us. In these six incisive essays, Sontag examines the ways in which we use these omnipresent images to manufacture a sense of reality and authority in our lives.''Sontag offers enough food for thought to satisfy the most intellectual of appetites''The Times''A brilliant analysis of the profound changes photographic images have made in our way of looking at the world, and at ourselves''Washington Post''The most original and illuminating study of the subject''New YorkerOne of America''s best-known and most admired writers, Susan Sontag was also a leading commentator on contemporary culture until her death in December 2004. Her books include four novels and numerous works of non-fiction, among them Regarding the Pain of Others, On Photography, Illness as Metaphor, At the Same Time, Against Interpretation and Other Essays and Reborn: Early Diaries 1947-1963, all of which are published by Penguin. A further eight books, including the collections of essays Under the Sign of Saturn and Where the Stress Falls, and the novels The Volcano Lover and The Benefactor, are available from Penguin Modern Classics.

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Book SynopsisLearn how to create beautiful and understated decorative stitching motifs. The designs feature surface and dimensional stitches and bead embroidery; with motifs inspired by nature ranging from roses, sunflowers, asters and daisies to little bumblebees, ladybugs and dragonflies. All 20 projects include step-by-step instructions and actual size templates. Learn how to make brooches, small bags and purses, cushion covers, picture frames and more. The variety of motif combinations will keep you stitching all year round.Trade ReviewTake up freestyle hand embroidery and use your new skills to adorn twenty projects. There are some imaginative choices for items to decorate in here, ranging from the ubiquitous cushion, egg cozy and pin cushion, to a hair barrette, decorated coat hanger cover, oven mitt and sewing machine cover. The book is divided into four seasonal sections, starting with a few pages showing the featured embroidered flowers. Then follow the projects, although not all of the flowers are used -- some only appear at the back as patterns. Each project has staged photographic instructions that are easy to follow even for those fairly new to sewing projects, together with a picture of the finished item in situ, a list of what fabric and thread you need, plus a list of stitches. The color palette is shown as a key with actual photographs of stitches worked with the thread (DMC), a nice touch. Some patterns can be measured out directly; others appear as patterns in their projects or at the back, either full sized or requiring sizing. This does not need to be done on a computer or copier, but dimensions are listed so you can draw out the patterns yourself. All the embroidery stitches are shown at the back and have been chosen to suit the subjects, so range from standard freestyle stitches, such as long and short, French knots, and chain to more exotic offerings like granitos stitch, ghiordes knot stitch, and double drizzle stitch. There are also projects involving beads, even a bit of ribbon embroidery, and stumpwork to add interest to the embroiderer and show what a bit of hand stitching can do. At the back are also all the drawn patterns for the flowers etc., with indications as to which stitch goes where, plus how to do the various types of fancier work. Under the heading of "Getting Started," you can find out about threads, transferring methods, resizing, and what you need to kit yourself out as a hand embroiderer. As for the patterns, choose from mimosa, plum blossom, yew berries, cosmos, safflower, wild strawberries and others, along with bees, butterflies, snowflakes and other accents (over 45 of them). This is a lovely book destined for many a keeper shelf that would be ideal for beginners upward. * Rachel Hyde - Myshelf.com *Inspired by nature, Yuki presents over 45 exquisite embroidery designs and 20 projects in this beautiful book. The designs reflect the seasons and include something for everyone, from Acorns to Witch-hazel! Full-size templates are included together with step-by-step instructions, and detailed stitch techniques will ensure success for all abilities. * East Kent Embroiderers Guild *May 2016 This book provides over 45 beautiful floral designs to embroider, plus 20 projects to make, giving endless possibilites for you to mix and match motifs and create designs of your own too. Split into four chapters following the seaons, the flowers for each season are shown stitched on to a plain linen background, followed by a selection of stylish projects, incorporating the motifs, with full clear step-by-step instructions. Comprehensive tools, materials and stitch guide can be found at the back. This book will give you an endless source of inspiration. * Love to Make *'The Hand Stitched Flower Garden is a reflection of my passion for flowers and embroidery, designed to encourage others thinking about trying embroidery to get started and introduce techniques beyond the basics to those looking to advance their skills. The book consists of two parts: a collection of motifs to stitch and project ideas for using those designs. The motifs section is arranged by season and features a variety of botanical motifs with insects here and there, for fun. These motifs range in difficulty from simple ones using just a few easy stitches to ones that use materials like ribbons and beads or dimensional techniques. So there’s a little bit of a variety of things to provide a taste of different avenues to explore and to show that knowing one extra method can really expand the possibilities. The projects section features items for the home and fashion accessories, namely, things that can be used in everyday life. I tend to be a practical person and wanted to offer ideas that would be useful in some way, so an embroiderer can enjoy using the finished piece as much as the stitching process. The projects are generally simple and straightforward to construct to make it easy to adapt them to different motifs and materials. They are intended as blank canvases on which an embroiderer can stitch her favorite motif.' - Yuki Sugishima For the full article visit: http://www.needlenthread.com/2015/11/yuki-sugashima-on-the-hand-stitched-flower-garden.html * Mary Corbett's Needle'n'Thread *I love stitching and I love flowers, so this book combines two of the loves of my life. I know many stitching friends, who like me, will appreciate this book. There are 45 embroidery designs accompanied by 20 projects to make. You can mix and match flower motifs to make your own designs. This book will provide an endless source of inspiration. Apart from the introduction and tools and resources, the book is split into four chapters – following the four seasons of the year. The embroidered flowers are shown in colour, 3 to a page. They include beautiful flowers like tulip, lavender, magnolia and mimosa, but also ladybirds and butterflies. The projects are practical yet beautiful. I love the sewing machine cover, the butterfly pincushion, the oven mitt, all the projects are handsome. Step-by-step instructions are given for the projects. An elegant book of embroidered projects that will appeal to a wide range of stitchers. Highly recommended. * Karen Platt- yarnsandfabrics.co.uk *The cover of this book just gives you a small glimpse in to the beautiful and amazing designs held within this book. There are 45 beautiful floral designs to embroider and 20 projects ideas as well. The projects surprised me the most in this book. Not only are you getting the beautiful designs you also get full instructions, including pictures, to make the different projects. I love the fact that there are step-by-step instructions and the pictures are so clear that you will easily understand how to make everything. The book is split into to season's of the year. Each season provides you with the pattern for the beautiful floral designs and the projects to use them on. At the back of the book everything is covered from the tools, materials and techniques used. You are then also provided with a stitch directory. I cannot express enough how professional and sophisticated the designs in this book are. The book gives you the opportunity to create amazing and beautiful items. You can use the designs on the projects in the book or you can use them to embellish your own projects. This book is worth every penny and more besides. * Crochet Addict UK *Introduction Author, Yuki Sugashima remembers the time she rediscovered her old box of threads and that being the trigger of the interest in embroidery craft. Her previous experience as a floral designer meant she was soon creating floral motifs in thread. Range of information All the information required to make the items is condensed down to 4 pages each, or so, including photographic imagery, diagrams and the method to undertake the making. Each project has a brief introduction, a colour palette, 'you will need' information, diagrammatic instruction and photography. There is a tools, materials and technique guide, plus actual size templates at the back end of the book 9/10 Quality of information The purpose of the short introductions are to share a few tips and to link the themes. There is opportunity to learn/use surface and dimensional stitching and bead embroidery, and though not hugely comprehensive the information does fully support the aim to do the best job at recreating Sugashima's embroidered range of items 9/10 Layout Size and format is similar to a lifestyle/fashion magazine (not glossy). Paperback book is 23 cm Long x 18 cm Wide. Instructions are in fonts that are quite small and fine. One full paged image is included for each project and a lovely double paged feature spread appears in each section which showcases flora and fauna embroidery 8/10 Photography/Illustration Eye catching, full colour photography, images are of high quality 8/10 Features Contains 128 pages. Pages numbers are labeled on each of the double paged features I mentioned in Layout to direct you over to stitching information 8/10 Conclusion I haven't put needle to fabric using this book as a guide as yet so am unable to feedback specifically about the accuracy and effectiveness of the projects. This is a nicely presented book however, with some inspirational designs to embroider. The project ideas are quite traditional i.e. egg cosy, oven gloves and apron, but items such as these, when completed, could get stained easily during food preparation so the time and energy in adding hand embroidery motifs could be regarded as bittersweet if they happen to get spoiled, and if shrinkage occurs, or if dyes from the threads were to bleed out in a warm wash. Personally, I admire the skill and the work involved and I think the outcomes are very pleasing, but delicate embroidery is better applied, I feel, to items such as covers, pouches and fashion accessories. Therefore, I may set up one of the projects as a workshop theme when my craft group next meets, or make an item or two and giveaway as keepsake gifts to the same sewing friends. First, however, I need to get to grips with embroidery techniques and the contents of this book may well send me on the right road. * Debra Hall -Notcompulsory.blogspot.co.uk *

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Book SynopsisDesperate Times is the brilliant and unfl inching new collection of sketches of contemporary political life by The Times's master of satire, Peter Brookes. Within these pages, the multiple winner of the British Press Awards Cartoonist of the Year showcases the standout pieces from his political cartoons in The Times, up to the minute and breathtaking in their bite and wit. Cataloguing two of the most turbulent years on record, Desperate Times provides an unsparing critique of political leaders and events at home and abroad. From Brexit and Megxit to Trump's departure and the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic, this collection of exquisitely crafted cartoons provides vivid proof, were it needed, that we are indeed living through desperate times.Trade Review"Brilliant ... As we approach a forlorn, empty-shelved Christmas, buy this book as presents for your friends – it will make them laugh in this Brexit bleak midwinter." - Lord Baker, The House Magazine

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Book SynopsisA rich, thought-provoking collection of essays, critiques and interviews from the influential author of Ain''t I a Woman and All About LoveIf one could make a people lose touch with their capacity to create, lose sight of their will and their power to make art, then the work of subjugation, of colonization, is complete. Such work can be undone only by acts of reclamation.'In a collection of essays, critiques and interviews, bell hooks responds to the ongoing dialogues about producing, exhibiting and criticising art and aesthetics in a world increasingly concerned with identity politics. hooks shares her own experience of the transformative power of art whilst exploring topics ranging from art in education and the home to the politics of space and imagination as a revolutionary tool. She positions her writings on visual politics within the ever-present question of how art can be empowering within the Black community.Speaking with ar

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Book SynopsisAs one of the people who defined punk’s protest art in the 1970s and 1980s, Gee Vaucher (b. 1945) deserves to be much better-known. She produced confrontational album covers for the legendary anarchist band Crass and later went on to do the same for Northern indie legends the Charlatans, among others. More recently, her work was recognised the day after Donald Trump's 2016 election victory, when the front page of the Daily Mirror ran her 1989 painting Oh America, which shows the Statue of Liberty, head in hands. This is the first book to critically assess an extensive range of Vaucher’s work. It examines her unique position connecting avant-garde art movements, counterculture, punk and even contemporary street art. While Vaucher rejects all ‘isms’, her work offers a unique take on the history of feminist art.Trade Review'Binns’s book is meticulously researched and well written, covering an area of punk history that deserves a full spotlight all of its own. Equal parts informing, accessible and compelling, this is the story of a woman whose talent and beliefs have made a huge contribution to conveying punk’s revolutionary message.'Molly Tie, Punktuation!‘A compelling documentation of an important figure in the postwar British counterculture: the stubbornly unpositionable Gee Vaucher. Binns traces the life and work of this uncompromising artist not only in the short high years of Crass and the anarcho-punk movement – dominated by Vaucher’s aesthetic – but also the decades before and after when she defined, refined and extended her powerful practice. Read this book for a brilliant and engaged creative life.’George McKay, Professor in Media Studies, University of East Anglia‘This is a long overdue contribution to an important history. Binns shines new light on Gee Vaucher's significance, showing how her method of photorealism-presented-as-montage can help us make sense of the “skewed reality” around us.’Lucy Robinson, Professor in Collaborative History, University of Sussex‘Gee Vaucher’s artwork was crucial to Crass: thought-provoking and confrontational always.’Adrian Sherwood, music producer'Gee’s indescribable artwork has been an inspiration for multiple generations of artists and art appreciators. Gee is proof that Art changes people's lives — and for the better!'Winston Smith, artist and illustrator (www.winstonsmith.com)‘Binns’s book is an expert feminist reading of the life and work of political graphic artist Gee Vaucher that adeptly writes this unsung heroine into a history of punk design. A must-read for these fractured times.’Teal Triggs, Professor of Graphic Design, Royal College of Art'An essential book, giving due attention to one of the most influential artists of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Gee Vaucher's artwork has been much copied but never bettered. Her influence is here captured expertly by Rebecca Binns's well-researched critical analysis.'Matt Worley, Professor of Modern History, University of Reading‘Finally! What those in the know have been waiting for: a comprehensive, revealing and long overdue analysis of the creative importance of Gee Vaucher. Set against the backdrop of recent socio-economic, political and cultural events, via (but not limited to) punk, this book confirms Vaucher as the trailblazing innovator that she is, and charts her artistic influence to-date. Rebecca Binns thoughtfully surveys over fifty years of Vaucher’s collage, photo-montage, painting, drawing, sculpture, film and installation, rightfully positioning her as a key player within art history, while refusing to restrict this uncategorisable artist to any particular movement. If you are familiar with Vaucher’s work, you have been vindicated. And if you are not, prepare to be amazed.’Marie-France Kittler, co-curator Gee Vaucher: Introspective (Firstsite, 2016) -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction1 The changing face of British arts, politics and culture during Vaucher’s art school years2 Radical art collectives and the free festivals movement 3 New York, political photomontage and the underground press 4 Towards the definition of a punk aesthetic 5 Crass art and the birth of anarcho-punk 6 Post-punk, hardcore, and the dissolution of the dream 7 Post Crass introspection: postmodernism and the anti-rationalist avant-garde 8 Beyond the art world: political agitation and public intervention in the new millennium Index

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisExperience the 140BPM beating heartbeat of grime as told by a pioneer of the scene not just as a music genre, but as a living, breathing culture that continues to thrive, inspire, and boldly challenge the status quo.There are very few better placed than Roony to document the Grime scene and he does so perfectly' ROMESH RANGANATHANGrime is a way of life, a voice for the ambitions and dreams of the inner-city youth. It's a vessel for our creativity and a way to express ourselves. It's a rebellion to the system; to those who said we can't or don't deserve to want more. It's a culture, it's the heartbeat of the UK's underdog story for this generation; it's our punk. It's acceptance across the world for the music we make and the respect we've commanded. It's the evolution of the sounds brought to England and the culmination of cultures: the black, the white, the Turkish and the Asian, the working classes, the poor and the wanting more. It's that little voice inside you that says, go the extra mile and don't give up'.Starting as a fan armed with a handy cam, Roony''s RiskyRoadz series captured a new energy which blew up when YouTube emerged, cementing him as an integral part of the genre''s visual identity. GRIME is a portal into this gritty, authentic world, offering a front-row seat to modern history: the social history, the personalities, the tracksuits, the tunes and the reality of a revolution that shaped a generation.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewWorthwhile reading for those who don't believe in the holy grail in the markets; a must-read for those who do. -- Jack Schwager, author of Hedge Fund Market Wizards A novel approach aimed at pushing you inside your head and outside the losing habits most folks adopt right after multiple successes. A must-have for traders blessed with a string of hot trades. -- Ken Fisher, Fisher Investments FORBES At Ned Davis Research, we like to say that we are in the business of making mistakes and that the only difference between winners and losers is that winners make small mistakes and losers, big mistakes. This book does an excellent job in explaining in simple English the potential psychological 'flaws' that cause investors to make big mistakes. -- Ned Davis, Ned Davis Research, Inc. One of the rare noncharlatanic books in finance. -- Nassim Nicholas Taleb, from Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder Plenty of books recount past successes or focus on how to make money in the market, but what about keeping the money you already have? This may seem like a high-class problem, but it is a very real challenge for investors with substantial capital. -- John Mihaljevic Beyond Proxy [An] enlightening read. -- Brenda Jubin Investing.com The book points out very early that many successful investors have opposing styles and theories on how to make money, and that they can not all be right at the same time. The most important point to take from the book is how to avoid losing money... -- Steve Osbiston Financial Times AdvisorTable of ContentsForeword Preface to the Columbia Edition Preface Part I. Reminiscences of a Trader 1. From Hunger 2. To the Real World 3. Wood That I Would Trade 4. Spectacular Speculator 5. The Quest Part II. Lessons Learned 6. The Psychological Dynamics of Loss 7. The Psychological Fallacies of Risk 8. The Psychological Crowd Part III. Tying It All Together 9. Rules Conclusion Postscript Appendix Notes Bibliography

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Book SynopsisDiscover the vivid beauty of the world around you with this collection of 100 postcards from Patterns of Portugal and Patterns of India author Christine Chitnis.From lush florals and fresh produce to stunning architectural wonders, intricate textiles, and detailed interiors, this collection features 50 gorgeous photographs, each repeating once, that spotlight a myriad of patterns and hues that color our everyday lives. Whether you send them as inspiration to a friend or display them in your home, these postcards offer 100 vibrant reminders that there is beauty to be found everywhere.

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Book SynopsisThis book uncovers the meanings behind over 130 tattoo symbols, delving into the history of the most popular motifs that recur in many different tattoo styles, including tribal, traditional, Japanese and realistic.Trade Review“Lavish illustrations make it a great resource for anyone contemplating some new body ink, or who is curious about tattoo history and the meaning behind the hearts, devils, and animals snaking over the communal epidermis...The Language of Tattoos is an entertaining field guide to the expanding tattoo tapestry that surrounds us.” * Foreword Reviews *"FIVE STARS. Regardless of the reader’s initial preference about tattoos, reading The Language of Tattoos might change some minds or at least serve as a beacon of knowledge." * Manhattan Book Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1 Love Chapter 2 Faith and Spirituality Chapter 3 Protection and Guidance Chapter 4 Transformation Chapter 5 Luck Chapter 6 Strength Chapter 7 Desire Chapter 8 Resilience Chapter 9 Loss, Memory and Transience Index

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Book SynopsisIn Kawaii Doggies, the follow-up and perfect companion to Kawaii Kitties, popular Instagram artist Olive Yong teaches you, step by step, how to draw all your favorite breeds doing all sorts of silly and endearing things.Trade Review"Fun, inspiring, and thoroughly 'user friendly' for aspiring artists and illustrators in both organization and presentation, Kawaii Doggies is a perfect DIY instructional guide." * Midwest Book Review *Table of ContentsContents Introduction What is Kawaii? How to Use This Book Tools Drawing Your Doggies Facial Expression Directory Coloring Your Doggies Favorite Breeds Puppies Poses & Moods Daily Activities Dress-Up Bon(e) Appetit Portraits Doggy Coloring Pages Dog Breed Directory

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Book SynopsisWith Creative Portraits in Watercolor, you’ll learn creative techniques for capturing a unique and stunning likeness using watercolor and other art mediums.

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisThis deceptively simple and addictive sketchbook-with-content includes tons of hip and entertaining things to draw. Encourages artists to try their hands at things like a bike, mistakes, Fred Astaire, synchronized swimmers, a sippy cup, RUN DMC, feelings, a waffle, the view from an airplane, and many many more.

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Book SynopsisWestern admirers have long seen the Islamic garden as an earthly reflection of the paradise said to await the faithful. However, such simplification, Ruggles contends, denies the sophistication and diversity of the art form. Islamic Gardens and Landscapes immerses the reader in the world of the architects of the great gardens of the Islamic world, from medieval Morocco to contemporary India.Just as Islamic culture is historically dense, sophisticated, and complex, so too is the history of its built landscapes. Islamic gardens began from the practical need to organize the surrounding space of human civilization, tame nature, enhance the earth''s yield, and create a legible map on which to distribute natural resources. Ruggles follows the evolution of these early farming efforts to their aristocratic apex in famous formal gardens of the Alhambra in Spain and the Taj Mahal in Agra.Whether in a humble city home or a royal courtyard, the garden has several defining chaTable of ContentsPreface Chapter 1: The Islamic Landscape Place and Memory Chapter 2: Making the Desert Bloom Transforming an Inhospitable Earth Chapter 3: The Science of Gardening Agricultural and Botanical Manuals Chapter 4: Organizing the Earth Cross-axial Gardens and the Chahar Bagh Chapter 5: Trees and Plants Botanical Evidence from Texts and Archaeology Chapter 6: Representations of Gardens and Landscape Imagery in Manuscript Paintings, Textiles, and Other Media Chapter 7: Imaginary Gardens Gardens in Fantasy and Literature Chapter 8: The Garden as Paradise The Historical Beginnings of Paradisiac Iconography Chapter 9: The Here and Hereafter Mausolea and Tomb Gardens Chapter 10: A Garden in Landscape The Taj Mahal and Its Precursors Chapter 11: Religion and Culture The Adoption of Islamic Garden Culture by Non-Muslims List of Gardens and SitesSpain Sicily Morocco Algeria Tunisia Egypt Turkey Syria and Region Oman Iraq Iran Central Asia Pakistan India United States Glossary Notes Bibliography Index Acknowledgments

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Book SynopsisSuitable for children aged 5 and upwards, this book shows readers how to draw dozens of cats with a comprehensive, step-by-step approach.

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Book Synopsis'I tore through the pages. A book I'll read over and over again' CANDICE CARTY-WILLIAMS'Illuminating' OBSERVER We've all had our share of mould, dodgy landlords and awkward house shares. But Kieran Yates has had more than most: by the age of twenty-five she'd lived in twenty different houses across the country. In her coming-of-age memoir, she charts the heartbreaks and joys of a life spent searching for home. Sparkling with warmth and wit, this is a story of finding beauty in our interiors, friendships in cramped flats, and home even in the most fragile circumstances. All the Houses I’ve Ever Lived In is at once a rallying cry for change and a love letter to home in all its forms.'A beautiful exposition of home. Stunning' BOLU BABALOLA‘So incisive it’s hard to put down’ PANDORA SYKES &l

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