Art & Photography Books

Book SynopsisPorcelain and bone china have fascinated patrons, collectors and makers for centuries. This practical book looks at their composition, making methods and decorative techniques, as well as glazes and firing processes. It examines their different characteristics and explains how designers have worked with these clays within the ceramic industry. This new edition includes an additional chapter that introduces emerging technologies and new materials. It is a beautiful book that gives an authoritative account of these enduring materials, which ceramicists enjoy so passionately. It includes over 250 colour illustrations of instructional photos and inspiring finished pieces.Trade Review" For anyone who wants to read everything about this clay and what you do with it, the book will be an asset." * Keramiek Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThis beautiful book explores the world of colour in the plant kingdom and introduces the artist to effective practical methods of using colour in botanical painting. It focusses on the relevance of making accurate observations of colour in botanical specimens and recognizing the value and importance of using colour theory to achieve successful results. With over 500 images, this elaborately-illustrated guide uses the author's finished artwork, diagrams, and step-by-step tutorials to explain the important role of colour in this compelling genre. This book is a must for all aspiring botanical artists, illustrators and students.Trade ReviewThis is one of the most thorough guides I have seen. It has a depth that makes it both invaluable and, I believe, unique. Providing a deep knowledge and understanding, this is essential reading for any serious flower painter. -- Henry Malt - The Artist reviewer * The Artist *Leigh Ann’s style is clear and packed with knowledge - it is evident that her teaching experience has informed the tutorials and examples that she has chosen to include. I would recommend this for anyone who wishes to improve their underlying and scientific knowledge of colour, and for those who like books with clear tutorials to follow in order to improve their own practice. I like to have a deeper understanding of the materials and techniques I am using, and this book certainly gave me that. -- Elanor Wexler, Association of Botanical Artists * Association of Botanical Artists *

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Book SynopsisThe Renaissance artist Raphael is known for his extraordinary frescoes, his sublime Madonnas, devotional altarpieces, architectural designs, and his inventive prints and tapestries. It was his use of ancient Roman models - classical sculptures, reliefs and paintings - that formed his much admired classical style, and influenced the styles of many later artists. In Raphael and the Antique Claudia La Malfa gives a full account of Raphael's prodigious career, from central Italy when he was 17 years old, to Perugia, Siena and Florence, where he first met with Leonardo and Michelangelo, to Rome where he became one of the most feted artists of the Renaissance. This book focuses and highlights Raphael's re-invention of classical models, his draughtsmanship and his concept of art, which he pursued and was still striving to perfect at the time of his death aged only 37, in 1520.

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Book SynopsisAt the time of his death in 1806, the Rococo artist Jean-Honore Fragonard had not painted for two decades. Following a period of huge public success, the painter's reputation fell. Personally secretive, Fragonard created revealing images that undermined a normal sense of space and time. Satish Padiyar investigates the life and work of the last of the libertine painters of the ancien regime, a contemporary of Denis Diderot and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and presents dramatic new perspectives on works such as The Progress of Love, painted for Madame du Barry, the infamous The Bolt and the ever-popular The Swing.Trade Review"What might cause an artist to quit? Perhaps the most famous example is Marcel Duchamp, who gave up making Dadaist art circa 1920 to play chess full-time. But Duchamp’s case was somewhat predictable—do enough “anti-art” and the whole project might begin to seem a bit pointless. For the eighteenth-century rococo artist Jean-Honorée Fragonard, however, the situation was more regrettable. Fragonard spent much of his life as a fashionable painter of genre decorations for members of the French aristocracy, but when these patrons began losing their heads in 1789, Fragonard lost his commissions. Never quite able to make the transition over to a more democratic kind of painting, Fragonard put his brushes down for the last time sometime in the early 1790s. Padiyar takes this moment as the starting point of his new investigation into Fragonard’s life and work, which focuses especially on the artist’s innovations in the field of drawing." * New Criterion *"The book is a thorough exploration, painting a picture of how he came to be and how his legacy lives on in contemporary culture. A book worth buying very much for the imagery, which is splashed onto pages with intense colours." * Connexion *"Padiyar argues that the key to the mysteries of Jean-Honoreì Fragonard’s life and work lies in the artist’s relationship to time. According to Padiyar, Fragonard (1732–1806) was 'out of time'—a belated master of a playful rococo idiom of surprise and instability... Padiyar’s book weaves in and out of Fragonard’s career, always tightly focused on the artist’s motivations and personality. In making his argument the author privileges formal analysis, supported by biographical evidence and strategic reference to eighteenth-century art theory and philosophy. Written in stylish, sophisticated prose, the study offers interpretations both of Fragonard’s most famous works and of less-known paintings and drawings. A valuable addition to the literature on eighteenth-century French art and culture. Recommended." * Choice *"Fragonard is a fascinating study and will appeal to specialists and general audiences alike. Padiyar captures the complexities of one of the most recognizable, albeit mysterious, eighteenth-century European artists and presents him in a relatable manner: as an individual trying to make sense of his own place in a society that did not suit him. Throughout his career, Fragonard was stuck in limbo; he fit in neither with the social expectations of the Académie nor with the aristocratic circle of his patrons. He was a bit old-fashioned, only beginning to work in the Rococo style at midcentury, but was also ahead of his time, rebelling against state-sanctioned practices and creating art that, in many ways, anticipated the expressive qualities of late nineteenth-century art making. Indeed, the Fragonard captured by Padiyar is 'out of time,' painting to the proverbial beat of his own drum, struggling to find his niche in the world he inhabits, and creating an oeuvre that brings viewers into an 'out of time, fantasy world.'" * caa.reviews *"This is an outstanding contribution to a field the extent and depth of which are accommodated in a comprehensive bibliography. Its immaculate scholarship testifies to a mastery of earlier writing on Fragonard, whether by his contemporaries or in modern interpretations of the artist’s work. It is hugely enriched by its 114 illustrations. . . . This is a book which is intellectually stimulating and as beautifully written as it is produced." * Journal of European Studies *"Satish Padiyar, tries to get beneath the skin of this elusive painter who apparently preferred artistic freedom to material reward. His task is complicated by a dearth of biographical information. In an age of voluminous correspondence, Fragonard left no letters and no diaries. Even the accounts of his peers are sketchy and possibly misleading. When trying to understand a long-dead artist every biographical fragment is useful, but almost the only clues to Fragonard’s personality are to be discovered in his work. We don’t know what he was thinking when he painted erotic masterpieces such as The Swing (1767) or The Bolt (c.1778), but it’s fascinating to place these works within the cultural context of France in the last years of the ancien régime." * Sydney Morning Herald *“A brilliant new account of Fragonard’s art that reveals some of its most intriguing secrets.” -- Ewa Lajer-Burcharth, William Dorr Boardman Professor of Fine Arts, Harvard University, and author of "The Painter’s Touch: Boucher, Chardin, Fragonard"“Deeply erudite. . . . Fragonard might be taken to embody brilliantly gifted eccentricity, but the author deploys that singularity in ways that illuminate the whole field of later eighteenth-century art.” -- Thomas Crow, Rosalie Solow Professor of Modern Art, New York University"A fresh approach to this quintessential French eighteenth-century artist, Padiyar’s book is also an innovative take on the genre of the monograph as it integrates biography and works in a novel and intelligent fashion. Making the most of the sparseness of information about Fragonard’s life, this beautifully written study weaves its narrative with discussions of the works along three themes: secrets, surprise, dreams. Surprising about the book itself is how the artist emerges as an entity from it, palpable in a way he has never been before." -- Mechthild Fend, professor of history of art, University College London

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Book SynopsisToday Is Always Yesterday explores the historical constructs underlying contemporary art in Brazil. Michael Asbury, through his study of the South American nation's colonial and post-colonial condition, argues that art can not only illustrate history but activate it. The colours of the flag, a national emblem saturated with symbolism and which has become central to the culture wars of recent years, become devices to thematically structure the five chapters of the book. Asbury shows how artists have responded to cultural engagements and appropriations, and examines art's role in unravelling Brazil's foundational myths and its projected image as a racial melting pot. Richly illustrated, this book presents a compelling account of contemporary debates in Brazilian art.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Contemporary, Brazilian, Art 1 Order, Progress (and Love) 2 Green: Contemporary Art and the Founding of the Nation 3 Yellow: Contemporary Brazilian Art and Extractivism 4 Blue: When was Contemporary Art? 5 White: A Separation that Relates References Select Bibliography Acknowledgements Photo Acknowledgements Index

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive overview of Japanese art between 1865 and 1915. The Splendour of Modernity presents a comprehensive overview of Japanese art from 1865 to 1915, including painting, calligraphy, sculpture, prints, ceramics, lacquerware, textiles, basketry, metalwork, and cloisonne. It challenges misconceptions that foreign influence diluted the supposed authenticity of Japanese art during this era. Instead, Rosina Buckland highlights the development of distinctively Japanese artistic practices in response to new stimuli from overseas. The book also dispels assumptions of artistic decline in the early Meiji era by examining the period from 1865 to 1885. Meticulously researched and beautifully illustrated, this captivating book showcases the resilience, innovation, and enduring beauty of Japanese art during a transformative period marked by Japan's global engagement and artistic evolution.

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Book SynopsisThis beautifully illustrated book invites readers to explore the magnificent collection of Japanese rare books and manuscripts housed in the Bodleian Library.

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Book SynopsisA definitive overview of one of the most celebrated figures of the Italian Renaissance Among the great figures of the Italian Renaissance, Raphael (1483–1520) is unarguably the artist who has been most widely and consistently admired across the centuries. He had an extraordinary and perhaps unrivaled capacity for self-reinvention—as he progressed from Umbria to Florence and Rome—and an ability to draw strength from the other great artists around him, seemingly growing in stature the more daunting the competition became. This insightful, impeccably researched, and comprehensive volume chronicles the progress of his career in all its richness and complexity. Sumptuous production values and generous illustrations go hand in hand with its rigorous and wide-ranging scholarship. The essays explore Raphael’s paintings and drawings, his frescoes in the Vatican Stanze, his designs for tapestries, sculptures and prints, and his engagement with architecture. Detailed and authoritative catalogue entries examine many of Raphael’s finest works. Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University Press

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Book SynopsisIn the 1920s, the urban theory of Ludwig Hilberseimer (1885-1967) redefined architecture's relationship to the city. His proposal for a high-rise city, where leisure, labor, and circulation would be vertically integrated, both frightened his contemporaries and offered a trenchant critique of the dynamics of the capitalist metropolis. Hilberseimer's Grossstadtarchitektur is presented here for the first time in an English translation. Its propositions encourage us to reconsider mobility, concentration, and the scale of architectural intervention in our own era of urban expansion.

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Book SynopsisThis book looks at WWII from a largely British perspective, based upon approximately 350 photographs from the archives of Mirrorpix. It takes a look at the legacies of the war, including the establishment of the United Nations and the European Union. The Second World War was the deadliest conflict in human history. The Second World War broke out in Europe in 1939 and spread rapidly around the globe, involving most of the world's nations and all of the great powers. The most widespread war in history, the Second World War involved more than 100 million people who served in military units. Moreover, the major participants adopted a state of 'total war' whereby the nation's entire economic, industrial and scientific capabilities were dedicated to the war effort, removing the distinction between military and civilian resources. It was the deadliest conflict in human history. Legacies of the war include the establishment of the United Nations and the European Union to encourage international co-operation and prevent future conflicts. This book looks at the Second World War from a largely British perspective, based on approximately 350 photographs from the archives of "Mirrorpix".

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Book SynopsisCathedrals and abbeys are the most beautiful and iconic buildings of the British Isles, and have formed the bedrock of our nation for centuries. This absorbing collection of amazing and extraordinary facts opens the doors of these fascinating structures to reveal their rich historical and architectural heritage. From stories of English Popes, martyred archbishops and renegade bishops to iconoclastic kings, power-hungry nobles and architectural dynasties, as well as the role of the Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, we explore how the people and religion in Britain have shaped these buildings over the last 2,000 years. Also read about the architectural heritage of British cathedrals, from troublesome spires, stained glass wonders and buy-a-brick campaigns to abbeys in the sea, fortified castle-cathedrals and mass graves. Along with tales of famous memorials and artefacts, fascinating folklore and architectural feats, these intriguing and diverse facts will provide something for every enthusiast to dip into and relish.Table of Contents1 St Albans Cathedral 10 2 Bath Abbey 16 3 Belfast Cathedrals 20 4 Birmingham Cathedral 22 5 Bristol Cathedral 23 6 Buckland Abbey 24 7 Canterbury Cathedral 26 8 Chelmsford Abbey 30 9 Chester Cathedral 30 10 Chichester Cathedral 32 11 Coventry Cathedral 34 12 St Davids Cathedral 36 13 Durham Cathedral 38 14 Ely Cathedral 43 15 Exeter Cathedral 48 16 St Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh 51 17 Glasgow Cathedral 53 18 Glastonbury Abbey 54 19 Gloucester Cathedral 57 20 Hereford Cathedral 61 21 Leicester Cathedral 64 22 Lincoln Cathedral 66 23 Liverpool Anglican Cathedral 70 24 Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral 72 25 Manchester Cathedral 74 26 Newcastle Cathedral 76 27 Norwich Cathedral 77 28 Oxford Cathedral 79 29 St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin 82 30 St Paul's Cathedral 86 31 Peterborough Cathedral 95 32 Rochester Cathedral 96 33 Salisbury Cathedral 99 34 Southwark Cathedral 104 35 Southwell Minster 107 36 Tewkesbury Abbey 109 37 Truro Cathedral 111 38 Wells Cathedral 113 39 Westminster Abbey 116 40 Winchester Cathedral 121 41 Worcester Cathedral 127 42 York Minster 131

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Book SynopsisThe Courtauld Collection: A Vision for Impressionism accompanies a landmark exhibition at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris exploring Samuel Courtauld’s role as one of the great collectors of the twentieth century. The catalogue and exhibition showcase Courtauld’s extraordinary collection, which will be on display in Paris for the first time in over sixty years.One of the finest collections of Impressionism anywhere in the world was assembled by the English industrialist and philanthropist Samuel Courtauld (1876-1947).During the 1920s, Courtauld acquired seminal works by all of the major Impressionists, from Renoir’s early masterpiece La Loge to Manet’s last great work, A Bar at the Folies-Bergère. His collection grew to include such iconic works as Gauguin’s great Tahitian nude Nevermore and one of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings, Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear. Courtauld was particularly devoted to Cézanne and put together the largest collection of his work in the United Kingdom, including the epic Montagne Sainte-Victoire with Large Pine and one of the celebrated Card Players. After a decade of collecting, Courtauld gave the majority of these remarkable works to establish The Courtauld Institute of Art and Gallery in London.This will be the first time that Samuel Courtauld’s collection has been shown in Paris in over 60 years. The landmark exhibition will bring together masterpieces from The Courtauld Gallery alongside works formerly in Courtauld’s collection and now dispersed internationally. It will be a unique opportunity to enjoy some of the greatest modern French paintings of the 19th century and will shed light on Courtauld’s pioneering role in shaping public taste for Impressionism in the United Kingdom.The lavishly illustrated catalogue presents new research on the personality of Samuel Courtauld as well as his taste, collecting habits and wide-ranging philanthropy. It also explores afresh his network of dealers and places him within the wider context of contemporary collectors of Impressionism throughout Europe and the United States. The exhibition features almost a hundred works, each given its own entry and enhanced with close-up images and comparative illustrations to provide an in-depth exploration of this extraordinary collection.

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Book SynopsisHow a wave of exotic botanical imports from across Britain's empire shaped its gardens.

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Book SynopsisFor anyone with manga mania, this guided sketchbook will be an endless source of instruction and inspiration. In easy-to-follow lessons interspersed with high-quality pages for hands-on practice, bestselling author Christopher Hart shows how to bring manga's faeries, warriors, villains, sci-fi figures and monsters to life. The pad encourages students to sketch right along with Hart, mastering the skills to draw characters' heads, expressions, bodies, outfits and dynamic action poses.

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Book SynopsisKenneth Frampton: Conversations with Daniel Talesnik presents seven interviews with the architectural historian reflecting on the long arc of his rich and influential career in the discipline. Spanning Frampton’s early years as an architecture student at the Guildford School of Art to his nearly fifty years as a professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, the interviews trace not only the development and implications of his work but also the cultural, political, and discursive terrain surrounding it. Here Frampton outlines the formation of his seminal ideas of “critical regionalism” and “tectonic culture,” and also ruminates on how he understands his own role as a writer on architecture. The book includes an essay by Mary McLeod, which takes stock of Frampton’s “criticality” and his enduring impact on architectural practice. As a whole, Kenneth Frampton: Conversations with Daniel Talesnik is as much a portrait of a thinker as a record of the books, buildings, and ideas that have inspired such profound architectural thought.

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Book SynopsisThread Folk: A Modern Makers Book of Embroidery Projects and Artist Collaborations is a modern refresh of an age-old craft. Author Libby Moore teaches basic stitches and how to choose materials, and shares original patterns with easy-to-remove perforated pages. Thread Folk also features Artist Collaborations, a series of projects based on the curated artwork of several distinctive, talented artists, including clothing designer Audrey Smit, and illustrators Alli Koch and Lauren Merrick.Trade Review"Thread Folk will inspire new and seasoned artists alike to explore embroidery in ways they have not considered before. Libby Moore does a beautiful job of reintroducing this ancient craft as a contemporary medium with easy to follow projects." --Ekaterina Popova, founder and editor of Create! Magazine

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Book SynopsisCelebrated for his penetrating portraits, richly detailed landscapes and evocative narrative paintings, the seventeenth century artist Rembrandt is generally considered one of Europe's greatest painters and printmakers, and the master of the Dutch School. His work is distinguished by broad brushwork, luminous palettes, and a sense of order and movement that recalls the finest Renaissance art. Overflowing with impeccably reproduced images, this book offers full-page spreads of masterpieces as well as highlights of smaller details-allowing the viewer to appreciate every aspect of the artist's technique and oeuvre. Chronologically arranged, the book covers important biographical and historic events that reflect the latest scholarship. Additional information includes a list of works, timeline and suggestions for further reading.

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Book Synopsis“Sustainable design integrates consideration of resource and energy efficiency, healthy buildings and materials, ecologically and socially sensitive land-use, and an aesthetic sensitivity that inspires, affirms, and ennobles...” The construction process affects the environment and surrounding ecosystem. Once buildings are constructed, the occupants and administrators face a series of challenges in their attempt to maintain a healthy, efficient, and productive environment. In order to face these challenges, innovative and varied building strategies have been developed to contribute to the achievement of environmentally friendly homes that are alive and “breathe.”

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Book SynopsisThe idea of an environmentally respectful house is appealing to more and more people. In the last decade, architects from all over the world have been especially interested in the possibilities of an innovative home in a natural environment, with ecological solutions and a low impact on the environment. There is a great variety of this style of architecture both in terms of its use and in geographic location. This book serves as inspiration and progress for the world of architecture and the new generation.

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

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Book SynopsisAnna's philosophy as a watercolour teacher is that painting and sketching are for everyone. Even if you have a busy schedule, there is still time to relax the mind and build creativity with 15-minute projects. From landscapes and galaxies to flowers, cakes and animals - 15-Minute Watercolor Masterpieces offers a wide variety. Projects include: a foggy forest, a mountain landscape, sunflowers, and colourful birds. Anna covers basic watercolour techniques, along with tips on how to create just the right shade when mixing. Each project begins with instructions for a simple sketch, along with step-by-step guidelines for painting. With Anna's experience teaching beginners, she makes each step easy to follow so that your final piece of art will be frame-worthy. Anna is the founder of DearAnnArt. She has a strong social media presence on Instagram, where she started a 15-minute watercolour hashtag to inspire beginners to try painting. This book will include 50 projects.

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Book SynopsisThis 'mini' sized version of the New York Times bestseller showcases astounding natural phenomena, far-flung landscapes, and uncommon animal species, shot by star National Geographic photographers. Volcanic lightning cuts through the night sky. A lone kangaroo skims the surface of a lake at sunset. A jeweled scarab from King Tut's tomb glitters in the darkness. The dazzling landmark book shot by an elite group of acclaimed photographers is now available as a compact gift book. Culled to reflect the many variations of our planet's secret wonders--from 30,000-year-old cave paintings to flowers that bloom every few years to engravings inside Abraham Lincoln's watch--each image offers a powerful perspective that will astonish and inspire. Filled with behind-the-scenes stories and wrought with beauty, mystery, and joy, Rarely Seen is a breathtaking window to the extraordinary.

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Book SynopsisCut Paper Pictures is both an inspiration and a guide to using paper as your paint in creating personalized art with amazing depth and texture. Collaging is a fun and easy craft to make no matter what your skill level, and this is an excellent book to assist creative minds through whatever making process they favor.  Collaging can be done with a variety of different materials. Cut Paper Pictures shows how you can incorporate paint and other materials into your collages to really bring your art to life. Teaching through demonstration and deconstructed projects, visual artist Clover Robin guides you through the process without pushing you into specific projects. Offering step-by-step instructions, visual inspirations, and even a library of unique colors and textures, the author covers all the necessary materials, tools, and know-how, from adding color and using existing photos to create uni

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Book Synopsis Camo, by photographer Thandiwe Muriu, is the first publication to chronicle the work of this international artist, celebrating the vibrant portraits she creates that combine cultural textiles and beauty ideologies. Muriu takes us on a colorful, reflective journey through her world as a woman living in modern Kenya as she reinterprets contemporary African portraiture. As the sole woman operating in the male-dominated advertising photography industry in Kenya, Thandiwe Muriu has repeatedly confronted questions around the role of women in society, the place of tradition, and her own self-perception. These experiences inspired her personal project of cultural reflection: the Camo series. Camo was the catalyst for her to push new boundaries in her photography, leading her into a deeply personal artistic journey. The compelling, fully saturated photographs in this collection confront issues surrounding identity while seeking to redefine female empow

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive and accessible orientation to the field of medieval manuscript studies.Trade Review"A volume of broad, interdisciplinary appeal.... This volume would be an excellent classroom resource.... This beautifully illustrated, skillfully organized resource is an ideal survey of the field, valuable for presenting information critical to new students and veteran scholars, for teaching the history and scope of the medieval manuscript. A very worthwhile addition to collections in medieval studies, art history, English literature, or archival studies.""Impressive in both its comprehensive range and depth of detail and even more remarkable for the clarity of its writing and illustration, this long-needed volume will serve as an admirable introduction for students from the many disciplines that study medieval manuscripts. It is also likely to become a treasured reference tool for experienced scholars." -- Richard K. Emmerson, Florida State University"Introduction to Manuscript Studies is for beginners and seasoned scholars alike, offering details—such as that the best quills are plucked in the springtime from the left wings of live geese—that will delight everyone. Bringing together codicology, paleography, material culture, and a bit of art history as well, this gorgeous, comprehensive, and charming book should be on the syllabus of every course in medieval studies." -- Barbara H. Rosenwein, Loyola University ChicagoTable of ContentsPart I: Making the Medieval Manuscript Chapter 1. Writing Supports Chapter 2. Text and Decoration Chapter 3. Correction, Glossing, and Annotation Chapter 4. Assembling, Binding, and Storing the Completed ManuscriptPart II. Reading the Medieval Manuscript Chapter 5. Working with Medieval Manuscripts Chapter 6. Punctuation and Abbreviation Chapter 7. Encounters with Damaged Manuscripts Chapter 8, Assessing Manuscript Origin and Provenance Chapter 9. Manuscript Description Chapter 10. Selected ScriptsPart III: Some Manuscript Genres Chapter 11, The Bible and Related Texts Chapter 12. Liturgical Books and Their Calendars Chapter 13. Books of Hours Chapter 14. Charters and Cartularies Chapter 15. Maps Chapter 16. Rolls and ScrollsAppendix: Tools for the Study of Medieval Latin by Anders WinrothGlossary Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe Gorillaz Art Book is here! Featuring brand new artwork by Jamie Hewlett, who has invited more than 40 creators to offer new interpretations of 2D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle, and Russel Hobbs in one expansive volume of original artwork. Contributing artists include Ruff Mercy, Kim Jung Gi, Robert Smith, Kerbscrawler Ghost, Robert Valley, Craig McCracken and Tim McCourt & Max Taylor. Celebrating 20 years of Gorillaz, this latest Z2 partnership sees Hewlett expand the band’s collaborative vision to fellow visual artists in The Gorillaz Art Book, a stunning visual feast of 306 pages.

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Book SynopsisDrawing the Head for Artists is the definitive modern guide to drawing the human head and portrait, featuring the classic mediums and methods of the Old Masters. Written by celebrated portrait artist and veteran studio instructor Oliver Sin, this richly informative and beautifully illustrated volume leads readers step-by-step through his method, from establishing a point of view to applying the timeless principles for creating an accurate and expressive likeness. Among the topics covered: Essential Materials & Techniques:Learn about necessary supplies and basic drawing techniques, including hatching, various stroke styles, and blending. Applying the Essentials: Explore how the concepts of sight-sizing, value, negative space/shapes, and plane changes factor into a portrait’s underlying structure. Techniques for Creating Depth & Dimension:Investigate how contrasting shapes, overlapping forms, and linear and atmospheric perspective are used to enhance depth. Creating the Illusion of Three Dimensions: Examine how edges—contours as well as changes in value—are used to convey three-dimensional form. Brimming with striking images that document all the phases and details of the author’s process, Drawing the Head for Artists inspires and informs all artists, from aspiring to accomplished, on how to successfully portray the physical subtleties and emotional eloquence of the human face. The For Artists series expertly guides and instructs artists at all skill levels who want to develop their classical drawing and painting skills and create realistic and representational art.Trade Review"For those seeking some drawing guidance, especially in the art of portraiture, artist and instructor Oliver Sin has created a book to walk you through the process. Through a series of thorough step by step instructions, your art will soon flourish." * My Modern Met *"Sin's clear text coves the basics of materials, posing, lighting, perspective, and form, plus specific instruction on depicting individual features -- all illustrated with his breath-taking portraits that convey the essence of his subjects as unique individuals." * Artists Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe must-have guide for all artists who draw the human figure!

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Book SynopsisThe most iconic statue of its kind on the planet. Many know it was a gift from the people of France to the people of America. However, the incredible story of how this monument very nearly didn't happen is not widely known. French sculptor, Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi became the driving force for one of the most ambitious international construction projects of its time. For Bartholdi completing the statue for the centenary celebration of the Declaration of American Independence became his life's work, but its construction would lead to a thrillingrace against the hands of time.

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Book SynopsisRichly illustrated with colourful, quirky rag rugs (also known as hooked rugs), this delightful book examines Winifred Nicholson's relationship with the Cumbrian craft, the way in which she helped revive the tradition in the 1960s and '70s, and her influence on contemporary makers. For anyone interested in textiles, naive art, British folk traditions or mid-century craft, this book will be a treasure trove.British artist Winifred Nicholson (18931981) initially encountered rag rugs in Cumberland in the early 1920s, when, with her husband Ben Nicholson (18941982), she visited her neighbour Margaret Warwick, who was sat in her kitchen making a rug from scraps of old clothing. The Nicholsons were interested in naive art' at that time and had explored the work of Rousseau, as well as African sculpture, but this was the first time they had come face to face with naive art being made in their own country. In 1960 Winifred moved back to Banks Head, the old Cumbrian farmhouse she had owned since 1923. It was here that she helped to revive the local hooky' rag rug making tradition. Through Winifred's efforts, well over a hundred new rugs were made. Notable makers included Mary Bewick, Janet Heap and Florence Williams. Winifred herself designed a number of rugs, and she also encouraged her grandchildren, who were paid a pound a time for a design.This beautiful book also presents a number of contemporary rag rug makers, with direct links to Winifred. Emma Tennant, who lives in Scotland not far from Winifred's house, was inspired to start making rugs after seeing the ones in Winifred's home. Also included are works by Winifred's nieces Louisa Creed and the late Jenny Steinbugler. The author also discusses the extensive rag rug collection at Chillingham Castle, Northumberland, which has interesting parallels with Winifred Nicholson's approach to rug making, as well as the rug by Lucie Aldridge in the Fry Art Gallery, Essex.

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Book SynopsisHave you ever thought of citrus fruits as celestial bodies, angelically suspended in the sky? Perhaps not, but J. C. Volkamer (1644-1720) did-commissioning an extravagant and breathtaking series of large-sized copperplates representing citrons, lemons, and bitter oranges in surreal scenes of majesty and wonder. Ordering plants by post mostly from Italy, Germany, North Africa, and even the Cape of Good Hope, the Nuremberg merchant Volkamer was a devotee of the fragrant and exotic citrus at a time when such fruits were still largely unknown north of the Alps. His garden came to contain a wide variety of specimens, and he became so obsessed with the fruits that he commissioned a team of copperplate engravers to create 256 plates of 170 varieties of citrus fruits, many depicted life size, published in a two-volume work. The first volume appeared in 1708, with the impressively lengthy title The Nuremberg Hesperides, or: A detailed description of the noble fruits of the citron, lemon and bitter orange; how these may be correctly planted, cared for and propagated in that and neighboring regions. In both volumes, Volkamer draws on years of hands-on experience to present a far-reaching account of citrus fruits and how to tend them-from a meticulous walk-through of how to construct temporary orangeries, glasshouses, and hothouses for growing pineapples to commentary on each fruit variety, including its size, shape, color, scent, tree or shrub, leaves, and country of origin. In each plate, Volkamer pays tribute to the verdant landscapes of Northern Italy, his native Nuremberg, and other sites that captured his imagination. From Genovese sea views to the Schoenbrunn Palace, each locale is depicted in the same exceptional detail as the fruit that overhangs it. We witness branches heavy with grapefruits arching across a sun-bathed yard in Bologna and marvel at a huge pineapple plant sprouting from a South American town. The result is at once a fantastical line-up of botanical beauty and a highly poetic tour through the lush gardens and places where these fruits grew.Few colored sets of Volkamer's work are still in existence today. This publication draws on the two recently discovered hand-colored volumes in the city of Furth's municipal archive in Schloss Burgfarrnbach. The reprint also includes 56 newly discovered illustrations that Volkamer intended to present in a third volume.Trade Review"It was a longing for warmth and the Mediterranean which people craved, and Volkamer created exactly the stuff that dreams of this kind are made of." * Philographikon Gallery *

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Book SynopsisJoin Megan Hess as she takes readers through a world of fashion - in colour. An ode to the incredible use of colour throughout fashion history, Fashion in Colour highlights how fashion designers have used colour to create iconic looks and shape fashion houses around the world. Broken up into chapters by colour (Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Pink, Red, Purple, Brown and White), each chapter covers iconic looks, the houses that are synonymous with that colour (think Hermès and orange, or Valentino and red), fashion facts and history and Megan's signature stunning illustrations.  A celebration of how colour shapes fashion, this book is Megan Hess's most stunning to date, with a rainbow of illustrations throughout and vibrant images that bring to life classic fashion favourites from around the world. 

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Book SynopsisA must-have resource for graphite and charcoal artists of all skill levels, 101 Textures in Graphite & Charcoal is the artist's definitive art book. Accurately rendering surfaces and textures is one of the most challenging aspects of working with graphite pencil and charcoal. 101 Textures in Graphite & Charcoal provides artists with step-by-step instructions for learning how to draw a wide variety of the most common textures and surfaces, including sand, water, metals, foliage, wood, fabrics, stone, grass, hair, and many more. Opening with a general introduction to basic drawing tools, materials, and drawing techniques, each page in this comprehensive resource features two to three easy-to-follow steps demonstrating how to create each specific texture. Readers will discover tips and techniques for working in both graphite and charcoal and how to manage their differences when hatching, stippling, scumbling, blending, and more. With its breadth of coverage, easy-to-follow instruction, and helpful tips, 101 Textures in Graphite & Charcoal is a must-have resource for artists of all skill levels.

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Book SynopsisWhether you’re the photographer behind the camera or the model in front of the lens, chances are you could use some help with posing, which is one of the biggest challenges when it comes to portrait photography. POSE! provides the knowledge and the inspiration you need to make your next photo shoot a success.With over 1,000 different looks for you to recreate and experiment with, the book covers a wide range of poses and subject matter in an easily accessible and visually dynamic layout. Photographer and author Mehmet Eygi demonstrates exactly how to get the right pose—from hand and leg placement, to a subtle tilt of the chin, to engaging with props and the environment around you.Each pose covered consists of a main pose followed by three variations on that pose. Organized by subject matter, POSE! covers: WOMEN: Portrait, Beauty, Fashion, Lingerie, Implied Nude, Curvy, Curvy Boudoir, Sports, Business, Wall MEN: Portrait, Fashion, Implied Nude, Sports, Business, Wall COUPLES: Portrait, Fashion, Implied Nude, Sports MATERNITY: Mother, Couple FAMILY: Parents and Baby, New Family, Children Whether you use POSE! as an educational tool to explore the art of posing, or you simply use it as a look-book to find photographic inspiration or to help you direct a model, you’ll quickly improve your portrait photography starting with your very next shoot.

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Book SynopsisWithout light, there is no photograph. As almost every photographer knows, the word "photograph" has its roots in two Greek words that, together, mean "drawing with light." But what is less commonly acknowledged and understood is the role that shadow plays in creating striking, expressive imagery, especially in portraiture. It is through deft, nuanced use of both light and shadow that you can move beyond shooting simply ordinary, competent headshots into the realm of creating dramatic portraiture that can so powerfully convey a subject's inner essence, communicate a personal narrative, and express your photographic vision.In The Dramatic Portrait: The Art of Crafting Light and Shadow, Chris Knight addresses portraiture with a unique approach to both light and shadow that allows you to improve and elevate your own portraiture. He begins with the history of portraiture, from the early work of Egyptians and Greeks to the sublime treatment of light and subject by artists such as Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and Vermeer. Chris then dives into a deep, hands-on exploration of light, shadow, and portraiture, offering numerous lessons and takeaways.

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