Art & Photography Books
C & T Publishing Cosplay Book Of Ballgowns
Book SynopsisCreate the Cosplay Dress of Your Dreams Design and sew a ballgown fit for cosplay royalty! A crucial part of any cosplayers wardrobe, the right ballgown can transform you into an elegant princess or a dramatic sorcerer. But it takes more than just magic to create jaw-dropping gowns and ball-worthy dresses. Follow along with world champion cosplayers Cowbutt Crunchies as they walk sewists of all skill levels through building a ballgown with all the flourishes. This book contains everything you need to know about silhouette, planning, patterning, construction, corsets, hoop skirts, and trims. Craft your own magical fairytale masterpiece from start to finish! Curtsy with confidence! Sew elaborate cosplay ballgowns from scratch Take your builds to the next level with tips from award-winning cosplayers Regan and Kelley This complete guide helps new and experienced sewists build stunning showpiece gowns
£14.39
Tuttle Publishing Origami Paper 500 sheets Psychedelic Patterns 6
Book SynopsisThis paper pack contains 500 high-quality, 6-inch origami sheets printed with colorful and psychedelic patterns. This origami paper pack includes: 500 sheets of high-quality origami paper 12 unique patterns Bright, vibrant colors Double-sided color 6 x 6 inch (15 cm) squares Step-by-step instructions for 5 easy-to-fold origami projectsThese stunning origami papers were developed to enhance the creative work of origami artists and paper crafters. The pack contains 12 unique patterns, and all of the papers are printed with coordinating colors on the reverse to provide aesthetically pleasing combinations in origami models that show both the front and back. Warm up your origami skills with included instructions for 5 classic origami models: Pinwheel Star Box Balloon Helmet Crane
£12.35
Hawthorn Press Creative Form Drawing: Workbook 3
Book SynopsisAnyone wanting to develop their drawing skills, as well as artists, teachers and students, will enjoy the creative challenge of form drawing. Regular practise can help discover what the art of line can mean. Drawing skills are developed through systematic exercises, and can develop self-confidence, balance and tranquillity. Simple form drawing is used in Steiner?Waldorf schools as a companion discipline to handwriting and drawing skills. It offers a healthy antidote to screen culture.
£15.29
Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc Go with the Flow Painting
Book SynopsisLearn how to create beautiful loose and expressive florals, still lifes, motifs, animals, modes of transport, and fruits and vegetables in vibrant watercolor with touches of pen and ink. In Go with the Flow Painting, author Ohn Mar Win (Instagram: @ohn_mar_win) offers beginner-friendly techniques, tips, and step-by-step lessons that show how to get the most out of these mediums and paint confidently in this captivating style. Discover a new visual language that renders subjects with soft edges and luminous color. Capture just enough detail to suggest familiar flowers, animals, and objects and allow your unique expression and style to flourish. Begin with essential supplies and learn the key characteristics of loose watercolor. Practice basic techniques that lay the foundation for this style, such as working wet-on-wet, creating color gradients, layering, and creating shapes. Learn the best way to use brushes, anTrade Review"Beautifully and effectively organized and presented, Go with the Flow Painting is an ideal combination of instructional guide and 'how to' manual that will be of immense interest and value to aspiring artists wanting to work with watercolors." * Midwest Book Review *“This is a wonderful guide for beginners [and] an essential book." * Library Journal Starred Review *Table of ContentsContents INTRODUCTION 1 Art Supplies WATERCOLOR PAINTS BRUSHES DIP PENS & NIBS PAPER & SKETCHBOOKS 2 The Flow State WHAT DO I MEAN BY FLOW STATE? CHARACTERISTICS OF LOOSE WATERCOLOR LOADING YOUR BRUSH COLOR MIXING ON PAPER WET-ON-WET WET-ON-DRY 3 Warm-Up Techniques & Exercises WORKING FAST PRACTICING BRUSH CONTROL PRACTICING SHAPES & WATER RATIO WARM-UP PROJECTS INTRODUCING EXPRESSIVE INK 4 Food & Drink MACARONS ICE CREAM BELL PEPPERS MILKSHAKES 5 Animals FLAMINGOS SNAILS TURTLE CHAMELEON 6 Travel HOT AIR BALLOON SAILBOAT SUBMARINE GLOBE 7 Florals DOUGLAS ASTER STARGAZER LILY CORAL PEONIES CHERRY BLOSSOM TREE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ABOUT THE AUTHOR INDEX
£17.09
Monacelli Press Megastructure: Urban Futures of the Recent Past
Book SynopsisA long-sought reprint of this classic of architectural history and criticism, surveying a movement that would inspire architects, fantasists, and filmmakers alike. It is an architectural concept as alluring as it is elusive, as futuristic as it is primordial. Megastructure is what it sounds like: a vastly scaled edifice that can contain potentially countless uses, contexts, and adaptations. Theorized and briefly experimented with in built form in the 1960s, megastructures almost as quickly went out of fashion in the profession. But Reyner Banham's 1976 book compiled the origin stories and ongoing mythos of this visionary movement, seeking to chart its lively rise, rapid fall, and ongoing meaning. Megastructure: Urban Futures of the Recent Past is part of the recent surge in attention to this quixotic form, of which some examples were built but to this day remains - decades after its codification - more of a poetic idea than a real architectural type. Banham, among the most gifted and incisive architectural critics and historians of his time, sought connections between theoretical origins in Le Corbusier's more starry-eyed drawings to the flurry of theories by the Japanese Metabolist architects, to less intentional examples in military architecture, industry, infrastructure, and the emerging instances in pop culture and art. Had he written the book a few years later he would find an abundance of examples in speculative art and science fiction cinema, mediums where it continues to provoke wonder to this day. A long-sought study by an author who combined imagination, wit, and pioneering scholarship, the republication of Megastructure is an opportunity for scholars and laypeople alike to return to the origins of this fantastic urban idea.Trade Review“A brilliant historical survey.” - Architectural Record “[A] very timely reissue.” - Metropolis “[E]xhaustive in its presentation.” - A Daily Dose of Architecture "Of all Reyner Banham’s works, Megastructure has only grown more timely as cities escalate beyond reason, and as architects and urbanists struggle for terms to describe the spaces of twenty-first century life. As Banham illustrates and as Todd Gannon, in a brilliant new foreword, elucidates further, megastructures are not simply big buildings, nor collections of them, but a new order of civic and infrastructural presence. Banham was the first to grasp this new common denominator of globalization." - Joe Day, Principal, Deegan-Day Design "As both a living relic of the past and a haunting vision of an indeterminate future (think Blade Runner 2049) the megastructure continues to capture the imagination. Important in its time for offering the first comprehensive survey on the subject, this facsimile edition of Reyner Banham’s 1976 book will appeal to a new readership interested in how the visionary architecture of the 1960s came to be built all over the world. This republication sheds light on an important chapter in the history of late modern architecture as recounted by a major architectural historian and critic who played an instrumental role in the megastructure’s formation." - Sarah Deyong, College of Architecture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
£29.71
Hirmer Verlag Alfons Mucha
Book SynopsisAt the beginning of the twentieth century, when Alfons Mucha went to the United States for four years as a lecturer, the world-famous poster designer, Art-Nouveau book illustrator, designer, photographer and painter was greeted with enthusiasm. Mucha is regarded as one of the most important representatives of Jugendstil; he knew how to move between the various genres more skilfully than virtually any other artist of his day.After training as a stage decorator in Vienna, Mucha travelled via Munich to Paris. There he created a stir in the 1890s with his stylistically refined and elegantly executed posters. These designs were not only his artistic breakthrough; they also revolutionised the aesthetic of what was still a new medium. Mucha’s later works also demonstrated the inimitable “Mucha style,” which celebrated floral elements, lines and beauty and which is lavishly illustrated in this book.
£9.95
Design Originals Notebook Doodles Peace Love and Music
Book SynopsisColoring books for grownups are this year's biggest new trend in publishing. Notebook Doodles is the FIRST coloring series aimed directly at TWEENS. The adult market is hot and now YA buyers are looking for product. This series fills a hole that is not being served. The author is an established popular designer who knows this market and has an original, authentic style. There is no other series like this. Priced to FLY at $7.99!
£6.23
Search Press Ltd Addictive – An Artist’s Sketchbook: Adebanji
Book SynopsisPraise for The Addictive Sketcher: "It's impossible not to be carried along by his enthusiasm and the sheer dynamism of his work. Although this is carried out for the most part in the field, it's remarkably polished and a lot more than just quick notes. There's an element of improvisation - a jazz-like tone - and Adebanji certainly has a natural ability. If you share his love of drawing, this is a book to embrace as well as learn from." - The Artist magazine Adebanji Alade is one of the UK’s most renowned artists – and he’s addicted to sketching. Inspired by the sights and sounds of London, he travels around the city filling his sketchbooks with drawings of people, places and scenes of contemporary urban life. Showcasing one of Adebanji’s inspirational sketchbooks in its entirety, and with a fascinating introduction to the way he works, this unique visual record of everyday city life also offers a compelling insight into the creative process of a modern urban sketcher.Trade ReviewAdebanji Alade is a self-confessed sketchbook addict. Renowned artist, teacher at Heatherley School of Fine Art and vice president of the Royal Institute of Oil Painterm Adebanji makes regular appearances on the BBC's The One Show and can be found sketching the sights and sounds of London. His facinating new book, Addictive An Artists Sketchbook showcases one of the artist's sketchbooks in its entirety, showing a unique visual record of everyday life in the city of London. In his introduction Adebanji describes the way he works, and sthe sketchbook allows us an intimate peep into the artist's creative process. The sketches are inspirational and very soon you find you are addicted too! * Leisure Painter *I already own a copy of the wonderful, The Addictive Sketcher. It's got lots of examples, hints and tips and clear photographs showing you how to achieve similar sketches. There are suggestions of places to sketch, where to find subjects etc. Adebanji Alade is a working artist and his enthusiasm and the joy he gets from his art is apparent and infectious. Addictive: An Artist’s Sketchbook, is exactly what it says. It's a very full sketchbook showing the faces and places of everyday city life that Adebanji was inspired to record. There is no text as such (apart from the foreword and three pages of introduction). But my goodness the 275 pages that follow is full of sketches and artists written notes. It's wonderful to look at. There are all types of drawings from very rough to more detailed, and all types of faces and figures, park scenes. All life is there. The brief, handwritten artist's notes give an interesting insight into what inspires the artist, although sometimes it's just a name/place and a date. It a very interesting companion book to The Addictive Sketcher. I've been doing more drawing and sketching this year than I've ever done before. It's a great way to pass the time while stuck at home because of the coronavirus pandemic. I have sketchbooks. My inspiration has been faces and figures I see online and on television (I pause the screen and sketch). And some online tutorials. When I look at Adebanji's sketchbook I'm inspired and want to go out and about to draw – maybe not just yet, but soon, I hope. I was ready to throw out my old sketchbooks which, like Addictive, are mostly studies of faces, but I think I'll keep them now as a record of my progress (if any) and I'll use the space better with more little sketches on each page, and importantly, notes and the date! If only I had Adebanji Alade's talent! Addictive: An Artist's Sketchbook has definitely inspired me to do more. -- Janis Steele * Amazon Customer Review *Looking at another artist's sketchbook can feel like an invasion of their privacy. It can also be unenlightening as you look at half-worked ideas and visual notes that had so much meaning for their creator and tell the viewer precisely nothing. When the artist is Adebanji Alade, however, it's a different ball-game altogether. The work here is surprisingly complete because sketching is what he does. These are real people, captured in real time and they live, breathe, even more on the page. The images are mostly faces, and they're active, attentive, thoughtful, in repose. To catch the subtlety of expression requires quick working and you'll be amazed by what Adebanji – and you – can achieve. This isn't an instructional book, but the sheer volume of work and the busyness of the pages is inspiring. The spiral binding could make it seem mannered, but actually conveys the feel of a much-used sketchbook. -- Henry Malt * Leisure Painter *Spiral bound and presented with no more text than forewords by Pete Brown and Ken Howard (those being the kind of circles Adebanji moves in these days) and an introduction by the artist himself, this, as a whole, is a piece of art in itself. You can read it as simply as an exhibition – being a sketcher, you’re not really going to ask for more from Adebanji than sketches. However, the sheer heft and volume become something else. It’s hard to put a finger on what that is, but I think I’m going to settle for “variety”, maybe also “humanity”. Adebanji is at home in crowds and these pages are nothing if not heavily populated. There’s a wealth here of faces, poses, expressions and situations. You don’t need to know who the people are or always what they’re doing. They’re studies and deserve – demand – to be studied themselves. If you’re coming at this to learn, then marvel at precisely that cornucopia of material, at all those ways to represent human beings at work, rest or play, at the sheer inventiveness of the observation that captures them. You could also use this like one of those manuals of poses that were all the rage a few decades ago. Those were reference books, but this adds a pleasant and valuable edge of creativity. Yes, to be here is a privilege, so take advantage and be exhilarated. -- Henry Malt * Artbookreview.net *Table of ContentsForewords by Peter Brown NEAC and Prof. Ken Howard OBE RA Introduction The sketchbook
£16.99
Tuttle Publishing A Beginners Guide to Chinese Brush Painting
Book Synopsis
£10.44
F&W Publications Inc Drawing Realistic Pencil Portraits Step by Step
Book SynopsisLearn to draw realistic portraits using only two types of pencils and the "Maas method" of approaching the blank page. Techniques and exercises build on one another as you practice your skills and gain confidence
£18.69
F&W Publications Inc How to Draw Without Talent
Book SynopsisWant to draw but don't think you have the talent? This book is for you--no experience or formal training required!
£18.75
Viction Workshop Ltd Palette Mini Series 03: Gold & Silver
Book Synopsis
£21.25
Bodleian Library Lighted Window, The: Evening Walks Remembered
Book SynopsisHomecoming, haunting, nostalgia, desire: these are some of the themes evoked by the beguiling motif of the lighted window in literature and art. In this innovative combination of place-writing, memoir and cultural study, Peter Davidson takes us on atmospheric walks through nocturnal cities in Britain, Europe and North America, and revisits the field paths of rural England. Surveying a wide range of material, the book extends, chronologically, from early romantic painting to contemporary fiction, and geographically, from the Low Countries to Japan. It features familiar lighted windows in English literature (in the works of poets such as Thomas Hardy and Matthew Arnold and in the novels of Virginia Woolf, Arthur Conan Doyle and Kenneth Grahame) and examines the painted nocturnes of James Whistler, John Atkinson Grimshaw and the ruralist Samuel Palmer. It also considers Japanese prints of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries; German romanticism in painting, poetry and music; Proust and the painters of the French belle époque; René Magritte’s 'L’Empire des Lumières'; and North American painters such as Edward Hopper and Linden Frederick. By interpreting the interactions of art, literature and geography around this evocative motif, Peter Davidson shows how it has inspired an extraordinary variety of moods and ideas, from the romantic period to the present day.Trade Review'This is an art-history and English-literature lesson rolled into one, best enjoyed in the glow of your own bedside lamp, ideally with a storm raging outside.' * Country Life *'Davidson creates his own idiosyncratic, hybrid genre in which cultural history, nature writing and place writing are channelled through personal experience. … [he is] an excellent guide not just along pavements and footpaths but around paintings too, teasing out shades of meaning. ... Imagination and memory, the book suggests, create their own lighted windows in the darkest of journeys and have the power to change the world around us.' * TLS *'Erudite, companionable, and hypnotically satisfying.' * Financial Times *'While it's beautiful to peruse, this is no coffee-table book but a beguiling work of academia and an excellent festive offering for anyone who has walked past a lighted window on a dark evening and wondered about the goings-on inside.' * The Field *'There isn’t a Faber Book of Windows at Night, but Davidson is certainly the man for the job and The Lighted Window is a sort of memoir of the thought processes that would have produced one.' * The Literary Review *'A beautiful and timely book.' * Radio 4 Open Book *'A must-read if you've ever been captivated by a glimpse into another life on your evening stroll.' * OX Magazine *'Will evoke fond memories for any alumnus … the book will banish away winter nights while evoking the anticipation of spring and summer.' * QUAD Magazine *'A connoisseur of the crepuscular, the in-between zone dividing night and day, and all its electrifying implications. ... Winter cities, London nocturnes, northern townscapes … These generate aesthetically significant representations within the boundaries of Peter Davidson’s pungent and particular theme. He brings us some unexpected and enlightening assessments and observations, as his book proceeds on its scholarly and seductive way.' * Dublin Review of Books *'In this gorgeous book, Peter Davidson heads out into Oxford at nightfall, to consider cities in winter and rural summer twilights that embrace the warmth of the day. ... Enchanting.' * The Simple Things *Table of ContentsContents 1. Introduction 2. Winter Cities 3. London Nocturne 4. Windows in the Landscape 5. Northern Townscapes; Western Suburbs 6. Summer Night Illuminations Notes Further Reading Acknowledgments Picture Credits Index
£22.50
Ryland, Peters & Small Ltd Seasonal Scandi Crafts: Over 45 Projects and
Book SynopsisCreate 45 simple projects with a Scandinavian flavour, including home decorations, garlands and beautiful gifts. Christiane Bellstedt Myers has developed a beautiful collection of decorative makes using rustic fabrics and natural materials. The four chapters – Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter – cover a wide range of crafts, including collage, embroidery, painting and sewing, and take inspiration from Scandinavian seasonal traditions to bring magic to your year. Celebrate the coming of Spring with a lovely Clematis wreath, share the joy of Mid-Summer with your friends by setting the table outdoors using a handmade tablecloth, decorate your home for Autumn by bringing the harvest indoors, and make Winter a time for hygge by lighting plenty of candles and hanging some vintage chandelier crystals to capture the soft glow. Try out some simple embroidery on the lavender cushions, which would make great gifts, or make a pretty garland to hang on the mantelpiece at Christmas. So why not get the family involved and make each season really special by making decorations together? You can then relive those happy memories each year as you decorate your home.Trade ReviewChristiane Bellstedt Myers' Seasonal Scandi Crafts will provide all the instructions and the inspiration you need. – Period LivingThis is ideal for admirers of the Scandi Style. – Simply Crochet
£11.69
Scholastic US Sew Your Own Ice Cream Animals Klutz
Book SynopsisMake adorable mini plushies with Sew Your Own Ice Cream Animalsby Klutz! In this adorable kit, kids can sew four ice creamanimal treats with an extra topping of personality!
£15.24
SelfMadeHero Andy: The Life and Times of Andy Warhol
Book SynopsisFrom the thirty-two canvas Campbell's Soup Cans to the Marilyn Diptych, Andy Warhol's silk-screen prints are the epitome of Pop Art: witty, gimmicky and unafraid of repetition. Obsessed with consumerism and the cult of celebrity, Warhol exalted the "surface of things" – and yet he was a man of deep complexity. In Andy, Typex captures the remarkable life of the king of Pop Art, from his working-class upbringing in Pittsburgh to the dizzying heights of his celebrity. Spanning a period that began with the "talkies" and ended with the advent of house music, it is also a memorable portrait of 20th century pop culture and the stars who defined it: from Elvis to Greta Garbo, Truman Capote to Lou Reed. Taking in Warhol's early career as a commercial illustrator, his relationship with the Velvet Underground and the development of his own instantly recognisable style, Typex's Andy is an exhilarating portrait of a transcendent artist and a master self-publicist. Intensively researched, this 568-page graphic novel--with silver edgestain on the pages—is the first to tell the complete life story of the iconic pop artist.Trade Review“As an art object, it’s unlikely to be outdone by any new release any time soon.” -- Library Journal"the utterly irresistible Andy: The Life and Times of Andy Warhol by Typex (SelfMadeHero) will hit the mark with art fans, whether they love or loathe its subject." -- The Guardian, Best Books of 2018
£21.24
Five Continents Editions Bill Traylor
Book SynopsisBorn into slavery around 1853-4 on a cotton plantation in Benton, Alabama, Traylor has become one of the most important self-taught artists of the twentieth century, and certainly one of the most celebrated African-American artists, along with Thorton Dial and William Edmondson. The story of Bill Traylor's life and work is a remarkable one. It is a story that deserves attention both nationally and internationally. This publication, generously illustrated with full-page high-quality reproductions, provides a close examination of Traylor's recurrent themes, composition schemes, favoured iconography, and contextual information related to the artist's biography, creative process and tools, visual environment, and artistic mindset. Each artwork is considered in a context beyond that of an isolated image and in response to one another, forming a series of intricate and consistent narratives, intriguingly cinematic in its development. The elements of Traylor's biography are the anchors of an individual mythology. Instead of merely being a basic depiction, the subject becomes a visual statement structuring Traylor's mind, bringing together hidden symbols from Kongo Vodou, Hoodoo, Southern Baptist, Freemasonry, and Blues sources, as well as layers of references: slavery, uncensored violence in the Jim Crow era, and turbulence within the black enclave known as 'Dark Town' in Montgomery, Alabama. Text in English and French.
£999.99
Viz Media, Subs. of Shogakukan Inc The Promised Neverland: Art Book World
Book SynopsisA deluxe art book showcasing Posuka Demizu’s incredible artwork from the hit manga series.A beautiful hardcover art book featuring full-color art, sketches, comments, and a Q&A with Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu about their popular manga series.Featuring Posuka Demizu’s incredible artwork, as well as creator commentary and interviews, The Promised Neverland: Art Book World is a beautiful and haunting gaze into the art of one of today’s most popular Shonen Jump manga series.
£20.39
Random House USA Inc Stitchcraft: An Embroidery Book of Simple
Book SynopsisStep inside a world of arcane imagery and rich esoteric symbolism in this deeply imaginative embroidery art book! Author Gayla Partridge draws upon her knowledge of phrenology, anatomy, floral design and Ouija to create unique twists on an age-old craft. Through extraordinary, stylised photography and detailed close-ups of designs, the pieces in 'Stitchcraft' are entirely achievable with basic embroidery stitches and easy-to-follow instructions, enchanting embroidery beginners and experts alike.
£15.19
GMC Publications Silver Clay Workshop: Getting Started in Silver
Book SynopsisIf you love silver jewellery but don't have the time or patience to learn traditional silversmithing techniques, then the exciting medium of silver clay will open up a whole new range of possibilities to your jewellery making. Boasting all the same properties as modelling clay, it is 99.9 per cent pure silver meaning you can make high-quality jewellery using the easiest of techniques. This handy new book is perfect for anyone taking their first steps with this rewarding craft. Get stuck in to the varied series of 22 projects that show perfectly the versatility of silver clay. Shape, roll, cut, mould and indent your way through them, learning the techniques as you go. From pendants and bracelets to rings and statement beads, there will be something for everyone. AUTHOR: Melanie Blaikie's love of all things sparkly began when she trained as a diamond valuer for De Beers. She went on to forge a successful career as a jewellery designer working for many of the biggest names in the industry, including Garrard, Asprey and Tiffany. After studying traditional silversmithing techniques, Melanie discovered silver clay and fell in love with this amazing medium. She is now one of the foremost tutors of silver clay work in the UK and has contributed to Beads and Beyond magazine. SELLING POINTS: . Each project has a difficulty rating to show how you can progress from beginner to learning more advanced skills . Jargon-free expensive specialist tools and equipment . No need for expensive specialist tools and equipment . 22 quick and simple projects 436 colour photographs
£14.44
Edition Reuss Hairy Pussy Angels
Book SynopsisText in English, French & German. How beautiful are these pilose vulvas that are natural and hairy and not shaven bald. I feel happy whenever I see something beautiful. Many past cultures worshipped vulvas. And its no small wonder that today, vulvas have started again to unfold their magical charms, at least within the world of fine art. So it is that Paramonov''s angels appear unashamed of their hairiness, act rather proud of their unshaven, natural beauty.
£44.79
Harvard University Press Six Drawing Lessons
Book SynopsisArt, William Kentridge says, is its own form of knowledge. It does not simply supplement the real world, and cannot be purely understood in the rational terms of academic disciplines. The studio is where linear thinking is abandoned and the material processes of the eye, the hand, the charcoal and paper become themselves the guides of creativity.Trade Review[This] is an enlightening, circuitous, and self-reflexive performance that delves into [Kentridge’s] greatest obsessions in the realms of art, politics, history, and image-making… Kentridge discusses topics including Plato’s cave allegory (a subject that looms over much, if not all, of the book), Africa’s colonies, and the violence of the Enlightenment. He delivers sharp insights into the history and character of Johannesburg; his memories from growing up under apartheid provide some of the book’s most lucid moments. He also elaborates upon life in the art studio (a ‘safe space for stupidity’)… Time—including how it affects work in the studio—and memory are also major themes. The argument here is really an anti-argument; Kentridge emphasizes the need to occupy the gap between certainty and uncertainty, and stresses ‘being aware of the limits of seeing,’ and ‘our own limits of understanding, the limits of our memory, but prodding the memory nonetheless.’… This is an essential book for anybody seeking a better understanding of Kentridge’s work. * Publishers Weekly *Anyone who has seen the film animations of the great South African artist will be fascinated by the account he gives of his thinking and studio practice. -- Kenneth Baker * San Francisco Chronicle *This is a beautiful and necessary book in all respects… It looks at the work of an artist from his own perspective, which in some instances may be a risky strategy, but Kentridge is such a good writer that the book is as brisk as it is insightful… He is also a wonderful draftsman, and his drawings, often executed in pen and ink or cut paper, are carefully reproduced here. The production of this book was handled as a work of art too. The size, proportion, binding, and attention to detail are superb. The design by Dean Bornstein harmonizes perfectly with the tone of the book. Enthusiastically recommended. -- S. Skaggs * Choice *
£28.76
Orion Publishing Co Giacometti: A Biography
Book SynopsisThe definitive biography of a fascinating and enigmatic figure'Succeeds in every way as one of the most readable, fascinating and informative documents, not just on an artist, but on art and artists in general' WASHINGTON TIMES'The most moving biography of a modern artist I've read' NEWSWEEKAlberto Giacometti is one of the best-known artists of the twentieth century. Born in a Swiss village, he moved to pre-war Paris and went on to play a leading role in the art world, alongside characters such as Picasso, Balthus, Samuel Beckett and Sartre.His passionate and strange life reflects the genius of his works - his gaunt and haunting sculptures and his unsettling paintings. As someone who was personally acquainted with Giacometti and his peers, and who has consolidated his personal knowledge with extensive research, James Lord is uniquely qualified to write Giacometti's biography.Trade ReviewSucceeds in every way as one of the most readable, fascinating and informative documents, not just on an artist, but on art and artists in general * WASHINGTON TIMES *Lord has written the most moving biography of a modern artist I've read * NEWSWEEK *
£999.99
3DTotal Publishing Ltd Sketching from the Imagination: Fantasy
Book SynopsisDrawings are the foundations of great fantasy art where concepts, thoughts, and inspirations first become an image. In Sketching from the Imagination: Fantasy, fifty talented traditional and digital artists have been chosen to share their sketchbook works and describe their artistic practices when forging new ideas as beautiful sketches. Ranging from Hollywood film concept designers to talented students, each artist is handpicked from a vibrant international art community and from a wide spectrum of styles and mediums. This exquisite new title explores how fifty artists develop their ideas, drawing on diverse sources and their own imaginations to create incredible images. In each article, artists share their love for fantasy drawing, exploring the inspirations and processes behind their practices. Packed with tips, tricks, and creative insights, the artists reveal how they developed their skills, exercise their talents, and explore new fantasy ideas through the forum of drawing. From doodles and sketches of creative creatures to fully rendered drawings of invented worlds, each collection is a compendium of concepts to intrigue and inspire the creatively minded. Following the runaway success of Sketching from the Imagination: An Insight into Creative Drawing, 3DTotal Publishing's new title Sketching from the Imagination: Fantasy focuses on designing concepts for one of the most popular genres for artists and audiences alike. A visually stunning collection packed with useful advice, Sketching from the Imagination: Fantasy is an excellent value resource for concept design that will inspire artists of all abilities, as well as those that simply admire beautiful art.
£17.09
Pearson Education (US) Sketchnote Handbook The
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Entertaining and memorable (just like sketchnotes), this fast-reading, fact-packed book by the godfather of sketchnoting provides everything you and your team need to know about the creative, mnemonic, and business benefits of this brilliant new method of note taking." -Jeffrey Zeldman, author of Designing with Web Standards "The perfect introduction to visual note taking and the most useful how-to guide I've ever read, no contest." -Josh Kaufman, author of The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business "Mike Rohde has taken his original, fun, and smart approach to note taking and broken it down into simple, clear steps. Now anyone can use sketchnotes to capture ideas-even you and me." -Chris Guillebeau, author of The $100 Startup "I hear a lot of people talk about sketchnoting, visual thinking, and how best to harness your ideas. Mike Rohde is the real deal. When Mike Rohde puts pencil and ink to paper, you should damn well be paying attention." -Shawn O'Keefe, SXSW Interactive Festival Producer "Anyone who utilizes the practical methodology Mike demonstrates in this book will not only improve their retention regarding the collating of notes, they'll fundamentally increase their overall creative potential as well. As Saul Bass so eloquently stated, 'Design is thinking made visual,' and sketchnotes are an ideal way to archive intellectual assets and flesh them out via simple drawing methods. This is a profoundly simple book, yet the results will be simply profound because it equips anyone to be able to do this." -Von Glitschka, Glitschka Studios "Sketchnotes are a great way to capture the highlights of an idea in a way that'll naturally work for your brain. Nobody will teach you how to do it better than Mike. -David Heinemeier Hansson, 37signals and co-author of REWORK "I use sketchnoting as a way to calm my brain-and help me focus on the task at hand-while it is trying to run off without me. With The Sketchnote Handbook, Mike gives you the backstory and the method to creating truly beautiful notes. It's a marvel to behold." -Myke Hurley, founder of the 70Decibels network "Mike Rohde practices what he preaches. This beautiful, simple book has everything you need to sketchnote like a pro! The Sketchnote Handbook is destined to be the definitive guide to a new, practical, and innovative discipline." -Dave Gray, X-PLANE, author of The Connected Company and co-author of Gamestorming "Something magical happens when you take notes with pictures and words together. In this friendly, encouraging book, sketchnote wizard Mike Rohde shares his secrets so that anybody can steal his tricks for capturing ideas with pen and paper." -Austin Kleon, author of Steal Like an Artist "The Sketchnote Handbook is an informative, hands-on book designed to quickly share the principles of sketchnoting, so you can get right to creating sketchnotes for yourself. Mike's fun, illustrative style energizes you to pick up a pen and sketchnote!" -Nancy Duarte, CEO Duarte Inc, best-selling author of Resonate and Slide:ology "This book is not really a book. It's a tool kit for learning a new and better way of capturing and understanding information, and it's perfectly aligned with the way our brains actually work. If you're a student, or a teacher, or a businessperson, this book has the potential to change the way you learn, and the way you think." -Daniel Coyle, The New York Times best-selling author of The Talent Code and The Little Book of Talent "Never fear note taking again. Rohde demystifies the practice and makes it accessible to everyone. Your brain will thank him later." -Sunni Brown, co-author of Gamestorming "The Sketchnote Handbook is a call to fully engage and enhance the big concepts and key ideas we are exposed to at conferences, in meetings, and daily life. Doodles are no longer a dirty word! Mike Rohde's easy examples and straightforward explanations make it accessible for anyone. This is a revolution that takes simple note taking to another plateau, turning it into actionable art." -Patrick Rhone, author of Keeping It Straight and enough "For The Sketchnoting Handbook, Mike uses his famous talent of distilling and illustrating other people's ideas, and he shares some ideas of his own-how to create your own awesome sketchnotes. Not only is Mike a clever illustrator, he's also an approachable and clear communicator. His book is equal parts fun and instruction." -Shawn Blanc, shawnblanc.net "There are great storytellers, and there are great artists. And then there is Mike Rohde: a magnificent blend of the two. What Mike has made into a professional art form we once did as children-rely on a blend of visuals and words to communicate. We've since been pulled too far in the direction of words, and Mike's book is here to help us reawaken the full range of our abilities." -Leslie Bradshaw, co-founder, president, and COO of JESS3 "The Sketchnote Handbook is neither about sketching nor is it about note taking. It's about receiving and processing the world in a more complete and insightful way. It's a software upgrade for your brain. For those who've been shamed into thinking that drawing is either beyond them or beneath them, this book offers a whole new way of mastering the daily onslaught of information and turning it into raw material for discovery. (For those of us who've done this all our lives, the book provides a beautifully conceived and lovingly illustrated treat, and a great gift for our left-brained friends.)" -Stefan G. Bucher, creator of dailymonster.com, author of 344 Questions: The Creative Person's Do-It-Yourself Guide to Insight, Survival, and Artistic FulfillmentTable of ContentsChapter 1: What Are Sketchnotes?Chapter 2: Why Sketchnote?Chapter 3: Listen UpChapter 4: The Sketchnoting Process Chapter 5: Types of SketchnotesChapter 6: Sketchnote StrategiesChapter 7: Sketchnoting Techniques
£28.99
Canongate Books The Complete Peanuts 1953-1954: Volume 2
Book SynopsisIn addition to introducing the beloved character Pig-Pen, The Complete Peanuts: 1953-1954 shows many of the cast of characters beginning to take on their best-known personality traits - from Linus's philosophical thoughtfulness to Lucy's fussiness, as well as Snoopy's emerging eccentricity. This volume also features an essay on Schulz by the legendary broadcaster Walter Cronkite, a biography of Schulz, and the popular index to characters, objects and themes!Trade Review"'An extraordinary publishing project.' Time 'So well-done that any reader will be impatient for the rest of the series, but in the meantime this is a book to savour.' Amazon.com 'Now that Schulz is gone, the comic he drew for fifty years looks more eccentric and ingenious all the time.' Washington Post"
£17.00
F&W Publications Inc The Big Book of Realistic Drawing Secrets: Easy
Book SynopsisThis is the book that can teach anyone to draw (yes, even you!) If you're not getting the kind of true-to-life results you want in your drawings (or if you can't even draw a straight line), Carrie and Rick Parks can help. As award-winning teachers, they have a proven game plan for helping artists of all levels overcome common problems and see immediate improvement in their work. As professional composite artists, they know the tricks and tools for achieving incredibly lifelike results. In this friendly, foolproof guide to drawing, they share it all: Easy-to-master techniques for achieving a convincing sense of depth How to draw challenging textures like metal and fur Putting personality into your portraits 40+ step-by-step demonstrations featuring a variety of people, animals and nature Easy enough so that beginners can jump right in, and comprehensive enough to help more accomplished artists refine their skills. This book covers all the essentials, teaching you the secrets of realistic drawing one step at a time, building the skills you need to tackle any subject convincingly--even those you've always thought were beyond your reach. Before you know it, you'll be turning out picturesque landscapes, stellar portraits--any subject that inspires you to put pencil to paper!
£17.59
Getty Trust Publications Robert Mapplethorpe - The Archive
Book SynopsisCelebrated photographer Robert Mapplethorpe challenged the limits of censorship and conformity, com- bining technical and formal mastery with unexpected, often provocative content that secured his place in history. Mapplethorpe's artistic vision helped shape the social and cultural fabric of the 1970s and 80s and, following his death in 1989 from AIDS, informed the political landscape of the 1990s. His photographic works continue to resonate with audiences all over the world. Throughout his career, Mapplethorpe preserved studio files and art from every period and vein of his production, including student work, jewelry, sculptures, and commercial assignments. The resulting archive is fascinating and astonishing. With over four hundred illustrations, this volume surveys a virtually unknown resource that sheds new light on the artist's motivations, connections, business acumen, and tal- ent as a curator and collector.Trade Review"[This book] surveys a virtually unknown resource that sheds new lights on the artist's motivations, connections, business acumen, and talent as a curator and collector."--Artlyst "This eclectic and visually stimulating book constitutes an important study of the artist's work and enduring influence."--Publishers Weekly
£47.50
Chronicle Books Why Drag
Book SynopsisFor over a decade, Magnus Hastings has been photographing the world''s greatest drag superstars and asking each of them a simple question: Why drag? The result is this mesmerizing volume in which the queens strut their stuff and reflect on their shared passion through a mixture of quips and philosophizing. Subjects include icons of reality TV and underground drag royalty, and photographs range from the divine to the trashy. Featuring the likes of Bianca Del Rio and Courtney Act, this collection is a beautiful celebration of drag as an art form and an exhilarating exploration of what drag means to its greatest artists.
£28.00
Rocky Nook Canon EOS R10: Pocket Guide: Buttons, Dials,
Book SynopsisConfirm that your camera is set up properly with the pre-shoot checklist Identify every button and dial on your camera Learn the essential modes and settings you need to know Dive deeper with additional features of your camera Execute step-by-step instructions for shooting in-camera multiple exposures, HDR images, and time-lapse movies Follow tips and techniques for getting great shots in typical scenarios (portrait, landscape, freezing action, low light, etc.)
£11.69
Taylor & Francis Directing
Book SynopsisDirecting: Film Techniques and Aesthetics is a comprehensive exploration into the art and craft of directing for film and television. Itâs filled with practical advice, essential technical information, and inspiring case studies for every stage of production. This book covers the methods, technologies, thought processes, and judgments that a director must use throughout the fascinating process of making a film, and concentrates on developing the human aspects of cinema to connect with audiences.The fully revised and updated 6th edition features new sections on using improvisation, the development of characters for long form television series, visual design, the role of the digital imaging technician, film promotion and distribution, alongside expanded information on contemporary color grading tools, stylistic approaches and genre, workflows, blocking scenes for the camera and more. The book emphasizes independent and short form cinema which allows cutting-edge creativity andTrade Review"This is a remarkable book and an invaluable reference for directors at all levels. Not only does it thoroughly explore the essential and enduring knowledge of the craft, the human connection to storytelling, but it also shows a director how to harness modern workflows and technology for maximum creative impact. It’s all there."Sameh Zoabi, writer-director, Tel Aviv on Fire; Under the Same Sun; Professor New York University.Praise for the previous edition"This terrific new edition, updating the classic, is one of the most complete manuals for directing you'll find. It gives both a broad overview and a detailed investigation of the craft; an explanation of the technology as well as an exploration of cinematic language and aesthetics. So take this guide, add your own passion for filmmaking, and you'll have a solid foundation for any movie you make." Nancy Savoca, director, Dogfight, Household Saints, 24 Hour Woman, and Union Square."While the basics of film aesthetics are well addressed, the value of this volume lies in its practical approach. Rabiger and Hurbis- Cherrier's firsthand experience allows them to describe the day- to- day of directing in simple, uncomplicated terms, appealing to both the novice and seasoned pro. . . The learning- by- doing method makes this across- the- board introduction accessible, practical and surprisingly entertaining."DGA Quarterly, http://www.dga.org/Craft/Praise for the fourth edition"Michael Rabiger's book "Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics" is the gold standard. His attention to the artistry of directing, not merely the technical concerns, puts him in the first rank. Rabiger's taste, knowledge, and insight are even more finely honed in this new edition. For the novice or the seasoned pro, this book is a joy and a must."Jared Rappaport, Chair of the Department of Cinema and Television Arts, California State University - Northridge"As he has in previous editions of "Directing," Michael Rabiger continues to offer a complete and comprehensive overview of virtually all aspects of directing, from ideas to budgeting, from casting to editing. From my viewpoint there is no comparable book on the market."Eric Swelstad, Department Chair - Media Arts, Los Angeles Valley College"A comprehensive introduction to directing that focuses heavily on the interpersonal and organizational aspects of the craft….For those about to embark on their debut short or feature, Directing offers a thorough manual that keeps one from having to learn everything the hard way." American Cinematographer"This is a remarkable book and an invaluable reference for directors at all levels. Not only does it thoroughly explore the essential and enduring knowledge of the craft, the human connection to storytelling, but it also shows a director how to harness modern workflows and technology for maximum creative impact. It’s all there." Sameh Zoabi, writer-director, Tel Aviv on Fire; Under the Same Sun; Professor New York University Praise for the previous edition"This terrific new edition, updating the classic, is one of the most complete manuals for directing you'll find. It gives both a broad overview and a detailed investigation of the craft; an explanation of the technology as well as an exploration of cinematic language and aesthetics.So take this guide, add your own passion for filmmaking, and you'll have a solid foundation for any movie you make." Nancy Savoca, director, Dogfight, Household Saints, 24 Hour Woman, and Union Square"While the basics of film aesthetics are well addressed, the value of this volume lies in its practical approach. Rabiger and Hurbis-Cherrier's firsthand experience allows them to describe the day-to-day of directing in simple, uncomplicated terms, appealing to both the novice and seasoned pro. . . The learning-by-doing method makes this across-the-board introduction accessible, practical and surprisingly entertaining."DGA Quarterly, http://www.dga.org/Craft/Praise for the fourth edition"Michael Rabiger's book Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics is the gold standard. His attention to the artistry of directing, not merely the technical concerns, puts him in the first rank. Rabiger's taste, knowledge, and insight are even more finely honed in this new edition. For the novice or the seasoned pro, this book is a joy and a must."Jared Rappaport, Chair of the Department of Cinema and Television Arts, California State University - Northridge"As he has in previous editions of Directing, Michael Rabiger continues to offer a complete and comprehensive overview of virtually all aspects of directing, from ideas to budgeting, from casting to editing. From my viewpoint there is no comparable book on the market."Eric Swelstad, Department Chair - Media Arts, Los Angeles Valley College"A comprehensive introduction to directing that focuses heavily on the interpersonal and organizational aspects of the craft….For those about to embark on their debut short or feature, Directing offers a thorough manual that keeps one from having to learn everything the hard way." American CinematographerTable of ContentsCONTENTSIntroduction PART 1: THE DIRECTOR AND ARTISTIC IDENTITY1 THE WORLD OF THE FILM DIRECTOR 2 DEVELOPING AS A DIRECTOR PART 2: THE STORY AND ITS DEVELOPMENT3 ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF DRAMA 4 SHAPING THE STORY INTO DRAMA 5 PLOT, TIME, AND STRUCTURE PART 3: THE DIRECTOR AND THE SCRIPT6 SCREENPLAY GROUND RULES 7 RECOGNIZING THE SUPERIOR SCREENPLAY 8 SCRIPT ANALYSIS AND DEVELOPMENTPART 4: AUTHORSHIP AND AESTHETICS9 CINEMATIC POINT OF VIEW10 FORM AND STYLE 11 TONE, STYLE AND GENRE PART 5: A DIRECTOR’S SCREEN GRAMMAR12 FILM LANGUAGE13 THE FRAME AND THE SHOT14 THE MOVING CAMERA 15 LANGUAGE OF THE EDIT16 THE HUMAN VANTAGE OF CINEMATIC LANGUAGEPART 6: PREPRODUCTION17 EXPLORING THE SCRIPT 18 CASTING 19 ACTING FUNDAMENTALS 22720 DIRECTING ACTORS21 REHEARSALS22 ACTING EXERCISE23 PLANNING THE VISUAL DESIGN24 DEVELOPING THE SHOOTING SCRIPT25 LINE PRODUCING AND LOGISTICSPART 7: PRODUCTION26 DEVELOPING A PRODUCTION CREW 27 THE DIRECTOR AND PRODUCTION TECH28 ON SET: PRODUCTION BEGINS 29 DIRECTING ON THE SET30 MONITORING CONTINUITY AND PROGRESSPART 8: POSTPRODUCTION 31 POSTPRODUCTION OVERVIEW32 EDITING BEGINS: GETTING TO KNOW THE FOOTAGE33 THE ROUGH CUT34 GETTING TO FINE CUT AND PICTURE LOCK 35 WORKING WITH MUSIC36 THE FINISHING TOUCHES37 GETTING IT OUT THERE FilmographyPhotograph and Illustration AcknowledgementsIndex
£50.34
Watson-Guptill Publications Watercolor Painting
Book SynopsisFeatures artwork with a range of subjects and styles. This title offers more thoughtful, fresh and original approach to watercolour.Table of ContentsWatercolor PaintingContentsIntroduction: Understanding Watercolor Chapter One: Translating a Subject into the Language of Watercolor Being Mindful of Your Subject Revisiting Your Purpose Identifying the Tricky Parts Knowing Where to Begin Knowing When to Stop Maintaining Intentionality with Your Marks Recognizing What Works Using the Language of Form Chapter Two: Knowing What Not to Paint Identifying the Major Shapes Creating a Five-Value Monochrome Study Evaluating a Simplified Study Creating a Two-Layer Geometric Sketch Thinking about Stopping Creating a Three-Layer Thumbnail Sketch Chapter Three: Seeing in Layers Resolving an Image through LayersLearning to Exercise Restraint Identifying Individual Layers Evaluating the Layers Chapter Four: Understanding Value Identifying the Lightest Part of the Picture Reserving the Whites Reserving Non-White Elements Identifying the Darkest Part of the Picture Bracketing the Values Knowing How Dark You Can Go Critiquing the Darks Knowing When to Depart from “Accuracy” Chapter Five: Sharing Control of Wetness Working with Hard and Soft Edges Planning the Wetness of the Paper Providing Enough Time for Each Task Gauging How Much Paint You Need Gauging the Wetness of the Brush Rewetting an Area Knowing When to Depart from “Accuracy” Chapter Six: Getting the Most out of Color Serving Your Main Goals with Color Evaluating Your Palette Mixing Your Colors Identifying the Dominant Color Evaluating the Effects of Color Temperature Knowing When to Depart from “Accuracy” Enlivening Your Darks Choosing Colors for Your Neutrals Chapter Seven: Developing an Instinct for Composition Sketching Your Subject Translating Form into Content Knowing When to Depart from “Accuracy” Creating the Illusion of Space Being Mindful of Abstraction Establishing Balance Chapter Eight: Becoming Your Own Teacher Identifying the Qualities of a Good Teacher Establishing Who Is in Charge Painting for Its Own Sake Devising Alternate Strategies Identifying What Worked Well Expanding Your Range Asking the Questions Index
£24.00
Watson-Guptill Publications Creating Characters with Personality
Book SynopsisFrom Snow White to Shrek, it is the design that communicates a character's personality, before a single word of dialogue is spoken. This book explains the design concepts, character hierarchy, and on how to work with script, how to maximize a pose, and how to finish a character that sparkles. It also includes advice from professionals.
£14.39
Laurence King Publishing Materials for Design
Book SynopsisOver the last ten years there has been a huge growth in the area of materials for design, but most books on this subject deal with advanced, semi-formed materials (that is, materials sold as sheet, rod, tube, etc.). This book provides much-needed information on the raw materials, and the low-down on how these can be used. Organized into three sections embracing grown, oil-based and mined materials, each entry includes information on key features, typical applications, production processes and sustainability issues. This fact-packed book will allow professional designers and students from a range of disciplines to understand in simple, exciting, visual terms the different qualities and features of materials.
£21.24
Yale University Press Conversations about Sculpture
Book SynopsisTrade Review“Illuminating”—Hrag Vartanian, Hyperallergic“The pulse and challenge of the exchange carries from beginning to end, and the narrative of Serra’s practice that emerges is irresistible.”–Jeffrey Weiss, independent curator and critic
£23.75
Taunton Press Inc Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in the Cotswolds
In this 21st installment of Kaffe Fassett's ever-popular series of patchwork and quilting books, Kaffe has chosen to show off his latest range of fabrics by revisiting many of his favorite medallion quilt blocks. Photographed on location at the world-famous Hidcote Manor Garden in the beautiful Cotswolds countryside, these delectable quilts find their perfect setting among the brilliant flower borders, avenues of trees, and stunning architectural features that make Hidcote one of the most visited gardens in the U.K. Medallion quilts have universal appeal and the simple framework of the medallion design makes a great vehicle for Kaffe's eye-catching color combinations in his brilliant range of fabric designs. Assisted by his team of designers and makers, Kaffe has created an exquisite and varied range of 19 medallion designs, among them: the rich Berry Ice Cream quilt, photographed in Hidcote's world famous Red Border the dramatic Dark Gameboard, photographed against the geometric precision of Hidcote's famous topiary hedges the soft Flowery Jar, its pink and blue themed design echoing the colors of the flowers in Hidcote's early summer border Kaffe Fassett's Quilts in the Cotswolds provides all the basic instructional text, diagrams, and templates to make the quilts, plus a section on basic patchwork techniques for less experienced quilters.
£18.75
Phaidon Press Ltd Sacred Spaces
Book Synopsis30 outstanding examples of contemporary religious architectureTrade Review"Beautifully photographed, and elegantly elucidated by James Pallister, Sacred Spaces is a field report from the cult of Corbusier... Pallister has captured their enduring aspirations – and their fleeting perfection."—Washington Post "The great strength of this anthology is the detailed coverage of every project... Combine with lucid layouts and high production values to make this a covetable volume..."—Architects Newspaper "Gorgeous... An elegant,a attractive book... A seductive collection of buildings... The pictures are superb."—Icon - Edwin Heathcote "Pallster’s pertinently and lavishly illustrated new book comes as a revelation... So many unexpected glories... A compilation that provokes fresh thinking."—The Tablet "Ground breaking and enlightening... Spectacular photography, drawings and accompanying texts."—Wallpaper.com
£33.96
Harvard University Press Our Aesthetic Categories
Book SynopsisThe zany, the cute, and the interesting saturate postmodern culture, dominating the look of its art and commodities as well as our ways of speaking about the ambivalent feelings these objects often inspire. In this study Ngai offers an aesthetic theory for the hypercommodified, mass-mediated, performance-driven world of late capitalism.Trade ReviewSianne Ngai has written an important book which harks back to the heyday of the leftist literary theory of the 1980s, and is none the worse for that. Dense and demanding, occasionally meandering, [it is] equally at home with I Love Lucy and conceptual art, Theodor Adorno and Jim Carrey… Laudable and ambitious… In order for art to fulfill its role and for criticism to survive, ‘aesthetic theory’ needs to develop new and powerful concepts which reflect both art’s changing nature and its ubiquity. This challenging and important book takes the first steps in this task. -- Robert Eaglestone * Times Literary Supplement *It’s the type of book that contains ideas that are broadly provocative, even for the ‘merely interested.’ It is one of the most useful guides to the present I’ve read in a while, almost despite itself. It offers a way of thinking about so many forms of present-day self-expression, from the prevalence of first-person writing on the Internet to the ‘Like/Share’-this cheer of social networks. It helps explain a certain style of art (Tao Lin, for example) that advances on muted, subdued, contingent feelings. -- Hua Hsu * Slate *[Ngai’s] wide-ranging, synthetic approach is exactly the kind of criticism our ever-accreting culture deserves, and maybe even the criticism we need. By indexing the kinds of feeling-based judgments we make in our daily lives, Ngai opens up questions about how emotions can act in social contexts more generally, how our private experiences might shape our political and economic discourses. -- Rebecca Ariel Porte * Los Angeles Review of Books *Ngai argues that traditional aesthetic concepts of the beautiful and the sublime are inadequate in our post modern hyper-commodifed culture. She’s really on to something. -- David Collard * Times Literary Supplement *A book of immense interest. -- Benjamin Lytal * Daily Beast *Ngai argues that three aesthetic categories usually considered of minor importance are crucial to understanding contemporary culture. The categories in question, the zany, the cute, and the interesting, ‘are best suited for grasping how aesthetic experience has been transformed by the hypercommodified, information-saturated, performance-driven conditions of late capitalism.’ In defense of this thesis, Ngai deploys a formidable grasp of the aesthetic theories of Schlegel, Nietzsche, Adorno, and Cavell, among many others. Her knowledge of more recent pop culture is equally wide ranging: readers will especially find illuminating her discussion of the zany Lucille Ball. Ngai aims to show how production, circulation, and consumption in contemporary capitalism are mirrored in the cultural world. She argues that the importance of the three marginal categories requires a revision of classical aesthetics. We need not abandon the beautiful and the sublime, but we need to give attention as well to what best enables us to understand today’s culture, thus lessening the gap between aesthetic theory and practice… Highly recommended for an academic audience interested in cultural and aesthetic theory. -- David Gordon * Library Journal *Sianne Ngai gives us once again a radiantly idiosyncratic study of that which we never thought to examine and that which we now understand to be crucial to our daily experience as social beings. Under Ngai’s quick eye and deft hand, the zany, the cute, and the merely interesting reveal their pertinence for the history and historicity of aesthetic development, the intimacy between quotidian materiality and philosophic inquiry, and the collisions among modernity, art, labor, and performing bodies. -- Anne A. Cheng, author of Second SkinSianne Ngai’s new book is a major work of aesthetic theory: challenging a beauty-based aesthetics, closing the gap between aesthetic theory and artistic practice, and offering irreverent categories that work across disciplines and periods to make better sense of our cultural experience. Our Aesthetic Categories takes up the mantle of Adorno’s Aesthetic Theory, and here Ngai becomes the leading cultural critic of our day. -- Jonathan Culler, Cornell UniversityThis wonderfully original book (I hesitate to call it ‘cute, zany, and interesting,’ but that wouldn’t be wrong) invents fresh and incisive new categories for that tired old study called aesthetics. Maybe such categories could even transform the field itself, but they certainly transform the way we look at contemporary literature and culture (which Sianne Ngai knows with startling extensiveness), and maybe they will also end up transforming our outlook on the art of the past as well. Our Aesthetic Categories is in any case one of the most exciting new theoretical books to come along in some time. -- Fredric Jameson, Duke UniversityWith unparalleled originality, ambition, and insight, Sianne Ngai reimagines aesthetic theory for our time. Building on her work in Ugly Feelings, Ngai insists on the significance of minor, ordinary aesthetic experience. Our Aesthetic Categories displaces the centrality of beauty in aesthetics and illuminates the social processes at work in ubiquitous and taken-for-granted acts of judgment. This book will make you feel the present differently. -- Heather Love, University of Pennsylvania
£18.86
Hayward Gallery Publishing Linder
Book SynopsisMajor survey of the artistic provocateur and trailblazer Linder (b.1954, Liverpool). Offers an illuminating overview of the past 50 years of this iconic artist's career, exploring the full range of Linder's thought-provoking work and underscoring the experimental and feminist impulses of her practice. Linder first emerged in the late 1970s as a prominent figure within the dynamic landscapes of punk and post-punk music; her photomontage on the cover of Buzzcocks' single Orgasm Addict' in 1977 became an iconic image of the punk scene. Following her punk period, Linder went on to become an internationally recognised artist renowned for her multifaceted practice. Her journey has been one of relentless exploration, venturing into realms as varied as fashion, music, performance, perfume, textiles, and film. At the heart of her explorations lies a profound engagement with the poetics of protest, where artistic inquiry intertwines seamlessly with cultural critique. Throughout her career, Linder has used photomontage as a potent instrument for dissecting and reshaping the portrayal and commercialisation of gender norms and sexual identity. Drawing from source materials extracted from magazines of the late twentieth century, she exposes the weighty stereotypes imposed on both ends of the gender spectrum: automobiles, DIY culture and pornography for men; fashion and domesticity for women. In addition to using found images from magazines, Linder has also used photographs of herself taking on various feminine personae, which navigate concepts of personal invention and the performative dimensions of identity. Her art is informed by a rich tapestry of influences spanning religious art, surrealism, mysticism, and the ever-evolving landscape of social media. This volume with new essays by Rachel Thomas, Marina Warner and Chris Kraus, and an interview with the artist by Gillian Fox accompanies a major touring exhibition.
£28.00
Titan Books Ltd Star Trek Designing Starships Volume 2 Voyager
Book SynopsisExplore the behind the scenes process to reveal the thinking - and the artwork - behind the creation of the most iconic ships in Star Trek's history!This book, which covers more than 30 ships including the U.S.S Voyager, Delta Flyer, V'ger, and the Enterprise-J, is packed with original concept art, and includes work from legendary artists Syd Mead and Robert McCall. Continue the exploration of the design process that led to the iconic Star Trek ships from the hit television programs and films. Featuring interviews with the ship designers and screen model builders, this first-time ever explored subject will appeal to all Star Trek fans. Includes first-time ever collected concept art and sketches. Learn about the real-world people events behind one of the greatest science fiction universes.
£21.24
Titan Books Ltd Star Trek Shipyards Alpha Quadrant and Major
Book SynopsisBoldly go and explore the ally and enemy ships encountered by the Federation in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants in the newest Star Trek Shipyards book. The popular Star Trek Shipyards series continues with detailed looks at ships from the Alpha and Beta Quadrants as seen in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: The Original Series, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. First up? Ships of the Breen, Cardassians, and those pesky Ferengi. Each featured ship is profiled with technical details, in-universe operational history, and illustrated with plan-view CG renders, wherever possible utilizing the original VFX models created for the Star Trek shows and features from across the franchise's remarkable 55 years. This volume includes more than 40 ships, including the Anaxar cargo vessel, the Breen Warship, the Cardassian Bok'Nor, Cardassian military freighter, the Ferengi shuttle, the Gorn warship, the Husnok warship and the Jem'Hadar battlecruiser.
£23.99
Monacelli Press Architectural Pottery
Book Synopsis
£31.96
Phaidon Press Ltd Dieter Rams
Book SynopsisThe definitive monograph on Dieter Rams, one of the most influential product designers of the twentieth century
£47.96
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Working with Design Clients
Book SynopsisThe studio is a core strand of design education, and working with real clients is one of the most valuable ways for students to develop their professional design practice skills.The book is a practical guide to working on real-life briefs in the design studio - how to collaborate with and connect to communities, find and retain clients, and manage real-world design problems. Using tools and frameworks based on years of research and experience, students can develop their professional skills in a supportive environment.The book is divided into four sections: - Why (industry connections, experiential learning, personal empowerment) - What (engaging with communities, client work, structure) - Who (work roles, client relationships, articulating value) - How (launching, logistics, planning)The final section of the book covers information for those expanding into student-led studios, and includes information on strategies, financing and how t
£20.89
University of California Press This Is Not a Pipe
Book SynopsisWhat does it mean to write This is not a pipe across a bluntly literal painting of a pipe? By exploring the nuances and ambiguities of Magritte's visual critique of language, the author finds the painter less removed than previously thought from the pioneers of modern abstraction.Trade Review"This essay not only proposes a new understanding of Magritte; it also constitutes a perfect illustration and introduction to the thought of the philosopher himself, France's great wizard of paradox." * New York Review of Books *"Magritte's respectful fan letters to Mr. Foucault, which are included in this volume, the useful introduction and splendid translation by James Harkness and the handy black-and-white reproductions of many of Magritte's works combine to make this a document of extraordinary interest." * New York Times *"Foucault poses major questions about pictorial reference, and his original and novel account is worth arguing with." * Leonardo *
£18.90
Dover Publications Inc. Life Drawing in Charcoal
Book SynopsisRather than building up a drawing from lines, this innovative method encourages students to begin with tonal masses. Suitable for experts as well as beginners, its step-by-step demonstrations feature over 200 illustrations.
£12.14
Walter Foster Publishing Gouache for Beginners
Book Synopsis
£16.19
Oro Editions Source Books in Architecture No. 16
Book SynopsisSource Books in Architecture No. 16: Tatiana Bilbao ESTUDIO focuses on the work of a Tatiana Bilbao ESTUDIO and is meant to expose the foundations and implications of the work in question. The practice is documented through conversations, studies, models, renderings, working drawings, and photographs at a level of detail that allows for a nuanced understanding of the disciplinary agenda from conception to completion. This content is accompanied by contributions from critics and other designers that further explore the significance of the work.
£22.46