Using five case studies of contemporary art, this book uses ideas of systems and dispersion to understand identity and experience in late capitalism. This book considers five artists who exemplify contemporary art practice: Seth Price; Liam Gillick; Martin Creed; Hito Steyerl and Theaster Gates. Given the diversity of materials used in art today, once-traditional artistic mediums and practices have become obsolete in describing what artists do today. Francis Halsall argues that, in the face of this obsolescence, the ideas of system and dispersion become very useful in understanding contemporary art. That is, practitioners now can be seen to be using whatever systems of distribution and display are available to them as their creative mediums. The two central arguments are first that any understanding of what art is will always be underwritten by a related view of what a human being is; and second that these both have a particular character in late capitalism or, as is named here, the Age of Dispersion. The book will be of interest to scholars and students working in art history, contemporary art, studio art, and theories of systems and networks.

Presented in a beautiful gift format and filled with a wealth of new photography, this engaging book aims to introduce to a general audience the National Trust's vast collections - a treasure chest of history. Arranged chronologically, starting with Roman sculpture and ending with 20th-century design, it focuses on museum-quality objects as well as important examples of decorative arts, furniture, textiles, books and items with fascinating stories behind them. Selected by the National Trust's curators from more than 1.5 million objects in its collections, the featured highlights include an ancient-Egyptian obelisk; Cardinal Wolsey's purse; the first English globe; one of the earliest surviving sofas; an incredible 18th-century dolls' house; an elephant automaton; a tent made for a sultan; a dress made of beetle-wing cases; hand-written manuscripts by Beatrix Potter and Virginia Woolf; Rodin's bust of George Bernard Shaw; rare, early colour photographs of the Sutton Hoo discovery; a sculpture by Barbara Hepworth and paintings by Holbein, Rubens, van Dyck, Rembrandt, Velazquez, Reynolds, Stubbs, Burne-Jones, Monet and Sargent. Each featured object is accompanied by an illuminating, easy-to-read caption, a timeline of key moments in the Trust's history and a list of properties housing important collections items appear at the end.

This handsome catalogue accompanies an exhibition celebrating the bicentenary of the 60-year reign of King George III. It presents one mezzotint portrait for each year of his reign. Mad about Mezzotint traces the history of mezzotint in the reign of King George III by looking at three aspects of the art form: the astonishing method of mezzotint, the absorbing history of the form in the late eighteenth century and Regency period and the endless fascination with London as a subject. Although the mezzotint originated in Germany as early as 1642, its golden age came in England in the eighteenth century. Its beauty lay in its ability to create the subtlety of tone found in an oil painting. Crowds marvelled at the new technique and seized upon the opportunity to popularize their work and disseminate their images more widely. Conditions in eighteenth-century London were ripe for this revolution in printing. England had a new king and queen on the throne, an ever-expanding court and flourishing commercial interests overseas. The city of London was expanding at an astonishing rate and money was pouring into the capital. This fully illustrated publication includes an introduction on the history of mezzotint and full catalogue of the works, as well as indexes of artists and persons depicted. Artists featured include Valentine Green, John Hoppner, John Jones, Joshua Reynolds, George Romney and Charles Turner. People depicted include King George, George, Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, Admiral Horatio Nelson and Earl and Lady Spencer.

Ancient Worlds, Modern Beads brings the themes of ancient Rome, Greece and Egypt completely up to date for the modern beadweaver, combining the styles of genuine artefacts and the essence of ancient art with tiny seed beads. Ten designs from each region showcase the colours, patterns, and styles easily recognised in the precious artefacts displayed in the world's museums. Each project is directly inspired by these classical cultures-from mythology and daily life, to the materials used by ancient artisans. As one of the most popular mediums of the arts and crafts movement, beadweaving has a broad appeal with crafters and designers. Mortira Natasha vanPelt provides both new and experienced beaders with a gorgeous palette of techniques for stunning jewellery. Each chapter includes: Introduction to the themes and styles of the region-along with examples of modern interpretations of the style Ten projects ranging in skill level from easy to advanced, with step-by-step instructions

Piece together the world of the genius that is Frida Kahlo in this art history jigsaw puzzle that tells the story of her life, her art and her career. Taking centre stage is Frida herself surrounded by iconic elements of her life. Woven into the bustling Mexican scene are a huge cast of contemporary extras, from Kahlo's family and famous friends, as well as her various exotic pets. Those with a keen eye will also spot many references to her art and the tragedies and triumphs of her career. For those just discovering Kahlo the included poster guides the puzzler along the journey with facts about the 25 references found in the jigsaw. Known for her self-portraits and representation of her Mexican heritage, the colourful scene in this puzzle conveys the spirit of Kahlo and her world. Travel through the medical traumas, family, love and loss that encapsulated Kahlo's life and discover the surrealist artist in a new light. With 1000 pieces and a keepsake poster, The World of Frida Kahlo is an art puzzlers dream. Included references: * Paintings, including Viva la Vida (Long Live Life) and Memory of the Heart * Medical struggles from contracting polio and a tragic bus accident * Her iconic traditional Zapotec Mexican dresses as well as Kahlo's early career gender subverting suits * Her husband and artist, Diego Rivera * Family relationships and her beloved pets * Religious and political influences

Lali Khalid is an immigrant artist grappling with issues of identity, home, family and diaspora. In her photographs captured over a span of ten years, she illustrates complex challenges exploring new ways of retaining her identity in an environment of changing ideologies and perspectives. Khalid successfully bridges two ends of spectrum: the fading past and the vague future. The images viewed without a predetermined perception explain the evolving narrative through the veiled stories imbedded in them.

Calligraphy is a classic style of writing that conjures up images of fountain pens and old block-style fonts, and days where people took the time to hand-write beautiful letters in flowing script to their loves ones.

The Brush Marker Calligraphy Kit takes everything we know and love about calligraphy into the modern day. Featuring a huge 8 brush markers in the kit, as well as a 48-page instructional book and a 32-page sketchbook that discusses all the tips and tricks to creating stunning, modern calligraphic fonts, this title is the perfect kick-start to the hot trend of brush-marker calligraphy.

What's Included

• eight brush markers
• a kneadable eraser
• HB pencil
• 48-page instruction book
• a 32-page sketchboo

This veritable marine treasure trove of a book is richly illustrated by the author, with fifty of the most beautiful, easily encountered, and sometimes astonishing marine organisms found on British coasts, from seemingly exotic seahorses and starfish, to peculiar sea-potatoes and sea lemons. Together, these characterful critters paint a colourful picture of life between the tides: starfish that, upon losing an arm, can grow a new one; baby sharks hatching from their fancifully named 'mermaid' purses'; ethereal moon jellyfish pulsating in the current and, on some seabeds, even coral. Beachcombing, overturning a boulder or simply parting the strands of seaweed in a rock pool offer a glimpse into a thriving underwater world of curious creatures. Inspired by the Oxford University of Natural History's exceptionally rich zoology collections, which contain millions of specimens amassed from centuries of expeditions, this book tells the story of life on the seashore.

In 2009, the artist Anna Ostoya created a booklet with textual collages using an essay by the political theorist Chantal Mouffe, 'Politics and Passions: The Stakes of Democracy' (2002). In the essay, Mouffe critiqued the then-dominant 'beyond left and right' politics of neoliberalism and warned of its dangers - the rise of right-wing populist parties. Fascinated by Mouffe's strikingly prophetic ideas, as well as her bold call to fight the status quo in order to radicalise democracy and to prevent violence, Ostoya returned to the booklet in 2019. She composed for it a series of portraits based on sketches of people on the New York City subway and on reproductions of her paintings and collages from the preceding decade. She also conducted a conversation with Mouffe about the politics of the last forty years, about the contemporary moment and about art, which is included in this publication.

Learn dynamic sketching and watercolor techniques for creating cityscapes, landscapes, figures and faces, still lifes, and more, enhancing the story you want to tell with form, line, and color. Discover incredible methods and tips for creating dramatic street scenes and vivid landscapes, and capturing dynamic figures and graphic architectural details. Artist Alex Hillkurtz-a top Hollywood storyboard artist, international workshop instructor, and Signature Member of the National Watercolor Society-presents fundamental concepts of sketching with pencil and pen for a number of popular genres. Discover simple ways to jot down spontaneous ideas in pencil, capture rough details in ink, and add watercolor for extra depth and interest. Make sketching more enjoyable by adopting innovative techniques that will make a difference in your practice, and your artwork. No matter your experience or skill level, you'll benefit from learning: Compositions that draw the eye How to avoid common sketching mistakes Ways to create light and shadow to define shapes and add interest Successful ways to use negative space The importance of perspective in creating depth Easy color washes that create drama Get started today, and fill your sketchbooks with unique drawings and paintings you will be proud of. 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.

Mount Fuji has long been a centerpiece of Japanese cultural imagination, and nothing captures this with more virtuosity than the landmark woodblock print series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849). The renowned printmaker documents 19th-century Japan with exceptional artistry and adoration, celebrating its countryside, cities, people, and serene natural beauty. Produced at the peak of Hokusai's artistic ambition, the series is a quintessential work of ukiyo-e that earned the artist world-wide recognition as a leading master of his craft. The prints illustrate Hokusai's own obsession with Mount Fuji as well as the flourishing domestic tourism of the late Edo period. Just as the mountain was a cherished view for travelers heading to the capital Edo (now Tokyo) along the Tokaido road, Mount Fuji is the infallible backdrop to each of the series' unique scenes. Hokusai captures the distinctive landscape and provincial charm of each setting with a vivid palette and exquisite detail. Including the iconic Under the Great Wave off Kanagawa (also The Great Wave), this widely celebrated series is a treasure of international art history. Among only a few complete reprints of the series, this XXL edition pays homage to Hokusai's striking colors and compositions with unprecedented care and magnitude. Bound in the Japanese tradition with uncut paper, Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji presents the original 36 plates plus the additional 10 later added by the artist. The perfect companion piece to TASCHEN's One Hundred Views of Edo and The Sixty-Nine Stations along the Kisokaido, this publication paints an enchanting picture of pre-industrial Japan and is itself a stunning monument to the art of woodblock printing.

By the end of John Cecil Stephenson's art school training - first a scholarship to Leeds Art School then to The Royal College of Art - he was in a position to produce still lives, landscapes and portraits in a professional capacity. Like many painters of his generation, who had received similarly conventional instruction, he became a competent teacher, appointed in 1922, as Head of Art at The Northern Polytechnic. In this mould Stephenson might have remained a largely undistinguished painter - but in the early 1930s he found himself at the centre of a group of artists with avant-garde credentials, and his own art underwent a remarkable transformation. By 1934 he was exhibiting groundbreaking works such as Mask (CAT. 7), at the 7 & 5 Society, and in 1937 was a key contributor to the watershed publication and exhibition Circle, where his work was showcased alongside that of luminaries such as Kazimir Malevich, Le Corbusier, Fernand Leger, Alberto Giacometti and Pablo Picasso. What led Stephenson to become, in the words of the celebrated art critic Herbert Read, 'one of the earliest artists in the country to develop a completely abstract style'? Between March 1919 and November 1965, John Cecil Stephenson lived in London at No. 6 Mall Studios, off Tasker Road, Hampstead. As the father figure of what Read christened 'a nest of gentle artists', his next door neighbours included, during the course of the decade leading up to World War II, Barbara Hepworth, John Skeaping, Ben Nicholson and Henry Moore. Such fertile ground was further enriched by visits from artists fleeing persecution - including Piet, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy and Alexander Calder - just a few of the many internationally acclaimed artists who, whilst passing through London, formed part of the art set who congregated around Read's house at No. 3 Mall Studios.

Using the Archives of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers at the Bankside Gallery, London, this book tells the story of the struggles of the Society to obtain official recognition for the merits of original etchers and engravers, who had been treated as an inferior class of the Royal Academy (they restricted membership to Painters, Sculptors and Architects from its foundation in 1768).

In this fully revised and richly illustrated edition, author and journalist Will Ellsworth-Jones pieces together a complete picture of the life and work of Banksy, perhaps the most iconic, enigmatic and controversial artist of modern times. For someone who shuns the limelight so completely that he conceals his name, never shows his face and gives interviews only by email, Banksy is remarkably famous. This fully updated and illustrated story of Banksy's life and career builds an intriguing picture of his world and unpicks its contradictions. Whether art or vandalism, anti-establishment or sell-out, Banksy and his work have become a cultural phenomenon and the question 'Who is Banksy?' is as much about his career as it is 'the man behind the wall'. From his beginnings as a Bristol graffiti artist, his artwork is now sold at auction for seven-figure sums and hangs on celebrities' walls. The appearance of a new Banksy is national news, his documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop was Oscar-nominated and people queue for hours to see his latest exhibition. Now moreNational Treasure than edgy outsider, who is Banksy and how did he become what he is today? This book charts Banksy's journey from the graffiti-scrawled streets of Barton Hill, the working class neighbourhood of Bristol where he and others covered the walls with vibrant pieces while trying to avoid the police, through to some of the most prestigious galleries of the world, where his daring acts of guerilla art have forced us to reconsider how we define as art. From the artist's own words to recollections of friends and colleagues, this book also examines the contradictions of Banksy's life: charting how a privately educated boy from a middle class area of Bristol reinvented himself as a rogue and an outlaw who would take the art world by storm. With beautiful reproductions of some of his most controversial and recognisable works, this detailed study is a truly indispensible guide to understanding the ultimate art rebel whose work is no less relevant today than it was when he first started out some thirty years ago.

The twelfth adult coloring book from Sweden’s coloring book sensation, Hanna Karlzon, and the fifth in her best-selling Tales from . . . series.

With Hanna Karlzon’s newest coloring book, Tales from Atlantis, you will go on an adventure to the bottom of the sea to discover ruins, corals, sea horses, and treasures in the company of imaginative fish and mermaids. Welcome down to a realm where time has stood still, welcome to Atlantis!

Drawn in her highly regarded detailed style, coloring book enthusiasts will love getting lost in Hanna’s magical illustrations.