Learn how to play mah-jong with this beautifully illustrated mah-jong set! Animal Mah-jong takes the traditional Chinese tile game and updates it for a new audience in this affordable card format. Rather than the traditional line drawings of bamboo and Chinese characters, it features Ryuto Miyake's beautiful animal illustrations - each suit features Asian animals from the land, sea and air. Get ready to pong, chow and kong like you never have before! Stunning illustrations by Ryuto Miyake Affordable new card format Screen-free fun - a high quality non-digital game for all ages Suitable for children and familes to play together

Learn to Draw Still Life is a new title in the successful Learn to Draw series of instructional step-by-step books for beginners, now with attractive new covers. Still life is traditionally the ideal drawing subject for the complete novice. Drawing is an essential skill for all artists and this book makes learning to draw still life as simple as possible. All the basics are covered, to provide a sound foundation in drawing techniques, and numerous attractive illustrations and step-by-step drawings show how these are put into practice. The book includes practical information on: tools and equipment * selecting your subject * composition * portraying light and tone * proportion and perspective * pattern and texture Perfect for total beginners, Learn to Draw Still Life will also be valuable to more experienced artists wanting to improve their drawing skills.

The majesty of Earth's most magnificent features was the domain of Wilson Hurley (1924-2008). In paintings of natural wonders throughout the galaxy, he was committed to expressing his love of the richness of reality. His journey to become a revered twentieth-century American landscapist is brought to life in this intimate biography. Written for appreciators, collectors, and working artists, Hurley's goals and procedures - from thumbnails to plein air field studies and finished studio paintings - are elucidated in depth, including a commission that resulted in five monumental triptychs of our nation's most prized vistas installed at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.

'Take a view', the Landscape Photographer of the Year competition, is the brainchild of Charlie Waite, one of today's most respected landscape photographers. Together with the AA, he has created this prestigious competition and award with a total prize fund exceeding GBP 20,000, plus an eight-week exhibition at the National Theatre and publication of "Landscape Photographer of the Year", the full-colour book of best entries. Britain's heritage is celebrated by people around the world and entries are welcome from everyone, whether resident in the UK or simply visiting, as long as the image is from the British Isles. This book showcases the best pictures from amateur and professional photographers alike, from the fifth annual competition.

This visually stunning survey provides an in-depth look at Eileen Hogan's (b. 1946) working methods. Covering her entire career, it focuses particularly on two dominant themes in the artist's oeuvre-enclosed gardens and portraiture. Her depictions of gardens range from London's well-known Kew Gardens and Chelsea Physic Garden to Little Sparta, Ian Hamilton Finlay's garden in the Pentland Hills near Edinburgh. Her portraits include expressive sketches and paintings of veterans of the Second World War, and of HRH The Prince of Wales and HRH The Duchess of Cornwall. The book includes images from Hogan's sketchbooks, her studies, and finished paintings, accompanied by striking photographs of the artist at work. Essays by scholars and Hogan herself trace the artist's career from her student days at Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts through the present. This volume provides an unprecedented, intimate look at the life and work of one of the most interesting and evocative artists working today.

Artist Chris Pendleton is clearly a passionate lover of animals, having drawn and painted birds and wildlife for as long as he can remember. In this charming mini calendar, you'll find many a beloved garden visitor - from a barn owl at moonlight to a Siskin or Song Thrush - represented in striking linocut form. Informative text accompanies each work in this art calendar and the datepad features previous and next month's views

Do you recognise these ingredients? 35 recipes as you've never seen them before. A gorgeous gift book as well as a cookery title, Dinner Deconstructed features 35 recipes as you've never seen them before, broken down into their individual ingredients and photographed in stylish still-life arrangements. Serried rows of vegetables and small heaps of flour turn into a comforting cauliflower bake, the ingredients of steak bernaise boil down to meat, peppercorns, eggs, butter and herbs, and key lime pie looks mesmerising before the ingredients are magically melded together in the kitchen. And after you've feasted your eyes on the dishes in their natural and aesthetically pleasing state, simply turn to the back of the book to get the recipes themselves, so you can turn the raw ingredients into the delicious dishes they were destined to be. Word count: 7,000

Artist Harry Holcroft has visited many of the tropical equatorial rainforests of the world in his quest to paint images of this wonderful ecosystem. With the typical observational powers of an artist he has noticed considerable differences in the colour of the forests of the different continents. His stunning watercolours and sketches bring these remote regions to life on the page. Alongside the pictures, Harry's diary entries from his travels share with us his thoughts and observations. To complement Harry Holcroft's artistic presentation, Professor Sir Ghillean T. Prance's text gives the reader a scientific insight into the varying physiognomies of the great rainforests of America, Africa and Malaysia, explaining their history, the vegetation and some of the striking plants and animals to be found in these forests.He discusses some of the reasons why, although there are striking similarities between different areas, the rainforest is not a single uniform type of vegetation. Even within regions there is much variation to be seen by the visitor that travels around the Amazon region, the Congo Basin or the island of Borneo. He also stresses the vital importance of the world's rainforests as both a source of biodiversity and for its role in stabilising the climate. This book, views the rainforest through the eyes of both the scientist and the artist, who shows us the colour, the light, the diversity of the greens and blues of the vegetation, and, above all, the spirit and very essence of the rainforest.

Now in its ninth year, the Landscape Photographer of the Year Award was devised by Charlie Waite, one of Britain's foremost landscape photographers and created in association with AA Publishing. Landscape Photographer of the Year: Collection 9 features all of the winning and commended images from each of the competition categories. Artists have always strived to capture the unique beauty and diversity of the British landscape, in the 21st century, this small island continues to provide photographers with an astonishing source of inspiration. From classic shots of the verdant countryside of England, Wales and the rugged Scottish Highlands to the iconic structures of Britain's industrial and urban landscapes, this magnificent collection, showcasing both the very best of Britain and the very best photographic talent, cannot fail to please. Every image in the book is accompanied by the photographer's personal account of the story behind the picture, in his or her own words.There are tales of chance encounters, snapshots in time where the moment just had to be seized, and of long hours spent exposed to the elements waiting for the opportunity to capture the perfect picture, which all too often turns out to be the final frame of the day. The book also features a special section on technical information, detailing the equipment and techniques used by the photographers, adding a practical resource to this outstanding collection of images of the British landscape.

Since the 1970s Rick Dingus has photographed ""landscapes"": remote wilderness and rural settings, vernacular traces, urban environments, and ancient pathways that invite viewers to look closer, to think about how to interpret what they are seeing. Perception unfolds in many ways in this volume, whose photographs document Dingus's lifelong exploration of the intersections of time, place, culture, and nature. Dingus discusses his creative process in practical and philosophical terms through brief opening passages and an in-depth interview with art curator Peter S. Briggs. An introductory essay by curator Toby Jurovics considers Dingus's oeuvre within the evolution of landscape photography from the nineteenth century to the present day - offering a view of the photographer's art as ""resilient enough to contain both empirical and metaphorical truth; the descriptive and the personal; the past and the present."" An essay by Shelley Armitage offers a more personal reflection on the experience of viewing the photographs. And art critic Lucy R. Lippard provides a chronology and sustained interpretation of Dingus's work, with its emphasis on transformation and on ""translating information across visual borders."" Landscape is always with us, deceptively simple, yet capable of providing something much more. By examining the rich variety of Dingus's work and reflecting on the evolution of ideas that lie behind it, Shifting Views and Changing Places invites readers to critically examine the pursuit of seeing.

Celebrating Australia's Magnificent Wildlife is a celebration of Daryl Dickson's beautiful work, informed by her passion for the conservation of wildlife and wild places. From black-winged stilts to brushtail possums, see the variety and colour of Australian wildlife contained in one wonderful book. She highlights the natural beauty of species that deserve to be saved in what is essential reading for anyone with an interest in the natural world. The work of artists crosses borders, boundaries and language barriers. Painting wildlife does not need language to explain the essence of the beauty, landscape or movement of a creature. This book can be understood and enjoyed by people of any nationality. Witness the ancient tropical forests and majestic landscapes of northern Queensland, Australia - home to some of the world's rarest and most fascinating species. Dickson's work is inspired by the incredible diversity of flora and fauna she lives amongst, which are rich and colourful in the diverse, thriving valley she calls home. Dickson's techniques have varied in medium, from illustration to watercolour and many in between, but nature has always been the key element of her art. View a lifetime of artworks and share in her journey to becoming an artist, showcased in this large-format, beautifully designed book that is an essential addition to coffee tables everywhere.

Another collection of exquisite watercolour paintings from well-loved artist Madeleine Floyd. In this follow-up to her bestselling book Birdsong, she turns her attention to the world of chickens, ducks and geese - some familiar, some less so. It includes a huge variety of breeds, both domestic and wild, from the statuesque Buff Orpington chicken to the magnificent Faverolle, from splendid mallards to the slightly comical Indian Runners, the familiar large white farmyard goose, and elegant swans. Each painting is accompanied by insightful, whimsical text that pinpoints what the artist loves about these wonderful creatures. The perfect present, this beautiful book is ideal for bird lovers, keepers of domestic fowl and fans of Madeleine Floyd alike.

This book includes 20 postcards featuring Robert Cameron's best aerial photographs of San Francisco. Cameron captures the City by the Bay's most recognizable characteristics and landmarks from above, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, the romantic fog and more. Also Available: Above San Francisco: Fifty Years of Aerial Photography Also Available: Above San Francisco 2020 Wall Calendar

Produced in association with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, this collection of 40 orchids tells the many intriguing stories of this beguiling plant. It is enhanced with botanical illustrations by the great orchid artists, 40 of which have also been selected be included as prints and presented in a handsome collector's box. Captivating, beautiful, incredibly diverse and often elusive, orchids can be found in nearly all environments, ranging from sea level to an elevation of almost 5,000 metres. Victorian plant hunters scoured the globe for new species to bring back for botanical gardens and private collectors; 'orchidmania' among gardeners was born and persists to this day. Enhanced with notes and letters held in Kew's archives and illustrations by artists such as John Day and Sarah Drake, this is an exceptionally beautiful book on an extraordinary plant.

Discover the British coastlines through an artist's eye with this beautiful calendar. Including artworks by John Constable, Henry Bishop and Joseph Mallord William Turner, this calendar explores the beauty of the British coast. Produced in partnership with Tate, London. Informative text accompanies each work and the datepad features previous and next month's views.

Such are the observations that filter through the galleries during Tom Palmore's exhibitions in which animals steal the show.

Born in Ada and living in Oklahoma, Palmore emerged from the 1970s Photorealist movement as a maverick. His career includes more than a decade on the East Coast, where he refined his skills at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and exhibited in New York's prominent contemporary galleries. Palmore used his technical virtuosity to explore his passion for the animal kingdom. Then as today, his monumental paintings received critical acclaim, and his incongruous juxtapositions of realistic primates in silk-and-velvet interiors earned him the nickname Gorilla Man.

Palmore's fidelity to an animal's visage is intended to make it proud. However, the contexts in which he places them are pure Palmore, infused with his penchant for wit and the unexpected. His portrait of Oscar, the famed rodeo bull, is set against Palmore-designed wallpaper of cowboys catapulted into the air. A rooster surveys its Grant Wood countryside, and an imposing lion is oblivious to the diminutive monarch butterfly that shares its epithet. In all cases, Palmore's paintings loom large not only in scale but also in raised consciousness of the "earthlings with whom we share this planet," as he says.

"Because Eden's genius resides in imagination, it is a mobile spirit; always found in place but never confined by place. The spirit of Eden migrates within us, animated through our imaginative responses to actual places in the material world, in our roles as gardeners and poets, painters and photographers."

--from the introduction

What did Eden look like? In "Imagining Eden" the photographer Lyle Gomes observes landscapes that represent the idea of "locus amoenus"--the pleasant place. The tradition of "locus amoenus" goes back to the idyllic descriptions of fictional locations, often called Arcadia, in the writings of Sappho, Apollonius, and Virgil, in the imagined period of the Golden Age. We also recognize this concept in Eden, of course, where it suggests a loss that still haunts our imaginations. It is an idea distinctly different from that of wilderness, for we feel protected in these places--even provided for, though there is no sign of toil. The chance that this Eden might somehow be regained gives the concept its consolatory power.

For fifteen years, Gomes has traveled across America and Europe to find examples of this enduring ideal of place in parks, English gardens, even golf courses. Gomes's search took him to Mount Auburn cemetery, Central Park, Monticello, the San Francisco Presidio, villa gardens near Italy's Lake Como, Melbourne Hall in Derbyshire, and private gardens such as Biltmore and Dumbarton Oaks.

"Imagining Eden" includes an eloquent introductory essay in which the landscape historian Denis Cosgrove explores how the concept of the "locus amoenus" relates to Gomes's work, and the photographs are accompanied by an evocative selection of quotes by the various settings' designers and by inspired observers. The book concludes with an extensive interview in which Gomes discusses how he balances craft and inspiration, the role of research in preparing a shoot, his preference for black-and-white over color ("I was completely, and immediately, enamored with the silver image"), and a sense of discovery as a chief motivation in all his work.

Water-soluble and oil-based coloured pencils are becoming increasingly popular for botanical painting asthey are easier to use than traditional watercolour and are more forgiving, yet they produce the same stunning effects. They are especially suitable for the accuracy needed to paint in the botanical style of illustration. In this book Ann Swan gives helpful advice on all aspects of working with coloured pencils, including the techniques you will have to master - underpainting, layering and burnishing. She also demonstrates how to mix and build up colour, and how to add those finishing touches that will complete your painting successfully. Several full step-by-step demonstrations are included to show how these techniques are put into practice. The book concludes with a gallery of coloured pencil works by the author, students of botanical painting and other professional botanical painters, providing a wonderful source of reference and inspiration.

A unique and exciting approach to botanical illustration, this beginner guide demonstrates everything you need to know about capturing beautiful botanical specimens on paper. Each exercise guides the reader through a different aspect of botanical illustration, breaking the whole process down into simple, easy-to-follow stages. Whether you are a beginner looking for advice on composition and how to plot out your initial drawings, an experienced artist looking to develop your skills at colour mixing and working with unusual colours, or an old hand looking to capture more challenging and complex textures and shapes, there is something for botanical artists of all levels. Acclaimed artists Rosie Martin and Meriel Thurstan ran the popular botanical painting course at the Eden Project and have filled this fantastically illustrated guide with practical and inspirational worksheets, colour swatches, sketches and stunning finished paintings.