Originally a film by British avant-garde filmmaker Nichola Bruce, The Romance of Bricks is a portrait of the artist Liz Finch: a British painter, performer and poet. From her life-changing accident and rural solitude to the mad social whirl of 80s London anarchic performances and up to the present day, The Romance of Bricks sews together archival film over many years to produce an intriguing glimpse into the private world of the artist. Featuring commentary from Jools Holland, Christine Binnie, Jennifer Binnie, John Finch, Brian Clarke, Aubrey Fabing, Richard Strange, Nicola Bateman Bowery, Francesco Brusatin and Martin Harrison alongside an intimate dialogue with the artist herself.

Petra Thoelken's practical and inspiring book examines what it means to make an abstract work of art. She encourages the reader to consider the subjects of composition, planes, and subject and expression, while also examining the more practical topics of colour theory and colour mixing, how to work with pigment, canvas and priming, spatula techniques and working with unconventional backgrounds. All these elements build up into a vocabulary of visual pointers from which the reader can begin to explore their own adventurousness and creativity. Through the 20 beautiful projects that Petra demonstrates, step by step, readers will learn how to create texture, work with unusual tools and create soft transitions or high contrast. Her clarity of thought and inspirational advice will open your eyes to a whole new way of seeing your paintings and achieving the self-expression that leads to visually exciting and technically innovative work. For some of the projects, there are links to Petra's popular YouTube videos, demonstrating how she created the individual paintings.

Prolific and successful in his own lifetime, and ""Picture drawer"" to Charles I, Cornelius Johnson (1593-1661) is now the forgotten man of seventeenth-century British art. This is the first book ever to address his life and work. Johnson's surviving works, all portraits, are found in most public collections in Britain and in many private collections seen on the walls of British country houses, in the possession of descendants of the original sitters. Working on every scale from the miniature to the full-length and big group portrait, Johnson faithfully rendered the rich textiles and intricate lace collars worn by his sitters. While always recognisably by him, his works reveal his exceptional flexibility and underline his response to successive influences. When four of Johnson's portraits in the Tate's collection were recently conserved, the author Karen Hearn commissioned investigations into his working methods and techniques. This previously unpublished material will make a significant contribution to the literature on this little-known artist as well as to the technical literature on 17th-century painting. Johnson's career coincided with one of the most dramatic periods in 17th-century history, and he painted many of the leading figures of the era. In 1632 he was appointed Charles I's Picture drawer and, as well as portraying the king, he produced exquisite small images of the royal children. In 1643, following the outbreak of Civil War, Johnson emigrated to the northern Netherlands. There he continued to work successfully, in Middelburg, Amsterdam, The Hague and, finally, in Utrecht, where he died a prosperous man. Johnson's portraits are not elaborate Baroque construts on the contrary, they have a delicacy, a dignity and a humanity that speak directly to present-day viewers. Their quality and diversity will be a revelation.

This interdisciplinary collection of essays brings together scholars in the fields of art history, theatre, visual culture, and literature to explore intersections between the European avant-garde (c. 1880–1945) and themes of health and hygiene, such as illness, contagion, cleanliness, and contamination. Examining the artistic oeuvres of some of the canonical names of modern art – including Edgar Degas, Edvard Munch, Pablo Picasso, George Orwell, Marcel Duchamp, and Antonin Artaud – this book investigates instances where the heightened political, social, and cultural currencies embedded within issues of hygiene and contagion have been mobilised, and subversively exploited, to fuel the critical strategy at play. This edited volume promotes an interdisciplinary and socio-historically contextualised understanding of the criticality of the avant-garde gesture and cultivates scholarship that moves beyond the limits of traditional academic subjects to produce innovative and thought-provoking connections and interrelations across various fields. The book will be of interest to scholars working in art history, literature, theatre, cultural studies, modern history, medical humanities, and visual culture.

Employing an interdisciplinary approach, this book breaks new ground by considering how Robert Motherwell's abstract expressionist art is indebted to Alfred North Whitehead's highly original process metaphysics. Motherwell first encountered Whitehead and his work as a philosophy graduate student at Harvard University, and he continued to espouse Whitehead's processist theories as germane to his art throughout his life. This book examines how Whitehead's process philosophy-inspired by quantum theory and focusing on the ongoing ingenuity of dynamic forces of energy rather than traditional views of inert substances-set the stage for Motherwell's future art. This book will be of interest to scholars in twentieth-century modern art, philosophy of art and aesthetics, and art history.

A FLAME TREE NOTEBOOK. Beautiful and luxurious the journals combine high-quality production with magnificent art. Perfect as a gift, and an essential personal choice for writers, notetakers, travellers, students, poets and diarists. Features a wide range of well-known and modern artists, with new artworks published throughout the year. BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED. The highly crafted covers are printed on foil paper, embossed then foil stamped, complemented by the luxury binding and rose red end-papers. The covers are created by our artists and designers who spend many hours transforming original artwork into gorgeous 3d masterpieces that feel good in the hand, and look wonderful on a desk or table. PRACTICAL, EASY TO USE. Flame Tree Notebooks come with practical features too: a pocket at the back for scraps and receipts; two ribbon markers to help keep track of more than just a to-do list; robust ivory text paper, printed with lines; and when you need to collect other notes or scraps of paper the magnetic side flap keeps everything neat and tidy. THE ARTIST. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has a gallery dedicated to the paintings of the remarkable Victorian artist Marianne North, who had a great eye for botanical detail. THE FINAL WORD. As William Morris said, "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."

Ka the Kollwitz, Paula Modersohn-Becker, Gabriele Mu nter and Marianne Werefkin are among the exceptional artists associated with the emergence of Expressionism in Germany in the early decades of the 20th century. Each challenged prevailing ideals of feminine identity at a time of great societal change. As women, they were expected to marry and raise a family; some chose to, some did not. As ambitious artists, they wanted to work. As they rose to these challenges, their art further undermined conventions. Their portraits of children symbolise joy, hope and innocence but also melancholy, tension, curiosity, the passing of time and unfulfilled desire. Their radical depictions of the nude wrest the female body away from the male gaze towards a newfound role, expressive of powerful maternity and female subjectivity. These dramatic modernist compositions, with their fluid brushwork and bright hues, push at the boundaries of form, colour and spiritual meaning.

A detailed and inventive study of the thinking at work in modern painting, drawing on a formidable body of scholarly evidence to challenge modernist and phenomenological readings of art history, The Brain-Eye presents a series of interlinked 'case studies' in which philosophical thought encounters the hallucinatory sensations unleashed by 'painter-researchers.' Rather than outlining a new 'philosophy of art,' The Brain-Eye details the singular problems pursued by each of its protagonists. Striking readings of the oeuvres of Delacroix, Seurat, Manet, Gauguin, and Cezanne recount the plural histories of artists who worked to free the differential forces of colour, discovered by Goethe in his Colour Theory, in the name of a "true hallucination" and of a logic proper to the Visual. A rigorous renewal of the philosophical thinking of visual art, The Brain-Eye explores the complex relations between concept and sensation, theory and practice, the discursive and the visual, and draws out the political and philosophical stakes of the aesthetic revolution in modern painting.

This book focuses on Sir Edward Burne-Jones' mythical paintings from 1868 to 1886. His artistic training and traveling experiences, his love for the Greek-sculptress, Maria Zambaco, and his aesthetic sensibility provided the background for these mythical paintings. This book analyzes two main concepts: Burne-Jones' assimilation of Neoplatonic ideal beauty as depicted in his solo and narrative paintings, and Burne-Jones' fusion of the classical and emblematic traditions in his imagery.

Painting expressive portraits of iconic faces has never been easier with this unique approach to watercolor painting. In this fresh and super-accessible approach to modern portraiture, artist Nelli Andrejew removes any barriers to painting instantly recognizable faces. In just a few simple brushstrokes you can capture the essence and likeness of 15 international icons and create modern watercolor portraits you will be proud to hang on the wall. The 15 famous personalities included have all made a valuable contribution to the world in some way - be it science, art or human rights. The subtle style of the portraits you'll learn how to paint in this book bring these heroes to life in watercolor, with step-by-step instructions and practical templates for tracing, removing the need for any real skill - just trace, paint, have fun, and paint portraits that will surprise and delight all who see them. With this book you will learn how to paint: Leonardo DiCaprio * Virginia Woolf * James Dean * Lana Del Rey * Bob Dylan * Michelle Obama * Albert Einstein * Marilyn Monroe * Girl with a Pearl Earring * Martin Luther King Jr. * Audrey Hepburn * Mona Lisa * Coco Chanel * Emma Watson * Vincent Van Gogh In addition to the step-by-step tutorials, Nelli shares her tips and experience in the basic techniques you will need, from how to transfer the templates to your watercolour paper, to different ways to work with watercolors to successful portraits. This beautiful guide will inspire you to try all the faces included and then go on to paint your own original portraits with the same techniques. The perfect way to spend a creative afternoon!

Antonio Lopez Garcia's Everyday Urban Worlds: A Philosophy of Painting is the first book to give the famed Spanish artist the critical attention he deserves. Born in Tomelloso in 1936 and still living in the Spanish capital today, Antonio Lopez has long cultivated a reputation for impressive urban scenes-but it is urban time that is his real subject. Going far beyond mere artist biography, Benjamin Fraser explores the relevance of multiple disciplines to an understanding of the painter's large-scale canvasses. Weaving selected images together with their urban referents-and without ever straying too far from discussion of the painter's oeuvre, method and reception by critics-Fraser pulls from disciplines as varied as philosophy, history, Spanish literature and film, cultural studies, urban geography, architecture, and city planning in his analyses. The book begins at ground level with one of the artist's most recognizable images, the Gran Via, which captures the urban project that sought to establish Madrid as an emblem of modernity. Here, discussion of the artist's chosen painting style-one that has been referred to as a 'hyperrealism'-is integrated with the central street's history, the capital's famous literary figures, and its filmic representations, setting up the philosophical perspective toward which the book gradually develops. Chapter two rises in altitude to focus on Madrid desde Torres Blancas, an urban image painted from the vantage point provided by an iconic high-rise in the north-central area of the city. Discussion of the Spanish capital's northward expansion complements a broad view of the artist's push into representations of landscape and allows for the exploration of themes such as political conflict, social inequality, and the accelerated cultural change of an increasingly mobile nation during the 1960s. Chapter three views Madrid desde la torre de bomberos de Vallecas and signals a turn toward political philosophy. Here, the size of the artist's image itself foregrounds questions of scale, which Fraser paints in broad strokes as he blends discussions of artistry with the turbulent history of one of Madrid's outlying districts and a continued focus on urban development and its literary and filmic resonance. Antonio Lopez Garcia's Everyday Urban Worlds also includes an artist timeline, a concise introduction and an epilogue centering on the artist's role in the Spanish film El sol del membrillo. The book's clear style and comprehensive endnotes make it appropriate for both general readers and specialists alike.

Sold in packs of 6. Gorgeous, foiled, handmade greeting cards, blank inside and shrink-wrapped with a gold envelope. Themed with our art calendars, foiled notebooks and illustrated art books. Our greeting cards are printed on FSC paper and wrapped in biodegradable cello bag, and are themed with our art calendars, foiled notebooks and illustrated art books. This example features Vincent van Gogh's Bedroom at Arles. Vincent van Gogh sought refuge from Paris in February 1888. He set off for Arles to satisfy his yearning to experience the colours of the South. Initially, he took up lodgings at a local hotel but shortly after, he rented the famous Yellow House on Place Lamartine, nestled in between the rail tracks and river on the north side of town. This famous painting depicts his bedroom in the house.

A highly anticipated biography of the enigmatic and popular Swedish painter. The Swedish painter Hilma af Klint (1862-1944) was 44 years old when she broke with the academic tradition in which she had been trained. While her naturalistic landscapes and botanicals were shown during her lifetime, her body of radical, abstract works never received the same attention. Today, it is widely accepted that af Klint produced the earliest abstract paintings by a trained European artist. But this is only part of her story. Not only was she a successful woman artist, but she was also an avowed clairvoyant and mystic. Like many of the artists at the turn of the twentieth century who developed some version of abstract painting, af Klint studied Theosophy, which holds that science, art, and religion are all reflections of an underlying life-form that can be harnessed through meditation, study, and experimentation. Well before Kandinsky, Mondrian and Malevich declared themselves the inventors of abstraction, af Klint was working in a non-representational mode, producing a powerful visual language that continues to speak to audiences today. The exhibition of her work in 2018 at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City attracted more than 600,000 visitors, making it the most-attended show in the history of the museum/institution. Despite her enormous popularity, there has not yet been a biography of af Klint-until now. Inspired by her first encounter with the artist's work in 2008, Julia Voss set out to learn Swedish and research af Klint's life-not only who the artist was but what drove and inspired her. The result is a fascinating biography of an artist who is as great as she is enigmatic.

The art world is only beginning to realize the profound influence the Paris art community of the early 20th century had on what we now identify as "Modernism." Regional groups of figurative painters, from California to Russia and Australia to Scandinavia, absorbed many influences and crossed paths with leading artists who worked in Paris. This important new book highlights the work of 204 newly discovered regional Modernist painters, especially some from Belgium, with carefully researched biographical information about each one. Over 350 color photographs display their dynamic works. These paintings helped t spread Parisian ifluence throughout the world, and often are showcased in galleries today. This pioneer work documents many of the artists for the first time. It is a companion volume to the authors' previous book, Modern Figurative Paintings, The Paris Connection (Schiffer, 2004) which covers a different group of artists and paintings.

A detailed and inventive study of the thinking at work in modern painting, drawing on a formidable body of scholarly evidence to challenge modernist and phenomenological readings of art history, The Brain-Eye presents a series of interlinked 'case studies' in which philosophical thought encounters the hallucinatory sensations unleashed by 'painter-researchers.' Rather than outlining a new 'philosophy of art,' The Brain-Eye details the singular problems pursued by each of its protagonists. Striking readings of the oeuvres of Delacroix, Seurat, Manet, Gauguin, and Cezanne recount the plural histories of artists who worked to free the differential forces of colour, discovered by Goethe in his Colour Theory, in the name of a "true hallucination" and of a logic proper to the Visual. A rigorous renewal of the philosophical thinking of visual art, The Brain-Eye explores the complex relations between concept and sensation, theory and practice, the discursive and the visual, and draws out the political and philosophical stakes of the aesthetic revolution in modern painting.

Take your plein air artwork to the next level through easy-to-understand workshop-style lessons and skill-building exercises. In Plein Air Techniques for Artists, award-winning artist and respected workshop instructor Aimee Erickson demystifies how to capture a variety of light effects and guides you in strengthening your plein air skills through practice. This accessible book covers: Materials and gear. Gain a basic knowledge of the possibilities so you can keep your options open and your plein air process fresh. Composition and value. Explore the impact of proportion, color, value, line, edges, shape, and texture. Color. Consider how knowledge and intention, your color palette, and what you see-your perspective-take turns being in charge of the color game, inventing rules and finding solutions. Light effects. Learn how conditions of the day-how much light there is, and whether it's soft, diffuse, golden, harsh, pale, or dusky-affect everything we see and how we paint. Design and the visual idea. Discover strategies for developing a visual idea, from creating serial studies to working with a camera to improvisation. Featuring exceptional still lifes, figures, and landscapes by other noted artists working in a range of mediums, Plein Air Techniques for Artists gives artists at all levels of experience the guidance they need to grow as a plein air artist. 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.

Learn how to combine delicate watercolor illustrations with expressive hand lettering to create beautiful art and gifts. Self-taught artist Tanja Poeltl shares the tips, tricks and know-how she's learned on her creative journey so that you can fast-track your skills. Discover the materials you'll need in terms of watercolor paints, brushes, paper and pens, then get started with Tanja's exercises to learn the basic techniques of hand lettering and watercolor painting. In the Hand Lettering Know-How section you will start with some warm up exercises and practice letters, before learning faux calligraphy, bounce lettering, joining letters and more. In the Watercolor Know-How section you will learn how to handle the brush, and gain color knowledge as well as an understanding of tonal values, transparency and opacity, and learn how to create your own unique color palette. 20 amazing step-by-step painting and lettering projects then help you put your skills in action with ideas for a myriad of different applications. Create a moodboard, inspirational cards, seasonal gift boxes, a botanical table runner, a plant journal, floral greetings cards, fruity jar labels, posters, hoop art, party stationery, a birth poster, milestone cards, a height chart, recipe cards, an illustrated ABC, box frames, 3D flowers, and more - all beautifully illustrated in a modern yet timeless style. These inspiring projects are so varied and interesting, and will undoubtedly spark ideas for all sorts of other ways you can use watercolor and hand lettering together to create beautiful yet easy art. Even if you are a total beginner, this book will kickstart your creative journey with watercolor and hand lettering, showing you the techniques and giving you fun projects to try them out on. This accessible guide to easy watercolour and hand lettering techniques will teach you everything you need to make art that makes you happy! Self-taught and full of enthusiasm for experimentation artist Tanja Poeltl is your teacher and guide. She's taught thousands of beginners to find their creative voice through her workshops and classes, and can't wait to help you on your journey into the wonderful world of watercolor and hand lettering.

Dating back to at least 50,000 years ago, rock art is one of the oldest forms of human symbolic expression. Geographically, it spans all the continents on Earth. Scenes are common in some rock art, and recent work suggests that there are some hints of expression that looks like some of the conventions of western scenic art. In this unique volume examining the nature of scenes in rock art, researchers examine what defines a scene, what are the necessary elements of a scene, and what can the evolutionary history tell us about storytelling, sequential memory, and cognitive evolution among ancient and living cultures?