Winner of the Arnold Rubin Outstanding Publication Award from the Arts Council of the African Studies Association The Benue River Valley is the source of some of the most abstract, dramatic, and inventive sculpture in sub-Saharan Africa. A vast region, the Valley extends from the heart of present-day Nigeria eastward to its border with Cameroon, and is home to a large number of ethnic and linguistic groups, all of whom have produced sculptures that are remarkable for their variety. This book brings together figurative wood sculptures and ceramic vessels, masks, and elaborate bronze and iron regalia drawn from public and private collections in Europe and the United States, selected to exemplify important typologies within the region, along with many historical photographs. The 18 contributors demonstrate that the stylistic tendencies were constantly evolving due to cultural exchanges, mutual influences, and other points of contact in an area that like the Benue River itself was historically in a state of flux. These objects speak to us not only through their superb formal qualities but also through the circumstances of their being rooted in a turbulent past, situated between war and colonization.

Netsuke have once again come to the fore in the popular imagination of the public. In part this is due to the phenomenal success of Edmund De Waals 2010 book, Hare with the Amber Eyes, which highlights a treasured netsuke collection that was challenged by war and the vicissitudes of time. Intricately carved from various materials including ivory, wood and metal, these small toggles served a practical purpose in Japan: a netsuke was used to fasten a mans sash, an integral part of Japanese costume. Up until the seventeenth century netsuke were relatively insignificant objects that were rarely of artistic interest, but as time passed they evolved in terms of both materials and workmanship, and were then used by men to flaunt their wealth or as an expression of status. Today netsuke are considered an art form in their own right and are prized by collectors around the world. They are found in a variety of forms and depict a wide range of subjects including figures of human and legendary form, ghosts, animals, botanical subjects and masks. Skilfully worked, these miniature carvings are of great artistic value, but they also provide a window into Japanese culture and society. This book brings together one hundred of the most beautiful and interesting netsuke from the extensive collection of the British Museum, each of which has its own special charm and story to tell. Uncovering the stories behind these netsuke and coupling them with stunning new photography, this book reveals why these tiny objects have captivated so many, the meaning they have held for those who wore them, and what they can tell us about Japanese everyday life.

Your ultimate guide to carving, painting and decorating pumpkins for your home, complete with tips and recipes for getting the most out of your pumpkin all season long. From playful and whimsical pumpkins that will liven up Halloween, Day of the Dead or Thanksgiving parties to sophisticated and elegant designs that will bring autumnal charm to your home all season long, you'll find projects to suit every style and taste. Divided and organised into helpful sections, you'll find: A guide to the tools, tips and techniques that will help you achieve the best results Pumpkin carving projects, for transforming your pumpkins and seasonal gourds into show-stopping jack-o-lanterns Pumpkin painting projects, for transforming your pumpkin with a lick of paint, no sharp objects required Pumpkin dressing projects, for turning your pumpkin into an original creation with glue, tape and other odds and ends And recipes, for using every part of the pumpkin to create delicious meals and tasty snacks Each project features easy-to-follow instructions, whilst beautiful photographs throughout will give you all the inspiration you need. And handy templates at the back of the book can be copied and used again and again for perfect results every time.

This book investigates the wide-ranging connections between sculpture, sexuality, and history in Western culture from the eighteenth century to the present. Sculpture has offered a privileged site for the articulation of sexual experience and the formation of sexual knowledge. As historical objects, sculptures also draw attention to the different ways in which knowledge about sexuality is facilitated through an engagement with the past. Bringing together contributors from across disciplines, including art history, classics, film studies, gender studies, history, literary studies, museum studies, queer theory and reception studies, the volume presents original readings of sculptural art in relation to antiquarianism, aesthetics, collecting cultures, censorship and obscenity, psychoanalysis, sexology, and the experience and regulation of museum spaces. It examines how sculptural encounters were imagined and articulated in literature, painting, film and science. As a whole, the book opens up a new understanding of the ways in which sculptures, as real or imagined objects, have fundamentally shaped approaches to and receptions of the past in relation to sex, gender and sexuality. Chapters 8 and 10 of this book are available open access under a CC BY 4.0 license at link.springer.com.

The "Misty Creek Carvers" have combined their talents to create a host of original caricatures to give beginning and experienced carver hours of carving enjoyment. The caricatures are carved in the relief style from 3/4" wood. The carver will benefit from Mike's expertise in caricature design, Steve's full-color photograph and helpful description. The book features 22 additional patterns, including a nurse, tourist, salesman, Uncle Sam, bride and groom, preacher, scuba diver, hunter, golfer, and more. A pictorial gallery includes completed carvings of all patterns featured in the book.

Blake's only wood engravings, made near the end of his life for a school edition of Virgil, are among his most lyrical and enduringly influential creations. This is their first publication as a stand-alone book, with the original text of Ambrose Philips' version of the first Eclogue of Virgil.

Looking for something different to carve for Christmas? This is it. These fanciful ornaments double as whistles and are sure to delight children and adults alike. They can take a variety of shapes and forms, as you can see in the gallery. In fact, the idea of making carved whistles is not limited to Christmas ornaments. The tone and pitch of the whistles is determined by the size of the hole, so a variety of notes can be achieved by the carver. The toy soldier carved in this book has two holes giving dual tones. Kelley makes carving the whistles simple and fun. Each step is clearly illustrated and explained, using full color photographs. 12 patterns are provided, but once you get the hang of it you will probably be drawing your own. A fun book full of Christmas spirit.

Al Streetman goes west with a new carving and pattern book. This time he shares the secrets of carving the western gunfighter, and provides the carver with 25 creative patterns...enough for the O.K. Corral and more! Concise instruc-tions take the carver step-by-step through the project, from laying out the pattern to painting the finished work. The book is designed to be used by carvers of all levels, from novice to advanced. The results are delightful figures of which the artist will be proud. This book follows two other well-received carving books by Al Streetman, 41 Santa Patterns for Carvers and 25 Uncle Sam Patterns for Carvers.

Packed with patterns for small-scale projects ideal for beginning and intermediate crafters, this companion features original relief projects that stand alone beautifully or that can be easily incorporated into functional and decorative items in the home. The entire carving process is demonstrated, employing a country apple quilt square project as the example, alongside detailed information on necessary tools, a review of the best woods to use, and instructions on how to achieve the appropriate levels of depth. Patterns include wildlife, botanical, mythical, and landscape subjects, and each project includes two detailed patterns: a line and a shaded variety. Fifty additional patterns for gorgeous corner designs that can be incorporated into a variety of crafts projects--from carving and wood burning to painting and quilting--are also included.

This title features 25 practical projects from world renowned woodturning expert. It will appeal to novice and intermediate turners. It includes all the knowledge needed to get started, along with step-by-step instructions and detailed drawings. Build your woodturning skills and confidence with this variety of projects that take between a couple of hours and a couple of days to complete. All of the 25 projects can be undertaken using a limited amount of tools and equipment. Making use of the six basic tools - spindle roughing gouge, spindle gouge, parting tool, bowl gouge, skew chisel and scrapers - the book will introduce a couple of carving tools and a boring tool and explain why and how to use them. Each project will have a list of tools and materials required, drawings with dimensions and a panel on the wood used. Sections on safety and seasoning wood are also included. Projects include: napkin rings, rolling pin, pastry press, meat tenderizer, wall clock, and bud vase

Tom Wolfe has been carving signs and other flatcarvings for many years, bringing to them the same creativity and skill he brings to his three-dimensional work. Sometimes practical, sometimes whimsical, and sometimes a little bit of both, this country flatcarving is loved by everyone. Country Flatcarving shares some of Tom's patterns and techniques. The three projects include a potholder holder (practical), the man in the moon (whimsical) and a welcome sign (a little of both). You will find step-by-step instructions, all illustrated in full-color, and will be able to design and carve your own patterns when you are finished.

Indian art, increasingly popular in the west, cannot be fully appreciated without some knowledge of the religious and philosophical background. This book, first published in 1985, covers all aspects of Hindu iconography, and explains that its roots lie far back in the style of prehistoric art. The dictionary demonstrates the rich profusion of cults, divinities, symbols, sects and philosophical views encompassed by the Hindu religious tradition.

Paul F. Bolinger, one of America's preeminent woodcarvers, shows you how to create some of the most collectible Santas in the United States. Using a combination of over 185 color photographs and easily followed instructions, Paul carefully guides the reader through rough and detail carving techniques while his wife, Camille J. Bolinger, demonstrates how to paint the carved Santas. Paul further explains how to develop original designs of your own and how to breathe life into them with positioning and a visual "hook." Also included are patterns for five other Santas, a chapter covering best selling designs, and a photo gallery featuring over twenty humorous Santas sure to get the creative juices flowing. Your finished Santas will be treasured by family and friends for generations to come!

A fascinating book on the origins of writing. Before Writing gives a new perspective on the evolution of communication. It points out that when writing began in Mesopotamia it was not, as previously thought, a sudden and spontaneous invention. Instead, it was the outgrowth of many thousands of years' worth of experience at manipulating symbols. In Volume I: From Counting to Cuneiform, Denise Schmandt-Besserat describes how in about 8000 B.C., coinciding with the rise of agriculture, a system of counters, or tokens, appeared in the Near East. These tokens-small, geometrically shaped objects made of clay-represented various units of goods and were used to count and account for them. The token system was a breakthrough in data processing and communication that ultimately led to the invention of writing about 3100 B.C. Through a study of archaeological and epigraphic evidence, Schmandt-Besserat traces how the Sumerian cuneiform script, the first writing system, emerged from a counting device. In Volume II: A Catalog of Near Eastern Tokens, Schmandt-Besserat presents the primary data on which she bases her theories. These data consist of several thousand tokens, catalogued by country, archaeological site, and token types and subtypes. The information also includes the chronology, stratigraphy, museum ownership, accession or field number, references to previous publications, material, and size of the artifacts. Line drawings and photographs illustrate the various token types.

Reshapes the history of abstract animation and its importance to computer imagery and cinema Animation and technology are always changing with one another. From hand-drawn flipbooks to stop-motion and computer-generated imagery (CGI), animation’s identity is in flux. But many of these moving image technologies, like CGI, emerged from the world of animation. Indeed, animation has made essential contributions to not only computer imagery but also cinema, helping shape them into the fields and media forms we know today.  In Pulses of Abstraction, Andrew R. Johnston presents both a revealing history of abstract animation and an investigation into the relationship between animation and cinema. Examining a rich array of techniques—including etching directly onto the filmstrip, immersive colored-light spectacles, rapid montage sequences, and digital programming—Pulses of Abstraction uncovers important epistemological shifts around film and related media. Just as animation’s images pulse in projection, so too does its history of indexing technological and epistemic changes through experiments with form, material, and aesthetics. Focusing on a period of rapid media change from the 1950s to the 1970s, this book combines close readings of experimental animations with in-depth technological studies, revealing how animation helped image culture come to terms with the rise of information technologies.

"The art of fish carving has experienced a rapid growth of popularity and appreciation over the last few years. There are probably lots of reasons for this. My own interest came from a love of nature and the beauty of these creatures. They offer the carver the same challenge for fine detail and form that bird carvers have known for years, and there is an endless variety of species and poses, which leaves much room for creativity." Rick Roth leads the carver step-by-step through three fish and pond life carvings: The Brook Trout, the Pumpkin Seed, and a Northern Painted Turtle. Each step is clearly illustrated with a photograph and a description of the technique. The painting sections are illustrated in full color with color palettes. In all there are over 800 step-by-step photographs plus drawings and palettes. He uses a combination of power carving, traditional carving, and woodburning to bring life to his carvings. His painting techniques add the final touch of realism. While challenging to the novice, this book makes the carving of fish and pond life an enjoyable, fulfilling adventure.

This publication offers a rich and expansive visual record of Julie Brook's artistic practice, and proposes a unique collaboration between Brook and distinct voices from the nature writing and craftsmanship traditions. Situating Brook's practice in the context of critical reflections by Robert Macfarlane, Alexandra Harris and Raku Jikinyu, the publication presents a striking visual narrative of Brook's landscape and tidal sculptural work, and a sense of its timeless yet contemporary resonance. Documenting in depth a number of recent works made in the Hebrides, Japan and Namibia, their shared attention to the elements and their key pre-occupations of the fleeting, mobile forces of light, time, and gravity demonstrate Brook's coherent vision within vastly contrasting environments. Throughout her oeuvre, the balance between what Brook makes in relation to the environment and materials themselves is paramount. Including film stills, photography and drawing, which are all integral languages for conceptualising and communicating the work, plus insightful extracts from Brook's notebooks, this beautiful publication succeeds in providing the reader with a unique understanding of the artist's 'monuments to the moment'.

Sculpture has been a central aspect of almost every art culture, contemporary or historical. This volume comprises ten essays at the cutting edge of thinking about sculpture in philosophical terms, representing approaches to sculpture from the perspectives of both Anglo-American and European philosophy. Some of the essays are historically situated, while others are more straightforwardly conceptual. All of the essays, however, pay strict attention to actual sculptural examples in their discussions. This reflects the overall aim of the volume to not merely "apply" philosophy to sculpture, but rather to test the philosophical approaches taken in tandem with deep analyses of sculptural examples. There is an array of philosophical problems unique to sculpture, namely certain aspects of its three-dimensionality, physicality, temporality, and morality. The authors in this volume respond to a number of challenging philosophical questions related to these characteristics. Furthermore, while the focus of most of the essays is on Western sculptural traditions, there are contributions that features discussion of sculptural examples from non-Western sources. Philosophy of Sculpture is the first full-length book treatment of the philosophical significance of sculpture in English. It is a valuable resource for advanced students and scholars across aesthetics, art history, history, performance studies, and visual studies.

Since founding his firm in Selb in 1891, Philip Rosenthal Sr. endeavored with great success to join porcelain and art together. Using a variety of different design styles, Rosenthal produced porcelain service, figures, ornaments, and art pieces, each with the highest artistic quality worthy of fine collections. With over 350 beautiful pictures, this book provides a history of the Rosenthal family and company, a description of the entire porcelain production proces, artists' biographies, and tips for collectors. The stars of course are the pieces themselves. Current market values are given to help the collector.

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.

What does it mean for a sculpture to be described as 'organic' or a diagram of 'morphological forces'? These were questions that preoccupied Modernist sculptors and critics in Britain as they wrestled with the artistic implications of biological discovery during the 1930s. In this lucid and thought-provoking book, Edward Juler provides the first detailed critical history of British Modernist sculpture's interaction with modern biology. Discussing the significant influence of biologists and scientific philosophers such as D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson, Julian Huxley, J. S. Haldane and Alfred North Whitehead on interwar Modernist practice, this book provides radical new interpretations of the work of key British Modernist artists and critics, including Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Paul Nash and Herbert Read. Innovative and interdisciplinary, this pioneering book will appeal to students of art history and the history of science as well as anyone interested in the complex, interweaving histories of art and science in the twentieth century. -- .

When the well-known wood carver, Tom Wolfe, turns his talents to a new medium the results are wonderful. The almost limitless medium of polymer clay and Tom's eye for character and caricature combine to produce some endearing and delightful creatures. For years Tom has been using clays as a modeling tool for his wood carving. At the same time, though, he has created some characters in clay that are just meant to stay that way. The polymer clay comes in a variety of colors and can be shaped in almost any way imaginable. For those thousands of hobbyists and artists who use polymer clay, this new book will open new doors of expression. So, for woodcarvers and clay modelers alike, this is a welcome new book. Fully illustrated with beautiful color photographs, it takes the modeler step-by-step through the process of creating a male and a female caricature bust. A gallery will spur the imagination even further.

An international team of experts explores how streaming services are disrupting traditional storytelling. The rise of streaming has dramatically transformed how audiences consume media. Over the last decade, subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services, including Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+, have begun commissioning and financing their own original movies and TV shows, changing the way and the rate at which content is produced across the globe, from Mexico City to Mumbai. Streaming Video maps this international production boom and what it means for producers, audiences, and storytellers. Through eighteen richly textured case studies, ranging from original Korean dramas on Netflix to BluTV’s experimental Turkish series, the book investigates how streaming services both disrupt and maintain storytelling traditions in specific national contexts. To what extent, and how, are streamers expanding norms of television and film storytelling in different parts of the world? Are streamers enabling the creation of content that would not otherwise exist? What are the implications for different viewers, in different countries, with different tastes? Together, the chapters critically assess the impacts of streaming on twenty-first century audiovisual storytelling and rethink established understandings of transnational screen flows.

A leading female sculptor and figure in Chinese contemporary art, Yin Xiuzhen (b. 1963, Beijing, China) began her career in the early 1990s following her graduation from Capital Normal University in Beijing where she received a B.A. from the Fine Arts Department in 1989. Best known for her works that incorporate second-hand objects, Yin uses her artwork to explore modern issues of globalization and homogenization. By utilizing recycled materials such as sculptural documents of memory, she seeks to personalize objects and allude to the lives of specific individuals, which are often neglected in the drive toward excessive urbanization, rapid modern development and the growing global economy. The artist explains, "In a rapidly changing China, 'memory' seems to vanish more quickly than everything else. That's why preserving memory has become an alternative way of life."