This groundbreaking graphic novel delves into the life of the acclaimed artist Edward Hooper, whose iconic works depict quintessentially American scenes and experiences. While many of Hopper's most acclaimed works have been embraced by American culture, the artist himself rejected much of the lyricism and romance that his audience imposed on his paintings. This unique overview of Hopper's life and career offers a fascinating and unflinching portrait of an artist trying to establish himself and define his own style. Using Hopper's own words as a jumping off point, the book traces his roots as an art student and commercial illustrator; his life-changing time in Europe; his rocky relationship with his wife Jo, and his incredible success later in life. It also shows how, as he became increasingly famous, he grew more taciturn and resolute in his disparagement of American society and the labels thrust on him. Using clean lines and a palette that mimics Hopper's own, the book's illustrations reflect the style and substance of the artist's life--and help create a refreshing reconsideration of a creative genius who never wavered from his vision.

Mark Rothko's work is among the most recognisable in modern art history. His huge colour-field works enjoy enormous popularity for their luminosity, moodiness, and immersive qualities. But he didn't always paint in bold, simple swaths of colour. This graphic biography traces Rothko's entire life, from his boyhood emigration from Russia to America, to his suicide in 1970. It touches on his schooling and early work for the WPA in the 1930s; the evolution of his art from representational to purely abstract; and the dawning of his artistic philosophy, which took him farther and farther away from the material world and toward a universally emotional and expressionist modality. The book's finely detailed drawings are Rothko's signature colours and draw readers into his fascinating creative journey. While Rothko the artist was largely misunderstood during his lifetime, this unique graphic biography offers a way of making sense of his life and of decoding the visual language he invented.