The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques by
Since 1940, when it was originally published, The Artist's Handbook has been indispensable for thousands of practicing artists and art students. The book has remained continuously in print through many editions and has some more than a quarter of a million copies. It is, as American Artist Magazine calls it, the "artist's bible," an invaluable reference for the painter, sculptor, and printmaker. During the past few years, however, new art movements and new research have led to many changes in the technology of artist's materials. With the assistance of Mayer's widow, Bena, and his colleagues, Viking and Steven Sheehan, Director of the Ralph Mayer Center at Yale University, have prepared this latest revision of the book, which is now completely updated and expanded.
The Handbook does retain its original, user-friendly format. Mayer intended that this encyclopedic volume be referred to frequently, and he therefore gave specific, practical advice on every aspect of his subject. In addition, he compiled valuable lists for the artist: retail sources for materials, a pigment catalog, a bibliography, and an extensive appendix. And the detailed index makes all of this information immediately accessible.
Artist's Manual by
A veritable bible for beginners as well as an invaluable reference for accomplished artists, The Artist's Manual is a hands-on guide to hundreds of techniques for painting and drawing. For anyone who has ever had the urge to create art, this easy-to-use manual clearly explains the artist's essential tools and materials -- how to choose them, how to use them, and how to care for them. Packed with information on myriad techniques, from color use and composition to subject choice, and including tips from the professionals, here's everything painters and illustrators need to begin, develop, and perfect their craft. Over 500 color photographs, 200 original works of art, and an extensive list of suppliers complete the most comprehensive, inspirational, and affordable artists' instruction book available today.
The Artist's Way: a spiritual path to higher creativity by
A stunning gift edition of the powerful bestselling book on creativity.
The Artist's Way is one of the bestselling gift books of all time. Beautifully packaged with a slipcase and ribbon, this tenth anniversary gift edition is the ideal gift for loved ones engaged in creative lives.
Beyond Realism: art techniques to expand your creativity by
An art techniques book that seeks to show artists how they can develop their art beyond pure representation. It contains step-by-step painting demonstrations, technical tips and a section showing how creative and textural effects can be achieved in all media.
Secret Knowledge: rediscovering the lost techniques of the old masters by
"Come with David Hockney on a journey as he rewrites the story of how the masterpieces of Western art were created." "It was after a chance observation in London's National Gallery that Hockney became gripped by a desire to find out how the artists of the past managed to depict the world so accurately and vividly. As a painter constantly faced with similar technical problems, he asked himself: "How did they do this?" He set aside his brushes, stopped painting and, for the next two years, sacrificed his own time as an artist to follow this mystery trail, obsessively tracking down the hidden secrets of the Old Masters." "Now, Hockney recounts the story of his quest as it unfolded. He explains how he uncovered piece after piece of scientific and visual evidence, each one yielding further revelations about the past." "Hundreds of paintings and drawings - among them the best known and best loved works in the history of Western art - are reproduced and accompanied by Hockney's close, passionate and accessible decriptions. His own photographs and drawing illustrate the various methods used by past artists to capture accurate likenesses and present the results they would have achieved. In addition, extracts from the many historical and modern documents that he uncovered offer further intriguing evidence while correspondence between him and an array of international experts provides an exciting account of the remarkable story as it happened."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Acrylic Solutions: exploring mixed media layer by layer by
Fresh new ways to create fabulous paintings with mixed media techniques!
Acrylic Solutions provides the "hows" behind a multitude of effects you've admired in other artists' works--and then some! Based on the popular online teaching collaboration of Chris Cozen and Julie Prichard , this book illustrates a wealth of layering methods and techniques. Mix and match to achieve countless variations, building layer upon layer to create unique and wonderfully complex abstract art.
Learn more than 30 step-by-step techniques for developing texture and visual interest, including collage, monoprinting, carving, color blocking, paint skins, raised stencils, glazing and so much more. Chapters explore the phases of a multi-layered painting, from surface preparation through adding structure, developing complexity and adding finishing touches. Follow the development of two paintings as each layer adds to the finished result, with tons of additional artwork throughout. Gain insight on how to make paints, mediums and grounds work for you.
Embracing a spirit of freedom and spontaneity, Acrylic Solutions is a stimulating guide for contemporary artists of any skill level. Beginners will learn how to make visually compelling paintings from start to finish, while more experienced artists will find the tools and inspiration to take their work to the next level.
Acrylic Works - The Best of Acrylic Painting by
A tribute to the expressiveness of today's artists and the incredible versatility of the medium, AcrylicWorks features 126 contemporary masterpieces. This stunning collection covers a wide range of styles and subjects from intimate portraits and ultra-realistic wildlife paintings to sweeping landscapes and bold abstracts. Captions reveal the unique creative story behind each piece and offer tips and techniques from top acrylic artists.
Arguable no other medium offers such a breadth of creative opportunities, from transparent veils of color to juicy impasto strokes. Acrylics allow artists the freedom to move from layer to layer quickly and intuitively, without waiting for paint to dry...or, when used with additives, time to work the paint for wet-into-wet applications. Combined with colored pencil, oil, collage, gels, pastes, and a wealth of other complementary mediums, the opportunities for texture and experimentation are endless. The results--as you'll see inside--are diverse, original and unabashedly acrylic.
500 Handmade Books by 
500 Handmade Books Volume 2 by
For this follow-up to the popular 500 Handmade Books, renowned book artist, lecturer, and instructor Julie Chen has chosen a provocative and visually dynamic group of works that will be of interest to makers and collectors alike."--Publisher's description.
Book Arts by
This collection in the popular Masters series, chosen and introduced by one of the world's top curators, offers field-defining work from 43 master book artists. The selections demonstrate conceptual, aesthetic, and technical excellence, as well as incredible beauty. Brief comments from the artists about their work, careers, and philosophies accompany the stunning images of their most innovative and technically accomplished book art achievements.
Bound by
"An accessible collection of creative bookbinding projects using different techniques for cutting and folding as well as stitches such as ladder, string of pearls and chain. Projects include The Slit Book, A Concertina with Pockets and Multi-Section Softback, which can then be developed further to create unique and personal handmade notebooks, books and keepsakes that are not only fun and satisfying to make, but also make wonderful gifts."
Eco-dyed Art Journals: Using Nature's Imprints by
Bring the beauty of nature to your art journals. Transform paper and journals with flower and leaf printing andplant-based dyes. With Eco-Dyed Art Journals, you’ll learn simple and fun techniques for:• Making lasting prints from flowers and leaves• Dyeing paper with the rainbow of nature’s colors• Binding dyed and printed papers into unique art journalsIn this book, artist Susan Brooks walks you step-by-step through printing and dyeing processes that use readily available materials and supplies. • Discover how to use natural dyes• Be inspired to embellish your papers with stitching, found objects, paint, and more• Use dyed papers to create fascinating mixed media art, journals, and books* Dozens of full-color photos to inspire youAfter years of making dolls, garments, and quilts, author Susan Brooks is currently driven to experiment with dye, paint, and textiles. As a teacher and workshop instructor, she enjoys sharing the joy of transforming natural materials intoone-of-a-kind artwork. She offers workshops in her Denver area studio.
Fold by
This book by Cherryl Moote gives you simple paper folding techniques to create boks, envelopes, fold-outs, explosion folds, 3D structures and cards. Complete illustrated instruction for 20+ projects plus details on tools, materials, and techniques. Easy to follow instructions. 120 pages.
Hand-Made Books by
This title is aimed at the amateur with a limited budget. It explains the basic techniques of bookbinding through a series of ten projects. All can be completed at the kitchen table using equipment that can be found at home or that is inexpensive and readily available. the three traditional styles. Having got to grips with the basic techniques, the reader is then introduced to larger, multi-section bindings for journals, cased-in magazines and scrap books. unfolded sheets of paper such as typed reports. For those with a bookshelf full of old paperbacks, the explanation of how to repair them should prove very easy to follow. To complete the projects, the method of Japanese binding is described, which uses a limp cover sewn in a decorative fashion. In the final project, the book tells how to make an exquisite portfolio. result. A multitude of fabrics and papers can be used as covering materials, Rob Shepherd includes some of his own cover designs.
Little Book of Book Making by
"Making books by hand has never been cooler, with this inspiring guide to 30 top bookmakers working today, plus 21 tutorials for essential techniques to make your own books. Crafters, artists, writers, and book lovers can't resist a beautifully handbound book. Packed with wonderfully eclectic examples, this book explores the intriguing creative possibilities of bookmaking as a modern art form, including a wide range of bindings, materials, and embellishments. Featured techniques include everything from Coptic to concertina binding, as well as experimental page treatments such as sumi-e ink marbling and wheat paste. In addition to page after page of inspiration from leading contemporary binderies, Little Book of Bookmaking includes a practical section of 21 easy-to-follow illustrated tutorials"
Making Handmade Books by
In the digital world, books may seem like an endangered species, but bookmaking is more popular than ever. Thanks to the 100 ideas in this volume, the craft is now available to everyone. In as little as an afternoon, beginners will be on their way to folding, gluing, and sewing handmade books in a variety of shapes and styles, from rolled scrolls to Jacob's ladders, folded flexagons to case bindings. Complete with photographs of the author's own master books and statements by more than 40 established book artists.
The Penland Book of Handmade Books by
Every year Penland, the innovative school where crafters from around the world come to hone their skills, offers a master class in the art of bookmaking that's simply without equal. Fortunately, it's available to everyone, thanks to this technical and inspirational guide that showcases ten contemporary book artists who have taught at the institution. Four hundred illuminating photographs highlight the crafters as each one demonstrates all the details of his or her particular expertise. Marvel at the beauty of Dolph Smith's sculptural books, the exquisite structure of Jim Croft's carved wood covers and metal closures, the intricacies of Barbara Mauriello's handmade boxes and slipcases, and the secrets of Carol Barton's playful pop-ups. Reflective essays by all the artists add to the creative excitement visible on every page and in every spectacular project.
Simply Bound by
For papercrafters & others wanting to start making books, this manual gives clear, precise instructions with step-by-step illustrations for 16 projects including meander books, lotus books, tea bag books, flutter books, & single signature. Bestseller. 2001. 80pp. 8.5"x11".
Sleight of Binding by
Cherryl's second how-to manual is about trick books, including flexigons, jacob's ladders, and folded forms. Full of fun stuff! A bestseller at recent conferences. 2002. 88pp. 8.5"x11".
Mastering Raku: making ware, glazes, building kilns, firing by
From firing to finishing, this is the definitive reference on raku. Ceramists will be informed and inspired by this newly updated, technique-based book with how-to photos and text. It covers such topics as types of clay, forming techniques, firing, glazes, decoration, and kilns and kiln construction. Mastering Raku also includes a gallery of works from around the world along with updated clay and glaze recipes.
Color: A Workshop for Artists and Designers by
Taking a practical approach to color, Color: A workshop for artists and designers is an invaluable resource for art students and professionals alike. With its sequence of specially designed assignments and in-depth discussions, it effectively bridges the gap between color theory and practice to inspire confidence and understanding in anyone who works with color.This second edition has been carefully reviewed and revised throughout. Presented in a new larger format, it includes much-enhanced sections on key color principles such as color perception, visual structure, materials and techniques, psychological experience of color, and color composition in digital formats.Generously illustratedincluding all-new, contemporary examplesthis book provides a unique set of tools that makes the complex theory of color accessible and practical.
Color Choices by
Internationally renowned artist and best selling author Stephen Quiller shows readers how to discover their own personal "color sense" in Color Choices , a book that offers readers a fresh perspective on perfecting their own color styles.
With the help of his own "Quiller Wheel," a special foldout wheel featuring 68 precisely placed colors, the author shows artists how they can develop their own unique color blends. First, Quiller demonstrates how to use the wheel to interpret color relationships and mix colors more clearly. Then he explains, step by step, how to develop five structured color schemes, apply underlays and overlays, and use color in striking, unusual ways. This book will bring out every artist's unique sense of color whether he or she works in oil, watercolor, acrylics, gouache, or casein.
Perfect Color Choices for the Artist by
Michael Wilcox offers an entirely new way of creating color harmony and contrast with Perfect Color Choices for the Artist. It's the only complete artist's guide to selecting, mixing and using color. Based on the way that colors in nature are related, this book teaches artists how to achieve perfect color in their art. Artists not only learn the color relationships of plants, animals and nature, but also how to mix and apply those colors to their paintings. Readers will find over 1,000 color arrangements and 400 illustrated examples, plus easy-to-follow instruction and guidelines for mixing and using color in any medium. Michael Wilcox has experienced a widely varied background, including periods as a professional artist, a conservator of art works and an engineer. His research in art and design led to the book Blue & Yellow Don't Make Green followed by the Wilcox Guide to the Best Watercolor Paints. Wilcox has also published the Artist's Guide to Selecting Colors, a guide that shows how to select a suitable palette in any medium-watercolors, oil paints, acrylics and more. He lives and continues his research and writing in Bristol, England.
Encyclopedia of Colored Pencil Techniques by
Explains the basic characteristics and color ranges of the main kinds of colored pencils: hard, soft, and pastel varieties. Offers step-by-step, visual demonstrations of each key technique-from blending, blocking in, and burnishing to graffito, stippling, and impressing-with more than 150 full-color illustrations. Includes an inspiring gallery of finished examples that show how professional artist make imaginative, dynamic use of techniques to interpret a wide range of subjects.
Computational Drawing by
This book explores computation, specifically the craft of writing computer code, as a medium for drawing. Exercises, essays, algorithms, diagrams, and drawings are woven together to offer instruction, insight, and theories that are valuable to practicing architects, artists, and scholars. This book can serve as a primer for those new to programming or motivation and context for those with experience. "Computing" and "drawing" are both deeply historical and loaded terms. Although digital media is often positioned in opposition to the "manual" act of drawing, the broader territory of "computing" includes matters of language, rules, procedures, and orders that are very much compatible with the presence of ink on paper. Indeed, the nature of drawing--a temporal medium governed by marks that can be precisely defined, but not easily edited--provides welcome structure for computational methods.
Drawing in Pen and Ink by
Discusses the materials and basic techniques for drawing with ink and includes step-by-step exercises. Before they know it, readers will be making sketches that actually end up looking like their subjects! Step-by-step projects show how to draw trees, flowers, people and more.
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by
Introduction Drawing used to be a civilized thing to do, like reading and writing. It was taught in elementary schools. It was democratic. It was a boon to happiness. --Michael Kimmelman For more than thirty years, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain has been a work in progress. Since the original publication in 1979, I have revised the book three times, with each revision about a decade apart: the ?rst in 1989, the second, 1999, and now a third, 2012 version. In each revision, my main purpose has been to incorporate instructional improvements that my group of teachers and I had gleaned from continuously teaching drawing over the intervening years, as well as bringing up-to-date ideas and information from education and neuroscience that relate to drawing. As you will see in this new version, much of the original material remains, as it has passed the test of time, while I continue to re?ne the lessons and clarify instructions. In addition, I make some new points about emergent right-brain signi?cance and the astonishing, relatively new science called neuroplasticity. I make a case for my life's goal, the possibility that public schools will once again teach drawing, not only as a civilized thing to do and a boon to happiness, but also as perceptual training for improving creative thinking. The power of perception Many of my readers have intuitively understood that this book is not only about learning to draw, and it is certainly not about Art with a capital A. The true subject is perception . Yes, the lessons have helped many people attain the basic ability to draw, and that is a main purpose of the book. But the larger underlying purpose was always to bring right hemisphere functions into focus and to teach readers how to see in new ways, with hopes that they would discover how to transfer perceptual skills to thinking and problem solving. In education, this is called "transfer of learning," which has always been regarded as di?cult to teach, and often teachers, myself included, hope that it will just happen. Transfer of learning, however, is best accomplished by direct teaching, and therefore, in Chapter 11 of this revised edition, I encourage that transfer by including some direct instruction on how perceptual skills, learned through drawing, can be used for thinking and problem solving in other ?elds. The book's drawing exercises are truly on a basic level, intended for a beginner in drawing. The course is designed for persons who cannot draw at all, who feel that they have no talent for drawing, and who believe that they probably can never learn to draw. Over the years, I have said many times that the lessons in this book are not on the level of art, but are rather more like learning how to read--more like the ABCs of reading: learning the alphabet, phonics, syllabi?cation, vocabulary, and so on. And just as learning basic reading is a vitally important goal, because the skills of reading transfer to every other kind of learning, from math and science to philosophy and astronomy, I believe that in time learning to draw will emerge as an equally vital skill, one that provides equally transferrable powers of perception to guide and promote insight into the meaning of visual and verbal information. I will even go out on a limb and say that we mistakenly may have been putting all our educational eggs into one basket only, while shortchanging other truly valuable capabilities of the human brain, namely perception, intuition, imagination, and creativity. Perhaps Albert Einstein put it best: "The intuitive mind is a sacred gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift." The hidden content About six months after publication of the original book in 1979, I had the odd experience of suddenly realizing that the book I thought I had written contained another content of which I was unaware. That hidden content was something I didn't know I knew: I had inadvertently de?ned the basic component skills of the global skill of drawing. I think part of the reason this content was hidden from me was the very nature of art education at the time, where beginning drawing classes focused on subject matter, such as "Still Life Drawing," "Landscape Drawing," or "Figure Drawing," or on drawing mediums, such as charcoal, pencil, pen and ink, ink wash, or mixtures of mediums. But my aim was di?erent: I needed to provide my readers with exercises that would cause a cognitive shift to the right hemisphere--a shift similar to that caused by Upside-Down Drawing: "tricking" the dominant left hemisphere into dropping out of the task. I settled on ?ve subskills that seemed to have the same e?ect, but at the time, I thought that there must be other basic skills--maybe dozens of them. Then, months after the book had been published, in the midst of teaching a class, it hit me as an aha ! that for learning to draw realistic images of observed subjects, the ?ve subskills were it--there weren't more. I had inadvertently selected from the many aspects of drawing a few fundamental subskills that I thought might be closely aligned to the e?ect of Upside-Down Drawing. And the ?ve skills, I realized, were not drawing skills in the usual sense; they were rock-bottom, fundamental seeing skills: how to perceive edges, spaces, relationship, lights and shadows, and the gestalt . As with the ABCs of reading, these were the skills you had to have in order to draw any subject. I was elated by this discovery. I discussed it at length with my colleagues and searched through old and new textbooks on drawing, but we did not ?nd any additional fundamenta l basic components of the global skill of basic realistic drawing--drawing one's perceptions. With this discovery, it occurred to me that perhaps drawing could be quickly and easily taught and learned-- not strung out over years and years, as was the current practice in art schools. My aim suddenly became "drawing for everyone," not just for artists in training. Clearly, the basic ability to draw does not necessarily lead to the "?ne art" found in museums and galleries any more than the basic ability to read and write inevitably leads to literary greatness and published works of literature. But learning to draw was something I knew was valued by children and adults. Thus, my discovery led me in new directions, resulting in a 1989 revision of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain , in which I focused on explaining my insight and proposing that individuals who had never been able to draw could learn to draw well very rapidly. Subsequently, my colleagues and I developed a five-day workshop of forty hours of teaching and learning (eight hours a day for ?ve days), which proved to be surprisingly e?ective: students acquired quite high-level basic drawing skills in that brief time, and gained all the information they needed to go on making progress in drawing. Since drawing perceived subjects is always the same task, always requiring the ?ve basic component skills, they could proceed to any subject matter, learn to use any or all drawing mediums, and take the skill as far as they wished. They could also apply their new visual skills to thinking. The parallels to learning to read were becoming obvious. Over the next decade, from 1989 to 1999, the connection of perceptual skills to general thinking, problem solving, and creativity became a more central focus for me, especially after publication of my 1986 book, Drawing on the Artist Within . In this book, I proposed a "written" language for the right hemisphere: the language of line, the expressive language of art itself. This idea of using drawing to aid thinking proved to be quite useful in a class on creativity that I developed for university students and in small corporate seminars on problem solving. Then, in 1999, I again revised Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain , again incorporating what we had learned over the years of teaching the ?ve basic skills and re?ning the lessons. I especially focused on the skill of sighting (proportion and perspective), which is perhaps the most di?cult component skill to teach in words, because of its complexity and its reliance on students' acceptance of paradox, always anathema to the logical, concept-bound left brain. In addition, I urged using perceptual skills to "see" problems. Now, with this third revision in 2012, I want to clarify to the best of my ability the global nature of drawing and to link drawing's basic component skills to thinking in general and to creativity in particular. Throughout many cultures, both in the United States and worldwide, there is much talk of creativity and our need for innovation and invention. There are many suggestions to try this or try that. But the nitty-gritty of precisely how to become more creative is seriously lacking. Our education system seems bent on eliminating every last bit of creative perceptual training of the right side of the brain, while overemphasizing the skills best accomplished by the left side of the brain: memorizing dates, data, theorems, and events with the goal of passing standardized tests. Today we are not only testing and grading our children into the ground, but we are not teaching them how to see and understand the deep meaning of what they learn, or to perceive the connectedness of information about the world. It is indeed time to try something di?erent. Fortunately, the tide seems to be turning, according to a recent news report. A small group of cognitive scientists at the University of California at Los Angeles is recommending they call "perceptual learning" as a remedy to our failing educational practices. They express hope that such training will transfer to other contexts, and they have had some success with achieving transfer. Discouragingly, however, the news report ended: "In an education awash with computerized learning tools and pilot programs of all kinds, the future of such perceptual learning e?orts is far from certain. Scientists still don't know the best way to train perceptual intuition, or which speci?c principles it's best suited for. And such tools, if they are incorporated into curriculums in any real way, will be subject to the judgment of teachers." I would like to suggest that we already have a best way to train perceptual skills: it has been staring us in the face for decades, and we haven't (or wouldn't, or couldn't) accept it. I think it is not a coincidence that as drawing and creative arts in general have steadily diminished in school curricula since the mid-twentieth century, the educational achievement of students in the United States has likewise diminished, to the point that we now rank behind Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Sweden, the Netherlands, Hungary, and Slovenia. In 1969, perceptual psychologist Rudolf Arnheim, one of the most widely read and respected scientists of the twentieth century, wrote: "The arts are neglected because they are based on perception, and perception is disdained because it is not assumed to involve thought. In fact, educators and administrators cannot justify giving the arts an important position in the curriculum unless they understand that the arts are the most powerful means of strengthening the perceptual component without which productive thinking is impossible in every ?eld of academic study. "What is most needed is not more aesthetics or more esoteric manuals of art education but a convincing case made for visual thinking quite in general. Once we understand in theory, we might try to heal in practice the unwholesome split which cripples the training of reasoning power." Drawing does indeed involve thought, and it is an e?ective and e?cient method for perceptual training. And perceptual knowledge can impact learning in all disciplines. We now know how to rapidly teach drawing. We know that learning to draw, like learning to read, is not dependent on something called "talent," and that, given proper instruction, every person is able to learn the skill. Furthermore, given proper instruction, people can learn to transfer the basic perceptual components of drawing to other learning and to general thinking. And, as Michael Kimmelman said, learning to draw is a boon to happiness--a panacea for the stultifying and uncreative drudgery of standardized testing that our schools have embraced. Our two minds and modern multitasking Today, as research expands and the information-processing styles and proclivities of the hemispheres become ever clearer, respected scientists are recognizing functional di?erences as evident and real, despite the fact that both hemispheres appear to be involved to a greater or lesser extent in every human activity. And there remains much uncertainty about the reason for the profound asymmetry of the human brain, which we seem to be aware of at the level of language. The expression "I am of two minds about that" clearly states our human situation. Our two minds, however, have not had an equal playing ?eld: until recently, language has dominated worldwide, especially in modern technological cultures like our own. Visual perception has been more or less taken for granted, with little requirement for special concern or education. Now, however, computer scientists who are trying to replicate human visual perception ?nd it extremely complicated and slow going. After decades of e?orts, scientists have ?nally achieved facial recognition by computers, but reading the meaning of changes in facial expression, accomplished instantly and e?ortlessly by the right hemisphere, will take much more time and work. Meanwhile, visual images are everywhere, and visual and verbal information compete for attention. Constant multitasking linked to information overload is challenging the brain's ability to rapidly shift modes, or to simultaneously deal with both modes of input. The recent banning of texting while driving illustrates the problem of the brain's di?culty in simultaneously processing two modes of information. This recognition that we need to ?nd productive ways to use both modes perhaps explains why replicating right hemisphere processes is only now emerging as important and even, perhaps, critical. A complication: the brain that studies itself As a number of scientists have noted, research on the human brain is complicated by the fact that the brain is struggling to understand itself. This three-pound organ is perhaps the only bit of matter in the our universe--at least as far as we know--that observes and studies itself, wonders about itself, tries to analyze how it does what it does, and tries to maximize its capabilities. This paradoxical situation no doubt contributes to the deep mysteries that still remain despite rapidly expanding scienti?c knowledge. One of the most encouraging new discoveries that the human brain has made about itself is that it can physically change itself by changing its accustomed ways of thinking, by deliberately exposing itself to new ideas and routines, and by learning new skills. This discovery has led to a new category of neuroscientists, neuroplasticians, who use microelectrodes and brain scans to track complex brain maps of neuronal communication, and who have observed the brain revising its neuronal maps. Brain plasticity: a new way to think about talent This conception of a plastic brain, a brain that constantly changes with experience, that can reorganize and transmute and even develop new cells and new cell connections, is in direct contrast to previous judgments of the human brain as being more akin to a hard-wired machine, with its parts genetically determined and unchangeable except for development in early childhood and deterioration in old age. For teachers like myself, the science of brain plasticity is both exciting and rea?rming--exciting because it opens vast new possibilities, and rea?rming because the idea that learning can change the way people live and think has always been a goal of education. Now, at last, we can move beyond the ideas of ?xed intelligence limits and special gifts for the lucky few, and look for new ways to enhance potential brain power. One of the exciting new horizons that brain plasticity opens is the possibility of questioning the concept of talent , especially the concepts of artistic talent and creative talent. Nowhere has the idea of the hard-wired brain, with its notion of given or not-given talent, been as widespread as in the ?eld of art, and especially in drawing, because drawing is the entry-level skill for all the visual arts. The common remark, "Drawing? Not on your life! I can't even draw a straight line!" is still routinely announced with full conviction by many adults and even more distressingly, by many children as young as eight or nine, who have tried and sadly judged as failures their attempts to draw their perceptions. The reason given for this situation is often a ?at-out statement: "I have no artistic talent." And yet we know now, from knowledge of brain plasticity and from decades of work by me and many others in the ?eld, that drawing is simply a skill that can be taught and learned by anyone of sound mind who has learned other skills, such as reading, writing, and arithmetic. Drawing, however, is not regarded as an essential skill in the way the three Rs are viewed as necessary life skills. It is seen as perhaps a peripheral skill, nice to have as a pastime or hobby, but certainly not indispensable. And yet, somehow, at some level, we sense that something important is being ignored. Surprisingly, people often equate their lack of drawing skill with a lack of creativity, even though they may be highly creative in other areas of their lives. And the importance of perception often shows in the words we speak, phrases that speak of seeing and perceiving. When we ?nally understand something, we exclaim, "Now I see it!" Or when someone fails to understand, we say the person "can't see the forest for the trees," or "doesn't get the picture." This implies that perception is important to understanding, and we hope that we somehow learn to perceive, but it is a skill without a classroom and without a curriculum. I propose that drawing can be that curriculum. Public education and the arts Drawing, of course, is not the only art that trains perceptual thinking. Music, dance, drama, painting, design, sculpture, and ceramics are all vitally important and should all be restored to public schools. But I'll be blunt: even if there were the will, there is no way that will happen because it would cost too much in this era of ever-diminishing resources for public education. Music requires costly instruments, dance and drama require staging and costumes, sculpture and ceramics require equipment and supplies. Although I wish it were otherwise, high-cost visual and performing arts programs that were terminated long ago will not be reinstated. And cost is not the only deterrent. Over the last forty years, many educators, decision-makers, and even some parents have come to regard the arts as peripheral, and, let's face it, frivolous--especially the visual arts, with their connotation of "the starving artist" and the mistaken concept of necessary talent. The one art subject that we could easily a?ord is drawing, the skill that is basic to training visual perception and is therefore the entry-level subject--the ABCs--of perceptual skill-building. Among people who oppose arts education, drawing doesn't escape the frivolity label, but it is a?ordable to teach. Drawing requires the simplest of materials--paper and pencils. It requires a minimum of simple equipment and no special rooms or buildings. The most signi?cant requirement is a teacher who knows how to draw, knows how to teach the basic perceptual skills of drawing, and knows how to transfer those skills to other domains. Of all the arts, drawing is the one that can ?t into today's rapidly shrinking school budgets. And most parents are very supportive if their children acquire real, substantive drawing skills as opposed to the more usual "expressive" manipulation of materials in vogue in recent decades. At around ages seven to nine, children long to learn "how to make things look real" in their drawings, and they are well able to learn to draw, given appropriate teaching. If educators would ?nd the will, there would be a way. Excerpted from Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
Life Drawing Class by
Offers step-by-step instructions for drawing and painting the human figure, including working with different media, learning new techniques, and exploring ways of interpreting the figure.
Beyond Bullets by
Going beyond basic tools, this book offers tips, tricks and creative ways to transform your notebook into a treasured life companion, including:. ornamental lettering, personalized habit trackers, colorful calendars, decorative headers, customized productivity lists, inspiring artwork, creative future logs, and unique planning pages.
Dot Journaling by
It's a planner, a to-do list, and a diary for every aspect of your life-- and Miller shows how to make a dot-journal work for you. She helps you decide how simple (or elaborate) your journal will be, and offers tips for lists, symbols, and trackers that will help you keep your life in order.
300+ Mosaic Tips, Techniques, Templates and Trade Secrets by
With information gleaned from years of working for and studying with professional mosaic artists from around the world, this comprehensive guide provides essential information for creating beautiful mosaics that survive the elements and stand the test of time. Offering hundreds of valuable design and construction tips, diagrams, simple step-by-step directions, and photographs, the book explains how to create professional, stylish, and technically skilled mosaics. It contains clear instructions for the most commonly used mosaic methods, tips for avoiding potential pitfalls, and an easy-to-navigate technical guide with advice from master mosaicists on selecting the materials, tools, and techniques best suited to any mosaic project. Beginners, hobbyists, and professional artists alike will make the leap from mediocre to majestic mosaics with this understandable, uniquely organized reference.
Oil Painting Safe Practices Materials and Supplies by
"Using straightforward illustrations and clear language, Oil painting safe practices, materials & supplies: the essential guide is both a reference manual and a survival guide for experienced artists, teachers and students alike. In addition to addressing frequently asked questions, such as setting the table, mixing colors, and cleaning brushes this book presents all the materials one would need to start a practice, reduce toxins, save time, live longer, and create more art."
Abstracts: Techniques & Textures by
This is the fourth and most technical book on abstract art by Rolina van Vliet. In comparison to its predecessors it takes a more in-depth look at the practical nature of abstract art.
With a detailed explanation of the technical aspects of painting, the book covers figurative elements, composition and construction work specifically. Abstracts Techniques and Textures is a comprehensive handbook for amateurs, professionals, teachers and students alike to learn the intricacies of painting abstracts.
It features 50 studies detailing dozens of techniques and textures readers can use to practise achieving abstract and non-figurative painting. The book also includes more than 350 selected images to inspire and guide the reader's eye.
Contemporary Landscapes in Mixed Media by
Popular artist and teacher Soraya French encourages her students to broaden their horizons, and here she gives painters the tools they need to experiment with exciting combinations of acrylics, pastels, and collage. The book is divided into the four seasons, and the particular colors, shapes, patterns, and textures associated with each one; it also explores interesting ways of painting flowers and other details of nature. French explains how to create lively compositions, depict architectural features within the landscape, and even, in some instances, create a narrative. Handy tips, simple projects, and step-by-step demonstrations help artists hone their skills.
Daily Painting by
A unique system for jump-starting artistic creativity, encouraging experimentation and growth, and increasing sales for artists of all levels, from novices to professionals.
Have you landed in a frustrating rut? Are you having trouble selling paintings in galleries, getting bogged down by projects you can't seem to finish or abandon, or finding excuses to avoid working in the studio? Author Carol Marine knows exactly how you feel--she herself suffered from painter's block, until she discovered "daily painting." The idea is simple: do art (usually small) often (how often is up to you), and if you'd like, post and sell it online. Soon you'll find that your block dissolves and you're painting work you love--and more of it than you ever thought possible!
With her encouraging tone and useful exercises, Marine teaches you to:
-Master composition and value
-Become confident in any medium including oil painting, acrylic painting, watercolors, and other media
-Choose subjects wisely
-Stay fresh and loose
-Photograph, post, and sell your art online
-Become connected to the growing movement of daily painters around the world
Paint Mojo - a Mixed-Media Workshop: creative layering techniques for personal expression by
Claim the beauty of your unique, authentic expression.
Break free of your comfort zone, sharpen your senses to perceive the world around you and find happiness in play. On this painterly journey, Tracy Verdugo leads you from self-doubt to self-appreciation by helping you find your voice through a myriad of vibrantly-hued mark making, painting and self-reflection techniques. There are no mistakes here, only opportunities to learn and grow.
Learn the language of your own sacred marks by painting with personal symbology. Discover the inspiration that exists around you, in your home, your community, the present moment. 19 step-by-step exercises use popular mixed media materials such as pastels, acrylic paints, inks and more! See how to use art making to plant creative seeds and cultivate your wildest dreams. Turn on your Paint Mojo and make an awesome, shiny, perfectly imperfect mark of you.
Paint with the Impressionists: a step-by-step guide to their methods and materials for today's artists by
This innovative book expertly leads readers through the methods used by Impressionists masters such as Monet, Renoir, and Gauguin and supplies the essential information needed to create paintings in the style of the most popular movement in art history. 400 illustrations, 362 in color.
Block Print Magic by
An essential guide to the techniques of linoleum block printing, with step-by-step images and a gallery of finished works for inspiration and visual demonstration.
The Complete Printmaker: techniques, traditions, innovations by
This revised and expanded edition takes the reader step by step through the history and techniques of over forty-five print-making methods.
From the traditional etching, engraving, lithography, and relief print processes to today's computer prints, Mylar lithography, copier prints, water-based screen printing, helio-reliefs, and monotypes, The Complete Printmaker covers various aspects of fine printmaking. The book also includes a survey of issues and contemporary concerns in the printmakers world.
Japanese Woodblock Print Workshop by
An inspirational how-to course on Japanese woodblock printing's history and techniques, with guidance on materials and studio practices, step-by-step demonstrations, and examples of finished works by modern masters of the medium as well as historic pieces. An increasingly popular yet age-old art form, Japanese woodblock printing (mokuhanga) is embraced for its non-toxic character, use of handmade materials, and easy integration with other printmaking techniques. In this comprehensive guide, artist and printmaker April Vollmer--one of the best known Japanese woodblock printing practitioners and instructors in the West--combines her deep knowledge of the historic printmaking practice with expert instruction and presents a collection of diverse and gorgeous prints by leading contemporary artists in the medium, as well as her own work. At once practical and inspirational, this handbook is as useful to serious printmakers and artists as it is to creative types who are drawn to Japanese history and aesthetics and are looking to experiment in other media"
Magical Secrets about Aquatint Spit Bite, Sugar Lift and Other Etched Tones Step-by-Step by
Magical secrets are quickly grasped. They open doors to fresh ways of seeing and understanding. Artists use aquatint, a form of etching, to create delicate washes, velvety blacks, and intricate layers of color impossible in other art media. In this book, the third in a series about etchings, Emily York discusses 46 aquatints by 32 artists, with special attention to fascinating sequential works by Richard Diebenkorn and Al Held. Emily York is a master painter at Crown Point Press, a publishing workshop where artists have been creating etchings since 1962. She ties processes directly to art, and with clear writing and abundant illustrations explains the aquatint processes of spit bite, sugar lift, soap ground, and water bite. She also details steel-facing and multiple-plate printing, and gives step-by-step instructions for making your own aquatints. Anyone who cares about art will enjoy this book, and anyone who makes etchings will find it indefensible. The included DVD demonstrates the processes, and the accompanying website provides ongoing information about printmaking."--Publisher's description.
Magical Secrets about Line Etching and Engraving by
In the second of the Magical Secrets series, author Catherine Brooks (a former master printer at Crown Point Press) draws on the venerable history of that institution to create an inspirational and highly usable how-to book on line etching and engraving. Crown Point Press founder, Kathan Brown, adds an appendix on hand-wiping and printing that teaches you to ink and print etchings with Crown Point's superlative quality. The practical information is artist-centered, with illustrations and discussions of line etchings and engravings enhanced by quotations from the artists who made them. Included with the book is a DVD with Catherine Brooks and Kathan Brown demonstrating the step-by-step techniques.--Publisher website. DVD contains demonstrations of the processes and artists using them.
Modern Printmaking by
A fully illustrated instructional printmaking book presenting step-by-step examples alongside representative works from thirty top contemporary printmaking artists.
Printmaking is flourishing in the modern era, appealing to both traditional artists as well as those interested in graphic design and digital techniques. This all-in-one guide is both technical and inspirational, examining the history and contemporary processes of relief, intaglio, lithography, serigraphy, mixed media, digital transfers, and post-digital graphics. Featuring step-by-step examples alongside representative works and profiles of top printmaking artists, this colorful resource
provides a truly fresh look at printmaking today, in all its forms.
Monotype: mediums and methods for painterly printmaking by
Discusses monotypes - images transferred from a painted surface to paper. The author concentrates on two techniques - the subtractive, in which a medium is painted onto a plate and the image is developed by scratching and the direct method, where the artist works onto canvas or paper.
Practical Mixed-Media Printmaking by
Practical Mixed-Media Printmaking is an essential introduction to printmaking using a wide range of low-cost materials. This practical guide includes easy-to-follow instructions, hints and tips on all of the main printmaking techniques, as well as over 90 examples of works by contemporary printmakers and 19 profiles explaining the artists' methods and inspiration. Mixed-media printmaking allows vast freedom for experimentation and armed with the knowledge inside this book it is possible to adapt and refine the basic techniques to suit your own projects. This beautiful book will be an inspiration for printmakers at all levels.
Printmaking by
Printmaking is a practical and comprehensive guide to printmaking techniques. This fully updated edition includes expanded chapters on digital and mixed media processes, and a brand new 'Print & Make' chapter, which explores the opportunities for creative expression within the many processes available to print makers. The more traditional techniques of relief, intaglio, collograph, lithography, screen printing and monoprint have also been refreshed with the addition of new images showing a broader range of subject matter, including more contemporary prints and international artists. A new section on the traditions and techniques of Japanese woodblock printing completes the update.
Each technique is explored from the development of the printing or digital matrix, through the different stages of creation to image output. Clear step-by-step illustrations, interviews with contemporary printmakers and a wide range of images showing the best of cutting-edge printmaking today offer an inspirational resource. Guidance on how to set up a print studio, sections on troubleshooting techniques and the inclusion of up-to-date lists of suppliers, workshops and galleries make this anessential volume for beginner and experienced printmakers alike.
Printmaking Bible by
From the Publisher: Perennially popular, printmaking is enjoying a contemporary resurgence but no comprehensive up-to-date manual on the subject exists. At over 400 pages and packed with 1,000 full-color photos and illustrations, The Printmaking Bible is the definitive resource to the ins-and-outs of every variety of serious printmaking technique practiced today. In-depth instructions are accompanied by profiles that show how working artists create their prints. Historical information, troubleshooting tips, and an extensive resource section provide more invaluable tools. Perfect for students, artists, print aficionados, and collectors, this is truly the ultimate volume for anyone involved in this creative and influential art form.
Prints and Printmaking: an introduction to the history and techniques by
A print is a pictorial image that has been produced by a process that enables it to be multiplied, and many of the best-known works by some of the world's greatest artists are prints. Yet little is understood about this popular art form. Now Antony Griffiths provides an excellent introduction for anyone who wishes to acquire a basic understanding of prints and printmaking. In succinct and lucid language, he explains the different printmaking techniques and shows both details and whole prints to demonstrate the effects that can be achieved. Woodcuts, engraving, etching, mezzotint, and lithography are among the many processes explained, illustrated, and placed within a historical context.
This fully revised and updated edition of the highly praised 1980 British publication is available for the first time in the United States. With its complete glossary, index, and helpful illustrations, Griffiths's book is the essential foundation for an intelligent appreciation of the printmaker's art.
Beginner's Guide to Sculpting Characters in Clay by
Learn which tools are best suited to your needs and how to use them effectively, explore diverse materials and pick up helpful tips from leading professional sculptors as you start your journey into clay sculpture. With meticulous tutorials, a handy glossary of sculpting terms, and copious amounts of inspiration, the Beginner's Guide to Sculpting Characters in Clay is an excellent resource for anyone wanting to try their hand at creating incredible 3D characters.
Methods for Modern Sculptors by Modeling the Figure in Clay by
Master sculptor Bruno Lucchesi invites you on a guided tour of the human form. Follow him as he creates a figure in clay--literally from the inside out--starting with the skeleton, laying on the muslces to show male and female anatomy, and finishing with a complete figure sculpture with every detail of face and hair carefully modeled.
The Sculptor's Way: a guide to modelling and sculpture by
A treasury of all the information a student of sculpture needs in the early stages of training: modelling from life, human and comparative anatomy, modelling and casting a portrait head, drapery, ceramic sculpture, stone and marble carving, wood carving, and bronze casting. 210 halftones. 124 line drawings.
Storyboarding by
This revised text is designed to demonstrate the process of converting static images to an effective animation of characters and effects. Unlike many of its competitors, Storyboarding uses the accompanying DVD to show the storyboards in conjunction with a final short film and script. Material on game scripting, Motion Graphics, and Web comics has been added. The text and tutorial disc take an in-depth view on the step-by-step process for developing characters, scenes, and camera angles through the full production of a finished project. The book includes numerous techniques for analyzing scripts, provides a comprehensive look at the various types of storyboards, and covers methods used in both film-making and video game storyboards.
Features:
* Uses the companion DVD with an original short film, Overtime , to demonstrate the storyboards in conjunction with the script
* Includes video game, motion graphic, animatic, motion comic, and e-learning storyboards with selected sample projects
* Loaded with projects, figures, tips, and interviews that offer practical advice
* Includes in-text commentaries on the storyboards by both the director and artist
* Includes a comprehensive glossary of key terms used in the film industry
Creative Discoveries in Watermedia by 
Encyclopedia of Watercolor Techniques by
Easy-to-use, full-color, A-to-Z reference guides to basic and advanced techniques.
Watercolor Bold and Free by
In this volume, American watercolour artist Lawrence Goldsmith shows artists how to widen their scope, sharpen their inner vision and venture into exciting and unfamiliar territory. The book's 64 bold and exploratory experiments are designed to promote freshness, vibrancy and originality, and to suggest alternatives to conventional ways of painting. They are organized into three categories: composition, concept and technique. Each experiment is illustrated by a full-page, full-colour painting by a leading artist. Goldsmith provides analysis and suggestions, and gives practical advice on many painting problems that are specific to the medium of watercolour.
