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Bibliophile: An Illustrated Miscellany by Jane Mount
The ultimate gift for book lovers, this volume brims with literary treasures, all delightfully illustrated by beloved artist and founder of Ideal Bookshelf, Jane Mount.
Book lovers, rejoice! In this love letter to all things bookish, Jane Mount brings literary people, places, and things to life through her signature and vibrant illustrations. Readers will:
• Tour the world's most beautiful bookstores
• Test their knowledge of the written word with quizzes
• Find their next great read in lovingly curated stacks of books
• Sample the most famous fictional meals
• Peek inside the workspaces of their favorite authors
A source of endless inspiration, literary facts and recommendations, and pure bookish joy,Bibliophile is sure to enchant book clubbers, English majors, poetry devotees, inspiring writers, and any and all who identify as bookworms.
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EJ Hughes Paints Vancouver Island by Amos & Hughes
A handsome new retrospective on one of BC’s most beloved artists that unveils, for the first time, photographs, sketches, and ephemera from the artist’s estate.
The reputation of E. J. Hughes in British Columbia is second only to that of Emily Carr. His paintings, collected by every major gallery in our country, fetch more than $1 million at auction. Yet Hughes lived a notoriously private life.
Hughes painted scenes from all over BC, but he especially loved Vancouver Island, and lived most of his 93 years at Shawnigan Lake and Duncan. This book features paintings from his beloved island home—from Sidney, past Goldstream and the Malahat to Cowichan Bay, Genoa Bay, and Maple Bay. With stops along the way, he painted scenes from Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Comox, and Courtenay. Hughes recorded the passing of an era, capturing the coastal steamships, log booms, fishing boats, and the landscapes he treasured.
This book includes a biography of the artist, highlights more than 60 of his finest works alongside sketches and photos revealing his studio methods, and shares his handwritten notes.
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Travels with my Sketchbook by Chris Riddell
A beautiful, illustrated record of Chris Riddell's time as the 2015-2017 UK Children's Laureate.
After two years travelling the United Kingdom - visiting schools, libraries, and festivals, and meeting thousands of children - this book provides a glimpse of the incredible journey Chris has been on during his time as Children's Laureate.
Full of sketches, doodles, and pages from The Laureate Log - his daily record of his time as Laureate - this beautiful hardback has been lovingly curated by his daughter Katy, who is a talented illustrator in her own right. With its cloth binding, ribbon marker, beautiful end papers, and full-colour interiors, this truly is a book to treasure.
Travels With My Sketchbook will include: train doodles; key events in the world of children's books; early sketches (including handwritten manuscripts and cover drafts) from the books he has worked on during his time as Laureate, including Goth Girl and the Wuthering Fright and his retelling of Lewis Carroll's The Hunting of the Snark; political sketches or roughs for the Observer; birthday sketches, impromptu portraits, posters, Christmas cards, sketches for poems, song lyrics, and much more!
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The Wander Society by Keri Smith
From the internationally bestselling creator of Wreck This Journal...
wan·der
verb \ˈwän-dər\
to walk/explore/amble in an unplanned or aimless way with a complete openness to the unknown
Several years ago when Keri Smith, bestselling author of Wreck This Journal, discovered cryptic handwritten notations in a worn copy of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, her interest was piqued. Little did she know at the time that those simple markings would become the basis of a years-long, life-changing exploration into a mysterious group known only as The Wander Society, as well as the subject of this book.
Within these pages, you’ll find the results of Smith’s research: A guide to the Wander Society, a secretive group that holds up the act of wandering, or unplanned exploring, as a way of life. You’ll learn about the group’s mysterious origins, meet fellow wanderers through time, discover how wandering feeds the creative mind, and learn how to best practice the art of wandering, should you choose to accept the mission.
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The Trickster’s Hat by Nick Bantock
The act of creating art, in all its forms, offers us a path to our souls. But the path can be confusing, and getting lost along the way is inevitable. However, maybe that’s the point.
In The Trickster’s Hat, bestselling author of the Griffin & Sabine cycle Nick Bantock invites you to lose yourself in order to become a better creator. Inspired by Nick's popular and mischievous workshops, the book's forty-nine perceptive exercises will encourage you to forget your destination while you meander through the wondrous world that awaits you in the periphery of your mind's eye.
If you’re willing to be lead hither and thither down unlikely paths by a fellow of dubious reputation, if you’re prepared to keep a sense of humor and not be phased when he plucks the unexpected out of a mischief-stuffed hat, if you’re ready to zigzag, detour, and wander in search of a better understanding of your artistic core, then, let the Trickster be your guide.
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Every Word is a Bird we Teach to Sing by Daniel Tammet
A mind-expanding, deeply humane tour of language by the bestselling author of Born on a Blue Day and Thinking in Numbers.
Is vocabulary destiny? Why do clocks "talk" to the Nahua people of Mexico? Will A.I. researchers ever produce true human-machine dialogue? In this mesmerizing collection of essays, Daniel Tammet answers these and many other questions about the intricacy and profound power of language.
In Every Word Is a Bird We Teach to Sing, Tammet goes back in time to London to explore the numeric language of his autistic childhood; in Iceland, he learns why the name Blær became a court case; in Canada, he meets one of the world's most accomplished lip readers. He chats with chatbots; contrives an "e"-less essay on lipograms; studies the grammar of the telephone; contemplates the significance of disappearing dialects; and corresponds with native Esperanto speakers - in their mother tongue.
A joyous romp through the world of words, letters, stories, and meanings, Every Word Is a Bird We Teach to Sing explores the way communication shapes reality. From the art of translation to the lyricism of sign language, these essays display the stunning range of Tammet's literary and polyglot talents.
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Draw Every Day, Draw Every Way by Jennifer Orkin
Conceived by Instagram’s daily sketch sensation @augustwren, this guided journal encourages carving out a moment of self-expression every day.
To conquer the intimidating prospect of filling 365 blank pages, Draw Every Day, Draw Every Way is divided into monthly themes, with undated daily prompts that suggest what to draw each day. You can work through the journal from front to back, or jump around and draw whatever appeals to you at the time. Monthly themes include:
• A month of nature
• A month of your favorite things
• A month of characters
• A month of print and patterns
Jennifer Orkin Lewis (aka @augustwren) encourages experimentation with a one-page tutorial at the beginning of each month that outlines accessible ways to draw with different materials, such as ballpoint pens, colored pencils, paint, and collage. Coupled with sections of varying paper types, there is an unlimited canvas available to flourish artistically; brown craft paper pairs well with black ink and white pencil, black paper is great for white and metallic gel pens, and heavy white paper is included for painting.
The journal is not only useful as a stress-reliever and as a mode of personal exploration, but also as a way of changing visual thinking. And when completed, it will serve as a reflection of its owner.
With prompts, tutorials, and unique packaging, Draw Every Day, Draw Every Way is a must-have for those looking to sketch and doodle their way out of an inspirational rut.
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Art on the Rocks by F Sehnaz Bac, Marisa Redondo, Margaret Vance
More than 35 Colorful & Contemporary Rock-Painting Projects, Tips and Techniques to Inspire your Creativity
Painting on canvas is so last century! Create a real work of art with Art on the Rocks and hold onto a masterpiece painting that will last as long as the stone it's painted on.
Grab your colors, head outside and start painting beautiful works of art on stones. This all inclusive instruction book is packed with creative ideas, step-by-step projects, and endless inspiration for creating masterpieces that are truly one with nature.
Art on the Rocks offers a colorful, modern approach to rock painting. After an initial overview of how to best gather and prepare your rocks, and a basic review of the tools and materials necessary for each project, three talented rock-painting artists demonstrate a range of contemporary designs for you to experiment with.
Their varieties of patterns, animals, mandalas, and loads of other designs means you will never be without inspiration for what to paint on your next stone. Each project includes easy-to-follow instructions and invites creativity and originality, encouraging you to sit back, relax, and develop your own unique Art on the Rocks.
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Art Lab for Kids by Susan Schwake, Painer Schwake
"Susan Schwake's Art Lab for Kids is a well-thought-out guide, making it easy to introduce art into children's lives. Simple, clear explanations of technique, combined with inspiration from established artists, will enable children to feel successful and encouraged to explore art as a form of expression." - Rebecca Emberley, best-selling children's book author and illustrator
"Art Lab for Kids will make a valuable contribution to the literature of children's creative art experiences for teachers and others who believe in the value of art in the education of all children. The activities are adaptable to learners of all levels and are highly creative and challenging while balancing the artistic process with the potential for a meaningful product. This book will be an important addition to our program in art teacher education." - Bill Haust, Chairman, Department of Art Education, Plymouth State University
"Art Lab for Kids encourages all ages to be fearless in seeking and nurturing their creativity. With lessons, inspiration, and advice, Susan Schwake gives you the tools to find and explore your artistic side." - Kathreen Ricketson, found and editor of http://www.whipup.net and http://www.action-pack.com
A refreshing source of ideas for creating fine art with children, Art Lab for Kids encourages the artist’s own voice, marks, and style. This fun and creative book features 52 fine art projects set into weekly lessons, beginning with drawing, moving through painting and printmaking, and then building to paper collage and mixed media. Each lesson features and relates to the work and style of a contemporary artist. Lisa Congdon, Megan Bogonovich, and Amy Rice are just a few of the artists included. The labs can be used as singular projects or to build up to a year of hand-on fine art experiences. The lessons in this book are open-ended to be explored over and over–with different results each time! Colorful photos illustrate how different people using the same lesson will yield different results, exemplifying the way the lesson brings out each artist’s personal style. Art Lab for Kids is the perfect book for creative families, friends, and community groups and works as lesson plans for both experienced and new art teachers. Children of all ages and experience levels can be guided by adults and will enjoy these engaging exercises.
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Absolutely on Music by Haruki Murakami, Seiji Ozawa, Jay Rubin
A deeply personal, intimate conversation about music and writing between the internationally acclaimed, best-selling author and his close friend, the former conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Haruki Murakami's passion for music runs deep. Before turning his hand to writing, he ran a jazz club in Tokyo, and from The Beatles' "Norwegian Wood" to Franz Liszt's "Years of Pilgrimage," the aesthetic and emotional power of music permeates every one of his much-loved books.
Now, in Absolutely on Music, Murakami fulfills a personal dream, sitting down with his friend, acclaimed conductor Seiji Ozawa, to talk, over a period of two years, about their shared interest. Transcribed from lengthy conversations about the nature of music and writing, here they discuss everything from Brahms to Beethoven, from Leonard Bernstein to Glenn Gould, from record collecting to pop-up orchestras, and much more. Ultimately this book gives readers an unprecedented glimpse into the minds of the two maestros.
It is essential reading for book and music lovers everywhere.
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100 Years of Fashion Illustration by Cally Blackman
A visual feast of 400 dazzling images, this is a comprehensive survey of the genre over the last century. The book also offers an overview of the development of fashion, as seen through the eyes of the greatest illustrators of the day.
Early in the century, fashion illustration reflected new, liberating currents in art and culture, such as the exoticism of the Ballets Russes, while the postwar period saw inspiration from the great Parisian couturiers. After the dominance of the celebrity fashion photographer in the 60s, a new generation of illustrators emerged, embracing the medium of the computer, while many returned to more traditional techniques.