In a unique combination of art photography & prose Jane Hall magically intertwines her exquisite work as a textile artist with the world that has inspired it. She presents her breathtakingly beautiful embroideries through numerous photographs & descriptions conveying the very essence of her work: to achieve works which are not simply observational but translations of wonder as well as nature. ...

A chronicle of 75 years of the worlds longest-running comic The Art & History of The Dandy is a beautiful special gift book & treasury of everything that has made The Dandy so anarchic & special. The Dandy is king of the comics! The Dandy is a record breaker: in 1999 it became the worlds longest running comic. The Art & History of the Dandy is a chronicle of 75 years of comic violence & madcap antics from the likes of Desperate Dan Korky the Cat Beryl the Peril Keyhole Kate & other intrepid fi gures who have long since left the comic. The Dandy fi rst hit the streets on December 3 1937 six months before its sister comic The Beano. By the 1980s it was the worlds largest-selling comic with a circulation of around 2 million. The late Albert Barnes who edited the comic from 1937 to 1980 summed up its philosophy: There is never any real violence only the cartoon kind to be found in Tom & Jerry where the victim always springs back unharmed. It gives children a chance to cock a harmless snook at authority & sublimate their desires to kick against the traces. Barnes was also behind Desperate Dan who became The Dandys biggest star. Talking about his cowboy creation Barnes said: He is to be the roughest toughest cowboy. He has to be the strongest man in the world: a man who can chew iron & spit rust. Desperate Dan was never happier than when confronted by his daily diet of cow pie a species of dish which involved the entire animal including horns & tail protruding through the pastry. Dan was eventually stopped from eating his favourite dish because of the emergence of BSE (or mad cow disease). There was a similar crisis in 1997 when Desperate Dan sailed off with the Spice Girls after striking oil & temporarily retired from the pages of The Dandy. There was such an outcry including a Bring Dan Back campaign threats of boycott & protests from as far away as Australia Saudi Arabia & the United States that the hero was swiftly restored. Changing values caused Morris Heggie editor in the 1990s & now scriptwriter for The Broons & Oor Wullie to say: Desperate Dan is not now quite the same old desperado that he was. He is now quite laid-back in comparison with the old days. At one time he used to smoke a dustbin full of rubbish through a drainpipe.. . What is important though is that unlike in real life the kids always win in The Dandy. Thats our recipe for anarchy. An eight-foot tall bronze statue of Desperate Dan has stood in the centre of Dundee since 2001. Desperate Dan is one of Britains favourite characters & has appeared in nearly every issue of The Dandy since 1937. TITLE: THE ART & HISTORY OF THE DANDY
- 75 YEARS BIFFS BANGS & BANANA SKINS ISBN: 978-1-84934-241-4 Publication: August 6 2012 Format: Hardback 285 A-- 229 mm Colour illustrated throughout Extent: 288 pp Price: GBP20.00 Genre: Comics / Nostalgia / Humour Brand tie-in: The Dandy Similar titles: 288 pp gift book chronicling the worlds longest-running comic Fully illustrated colour throughout A must for every comic fan Extensive endmatter with detailed archive history of eac
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Brings to (undead) life in full-color a fresh new spin on the classic horror monsters like Dracula Frankenstein the Mummy Werewolf & the Invisible Man from Sony Pictures Animation & director Genndy Tartakovsky. Featuring over 400 pieces of concept art character sketches storyboards & digital art plus interviews with key filmmakers & crew it is a spooky treat for the eyes. ...

From LAIKA the studio behind the hit film Coraline comes another marvel of stop-motion animation & creative storytelling. For Para Norman LAIKAs team of artists & animators built & brought to life a miniature town a horde of zombies & a quirky cast of characters to tell a tale of a boy with spooky talents who must save his hometown from a centuries-old curse. Featuring the amazing & detailed artwork that went into the films creation--from character sketches & concept art to puppets textiles set dressing & 3-D printed facial models--The Art & Making of Para Norman goes behind the scenes to explore the exacting exciting steps that are achieved frame by frame in this newest LAIKA masterpiece. ...

In 2005 director Christopher Nolan redefined the Batman legend with Batman Begins staring Christian Bale as the Gaped Crusader. A fresh dynamic reboot of the franchise Batman Begins explored the comic book hero's origins & his evolution from billionaire Bruce Wayne to dark avenger who fights crime & corruption in Gotham City. A 2008 sequel The Dark Knight took those compelling character-driven foundations & raised the stakes pitting Batman against a deranged master criminal the Joker in an all-out war for Got ham's soul. Now the final film of Nolan's trilogy The Dark Knight Rises is the summer's most anticipated film release. ...

Here are the reliable answers you need to build confidence & produce rewarding results. Step-by-step tips & techniques help you learn & improve important skills. Questions include: Why do I need to measure the angle of pen strokes accurately? Does copperplate hand use a different technique to traditional western styles? I want to write my own wedding invitations
- are there some guidelines about layout & style?

Includes:: chapters on: tools & equipment organising your workspace basic strokes calligraphy styles flourishes & swashes composition & layout using colour free-form lettering embellishments & borders & designing & finishing.


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Includes: step-by-step tips & techniques to help you learn & improve important skills. Invaluable questions include: What
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Offering terrific mixed-media art projects as well as great tips for getting organized & inspired Art at the Speed of Life is a treasure chest of ideas for the artist whose fiery enthusiasm for creating art goes up in smoke after that frantic pace of a long day. Author & mixed-media artist Pam Carriker will prove to you that art & life can co-exist productively & happily while making daily creative outlets a reality & not just wishful thinking. Each chapter in Art at the Speed of Life

Includes:: both essays & project ideas from a variety of contributors including Suzi Blu Lisa Bebi Christy Hydeck Paulette Insall Cate Calacous Prato. It all begins with prepatory advice on how to manage your supplies & physically make space for you to work. This is followed by more than 15 projects that are inspiring yet easy to complete on even the tightest of schedules &

Includes:: fun techniques such as assemblages image transfers & collages that are sure to keep you motivated. Plus a bonus seven-day project journal helps you track your work as you go. Offering a unique combination of realistic time-management tips inspiring essays & easy-to-fit-in projects Art at the Speed of Life will help you realize your dream of making art every day easily & happily.



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Vintage-looking dream-like textures can open up a whole new world in your photography. However there is much much more to working with textures than simply merging them with an image via Photoshop. In this gorgeous new guide from texture guru Sarah Gardner youll learn everything there is to know about how to maximize the potential of these exciting tools. In addition to hundreds of beautiful example images this book is also packed with practical advice on what makes a good texture & how & when to use them. How an image is initially captured & processed has a significant impact on the effect a texture will have so youll also learn what to consider when composing & shooting (rather than simply relying on post-processing) & how to use lighting & background considerations effectively for later work with textures. Workshop notes & a supplemental website will help you put Sarahs techniques into practice immediately. Beautiful enough to sit on your coffee table yet practical enough to store near your computer this book will show you everything you need to know to get that coveted vintage-feel in your images whether youre a casual family snapper or a seasoned professional. ...

Winner of the Illustrated Book of the Year award in 1994 The Art Book has been an outstanding success & has become a well-known landmark in the art book world. Now published in over twenty different languages & in a miniature edition it has received rave reviews from numerous newspapers & magazines & has made many appearances on the bestseller lists. Complemented by The 20th Century Art Book & The American Art Book its unique approach brings art alive. An A to Z guide to 500 great painters & sculptors from medieval to modern times it debunks art-historical classifications by throwing together brilliant examples of all periods schools visions & techniques. Each artist is represented by a full-page colour plate of a definitive work accompanied by explanatory & illuminating information on the image & its creator. Glossaries of artistic movements & technical terms are included making this a valuable work of reference as well as a feast for the eyes. By breaking with traditional classifications The Art Book presents a fresh & original approach to art: an unparalleled visual sourcebook & a celebration of our rich & multi-faceted culture. ...