Art

Preserved between the covers of books, textiles offer a remarkable glimpse into how the local production of books was connected to vibrant global trade networks from late antiquity through the early modern period. This volume takes a unique interdisciplinary approach to examining the widespread use of textiles in books and manuscripts, ranging from practical uses to the ornamental and beyond. Practical uses include textiles as binding supports, as wrappers or enclosures, and as protective coverings. Yet textiles used to protect images — a practical consideration — can simultaneously be both ornamental and deeply meaningful. Similarly, textiles tucked into the binding, their beautiful detail hidden from the human eye, continue to convey spiritual or talismanic qualities. Finally, some manuscripts include painted depictions of textiles alongside actual textiles bound within the volume. How to take stock of these complex and dynamic patterns of usage, while also respecting the specific histories of each bookmaking tradition? This volume brings together a range of experts to unpack the vivid and surprising history of textiles in manuscripts. The historical account they offer is both local and global: local, in that each chapter is tightly focused on a single tradition, or even a single book; global, in that together these chapters illuminate the rich web of interconnections that link the cultural and craft centers of Europe, Asia, and Africa.

• New research on Syriac, Armenian, Byzantine, Ethiopian, Chinese, Mongolian, Islamic, and Hebrew manuscripts from late antiquity through the early modern period

• Production, trade, and exchange of books in a global focus

• With contributions of book historians, textile scholars, conservators, art historians, and codicologists

Inwiefern ist Kunst antisemitisch? Welche Rolle spielt Antisemitismus im Feld der Kunst? Diese Fragen sind aktueller denn je – besonders seit der documenta fifteen und dem zuletzt zunehmenden Antisemitismus im Zusammenhang mit dem Krieg in Israel und Palästina. Die Beiträge des Bandes erörtern, welche Bedeutung Antisemitismus für Künstler*innen, Kunsttheoretiker*innen und weitere Akteur*innen des Kunstbereichs bereits vor Beginn der NS-Herrschaft hatte und wie Bildprogramme, Netzwerke und politische Organisationen ihn kultivierten und propagierten. Untersucht werden rechte und völkische Strömungen, zentrale Figuren der klassischen Moderne und die Rolle des Antisemitismus für linke Künstler*innen der Weimarer Republik.

• Bedeutung und Wirksamkeit von Antisemitismus in der Kunst vor 1933

• Neue Forschungsbeiträge zu Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Johannes Itten, Gerhard Marcks, Emil Nolde, Paul Schultze-Naumburg, Hans Thoma

(English / German)
Between 1900 and 1933, many Viennese writers, artists, theatre directors and psychoanalysts settled in Berlin, playing a key part in the development of modernism in both cities. The contributions in this volume explore the extent to which a Viennese School developed in Berlin during this period and examine the role of those participating in cultural transfer between Vienna and Berlin. They included writers such as Vicki Baum und Felix Salten, people from the world of theatre such as Elisabeth Bergner and Max Reinhardt, designers like Friedl Dicker-Brandeis and Emil Orlik, and scientists like Sigmund Freud and Otto Neurath. Through innovation, they transformed their self-image as ‘outsiders’ into artistic freedom and social utopia.
Zwischen 1900 und 1933 ließen sich viele Wiener Schriftsteller*innen, Künstler*innen, Theaterregisseur*innen und Wissenschaftler*innen in Berlin nieder. Sie prägten die Entwicklung der Moderne in beiden Städten entscheidend mit. Die Beiträge des Bandes erforschen die vielfältigen Facetten einer Wiener Schule in Berlin zu dieser Zeit und untersuchen die Rolle der Protagonist*innen des Kulturtransfers zwischen Wien und Berlin. Zu ihnen zählten Schriftsteller*innen wie Vicki Baum und Felix Salten, Personen aus der Theaterwelt wie Elisabeth Bergner und Max Reinhardt, Designer*innen wie Friedl Dicker-Brandeis und Emil Orlik und Wissenschaftler*innen wie Sigmund Freud und Otto Neurath. Ihr Selbstverständnis als "Außenseiter*innen" verwandelten sie durch Innovation in künstlerische Freiheit und soziale Utopie.

Die israelische Künstlerin Inbar Chotzen hat erst spät erfahren, dass ein Teil ihrer Vorfahren der NS-Verfolgung zum Opfer gefallen ist. Die Geschichte ihrer Berliner Verwandten lernte sie durch deren Nachlass kennen, der in der Gedenkstätte Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz bewahrt wird. Neben acht Fotoalben, die das Leben der Eltern und der vier Söhne der Chotzens zwischen 1920 und 1942 festhalten, liegen dort 369 Postkarten der verschleppten Familienmitglieder aus dem Lager Theresienstadt an die Mutter in Berlin. Ingbar Chotzen nähert sich diesen verlorenen Leben an, indem sie Szenen aus deren Alltag auf die digitalisierten Karten malt – ein stiller Dialog mit der Vergangenheit. Das Buch zeigt die Kunstwerke sowie die Zeugnisse der Verfolgung, die ihnen zugrunde liegen, zusammen mit einer ausführlichen historischen Einordnung.

• Eine der umfangreichsten Postkartensammlungen aus Theresienstadt – ein einzigartiges Zeugnis der Familie Chotzen
• Die Geschichte des Holocaust durch das bewegende Schicksal einer jüdischen Familie, die bis zuletzt füreinander einstand
• Ausstellung: Liebermann-Villa am Wannsee, Berlin, 20. September 2025 bis 19. Januar 2026

Reflecting Oil presents innovative reflections on crude oil, one of the most important fossil fuels characterising modern life: On the one hand, oil functions as a fuel for unrestricted mobility and on the other, as a basis for shaping the material world, thus laying the foundation for a ubiquitous petroculture.

Yet despite these profound repercussions on our existence, crude oil is a substance we rarely encounter directly with our senses. This lack of contact is logical in view of its specific properties (unusual odor, toxicity, etc.), but the question arises as to why this connection is not explicitly sought after in the sciences.

Reflecting Oil is the result of different artistic research processes which entailed practical handling and holistic observation of the raw substance in the context of petroculture. This mode of research focusing on sensory perception—such as the differentiation of colors and smells, etc., and aesthetic and symbolic interpretation—provided findings on the levels of multi-sensory and practical knowledge.

Drawing on a collaboration between art and science, such interdisciplinary investigations into crude oil as the basis of our petromodernity can be vital for the necessary shift towards sustainable energy cultures. A more comprehensive understanding and awareness of how oil and fossil fuels shape our lives can stimulate the necessary cultural, social, and technological transformations towards a sustainable future.

• Artistic crude oil experiments
• Crude oil-based artworks
• Interdisciplinary and holistic reflection on the substance crude oil in the context of petroculture

Insists on the importance of embodiment and movement to the creation of Black sociality

Linking African diasporic performance, disability studies, and movement studies, Falling, Floating, Flickering approaches disability transnationally by centering Black, African, and diasporic experiences. By eschewing capital’s weighted calculus of which bodies hold value, this book centers alternate morphologies and movement practices that have previously been dismissed as abnormal or unrecognizable.

To move beyond binaries of ability, Hershini Bhana Young traverses multiple geohistories and cultural forms stretching from the United States and the Mediterranean to Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and South Africa, as well as independent and experimental film, novels, sculptures, images, dance, performances, and anecdotes. In doing so, she argues for the importance of differential embodiment and movement to the creation and survival of Black sociality, and refutes stereotypic notions of Africa as less progressive than the West in recognizing the rights of disabled people.

Ultimately, this book foregrounds the engagement of diasporic Africans, who are still reeling from the violence of colonialism, slavery, poverty, and war, as they gesture toward a liberatory Black sociality by falling, floating, and flickering.

How Latinx artists engage in sonic subcultures to reject neoliberal definitions of belonging

What is the connection between the British rock star Morrissey and the Latinx culture of transnational “unbelonging”? What is the relevance of “dyke chords” in Chicana feminist punk and lesbian dissolution? In what ways can dissonant sounds challenge systems of dominance?

Unbelonging answers these questions and more through an exploration into Mexican and US-based Latinx artists’, writers’, and creators’ use of the discordant sounds of punk, metal, and rock to give voice to the aesthetic of “unbelonging,” a rejection of consumerist and nationalist mentalities. Iván A. Ramos argues that racial identity and belonging have historically required legible forms of performance. Sound has been the primary medium that amplifies and is used to assign cultural citizenship and, for Latinx individuals, legibility is essential to music perceived as traditional and authentic to their national origins. In the context of twentieth-century neoliberal policies, which cemented the concept of “citizen” within logics of consumerism and capitalism, Ramos turns to focus on Latinx artists, writers, and audiences, who produce experimental and often “inauthentic” performances and installations in sonic subcultures to reject new definitions of economic citizenship.

Organized around studies of a number of artists, all whom are explored through the methodological frameworks of sound studies, performance studies, and queer theory, Unbelonging unearths how their very different genres of music share a unifying theme of dissonance. With the backdrop of neoliberalism’s attempt to define citizenship in relation to economic and cultural legibility, Unbelonging offers an urgent analysis of how these oft-overlooked queer and feminist performers and fans used sonic illegibility to challenge gender norms, official definitions of citizenship, and narratives of assimilation. Ultimately, these forms of inauthenticity move beyond negation and become ways to imagine alternative realities.

Winner of the 2023 National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism
Winner of the 2023 ASAP Book Prize, given by the Association for the Study of the Arts of the Present

Explores expressionlessness, inscrutability, and emotional withholding in Black cultural production

Arguing that inexpression is a gesture that acquires distinctive meanings in concert with blackness, Deadpan tracks instances and meanings of deadpan—a vaudeville term meaning “dead face”—across literature, theater, visual and performance art, and the performance of self in everyday life.

Tina Post reveals that the performance of purposeful withholding is a critical tool in the work of black culture makers, intervening in the persistent framing of African American aesthetics as colorful, loud, humorous, and excessive. Beginning with the expressionless faces of mid-twentieth-century documentary photography and proceeding to early twenty-first-century drama, this project examines performances of blackness’s deadpan aesthetic within and beyond black embodiments, including Young Jean Lee’s The Shipment and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s Neighbors, as well as Buster Keaton’s signature character and Steve McQueen’s restitution of the former’s legacy within the continuum of Black cultural production.

Through this varied archive, Post reveals how deadpan aesthetics function in and between opacity and fugitivity, minimalism and saturation, excess and insensibility.

Honorable Mention, 2021 Latinx Studies Section Outstanding Book Award, given by the Latin American Studies Association

Winner, 2020 Latino Book Awards in the LGBTQ+ Themed Section

Finalist, 2019 Lambda Literary Award in LGBTQ Studies


Critically reimagines Chicanx art, unmasking its queer afterlife

Emboldened by the boom in art, fashion, music, and retail culture in 1980s Los Angeles, the iconoclasts of queer Aztlán—as Robb Hernández terms the group of artists who emerged from East LA, Orange County, and other parts of Southern California during this period—developed a new vernacular with which to read the city in bloom. Tracing this important but understudied body of work, Archiving an Epidemic catalogs a queer retelling of the Chicana and Chicano art movement, from its origins in the 1960s, to the AIDS crisis and the destruction it wrought in the 1980s, and onto the remnants and legacies of these artists in the current moment. Hernández offers a vocabulary for this multi-modal avant-garde—one that contests the heteromasculinity and ocular surveillance visited upon it by the larger Chicanx community, as well as the formally straight conditions of traditional archive-building, museum institutions, and the art world writ large.

With a focus on works by Mundo Meza (1955–85), Teddy Sandoval (1949–1995), and Joey Terrill (1955– ), and with appearances by Laura Aguilar, David Hockney, Robert Mapplethorpe, and even Eddie Murphy, Archiving an Epidemic composes a complex picture of queer Chicanx avant-gardisms. With over sixty images—many of which are published here for the first time—Hernández’s work excavates this archive to question not what Chicanx art is, but what it could have been.

In Hospital aesthetics, Amanda Cachia introduces a broad array of contemporary artists who are engaging in relational aesthetic activism and socially engaged art practice. She analyzes practices in which artists are taking health and care into their own hands by making works that engage with the ever-subjective experience of being sick and ill.

The first truly comprehensive monograph in critical disability studies to be grounded in a deep and scholarly understanding of modern and contemporary art practice, this work presents hospital aesthetics as a decolonizing gesture, wherein contemporary artists go against the tendency for the medical industrial complex to treat disabled bodies as specimens and, eventually, archives. Cachia aims to codify “hospitable aesthetics” as a category or genre of disability art that is more relevant now than ever before, as increasing numbers of artists turn to the hospital or doctor’s office as a canvas, literally and symbolically.

In Disability Aesthetics, Amanda Cachia introduces a broad array of contemporary artists who are engaging in relational aesthetic activism and socially engaged art practice. She analyzes practices in which artists are taking health and care into their own hands by making works that engage with the ever-subjective experience of being sick and ill.

The first truly comprehensive monograph in critical disability studies to be grounded in a deep and scholarly understanding of modern and contemporary art practice, this work presents hospital aesthetics as a decolonizing gesture, wherein contemporary artists go against the tendency for the medical industrial complex to treat disabled bodies as specimens and, eventually, archives. Cachia aims to codify “hospitable aesthetics” as a category or genre of disability art that is more relevant now than ever before, as increasing numbers of artists turn to the hospital or doctor’s office as a canvas, literally and symbolically.

High school students, teachers, community members, and leaders come together in this innovative book to share the profound influence of artmaking and justice- oriented work. Authors paint vibrant images of being empowered and engaging in social change. Throughout their art-based meaning making, authors pose critical questions and unlock possibilities. Their first-tellings regarding the power of art provide readers with a lens to understand how they navigate injustices they endure and ways in which artmaking is a vehicle for transformation. Their artmaking is a call for change.

Authors emphasize how artmaking bridges relationships and brings diverse community members together with purpose. Together, they engage in new understandings of self and other. Authors identify how their arts-based collaborations publicly showcase their justice-oriented work, but more importantly, promote possibility and hope. Youth explore how artmaking plays a vital role in promoting collective efficacy and engaging diverse communities in social transformation.

Artmaking mobilizes people. And once activated, these authors utilize their newly cultivated communities to foster justice-oriented work throughout schools and communities. Their justice-oriented artmaking affords community members opportunities to respond in new ways by embracing community strengths and students’ lived experiences. This authentic collaboration empowers the artmaker and community to promote justice-oriented work and practices centered on diversity and inclusivity.

High school students, teachers, community members, and leaders come together in this innovative book to share the profound influence of artmaking and justice- oriented work. Authors paint vibrant images of being empowered and engaging in social change. Throughout their art-based meaning making, authors pose critical questions and unlock possibilities. Their first-tellings regarding the power of art provide readers with a lens to understand how they navigate injustices they endure and ways in which artmaking is a vehicle for transformation. Their artmaking is a call for change.

Authors emphasize how artmaking bridges relationships and brings diverse community members together with purpose. Together, they engage in new understandings of self and other. Authors identify how their arts-based collaborations publicly showcase their justice-oriented work, but more importantly, promote possibility and hope. Youth explore how artmaking plays a vital role in promoting collective efficacy and engaging diverse communities in social transformation.

Artmaking mobilizes people. And once activated, these authors utilize their newly cultivated communities to foster justice-oriented work throughout schools and communities. Their justice-oriented artmaking affords community members opportunities to respond in new ways by embracing community strengths and students’ lived experiences. This authentic collaboration empowers the artmaker and community to promote justice-oriented work and practices centered on diversity and inclusivity.

There is growing recognition of the value of the Arts in helping shape understandings and capabilities for life essential for meeting the challenges of the 21st century. Consequently, in Australia, the Arts are now mandated for all students from kindergarten to year 9. In the lower secondary setting, this has led to a high demand for educators with specialized teaching skills and knowledge, as well as Arts practice skills. However, a shortage of specialized Arts educators has resulted in many teaching outside their areas of specialization. Much of the material presented here in Shaping the Space draws upon long-established discipline-based practices but also acknowledges the considerable innovations that have unfolded in the last five years, especially in terms of pedagogy. Importantly, few individual Arts texts have drawn together key concepts within each discipline while locating each within overarching Arts practice.

The text offers educators broad insights into the place of each discipline in life along with its key educational philosophies before burrowing down into practice-lead approaches to planning, teaching and assessing. The authors have deliberately chosen this approach rather than discrete discipline sections to allow educators to gain insights into what makes each Arts discipline unique but also part of an Arts ‘whole’. Accordingly, there are five chapters on each discipline, interwoven as follows:

• The place of each discipline in contemporary life
• Key educational philosophies underpinning each discipline
• Planning to teach the discipline
• Teaching the discipline
• Assessment within the discipline

Educators can engage specifically with their discipline by skipping to each discipline chapter or read more generally across the various disciplines. By arranging the material this way each chapter has content that is specific to the individual discipline while offering broader engagement with similar principles across Arts practice as a whole.

Whilst intended as scholarly work, the authors have chosen to forgo the usual academic format in favor of accessibility. References for each discipline chapter appear at the end of the topic / module rather than at the end of the text as a whole. As such, the text attempts to be more relational and reflexive to student needs and interests, more innovative and aligned to contemporary learning principles, and written in simple plain English framed around practical solutions to common Arts education challenges and demands.

The goal of this book is to locate the birth pangs of psychology—the study of the psyche—in in the Renaissance unity of art and science. The historical period 1583-1611 in Prague was a particularly productive for all Europe in its intellectual advancements in art and science. It was facilitated by the special personality of the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II who during his reign made Prague the capital of the Empire where the major artists, scientists, architects and alchemists came together in the service of the Emperor and formed a unique context of interdisciplinary synthesis of ideas that enhanced European philosophies, sciences, and arts in the following centuries. While the history of art in and astronomy in the Rudolfine era has been amply covered, the impacts of the intellectual atmosphere of the era on psychology, philosophy, social ideologies, and aesthetics has remained scarcely investigated. The volume includes analyses of history of ideas in psychology, sociology and other social sciences that received the impetus of the political situation of Rudolfine Prague with religious tolerance and decline of the political power of the Holy Roman Empire.

There is growing recognition of the value of the Arts in helping shape understandings and capabilities for life essential for meeting the challenges of the 21st century. Consequently, in Australia, the Arts are now mandated for all students from kindergarten to year 9. In the lower secondary setting, this has led to a high demand for educators with specialized teaching skills and knowledge, as well as Arts practice skills. However, a shortage of specialized Arts educators has resulted in many teaching outside their areas of specialization. Much of the material presented here in Shaping the Space draws upon long-established discipline-based practices but also acknowledges the considerable innovations that have unfolded in the last five years, especially in terms of pedagogy. Importantly, few individual Arts texts have drawn together key concepts within each discipline while locating each within overarching Arts practice.

The text offers educators broad insights into the place of each discipline in life along with its key educational philosophies before burrowing down into practice-lead approaches to planning, teaching and assessing. The authors have deliberately chosen this approach rather than discrete discipline sections to allow educators to gain insights into what makes each Arts discipline unique but also part of an Arts ‘whole’. Accordingly, there are five chapters on each discipline, interwoven as follows:

• The place of each discipline in contemporary life
• Key educational philosophies underpinning each discipline
• Planning to teach the discipline
• Teaching the discipline
• Assessment within the discipline

Educators can engage specifically with their discipline by skipping to each discipline chapter or read more generally across the various disciplines. By arranging the material this way each chapter has content that is specific to the individual discipline while offering broader engagement with similar principles across Arts practice as a whole.

Whilst intended as scholarly work, the authors have chosen to forgo the usual academic format in favor of accessibility. References for each discipline chapter appear at the end of the topic / module rather than at the end of the text as a whole. As such, the text attempts to be more relational and reflexive to student needs and interests, more innovative and aligned to contemporary learning principles, and written in simple plain English framed around practical solutions to common Arts education challenges and demands.

The goal of this book is to locate the birth pangs of psychology—the study of the psyche—in in the Renaissance unity of art and science. The historical period 1583-1611 in Prague was a particularly productive for all Europe in its intellectual advancements in art and science. It was facilitated by the special personality of the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II who during his reign made Prague the capital of the Empire where the major artists, scientists, architects and alchemists came together in the service of the Emperor and formed a unique context of interdisciplinary synthesis of ideas that enhanced European philosophies, sciences, and arts in the following centuries. While the history of art in and astronomy in the Rudolfine era has been amply covered, the impacts of the intellectual atmosphere of the era on psychology, philosophy, social ideologies, and aesthetics has remained scarcely investigated. The volume includes analyses of history of ideas in psychology, sociology and other social sciences that received the impetus of the political situation of Rudolfine Prague with religious tolerance and decline of the political power of the Holy Roman Empire.

Über vier Jahrzehnte prägte Barbara Klemm als Fotografin der Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung mit ihren eindrucksvollen Schwarz-Weiß-Aufnahmen das kollektive Bild des politischen und kulturellen Deutschlands der Nachkriegszeit. Ihre Aufnahmen – von den ikonischen Momenten des Mauerfalls 1989 bis hin zu eindringlichen Porträts politischer Größen wie Willy Brandt – sind weit mehr als bloße Dokumente der Zeitgeschichte. Mit ihrem einzigartigen Blick verlieh sie historischen Ereignissen und Personen eine Aura, die bis heute nachwirkt. Das Buch versammelt ihre bedeutendsten Fotografien und zeigt, warum Barbara Klemm als eine der wichtigsten zeitgenössischen Fotografinnen Deutschlands gilt. Ein herausragendes visuelles Zeugnis unserer Geschichte, festgehalten in Bildern, die bleiben.

• Künstlerbuch der renommierten FAZ-Fotografin
• Bildikonen der deutschen Zeitgeschichte

Mitte der 1920er Jahre begann die junge Kunsthandwerkerin Else Stadler-Jacobs aus Pasing bei München mit textilen Materialien zu experimentieren. Besonders Bast faszinierte sie – ein damals im Kunsthandwerk kaum genutztes Material. Mit viel Geschick und einem außergewöhnlichen Gespür für Formen und Farben entwarf sie dekorative Tierfiguren, die bald internationalen Anklang fanden. Bereits 1930 belieferten ihre Modelle renommierte Kaufhäuser in Chicago, San Francisco, London und Budapest.

Um die wachsende Nachfrage zu bedienen, beschäftigte Stadler-Jacobs zahlreiche Frauen, die ihre kunstvollen Tiere in Heimarbeit fertigten. In den Wirtschaftswunderjahren erlebte ihre Manufaktur einen regelrechten Boom und bot bis zu 50 Frauen Arbeit. Über Jahrzehnte hinweg schuf sie mehr als 100 Tierarten – von heimischen Waldbewohnern bis hin zu exotischen Kreaturen.

Fast wäre ihr beeindruckendes Lebenswerk in Vergessenheit geraten. Doch 50 Jahre nach dem Ende ihrer Produktion wurde es auf einem Dachboden in München wiederentdeckt. Daniel Karrasch und Christoph Sauter haben sich auf Spurensuche begeben: Sie erzählen die bewegende künstlerische und wirtschaftliche Erfolgsgeschichte dieser außergewöhnlichen Frau, beleuchten ihre künstlerischen Wurzeln im München der Zeit nach 1900 und rekonstruieren den aufwendigen Herstellungsprozess ihrer Basttiere. Ein reich bebilderter Katalogteil, ergänzt durch historische Aufnahmen, bringt die fantasievolle Welt der „Bastowerkstatt" zurück ans Licht.

• Ausstellung Hutmuseum, Lindenberg, 2. März bis 14. September 2025

Drawing on archival sources, this book provides an anthropological exploration of the National College of Arts (NCA) in Lahore, tracing its evolution from the Mayo School of Arts established in 1875. As a counterpart to London’s South Kensington School of Design (now the Royal College of Art), the Mayo School emerged as a crucial site for the dissemination of colonial art education in British India, alongside similar institutions in Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras. Named to honor Lord Earl of Mayo, the only Viceroy of India assassinated in office, it was founded by Lockwood Kipling and featured a distinguished roster of educators including Ram Singh, Percy Brown, Lionel Heath, S.N. Gupta, B.C. Sanyal, and A.R. Chughtai. The Mayo School also initiated the Journal of Indian Art and Industry, a seminal publication utilizing cutting-edge chromolithography techniques.

The book employs theoretical analysis to understand how the NCA, functioning as a bureaucratic entity, has shaped the landscape of design education, museums, and artistic practices in both colonial and postcolonial contexts. From its roots in British art education, derived from South Kensington, the institution's trajectory reflects its adaptation through American reforms in the early years of Pakistani independence. This analysis critically examines how frameworks of art history and anthropology have been mobilized to construct and objectify Pakistani art and artists.

Furthermore, the book explores the contributions of colonial anthropologists such as Richard Temple, Denzil Ibbetson, and Baden Powell, who were instrumental in the establishment and administration of the Mayo School. Their work in ethnographic reconstruction provided a cultural framework that influenced the education of artisan castes, situating them within a “primitive” Punjabi context. This colonial subtext profoundly impacted the pedagogical approaches of the Mayo School, which also nurtured the emergence of the Indo-Saracenic architectural style and supported traditional Punjabi painting.

Despite its industrial art orientation, the Mayo School was pivotal in the development of a modern Punjab painting tradition recognized at the British Indian Empire Exhibition of 1924. Under the guidance of Lionel Heath, the school began to embrace modern art, with printmaking, graphic design, and sculpture taking root in the 1930s through the efforts of B.C. Sanyal and M.M. Hussain. The Mayo School’s printing press produced a diverse array of materials, reflecting major Western art movements from Arts and Crafts to Art Deco and Bauhaus.

In the formative years of Pakistan, the Mayo School transitioned into the National College of Arts in 1958, modeled after the Bauhaus with departments in Fine Art, Design, and Architecture. Influential figures such as poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz, painter Shakir Ali, art patron Ghulam Mueenuddin, and American sculptor Mark Sponenburgh were pivotal in shaping the NCA as Pakistan’s premier institution for art and design. Through a critical examination of art history and anthropological frameworks, this book elucidates how imperial and nationalist discourses have intersected to shape and redefine artistic and cultural identities within Pakistan.

Drawing on archival sources, this book provides an anthropological exploration of the National College of Arts (NCA) in Lahore, tracing its evolution from the Mayo School of Arts established in 1875. As a counterpart to London’s South Kensington School of Design (now the Royal College of Art), the Mayo School emerged as a crucial site for the dissemination of colonial art education in British India, alongside similar institutions in Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras. Named to honor Lord Earl of Mayo, the only Viceroy of India assassinated in office, it was founded by Lockwood Kipling and featured a distinguished roster of educators including Ram Singh, Percy Brown, Lionel Heath, S.N. Gupta, B.C. Sanyal, and A.R. Chughtai. The Mayo School also initiated the Journal of Indian Art and Industry, a seminal publication utilizing cutting-edge chromolithography techniques.

The book employs theoretical analysis to understand how the NCA, functioning as a bureaucratic entity, has shaped the landscape of design education, museums, and artistic practices in both colonial and postcolonial contexts. From its roots in British art education, derived from South Kensington, the institution's trajectory reflects its adaptation through American reforms in the early years of Pakistani independence. This analysis critically examines how frameworks of art history and anthropology have been mobilized to construct and objectify Pakistani art and artists.

Furthermore, the book explores the contributions of colonial anthropologists such as Richard Temple, Denzil Ibbetson, and Baden Powell, who were instrumental in the establishment and administration of the Mayo School. Their work in ethnographic reconstruction provided a cultural framework that influenced the education of artisan castes, situating them within a “primitive” Punjabi context. This colonial subtext profoundly impacted the pedagogical approaches of the Mayo School, which also nurtured the emergence of the Indo-Saracenic architectural style and supported traditional Punjabi painting.

Despite its industrial art orientation, the Mayo School was pivotal in the development of a modern Punjab painting tradition recognized at the British Indian Empire Exhibition of 1924. Under the guidance of Lionel Heath, the school began to embrace modern art, with printmaking, graphic design, and sculpture taking root in the 1930s through the efforts of B.C. Sanyal and M.M. Hussain. The Mayo School’s printing press produced a diverse array of materials, reflecting major Western art movements from Arts and Crafts to Art Deco and Bauhaus.

In the formative years of Pakistan, the Mayo School transitioned into the National College of Arts in 1958, modeled after the Bauhaus with departments in Fine Art, Design, and Architecture. Influential figures such as poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz, painter Shakir Ali, art patron Ghulam Mueenuddin, and American sculptor Mark Sponenburgh were pivotal in shaping the NCA as Pakistan’s premier institution for art and design. Through a critical examination of art history and anthropological frameworks, this book elucidates how imperial and nationalist discourses have intersected to shape and redefine artistic and cultural identities within Pakistan.

Eine strenge Hierarchie mit einer mächtigen Person an der Spitze: Deutsche Theater sind noch immer stark auf die jahrhundertealte Figur des Intendanten ausgerichtet. Teile seiner heutigen Prägung bekam das Amt in den 1920er Jahren, als viele Hoftheater in die Hand des Staates übergingen und die „Kavaliersintendanten" – adelige Höflinge mit begrenzter Expertise – durch Berufsprofis ersetzt wurden. Am Beispiel der Bayerischen Staatstheater geht das Buch der Frage nach, wie sich das Berufsbild des Intendanten in der Weimarer Republik entwickelte und wo sich mit der Etablierung eines Künstlerrats als gemeinschaftlicher Leitungsform früh eine Alternative zum Modell des „Alleinherrschers" zeigte. Es wird untersucht, welche Personen das Amt anzog, wie diese sich an der Spitze des Theaters legitimierten und welche Idealbilder vom Theater an sie herangetragen wurden. In den Blick rücken dafür beispielhaft Clemens von Franckenstein, Victor Schwanneke und Karl Zeiß. Anhand ihrer Intendanzen lässt sich eine strukturelle Überforderung ablesen, die den Beruf seither begleitet und eine konsistente Amtsführung schon damals unmöglich machte, so eine zentrale These des Buchs. Aus historischer Perspektive betrachtet wird die Frage nach kollektiven Leitungsformen an heutigen Theatern umso drängender.

John Muir Laws's guide to drawing birds is itself winged, soaring between a devotion not only to art but also to the lives, forms, and postures of the birds themselves.

Here, artistic technique and the exquisite details of natural history intertwine, and drawing becomes the vehicle for seeing. As Laws writes, "To draw feathers, you must understand how feathers grow, overlap, and insert into the body. To create the body, you must have an understanding of the bird’s skeletal structure. To pose this skeleton, you must be able to perceive the energy, intention, and life of the bird."

This how-to guide will perfect the technique of serious artists but also, perhaps more importantly, it will provide guidance for those who insist they can’t draw. Leading the mind and hand through a series of detailed exercises, Laws delivers what he promises: that "drawing birds opens you to the beauty of the world." An Audubon Book.

More journaling titles by John Muir Laws:

• The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling
• How to Teach Nature Journaling
• The Laws Sketchbook for Nature Journaling

The quest to uncover the history of a mysterious painting, and a joyous exploration of art in the twentieth century and beyond.

While wandering the streets of Paris in 2015, L. John Harris finds an abandoned, unfinished, and strangely compelling painting. The subject: a girl wearing a bright-red head covering, fixing her viewer with a foreboding gaze. The painting bears no signature, only the date: January 12, 1935. Harris, a journalist and illustrator, embarks on a multi-year quest to uncover the story behind this painting. His sleuthing has given birth to Portrait in Red, a wide-ranging exploration of art and its enduring mysteries.

With wit and a contagious enthusiasm, Harris traces unexpected connections between Paris on the eve of World War II, his bohemian life in the San Francisco Bay Area, the aura of original paintings, the magic of found objects, and the aesthetics of a perfect croque monsieur. Portrait in Red will delight lovers of Edmund de Waal's The Hare with Amber Eyes or Michael Finkel's The Art Thief. By turns heartbreaking and laugh-out-loud funny, it is an existential detective story, set among world tragedies, art-historical epiphanies, and comic hijinks.

Gold Medal, 2016 Foreword INDIES Book Awards

The best-selling, ultimate guide to nature drawing and journaling!

A potent combination of art, science, and boundless enthusiasm, this art instruction book from John Muir Laws (author of The Laws Guide to Drawing Birds) is a how-to guide for becoming a better artist and a more attentive naturalist. In straightforward text complemented by step-by-step illustrations, dozens of exercises lead the hand and mind through creating accurate reproductions of plants and animals as well as landscapes, skies, and more. Laws provides clear, practical advice for every step of the process for artists at every level, from the basics of choosing supplies to advanced techniques. While the book’s advice will improve the skills of already accomplished artists, the emphasis on seeing, learning, and feeling will make this book valuable—even revelatory—to anyone interested in the natural world, no matter how rudimentary their artistic abilities.

John Muir Laws's guide to drawing birds is itself winged, soaring between a devotion not only to art but also to the lives, forms, and postures of the birds themselves.

Here, artistic technique and the exquisite details of natural history intertwine, and drawing becomes the vehicle for seeing. As Laws writes, "To draw feathers, you must understand how feathers grow, overlap, and insert into the body. To create the body, you must have an understanding of the bird’s skeletal structure. To pose this skeleton, you must be able to perceive the energy, intention, and life of the bird."

This how-to guide will perfect the technique of serious artists but also, perhaps more importantly, it will provide guidance for those who insist they can’t draw. Leading the mind and hand through a series of detailed exercises, Laws delivers what he promises: that "drawing birds opens you to the beauty of the world." An Audubon Book.

More journaling titles by John Muir Laws:

• The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling
• How to Teach Nature Journaling
• The Laws Sketchbook for Nature Journaling

Character Design Quarterly (CDQ) is a lively, creative magazine bringing inspiration, expert insights, and leading techniques from professional illustrators, artists, and character art enthusiasts worldwide. 

Each issue provides detailed tutorials on creating diverse characters, enabling you to explore the processes and decision making that go into creating amazing characters. Learn new ways to develop your own ideas, and discover from the artists what it is like to work for prolific animation studios such as Disney, Warner Bros., and DreamWorks. 

The cover for issue 35 is by Maxine Vee (313K Instagram followers), a freelance illustrator based in Canada. Her cosy, fantasy-inspired characters and environments have led to work with Walt Disney Studios, Penguin Random House, Bloomsbury, and many more. She takes readers step by step through the creation of her stunning cover art, then answers our questions on her career journey and current creative projects.

Another great feature in this issue is an in-depth look at using Risograph to create characters. Natalie Andrewson, an American freelance illustrator and author (based in Los Angeles) speaks to us about how she came to work in this unique medium and creates a brand-new character, walking us through her process. Her work has featured in graphic novels, animation, gallery shows, and more. She has 193K followers on Instagram.

Each issue provides detailed tutorials on creating diverse characters, enabling you to explore the processes and decision making that go into creating amazing characters. Learn new ways to develop your own ideas, and discover from the artists what it is like to work for prolific animation studios such as Disney, Warner Bros., and DreamWorks. 

The cover for issue 34 is by Simone Ferriero (aka Simz), a freelance comic-book artist and illustrator from Italy who has a huge 431K followers on Instagram. Simz is known for his drawings of ghost cats and modern-day witches, with a style inspired by Japanese cartoons and comics. He takes us through the creation of his cover, then we interview him about his career and his current creative plans. 

Also featured in this issue is Tom Booth (335K followers on Instagram) an art director, illustrator, and author, based in Brooklyn, New York. He has created characters for Simon & Schuster, Netflix, Random House, and is known for his extensive work in children's literature. He talks to us about creating the video game Pine, for which he served as the artistic and narrative lead.

These are artists that have created legendary concepts, designs, and creatures for hugely popular movies, books, and video games. Each master artist has their own eye-catching chapter, including sketches, development images, and finished pieces alongside written advice, thoughts, and insights into their unique creative process.

The artists featured include John Howe, whose paintings grace the covers of many works by J.R.R. Tolkien, and who was one of the chief conceptual designers on Peter Jackson's groundbreaking The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, and Wayne Barlowe, whose otherworldly designs have prowled the big screen in franchises such as Hellboy, Harry Potter, and Avatar. We also have stunning sketches and visual development from Terryl Whitlatch, whose creatures can be seen in the legendary Star Wars films and who is currently a sought-after lecturer and instructor in Creature Design and Animal Drawing.

With many more masters to discover inside, Master Sketchbooks is a veritable archive of classic concept art from the most revered artists of a generation.

In this follow-up to the acclaimed Anatomy for Artists: Drawing Form & Pose (over 30,000 copies sold to date), figure-drawing maestro Tom Fox takes a deep dive into the subjects of clothing and drapery. 

Using his unique approach of simplified mannequins and dynamic figure sketches, Tom shares his process for improving your figures holistically, understanding fabric physics, and capturing the fold, stretch, and crumple of believable clothing.

With over 300 pages packed with Tom’s engaging drawings and accessible instruction, Drawing Clothed Characters is a perfect companion to Drawing Form & Pose, as well as an invaluable standalone resource in its own right.

Available alongside this book is a companion publication called Workbook: Drawing Clothed Characters, which features 200 pages of accessible instructions and figures to draw over on the pages, allowing the reader to practise the theory put forth in this main book.

Modern tarot enthusiasts come from a variety of backgrounds and cultures around the world, and artists in particular have become fascinated by the mythical imagery of the cards. Tarot, originally a popular card game in fifteenth-century Italy, came to be used for bringing the subconscious to the conscious; a way of espying the holder’s deepest thoughts and desires. Whether you view tarot to be a spiritual outlet, a psychological tool, or an artistic medium, there’s no denying its popularity. You need only look to Kickstarter for confirmation, which sees tarot cards dominating the Art section’s ‘Trending’ page. Many popular artists have contributed to this growing trend, including such beloved names as Djamila Knopf, Abigail Larson, and most recently Guweiz, with his successful crowdfunded book campaign including a highly demanded luxurious tarot deck. 

Each item in tarot art has a specific meaning, and this book’s artists showcase their own unique interpretations while guiding the reader through their ideation techniques and design choices. Talented contributors include Núria Tamarit, the Valencia-based illustrator of books such as Season of the Witch and Daughters of Snow and Cinders, and Faith Schaffer, the Los Angeles-based designer known for Disenchantment and The Owl House, who reveal the processes behind finished illustrations that are rich with symbolism. 

The book features an insightful introduction from bestselling author Sasha Graham, the world-renowned tarot expert behind the acclaimed Dark Wood Tarot deck. Finally, there’s a gallery of tarot-card art created by successful artists in the recent past. The result is a special, keepsake art book that combines an intriguing glimpse of the history of tarot with inspiring, artist-led design processes and a stunning selection of never-before-seen tarot art.

This shorter-form book from 3dtotal Publishing, from our new series Create & Learn Collection, takes readers through clear and simple methods to achieving top-quality lighting in their drawing and digital paintings. 

The invaluable content is written and illustrated by professional artists, including an in-depth introduction by Kenneth Anderson (aka Character Cube), a character designer and illustrator based in Scotland, UK, who specializes in the creation of characters for animation, gaming, and traditional publishing. After covering the fundamentals of light and shade, he explores the ways lighting and shading can be used to describe form, push character stylization, and enhance storytelling. 

This is followed by eight invaluable tutorials from global artists, including Iranian concept artist Taraneh Karimi, Serbian illustrator Ognjen Sporin, and Italian character designer Isabella Agosti. They cover a range of topics, including ‘Controlling tonal structure of a character with light and shade’, ‘Using light within a character design’, and ‘Using light and shade in a stylized 3D character’. 

With a compact format and short, clear tutorial steps, this book is ideal for those wanting a quick reference guide or more relaxed approach from a tutorial book. It’s an ideal gift for an artist friend just discovering their digital-painting skills, or a must-buy for artists wanting to discover how the professionals create spot-on lighting and shade in their designs.

In Luminescence, Djamila invites readers to enter beautiful, tranquil scenes inspired by her love of Japanese animation and nature. On creating this companion to her first book, Komorebi, Djamila aims to demystify the creative process, breaking it down into smaller parts and making it accessible to artists of all abilities. By sharing her experiences, she helps readers gain a deeper understanding of who they are as an artist, and how to better understand their own creative workflow.

Readers will discover multiple tutorials and studies, as well as brand-new exclusive artwork, and cover topics such as finding your artistic voice and magic realism. This latest book from Djamila is a wonderful addition for anyone interested in learning about both the intrinsic and extrinsic aspects of art, helping them to become more intuitive creators.

Mastering animal anatomy is fundamental to creating dynamic, believable animal drawings. Whether sketching from life to capture realistic depictions or designing creatures from the imagination, an understanding of the animal form is essential.

Authoritative and accessible, Animal Anatomy for Artists will equip you with the knowledge, tools, and reference material you need to take your animal drawings to the next level. Introductory chapters by artist and instructor Joe Weatherly focus on a structural approach to drawing, exploring core topics including gesture, rhythm and posing, construction, anatomy basics, proportions, and more. This is followed by the visual reference library, an expansive collection of stunning animal photography with detailed overlaid illustrations showing the skeletal structure, musculature, and contour forms of a wide variety of animals, illustrated by artist Shannon Beaumont. The library also contains numerous pose sketches, both stationary and mid-action, of each animal. Whether you are an oil painter, traditional sculptor, or digital concept artist, the informative resources within this book will help you to improve the quality and accuracy of your art.

With an enlightening foreword from artist and teacher Marshall Vandruff, Animal Anatomy for Artists is a key resource for artists of any skill level who seek to capture animals realistically, or aim to exaggerate the animal form to create fantastical creatures and characters. The clear presentation and incredible details provide a keepsake resource that will enable you to create anatomically correct images for years to come.

Each issue provides detailed tutorials on creating diverse characters, enabling you to explore the processes and decision making that go into creating amazing characters. Learn new ways to develop your own ideas, and discover from the artists what it is like to work for prolific animation studios such as Disney, Warner Bros., and DreamWorks. 

The cover for issue 28 has been created by Jackie Droujko, a professional character designer and filmmaker based in Vancouver, Canada. She is currently working at Disney Television Animation and her recent projects include several productions for Netflix, Dreamwork’s Cleopatra in Space, and Nickelodeon’s Monster High. Jackie provides an in-depth tutorial on creating the cover artwork, and answers our questions in a captivating interview. We also have tutorials from Noor Sofi, who shows us how to make the most of costume design, and Thomas Campi, who creates a romantic moment between two characters, plus an interview with beloved illustrator and concept artist John Loren.

Each issue provides detailed tutorials on creating diverse characters, enabling you to explore the processes and decision making that go into creating amazing characters. Learn new ways to develop your own ideas, and discover from the artists what it is like to work for prolific animation studios such as Disney, Warner Bros., and DreamWorks. 

The cover for issue 27 has been created by industry veteran Dave Guertin, who helped to define the characters for Playstation's Ratchet and Clank video game, and co-founded CreatureBox. We interview him about his incredible career and he provides a tutorial that aspiring and established artists will love. We also have a tutorial from Thomas Campi, an award-winning comic artist and illustrator based in Sydney, and we interview prolific artist and children's book illustrator Lydia Nichols.

The 100 challenges in this book have been carefully formulated by expert artists from the fields of illustration, video-gaming, animation, concept art, and many more. Some quick and some more detailed, the activity suggestions will help readers to try out different styles with ease - and with practice lead them to the discovery of the style that feels right for them.

Draw a tree using only triangles, create an illustration using no more than three colours, or design a character by combining your favourite and least favourite genres... these seemingly simple yet extremely useful creative tasks will challenge artists to expand beyond their usual processes and break free of the invisible limitations they may have set for themselves.

Artists of all abilities will find the clear yet creative style of this book a great help, whether they are just starting to explore their art style or have been sticking to the same one for many years and want to try something new.

Each issue provides detailed tutorials on creating diverse characters, enabling you to explore the processes and decision making that go into creating amazing characters. Learn new ways to develop your own ideas, and discover from the artists what it is like to work for prolific animation studios such as Disney, Warner Bros., and DreamWorks. 

Ben Eblen, a prolific designer and illustrator from Australia, has created the cover for issue 29. He’s created incredible tutorials for CDQ in the past and always proved popular, so we are thrilled to feature his art on the cover this time. Inside you’ll also find eye-opening articles, interviews, and tutorials on many aspects of character design, created by the world’s leading artists in the field. We have tutorials from Andy Na, who explores the use of colour in character design, and Sarah Lisa Hleb, who tackles our Characterize This challenge, plus an interview with CDQ and Instagram favourite Poopikat.

With 100 pages, 10 exclusive pull-out prints, luxury finishes, mixed paper types, artist insights, and incredible artwork, Astre is a magazine like no other. This is a celebration of the art we love, made by real artists. 

To celebrate 25 years of 3dtotal and show our support to a community we love, we wanted to make something that pushed back against AI, showcasing real art by real people in the best way possible, while also creating a true collector’s item. This magazine is a culmination of everything we've learned over 25 years of making quality art content, books, and magazines. Our ambition is to make every issue feel like a collector's item, designed to increase in value over time. Each copy will be numbered and feature multiple paper types and special finishes - embossing, debossing, cut-outs, removable add-ons – if you can imagine it, then you should expect to find it in Astre magazine. 

The first issue features incredible cover art by Andrew Hem, a Cambodia-born artist who lives in Los Angeles. We also have exclusive new prints by Canadian artists Audra Auclair and Janice Sung, Swedish artists Chantal Horeis and Feefal (who has 1.1m followers on Instagram), and award-winning Bulgarian artist now living in San Francisco, Eliza Ivanova - with more artists to be announced. Each artist will be the focus of an article featuring additional art and insights into their creative minds.

Each issue of Astre will only be available for a limited time and in limited quantities. So the choice is yours - keep it in mint condition as a piece of modern art history, or read it every day and hang all the incredible art on your wall.

With years of extensive experience working in the comic, animation, and video-game industries, Ramon has carved out a unique artistic style and earned himself a reputation for creating captivating visual concepts and character art. His previous clients include top production companies including Riot Games, Sony Pictures Animation, and Dreamworks, and he has built a following of 609K fans on Instagram.

In this book, he offers an insight to his world of art, where he likes to portray characters doing everyday activities in everyday places, such as eating at home or riding the subway. He has built a relatability in his art that appeals to fans, as they see themselves in his work. That said, he isn't afraid to introduce a bizarre situation or something unexpected to push the viewers' imagination!

The book will feature personal details about Ramón's early life, education, and career, as well as step-by-step tutorials for readers to learn from his incredible style and skills. For long-standing fans or those newly discovering his artwork, Ramón's art book will be one that our audiences jump to own.

Character designers take inspiration from beautiful botany and, in this project-focused title, each create a brand-new character based on nature, with step-by-step tutorials allowing readers to follow along.

From mushroom fairies to swamp-dwelling beasts, and Mother Nature herself, we have seen countless characters inspired by the delicacy and harshness of the natural world.

The projects include notes on the ideation, research, design, and creation of the characters, leading to a stunning final image, plus a gallery from each artist showing more of their nature-themed works.

Budding artists will love learning how to create these much-loved botanical characters, while more experienced creators will enjoy seeing how experts design something original. Even non-artists will want to own this book packed with beautiful imagery and intriguing, enchanting characters.

The illustrative artwork is created both digitally and traditionally, with styles ranging from anime-inspired to watercolor, all with a fantastical, magical aura.

The featured artists, including the hugely popular Kelogsloops, Canadian artist Janice Sung, and Norweigen fantasy artist Mona Finden, have created thoughtful reimaginings of drawings from Hokusai's The Great Picture Book of Everything and share beautiful insights into the inspiration that Hokusai has provided them. Choosing works such as Palm tree and Myna bird and Daoist master Zhou Sheng ascends a cloud-ladder to the moon, the contributors explain their creative choices, show development images, and display the final exclusive piece in their individual project chapter. They apply their own style and approach, while staying true to the original narrative and composition of Hokusai's drawing.

Hokusai Reimagined also includes written contributions from experts on the great artist, with discussions on the undeniable impact he made on the world of art, and manga in particular. For lifelong Hokusai admirers or those new to his influence, this book is an essential addition to any art-book collection.

Learn how experienced artists turn their ideas into believable concepts, with easy-to-follow steps, helpful tips, and art theory made simple. This book is perfect for beginner artists looking for an authoritative but fun introduction to drawing, with minimal tools required. 

Discover how to: 

*Create finished characters, from rough sketches to final colour designs 

*Tackle essential subjects, including anatomy, expressions, and colour 

*Use pencil and pen to achieve a range of drawing and shading techniques 

*Take the first steps into digital drawing with Clip Studio Paint 

*Develop your own creations with the help of downloadable resources

Become a better artist with this immersive visual masterclass in drawing, created by industry expert, Brett Bean. Simply pick up a pen or pencil and start practising, following the captivating illustrated steps and easy-to-digest text prompts along the way. 

Learn about construction lines, warm-up exercises, and line weight, before diving into lessons on how to build up characters, vehicles, buildings, and environments with basic shapes. Next, soak up Brett's unique way of building up detail and interest in drawings, and how he researches and implements unique and fascinating elements that catch the eye. As the book progresses, build up confidence in tackling tricky tasks such as creating perspective, drawing hands and poses, and succeeding at effective colour and lighting. All of this can be absorbed at a glance thanks to the visually engrossing exercises, meaning you can get going as soon as you open the cover. 

Those looking to improve their drawing skills can follow the book from start to finish, enjoying ongoing improvement and ending with a huge boost in confidence and talent when the final page is reached. This is an unmissable opportunity to have an expert's knowledge at your fingertips for years to come.

Though Hieu is based in Melbourne, Australia, his incredible artwork has been showcased in exhibitions around the world, including Los Angeles, Berlin, San Francisco, and Sydney. Known for both digital and watercolour paintings, Hieu masterfully blends his love of surreal-art styles and Japanese anime. In this stunning art book, Hieu takes readers through his journey as an artist, from being taught a simple way to draw manga art by his older sister aged five, to reaching over a million followers on Instagram as 'Kelogsloops' and achieveing commercial success. 

Primarily a watercolour artist, Hieu creates delicate yet vibrant paintings that create an emotional connection with the viewer. His work is driven by the everyday feelings that come with being human, such as love, grief, and nostalgia - those things that can often onlly be communicated through art. Readers will find joy in discovering how Hieu is inspired to create his work, and the process behind each piece. This is a must-have book for any fan of Kelogsloops, or any art fan in general. The production value is incredibly high, making this a book to keep on your coffee table or bookshelf for years to come.

Each issue provides detailed tutorials on creating diverse characters, enabling you to explore the processes and decision making that go into creating amazing characters. Learn new ways to develop your own ideas, and discover from the artists what it is like to work for prolific animation studios such as Disney, Warner Bros., and DreamWorks.

The cover for issue 26 has been created by Mila Useche, a Colombian artist living in Berlin. She is a successful character designer, visual development artist, and illustrator, and is currently working on a short film. We interviewed her about her career and she supplies a step-by-step tutorial on how she created the stunning cover art. Also in this issue, hugely popular artist Ben Eblen creates two characters from a basic prompt: 'Thief, Woodland, Surprise!' We interview Sara Paz and Simone Grunewald about their art, careers, and advice for budding artists. Alex Jensen shows us how to design a cast of superheroes, and Rachelle Joy Slingerland is back with a reimagining of a fairy-tale witch.

Countless fans have fallen in love with her artwork thanks to her attempts to express the complexities of human emotion, and the merging of fantastical elements,nature, and stunning vibrant colours situations in her work. She has built up almost half a million followers on her Instagram account and runs a very popular Patreon, where she shares WIPs and access to her personal sketchbook. She also sells prints and products featuring her artwork from her online store. 

In this exclusive book, Audra takes readers on a journey through her creative history, opening up about her early years, childhood influences, struggles, and ambitions. She then shows us behind the scenes in her studio and discusses her personal techniques, including how she uses a sketchbook and conceptualizes. Then, presenting something a little different to other available 'Art of' books, Audra has written a chapter on an artist's relationship with art and provided some self-help-esque discussions for fellow creatives. From seeing creation as a spiritual force to being able to draw boundaries and maintain artistic confidence, this section is invaluable for artists of any ability. 

We then have beautiful galleries of Audra's complete work in various mediums, plus step-by-step tutorials for readers to follow - on topics including gouache painting, redrawing old art, creating digital art, drawing something in your own style, and mixing media. 

This is a highly interesting, ever-inspiring collection of art and writings from a thoughtful, hugely talented creative artist.

Unleash the creative power of Procreate to bring outdoor scenes to life on your iPad, from thumbnail designs to final images. With an introduction by BAFTA-award-winning art director, Mike McCain.

You will become fluent in using Procreate for all stages of outdoor painting - capturing the spirit and essence of a landscape, subject, or building by incorporating natural light, color, and movement into your works. The thorough Getting Started section spotlights the specific Procreate tools, such as Brushes, Layers, and Adjustments, that bring your paintings to life. Perfecting color and nuance of sky, land, and human subjects outdoors is vital, and the Quick Tips section lets you quickly locate and manipulate the tools you need.

Take the opportunity to observe and practice the techniques as part of a real-world workflow, as professional artists demonstrate in seven step-by-step Projects how to use Procreate’s tools to successfully evolve a plein-air painting from initial idea to final masterpiece. Whether or not you have used Procreate before, A Guide to Digital Painting in Procreate: Landscapes & Plein Air ensures your passion for outdoor painting can be fully realized on the iPad screen.

With 200 pages of accessible instructions and figures to draw over on the page, this workbook allows the reader to practise the theory put forth in the main book, while also functioning perfectly as a standalone. The exercises consist of partial references at low opacity, with the figure or geometric mannequin beneath the clothing provided so the reader can concentrate on drawing the clothes only. Additionally, this workbook includes some bonus clothing and pose references from the artist – ones there wasn’t room for in the main book. 

This and the main title are follow-ups to Tom Fox’s previous book, Anatomy for Artists: Drawing Form & Pose (over 30,000 copies sold to date), with the figure-drawing maestro taking a deep dive into the subjects of clothing and drapery. Using his unique approach of simplified mannequins and dynamic figure sketches, Tom shares his process for improving your figures holistically, understanding fabric physics, and capturing the fold, stretch, and crumple of believable clothing.

Bolder than watercolour, cleaner than acrylics, and quicker than oils, this richly coloured paint is popular among countless artists working today. Gouache has rapidly gained popularity as an accessible, affordable medium for aspiring painters. This renowned paint, used by beloved artists from Henri Matisse to Syd Mead, is a perfect option for artists who want to achieve vibrant results fast. 

With this step-by-step tutorial book, beginners can learn the fundamentals of painting with gouache and how to apply those skills to imaginative fantasy scenes inspired by the timeless beauty of nature. Perfect for beginners to traditional painting, and for more experienced fantasy artists who are keen to step away from their devices and learn a more tactile medium, Painting Fantasy with Gouache is packed with tutorials, guides, and professionals’ tips to support your gouache journey. 

An in-depth introduction asks 'What is gouache?' and then covers essential tools, basic and advanced techniques, simple exercises, clean-up tips, and a gallery of example gouache paintings from the author-artist. This is followed by a selection of tutorials from professional painters, taking readers step by step through the creation of brand-new fantasy paintings using the medium. Stunning photography accompanies each stage of the painting process, giving budding artists a visual guide to begin their own journey with gouache.

Each issue provides detailed tutorials on creating diverse characters, enabling you to explore the processes and decision making that go into creating amazing characters. Learn new ways to develop your own ideas, and discover from the artists what it is like to work for prolific animation studios such as Disney, Warner Bros., and DreamWorks. 

This issue's beautiful cover has been created by Los Angeles illustrator Noor Sofi, who has painted it in her thoughtful and atmospheric style. Benjamin Denkert creates a dragon-slaying knight and shares extensive tips about how to use dip pens to create original and stunning character designs. Dan Sprogis, Art Director at Warner Bros. Animation, shows us how landscape and background can be its own character, creating a creepy forest for two adventurers to traverse. Mad Boogie Studios talk to us about the opportunities and challenges of creating characters for high-profile clients like Marvel, Disney Publishing, and Blizzard, and show us their process by creating a brand-new character from scratch.

Her characters are already appreciated by over 750K followers on Instagram, and have garnered 1.5M likes on TikTok. A flair for connecting with her fans, and being open about the ups and downs of being an artist, has resulted in a highly engaged and enthusiastic fan base. Having already shared videos showing her at work, including her popular Skillshare tutorial, Lord Gris is perfectly positioned to create this beautifully produced book. 

3dtotal Publishing excels at helping artists to communicate both the motivations behind their unique creativity, and the technical tips and tricks they use. Therefore, step-by-step tutorials specially commissioned for the book are accompanied by galleries of Lord Gris’s fan favourites, unseen gems, and brand new and exclusive pieces. With a love for digital art using Procreate, acrylics on MDF board, and artist-staple pens and pencils, she shares a host of skills and techniques to offer something new to every artist.

To tell the story behind her art, Laura begins the book by sharing her journey from art student to professional artist, providing encouragement for budding pros and enthusiasts alike. Laura also talks about what inspires her, with mythology and psychology being just two subjects that feed into her emotion-infused work. The reader is then invited behind the scenes to watch the artist at work in her studio, located in her hometown of Thun, Switzerland. 

Laura’s portraiture sketchbook is opened to reveal simple drawings and recent studies made as the early stages of future paintings. Throughout these sections are artworks from past and present. In addition, there is brand new art by Laura, created exclusively for this book. 

Finally, the reader is led through detailed, step-by-step tutorials demonstrating the artist’s workflow and the key fundamentals of portraiture (pose, light, and composition). From using reference models, and expert tips for working in Procreate, to sketching, coloring, and advancing the portrait from realism to hyperrealism, the process is explained from start to finish.

This shorter-form book from 3dtotal Publishing, from our new series Create & Learn Collection, takes readers through a clear and simple guide to achieving top-quality prints with the linocutting technique. 

The invaluable content is written and illustrated by professional artists, including an in-depth introduction by Gareth Barnes (aka Spindle Printer), a printmaker who works from his home studio in Leeds, UK. His work is inspired by history, folklore, the natural world, and vintage illustration, and he sells his work at print fairs around the UK. He discusses the materials used for linocutting, followed by techniques from start to finish, including carving, prepping paper, tips for mixing colours, and pressing and drying. All accompanying by stunning photography of the process in action. 

 We then have specific projects from global artists, including Dutch printmaker Esther van Dam, Anna Hermsdorf from Germany, and Mary Ann Testagrossa from California, USA. Their tutorials include simple and more advanced version of multiblock prints and reduction prints, as well as a jigsaw print and the technique of reprinting a pattern on fabric. Photographs accompany each step of each process, alongside clear written instructions from the artist. 

 With a compact format and short, clear tutorial steps, this book is ideal for those wanting a quick reference guide or more relaxed approach from a tutorial book. It's an ideal gift for an artist friend just discovering their printmaking passion, or a must-buy for linocutters wanting to discover how the professionals create their stunning prints.

This is an essential resource for artists of any skill level or medium, who seek to capture figures in motion, showcasing the beauty and complexity of the human form with clear, innovative presentation. Stunning photography and comprehensive drawings show the contours, planar surfaces, and muscular structure of figures of varying body types. These male and female references will act as an invaluable starting point for artists. Whether you’re a traditional sculptor, oil painter, or 3D digital artist, the resources within this book will be useful and informative and will help you improve the quality and accuracy of your own art.
3dtotal Publishing's previous books on this subject have proved extremely popular, with Anatomy for Artists: Drawing Form & Pose selling over 18,000 copies to date, and Anatomy for Artists: A visual guide to the human form selling almost 10,000 copies.

Specially commissioned step-by-step tutorials by respected professionals help you fine-tune your technique for engaging results, and define your niche as a pro artist. Projects tackle anime styles such as the dynamic Shōnen and fantasy tinged Shōjo, both aimed at adults, and Kodomo, created for children. 

Case studies explore anime sub-styles, helping you pinpoint how your innate style fits into the anime landscape, and what to focus on creatively and commercially for professional success. The book also asks: what is your brand, who is your audience, and how will you engage with it In a competitive environment, your ability to stand out, grab, and maintain attention is key. Independent professional artists who have done just that discuss this, plus the planning, work, and management that go into running you own brand. 

Promoting your art, growing your audience on social media, and establishing an ecommerce site to convert that audience into sales - every aspect of being a professional artist is covered. There is even advice about choosing related products and merchandise that complement your brand and provide a relevant backdrop for your art.

From the first alleged witch to be hanged in Salem, and Goya’s depictions of witchcraft, to Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Hogwarts, and beyond, there is no shortage of inspiration, but also of recycled characterizations and central-casting stereotypes. Now, 30 of the world’s most talented fantasy and concept artists discover their own, personal manifestation of the witch. 

Starting with research, readers will witness the alchemy of details extracted from the seemingly mundane transformed the whole body of the witch, fantastical yet unnervingly believable at the same time. The design process goes on to cast spells not only on appearance, but also the environment, practices, and magical belongings of this one-of-a-kind witch. 

With the final design depicted as both a line drawing and in full color, the whole character and their world is defined. A summary of each witch details their background, behaviour, strengths, weaknesses and, of course, powers. The result is 320 pages encased in a beautifully finished hardback cover, the ultimate field guide to designing witches that transcend time, place, and even the most vivid imagination.

A selection of incredible artists pay tribute to Frank Frazetta by creating new art inspired by his work, accompanied by in-depth interviews with members of the Frazetta family.

You'll also discover newly created pieces inspired by Frank Frazetta's work and style, as a selection of incredible artists from around the world pay tribute, providing in-depth tutorials on their process along the way. This is an invaluable tool for aspiring fantasy artists and an unmissable tome for Frazetta fans.

Discover step by step how professional concept artists take inspiration from the rich biology of real animals, using their scientific insights to design believable dragons, drakes, and serpents from myths and legends around the world. The brand-new artwork inside is created primarily with digital art software, such as Procreate, Photoshop, and Clip Studio Paint, with some traditional methods used for the early steps.

The in-depth introduction is written jointly by Stephen Oakley, Senior Concept Artist at Naughty Dog and designer of monsters for the award-winning God of War games, and Alexander Ostrowki, whose clients include game studios such as Wizards of the Coast. These two expert artists discuss the history and anatomy of the dragon, the techniques to create the colours and textures of these mighty creatures, and how to turn real-world inspiration into eye-catching fantasy. You will then find thirteen epic design projects to pore over, with professional artists taking a defined dragon from mythology, such as Hydra, Lindworm, Wyvern, and Jaculus, and sharing a step-by-step creative process as they transform it into a brand-new representation.

This is the ultimate dragon-design book for artists of any skill level and fantasy fans of all ages.

Each issue provides detailed tutorials on creating diverse characters, enabling you to explore the processes and decision making that go into creating amazing characters. Learn new ways to develop your own ideas, and discover from the artists what it is like to work for prolific animation studios such as Disney, Warner Bros., and DreamWorks.

This issue's cover is provided by incredible artist Feefal, who has worked with us many times before (including on her own Art Of book). Johanna Forster takes us inside her sketchbook, sharing how she uses real-world references to build up a library of character ideas. Sheryl Yap has a collection of tips for how to make original and effective character turnarounds, a crucial skill for working as a designer at animated-film studios. David Ardinaryas Lojaya, Art Director of the hit game Coral Island, talks to us about creating characters for video games and his professional design process.

Chosen especially for this book these artists from around the globe take inspiration from folklore, myths, modern stories, and sometimes even real life as a basis for their imaginative work. Everything mystical, magical, impossible, and unlikely has fascinated us across the centuries and been an enduring theme in art, literature, film and TV. This book is packed with concepts developed and conveyed through the medium of drawing here and now, in the 21st century. 

Artists of a dizzying array of styles and backgrounds throw open the doors of their imaginations for all to see the creatures and characters, people and places, and other unheard-of concepts that so many artists strive to depict. As with the previous titles in the series, Worlds of Magic gives artists the opportunity to share the ideas, motivations, creative strokes of genius, or simple chance that lit the fire beneath their imagination. This makes it not only a visual feast of fantastical magic from artists around the world, but also an absorbing and compelling read.

Ashleigh has accumulated a massive following online under her brand, Miss Upacey. She has over 603K followers on Instagram, a popular Patreon, and a successful online shop selling products such as pins, phone cases, stickers, and stationery. She now resides in California and works in traditional and digital mediums. Her book features tutorials in both, giving fans and art-lovers a glimpse behind the curtain into her process, studio set-up, and inspiration. 

She also talks about the challenges and joys that come with running an art business, and gives her invaluable advice to aspiring creatives. Miss Upacey: The Art of Ashleigh Izienicki has the unmatched production values that 3dtotal Publishing is known for - high-quality paper and a beautiful hardback cover with special cover finishes. This is a keepsake for Miss Upacey fans, and art fans in general, to display on their bookshelf for many years to come.

These tricks provide the perfect base for aspiring artist to build confidence and grow their skills. More advanced artists can also take the techniques in this book and use them to speed up their digital-painting process.

Procreate for the iPad continues to be the most popular digital-painting software in the world, with around 30 million users. 3dtotal Publishing's previous Procreate titles have sold over 74,000 copies to date, so the desire in our audience to learn more about this software is proven. This book goes right back to basics, covering the use of selection tools, gradient fills, custom brushes, and more to quickly and easily build up quality paintings. 

These methods are introduced in an in-depth chapter of must-know basics, which are followed by eight accessible tutorials written by professional artists, including Derek Domnic D'Souza. Featuring short, simple steps and easy-to-follow instructions, plus clear screengrabs from Procreate accompanying each stage of the process, the projects show readers exactly how to achieve what is being described. 

For those picking up an iPad and opening Procreate for the very first time, this book provides an amazingly detailed lesson in creating high-quality paintings with simple techniques. For those with more experience, it offers a new range of skills to speed up working digitally - all provided by highly respected artists from around the world.

Following on from his first book, Guweiz: The Art of Gu Zheng Wei, the artist now takes us deeper into his world of absorbing manga-style art, discussing the storytelling in his work and his evolution as an artist.

Fans will discover new insights into the artist’s creative processes, with in-depth step-by-step tutorials and discussions around working full-time as a freelance artist. Guweiz will talk about how he has grown and changed as an artist since his first Art of book, offering a rare opportunity for readers to see a famous artist’s progression documented across the years in beautiful keepsake books.

It is her third book with 3dtotal Publishing, a natural progression from the bestselling The Art of Loish (2016) and The Sketch Book of Loish (2018) which to date have sold over 85,000 copies combined. The Style of Loish now sees the artist explore her own style through several facets of her work, including creating volume, choosing color, establishing flow, and the ideas and subjects themselves. While looking at the motivation behind her own work, Loish also guides the reader through ideas and tutorials to help them identify, understand, and even evolve their own style. The book bursts with brand new, specially commissioned art that provides a unique opportunity to understand the foundations of Loish’s style. She reveals the journey she took to pinpoint when and how her style was created. Combined with candid advice and a passion for supporting fellow artists, the book is beautiful, inspirational, and practical for artists of all styles and abilities.

As an established authority on art and design with a growing stable of high-calibre artist–authors, 3dtotal Publishing is uniquely placed to produce Artists’ Master Series. Launched in 2021 with Artists’ Master Series: Color & Light, and followed up by Artists’ Master Series: Composition & Narrative, the series reaches its third volume with an exciting and considered analysis of the theories of perspective and depth within art. 

No matter what medium you work in, this combination can be the driving force that elevates art from “good” to “world-class”. This book takes these fundamentals and pushes them to an advanced level of understanding and application. To achieve this ambitious brief, a select few, hugely popular industry experts – Mike Hernandez, Devin Elle Kurtz, Nathan Fowkes, Orenji, and Guweiz – reveal how they plan and execute these techniques. 

Their in-depth illustrated advice, detailed step-by-step tutorials, enlightening case studies, and awe-inspiring inspiration provide a distinctive and invaluable blend of professional-grade techniques that can’t be found anywhere else. For artists and designers aiming to raise their game to expert level, the Artists’ Masters Series is the key to success.

Clip Studio Paint is a cross-platform drawing and animation software used by millions of artists worldwide. Its popularity has recently boomed - in 2022, the userbase had grown to 25 million. The software is popular with artists of every level, can be used on any device (mobile phone, tablets including the iPad, and any computer) and is relatively cheap to purchase compared to other software. 

It's perfect for beginners wanting to try something out. For these reasons and more, there’s a keen audience for a high-quality tutorial book like this one. The book features an all-encompassing Getting Started section, covering all the basics and advice from a respected artist in the digital field. Each page teaches through screengrabs of the software in use, detailed written steps, and art in progress. 

There are also in-depth tutorials from professional artists covering a variety of genres in which the software might be used, including manga comics, character design, landscapes (real and fantasy), picture-book illustration, and more. The tutorials are provided by artists at the top of their game, including Devin Elle Kurtz (858K Instagram followers) and Simz (403K Instagram followers), both of whom have published their own Art Of book with 3dtotal Publishing and are highly revered in the digital-art world.

Following the success of previous titles in this popular series, Sketching from the Imagination: Character Concepts showcases the incredible character work of 50 artists and illustrators. Chosen especially for this book, these artists from around the globe take inspiration from folklore, myths, modern stories, and sometimes real life as a basis for their imaginative work. 

This book is packed with character concepts developed and conveyed through the medium of drawing. Artists with a dizzying array of styles and backgrounds throw open the doors of their imaginations, displaying the fantastical, intriguing, one-of-a-kind characters that so many artists strive to depict. 

As with the previous titles in the series, this book gives artists the opportunity to share the ideas, motivations, creative strokes of genius, or simple chance that lit the fire beneath their imagination. This makes it not only a visual feast of work from artists around the world, but also an absorbing and compelling read.

Driven by her passion for character art, Raide has collaborated with big industry names such as Clip Studio Paint, XP-Pen, Huion, and HarperCollins. Fans will also know that Raide creates popular online art courses on Domestika, and in this book, they will discover brand-new tutorials and studies that focus on some of her many artistic strengths, such as lighting and expression. 

Readers will also be able to follow her early creative years, from education to her first professional steps, and learn about what it takes to become a social-media success. Thanks to its high-quality finish and beautiful image-focused design, Golden Hour is a keepsake art book to treasure for many years to come.

This is no ordinary book about drawing portraits, this is a book that may change your life and identity – transforming you into a dedicated artist who draws with passion and skill. Whether you’re a beginner or already an accomplished artist, The Art of Portraiture takes you on a journey of discovery about what it takes to capture the essence of a person with just graphite and patience.

Author and expert teacher Stephen Bauman offers a synthesis of the best lessons he has learned in his career as a student, as well as the most efficient exercises he’s developed as an artist and teacher. If you're up for a bit of adventure, a touch of self-discovery, and a whole lot of drawing, then you're in the right place. This book is Stephen’s earnest attempt to share what he’s learned (often the hard way) about drawing portraits. Spoiler alert: There were plenty of awkward attempts, eraser battles, and moments where his ‘likenesses’ were more cartoon than human. But isn't that the point of learning – to embrace the stumbles and celebrate the breakthroughs? 

There are chapters answering questions such as ‘What makes a drawing work?’ followed by practical tutorials on specific techniques, including Value Mapping and Form Visualization, all accompanied by incredible illustrative examples and steps. Ultimately readers can reflect on the transformation they have achieved throughout the book and focus on their continuous growth and improvement. This is a wonderfully deep dive into the messy, marvellous, and occasionally magical world of portrait drawing.

As an established authority on art and design with a growing stable of high-calibre artist–authors, 3dtotal Publishing is uniquely placed to produce Artists’ Master Series. Launched in 2021 with Artists’ Master Series: Color & Light, the second volume in this exciting new series takes another deep dive into key areas of art theory, this time spotlighting composition and narrative. No matter what medium you work in, this combination can be the driving force that elevates art from “good” to “world-class”.

This book takes these fundamentals and pushes them to an advanced level of understanding and application. To achieve this ambitious brief, a select few, hugely popular industry experts reveal how they plan and execute these techniques. Their in-depth illustrated advice, detailed step-by-step tutorials, enlightening case studies, and awe-inspiring inspiration provide a distinctive and invaluable blend of professional-grade techniques that can’t be found anywhere else. For artists and designers aiming to raise their game to expert level, the Artists’ Masters Series is the key to success.

Iraville is a Munich-based illustrator with a passion for watercolors, autumn, nature, birds and cozy things. This book, Hideaways, is the follow-up to the artist's first art book, Cozy Days, and continues the theme of escaping from reality into a world of tranquillity and warmth. Brand-new tutorials include one on creating a watercolor image, and another based around the application of "negative painting." Iraville also shows readers how to make their own watercolor paper and create ink from natural materials.

There are galleries of Ira's recent work, and insights on the artist's development since her first book was published. A stand-out section of the book is based around color - including pigments, mixing methods, and color theory - which aspiring artists will find invaluable. This cozy new book from Iraville makes a perfect pair with her first title, offering readers a chance to leave the realities of life behind for a while and delve into a peaceful artistic world.

Packed with insightful tips, exciting tutorial projects, and essential art theory simply explained by industry professionals, this exciting volume is the perfect launch pad for your journey forward through time.

Expert drawing instructor and storyboard artist Tom Fox knows exactly how to capture the figure in poses that are both dynamic and true to human anatomy. The book details the central figure-drawing elements and techniques that are essential to every artist of every skill level. From understanding the XYZ axis and basic skeleton, to thinking in 3D space and creating mannequins of all levels of detail, the book deals with everything the reader needs to know before moving on to the figure itself. Tom presents in step-by-step details exactly how to add the muscles and depict truly believable poses. 

Every part of the body is presented in detail, with easy-to-follow breakdowns of the torso, arms, and legs, and the often-tricky head, hands, and feet. The author also shares insightful, game-changing anatomy tips, many learned from years of working for major clients in the entertainment industry and teaching others to draw the human figure, both in person and online. This combination of experiences and skills make Tom an outstanding author of this must-have book for artists in all areas of figure drawing.

Read about the lessons and obstacles Simz has faced on his career path, learn about the tools and techniques he uses, and figure out how to find your own creative style with his expert advice. The book begins with an in-depth look at the artist's creative journey, from early years and education to his professional milestones, and a look at the challenges of creating art for a living. There are two large galleries, one containing behind-the-scenes sketchbook pieces, and another focusing on Simone's modern-day witches and their spectral cat companions.

Chapters on his creative process cover his tools, workspace, and advice on finding an original style, and a brand-new tutorial offers readers a chance to follow along and improve their own artistic skills. This book is an unmissable keepsake for Simone's existing fans, and a beautiful introduction to the artist for newcomers to his work.

Her spooky-cute style has been a constant throughout her career, amassing 870K dedicated Instagram followers who not only adore her art, but are always keen to know the stories and inspiration behind it. Now for the first time, Feefal has written a beautifully produced book, her work printed on high-quality paper, providing the chance to not only show what she does, but also how. 

3dtotal Publishing excels at helping artists to communicate both the motivations behind their unique creativity, and the technical tips and tricks they use. Feefal shares the early influences that put her on the path to becoming the professional character designer she is today, including those of her Swedish-Japanese upbringing. In doing so, the ideas behind paintings such as Lamp Shade Lady, Understanding the Hahahaki Disease (a fictional ailment caused by unrequited love) and Momento Mori are explained. With galleries of curated classics intertwined with step-by-step tutorials and fascinating insights into her creative process, Feefal’s work is as intriguing as it is spellbinding.

This is an artist who loves fantasy and all things magical: fairies, mermaids, mythical creatures, knights, and more. She creates characters that are colorful yet mysterious and places that feel otherworldly, always pretty yet sometimes bordering on unsettling. Gretel fans will love delving into the story of her creative early years, discovering why she chose art as a career, and following her development timeline. She presents two exclusive galleries of art - one with a fantasy focus, based around maritime creatures and witches, and another that celebrates the beauty of sketchbooking. 

The artist has written chapters on her creative process, which aspiring and established artists will equally enjoy, and created a section on "Embracing The Mess," discussing the techniques of letting go of perfectionism, listening to your body, and staying motivated as an artist. With tools and materials covered in detail too, plus in-depth tutorials for readers to follow along with, this Art Of title is packed with incredible insight and joyous art, appealing to existing fans of Gretel as well as newcomers to her work.

Learning from the biggest and best creators in any industry is a rare and sought after opportunity. In this book, clay-sculpting royalty “The Shiflett Brothers” guide us through their creative journey as well as sharing in-depth insight into the processes they use to create their dynamic and captivating fantasy sculpts. 

Joined by fellow esteemed sculptors Simon Lee, Aris Kolokontes, and Forest Rogers, the Shifletts bring together a collection of visually led step-by-step tutorials that are sure to broaden your creative horizons and add an expansive set of practical skills to your sculpting arsenal. With studio-quality photography and a how-to section on creating the Shiflett’s very own tools, this book is a prize possession for any member of the brothers’ huge and loyal fan base and as an exhilarating follow-on from the popular Beginner’s Guide to Sculpting Characters in Clay.