23 Ways To Be A Great Artist

The book is packed full of step-by-step projects for crafty kids eager to discover the secrets to creating a masterpiece. Paint like Jackson Pollock, sculpt like Henry Moore, and make paper cut-outs like Matisse! With a mixture of simple and challenging projects, readers can learn how to emulate the greatest artists from history and modern times. The reader will also learn about the artist behind each project and how to adapt the techniques to use on a variety of creative endeavours.

"A fun-filled art activity book that will encourage kids to express themselves while teaching them about key artistic styles and a selection of pioneering artists from history"--

This gorgeous collection of art (and the artists behind it) includes work by some of the world's most renowned children's book illustrators—Mitsumasa Anno, Quentin Blake, Ashley Bryan, Nancy Ekholm Burkert, Eric Carle, Tomie dePaola, Jane Dyer, Mordicai Gerstein, Robert Ingpen, Steven Kellogg, Leo Lionni, Petra Mathers, Wendell Minor, Barry Moser, Jerry Pinkney, Alice Provenson, Robert Sabuda, Matthew Reinhart, Maurice Sendak, Gennady Spirin, Chris Van Allsburg, Rosemary Wells, and Paul O. Zelinsky. It's a remarkable and beautiful anthology that features twenty-three of the most honored and beloved artists in children’s literature, talking informally to children—sharing secrets about their art and how they began their adventures into illustration. Fold-out pages featuring photographs of their early work, their studios and materials, as well as sketches and finished art create an exuberant feast for the eye that will attract both children and adults. Self-portraits of each illustrator crown this important anthology that celebrates the artists and the art of the picture book. An event book for the ages. Proceeds from the book will benefit the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA.

An essential handbook for students and professionals on writing eloquently, accurately, and originally about contemporary art How to Write About Contemporary Art is the definitive guide to writing engagingly about the art of our time. Invaluable for students, arts professionals and other aspiring writers, the book first navigates readers through the key elements of style and content, from the aims and structure of a piece to its tone and language. Brimming with practical tips that range across the complete spectrum of art-writing, the second part of the book is organized around its specific forms, including academic essays; press releases and news articles; texts for auction and exhibition catalogues, gallery guides and wall labels; op-ed journalism and exhibition reviews; and writing for websites and blogs. In counseling the reader against common pitfalls—such as jargon and poor structure—Gilda Williams points instead to the power of close looking and research, showing how to deploy language effectively; how to develop new ideas; and how to construct compelling texts. More than 30 illustrations throughout support closely analysed case studies of the best writing, in Source Texts by 64 authors, including Claire Bishop, Thomas Crow, T.J. Demos, Okwui Enwezor, Dave Hickey, John Kelsey, Chris Kraus, Rosalind Krauss, Stuart Morgan, Hito Steyerl, and Adam Szymczyk. Supplemented by a general bibliography, advice on the use and misuse of grammar, and tips on how to construct your own contemporary art library, How to Write About Contemporary Art is the essential handbook for all those interested in communicating about the art of today.

Helping artists catapult into further action, this guide is a treasury of insight and inspiration. Rather than focus on art techniques that build skills or overcome creative blocks through playful activities or writing, this guide walks the artist through exercises designed to develop the personal qualities critical to being an artist in the world, such as courage, the ability to look and see, and connection to the true creative self. This is a hands-on, experiential action book designed to get the reader creating art and exploring a variety of possibilities for being an artist. According to the teachings of this handbook, engagement with art is less about end results or products and more about the self-awareness and competence that frees the artist to seek out and create work that is vital. This is a rigorous programme that allows artists of any skill level to deepen their creative habits and be the best artists possible.

Presents 75 ways to look at art and 75 life lessons you can learn from it. From the works of ancient Egypt and Greece to today's abstract and conceptual pieces, by Picasso, Warhol and Ai Weiwei, art inspires us to take a fresh look at the fundamental questions we face. Questions about success, about love, about work, about friendship and about life and death.

This best-seller reveals the secrets of capturing the essence of a scene using abstract techniques, from pouring inks and adding opaque lines to using crinkled wax paper as resists and collaging paintings together.

A comprehensive guide for both emerging and mid-career artists to pursue a career in the visual arts. Providing real-life examples, illustrations, and step-by-step exercises, Battenfield offers readily applicable advice on all aspects of the job. Along with tips on planning and assessment, she presents strategies for self-management, including marketing, online promotion, building professional relationships, grant writing, and portfolio development. Each chapter ends with an insightful "Reality Check" interview, featuring advice and useful information from high-profile artists and professionals. The result is an inspiring, experiential guide brimming with field-tested techniques that readers can easily apply to their own career.