Strokes Of Genius 3

"Drawing is the connection between eye, heart and hand." --Linda Wesner Drawing is a fundamental skill for artists in any medium, a wonderfully direct means of expression and the driving inspiration behind this provoking collection. Strokes of Genius 3 celebrates drawing as an art form in its own right, featuring work from 95 of today's brightest artists. In this brilliant collection of drawings, 95 contemporary artists explore the subjects that touch their hearts and discuss how they capture them in their medium of choice. In addition to traditional pencil, charcoal and ink, you'll find a number of scratchboard, colored pencil and mixed-media works. Subject matter ranges from timeworn city architecture to portraits of beloved dogs, including such perennial favorites as landscapes, harbor scenes, flowers, still life, the human figure and more. • 140 world-class drawings, from simple, direct sketches to meticulously layered works of art selected from thousands of submissions • Exciting mix of styles, mediums and techniques, presented in subject-specific chapters: Town & County, Portraits, Pets, Still Life, The Human Figure and Wildlife • Artists' commentary on the concepts and techniques behind each piece To further explore the "Fresh Perspectives" theme, each featured artist was asked to finish the phrase, "Drawing is...." Their responses, scattered throughout, add yet another dimension to this book: "Drawing is a moment of poetry." "Drawing is to art what physics is to science." "Drawing is art stripped to its bare bones." Above all, it is the art itself that will cause you to keep this volume handy on the coffee table or bookshelf for when you want to curl up, look at the world through these artists' eyes, and come away with a more vivid sense of what drawing is--or can be--to you. Whether you are an artist in search of fresh inspiration or a connoisseur fascinated by great artwork and the processes behind it, Strokes of Genius 3 promises many pleasurable hours of browsing, appreciation and discovery.

The executive editor of Sports Illustrated offers an in-depth analysis and behind-the-scenes look at the historic 2008 match between tennis titans. In the 2008 Wimbledon men’s final, Centre Court was a stage set worthy of Shakespearean drama. Five-time champion Roger Federer was on track to take his rightful place as the most dominant player in the history of the game. He just needed to cling to his trajectory. So, in the last few moments of daylight, Centre Court witnessed a coronation. Only it wasn’t a crowning for the Swiss heir apparent but for a swashbuckling Spaniard. Twenty-two-year-old Rafael Nadal prevailed, in five sets, in what was, according to the author, “essentially a four-hour, forty-eight-minute infomercial for everything that is right about tennis—a festival of skill, accuracy, grace, strength, speed, endurance, determination, and sportsmanship.” It was also the encapsulation of a fascinating rivalry, hard fought and of historic proportions. In the tradition of John McPhee’s classic Levels of the Game, Strokes of Genius deconstructs this defining moment in sport, using that match as the backbone of a provocative, thoughtful, and entertaining look at the science, art, psychology, technology, strategy, and personality that go into a single tennis match. With vivid, intimate detail, Wertheim re-creates this epic battle in a book that is both a study of the mechanics and art of the game and the portrait of a rivalry as dramatic as that of Ali–Frazier, Palmer–Nicklaus, and McEnroe–Borg. “Deftly touches on all the defining factors of contemporary tennis.” —San Francisco Chronicle “Illuminates a kingdom changing hands. An engrossing book.” —Bud Collins

Awe-inspiring works by contemporary masters, along with the secrets behind its creation. Drawing is the most intimate and immediate form of self-expression, fundamental to every artist's ability to communicate with a viewer. The sense of energy and expression that can be captured in mere strokes of charcoal, ink, pastel, marker or any of the other modest mediums proudly represented in this book is astounding. A glowing celebration of the art of drawing, Strokes of Genius features styles ranging from meticulous realism to imaginative flights of fancy, from lyrical sketches created in minutes to intricately layered renderings that took months to complete. Includes: • 169 stand-out examples of the finest drawing being done today, selected from hundreds of submissions from around the world. • An impressive range of styles, materials and techniques covering a wide array of subjects, including still life, the figure, animals, landscapes, portraits and more. • Comments from the artists offer firsthand insight on the creation of each artwork, diverse perspectives on drawing, and fresh ideas and techniques. An incomparable source of inspiration and delight for artists and art lovers, Strokes of Genius contains hundreds of combined years of expertise, artistic breakthroughs and, above all, remarkable drawings that leave a lasting impression.

What could be better than diving into cool water on a hot day? In this enormously enjoyable and informative history of swimming, Eric Chaline sums up this most summery of moments with one phrase: pleasure beckons at the water’s edge. Strokes of Genius traces the history of swimming from the first civilizations to its current worldwide popularity as a sport, fitness pastime, and leisure activity. Chaline explores swimming’s role in ritual, early trade and manufacturing, warfare, and medicine, before describing its transformation in the early modern period into a leisure activity and a competitive sport—the necessary precursors that have made it the most common physical pastime in the developed world. The book celebrates the physicality and sensuality of swimming—attributes that Chaline argues could have contributed to the evolution of the human species. Swimming, like other disciplines that use repetitive movements to train the body and quiet the mind, is also a means of spiritual awakening—a personal journey of discovery. Swimming has attained the status of a cultural marker, denoting eroticism, leisure, endurance, adventure, exploration, and excellence. Strokes of Genius shows that there is not a single story of human swimming, but many currents that merge, diverge, and remerge. Chaline argues that swimming will become particularly important as we look toward a warmer future in which our survival may depend on our ability to adapt to life in an aquatic world.

Celebrating the best drawings by contemporary artists, the Strokes of Genius series follows the beautiful, ongoing story of contemporary drawing through the work and words of some of today's top artists. Focusing on the theme "Inspiring Subjects," this thoughtfully curated 10th edition features the artists' most compelling subject matter. Artists and art lovers alike are sure to be inspired by the resulting energy and expressiveness showcased on these pages. • 127 modern-day masterpieces in charcoal, pencil, pastel, colored pencil, scratchboard, pen and ink, and more • A breathtaking diversity of styles and approaches • Comments from the artists offer fresh-from-the-studio advice, insights, and anecdotes not found anywhere else

Celebrating the best drawings by contemporary artists! The celebrated Strokes of Genius series follows the beautiful, ongoing story of contemporary drawing through the work and words of some of today's top artists. Focusing on the theme "Creative Discoveries," this thoughtfully curated 9th edition features the artists’ most compelling aha! moments. Triggers for these artistic epiphanies are wide ranging--from experiments with new materials, to private meanderings in a little notebook, to fleeting moments of magical light, and one particularly charismatic pelican. Artists and art lovers alike are sure to be inspired by the resulting energy and expressiveness showcased on these pages. • 140 modern-day masterpieces in charcoal, pencil, pastel, colored pencil, scratchboard, pen and ink, and more • A breathtaking diversity of styles and approaches • Subject-themed chapters include animals, the human figure, still life, outdoor scenes, and portraits • Comments from the artists offer fresh-from-the-studio advice, insights, and anecdotes not found anywhere else "The greatest creative discoveries are those that find you." --Carolyn Judson, p73

"Transformative...[Taylor's] experience...will shatter [your] own perception of the world."—ABC News The astonishing New York Times bestseller that chronicles how a brain scientist's own stroke led to enlightenment On December 10, 1996, Jill Bolte Taylor, a thirty-seven- year-old Harvard-trained brain scientist experienced a massive stroke in the left hemisphere of her brain. As she observed her mind deteriorate to the point that she could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life-all within four hours-Taylor alternated between the euphoria of the intuitive and kinesthetic right brain, in which she felt a sense of complete well-being and peace, and the logical, sequential left brain, which recognized she was having a stroke and enabled her to seek help before she was completely lost. It would take her eight years to fully recover. For Taylor, her stroke was a blessing and a revelation. It taught her that by "stepping to the right" of our left brains, we can uncover feelings of well-being that are often sidelined by "brain chatter." Reaching wide audiences through her talk at the Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) conference and her appearance on Oprah's online Soul Series, Taylor provides a valuable recovery guide for those touched by brain injury and an inspiring testimony that inner peace is accessible to anyone.

An easygoing, storytelling style makes this offering from Tiger Woods's high school coach a delight. Tiger Woods Made Me Look Like a Genius weaves Don Crosby's golfing techniques into the story of coaching the champion and how Woods's own methods meshed with and enhanced Crosby's approach. Coach Don Crosby has only a 12-week season to turn ragtag teenage duffers into championship contenders. With no time to waste, he focuses on five basics that can take ten strokes off anyone's score: The Practice Range-good for two shots off your game The Short Game-the surest way to lower your score is to chip away at it Putting-imagine no three-putt greens Course Management-a course you know is two shots easier than one you don't Stats-you can't get better unless you know how you're doing Tiger Woods Made Me Look Like a Genius is a handbook of Crosby's golfing techniques and strategies, sprinkled liberally with his personal recollections and anecdotes of the good old days when he coached the young Tiger. The stories, "Crosby's True Tales," bring the mechanics of golf to life, illustrating how these five techniques work and what to expect from them, while offering an intimate look at the evolution of champion Tiger Woods. The book also features an insert with photographs and memorabilia from these special days of coaching.