"It is rare to find a book on art that presents complex aesthetic principles in clear readable form. Ceramics, by Philip Rawson, is such a book. I discovered it ten years ago, and today my well-worn copy has scarcely a page on which some statement is not underlined and starred."—Wayne Higby, from the Foreword

"It is rare to find a book on art that presents complex aesthetic principles in clear readable form. Ceramics, by Philip Rawson, is such a book. I discovered it ten years ago, and today my well-worn copy has scarcely a page on which some statement is not underlined and starred."—Wayne Higby, from the Foreword

An easy-to-use, one-stop reference guide for architectural and interior design. Part dictionary, part reference book, Mary Gilliatt's Dictionary of Architecture and Design is a single comprehensive source of information that will help you navigate all decisions related to home decor.Whether you are a home owner, an amateur restorer or decorator, a professional, a realtor, a student, or a do-it-yourselfer, this book will ma...

Acrylic is often used as a substitute for oil paint or watercolor, but the real gold mine is in allowing the medium freedom to do what it does best. This book shows how today’s artists are doing exactly that. It’s loaded with original artwork and valuable insight from 64 artists, incredibly diverse in styles and subjects, each using acrylic in unique ways to create expressive and personal art.• 64 artists offer their individual ideas, approaches and inspirations for working with ac...

"Highly entertaining…Mabey gets us to look at life from the plants’ point of view." —Constance Casey, New York TimesThe Cabaret of Plants is a masterful, globe-trotting exploration of the relationship between humans and the kingdom of plants by the renowned naturalist Richard Mabey.A rich, sweeping, and wonderfully readable work of botanical history, The Cabaret of Plants explores dozens of plant species that for millennia have ch...

What Are The Ancients Trying To Tell Us?"Why would the Cro-Magnon hunter-gatherers of Europe expend so much time and effort to penetrate into deep, dark, and dangerous caverns, where they might encounter cave bears and lions or get lost and die, aided only by the dim glow of animal fat–burning stone candles, often crawling on all fours for distances of up to a mile or more underground . . . to paint amazing, haunting images of animals?"—From The ...

Watercolor is taking the art, fashion, and home décor worlds by storm. The result is an explosion of amazing new work by contemporary artists. This volume surveys the current revival of this loveliest of mediums, in portfolios from more than 20 of today's top watercolor artists from around the globe. From the evocative visual journals of Danny Gregory and Fabrice Moireau, through the fashion-inspired portraits of Samantha Hahn and Virginia Johnson, to the indie art stylings of Jane Mount a...

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER'A mind-expanding tour of the world without leaving your paintbox. Every colour has a story, and here are some of the most alluring, alarming, and thought-provoking. Very hard painting the hallway magnolia after this inspiring primer.'Simon GarfieldThe Secret Lives of Colour tells the unusual stories of the 75 most fascinating shades, dyes and hues. From blonde to ...

75 unique designs for attractive, efficient, environmentally friendly homes.Now available in paperback, this collection of 75 plans for small homes offers more than 500 usable blueprints and other illustrations for a variety of living spaces suitable for every environment and style, from a New England farmhouse to a sophisticated townhouse in the city to a Santa Fe ranch.The designs include site drawings, floor plans, elevation drawings, section drawings, p...

Papercutting is an ancient, elegant art that dates almost as far back as the creation of paper itself. In today's multicultural world, papercutting embraces any number of themes, designs, and images. It is an all-inclusive art that requires few tools and minimal materials. All one needs is instruction and inspiration, both of which are found in good measure in The Art of Papercutting. The book includes more than 20 projects that feature a range of sizes, subject matters, and techniques. Ev...

“I want to put the mystery back into the heart of garden design, where it needs to be. It’s what lures you in through the gate, keeps you moving through the landscape, and fills you with excitement along the way. The sense of mystery is what turns a mere display of plants, paths, and ornaments into an adventure.”—James van SwedenGuided by world-renowned landscape architect James van Sweden and horticulture expert Tom Christopher, any gardener can learn the s...

This "brilliant collection of essays" and travelogues by the celebrated author of Invisible Cities "may change the way you see the world around you" ( The Guardian, UK).Italo Calvino's boundless curiosity and ingenious imagination are displayed in peak form in Collection of Sand, his last collection of new works published during his lifetime. Delving into the delights of the visual world—both in art and travel—the subjects of these 38 ess...