Long a vibrant and thriving area of visual art, fantasy painting has gained added impetus in recent years as both traditional and new fantasy artists have moved into the digital arena. With such a dizzying array of media and methods to choose from, both real-world and digital, creating spectacular fantasy art can seem to both the novice and the experienced painter a daunting prospect. 101 Top Tips from Professional Fantasy Painters aims to demystify the process of making fantasy art. Written by an acclaimed fantasy painter, and with input from a select band of fellow professionals, 101 Top Tips from Professional Fantasy Painters offers 101 revealing techniques to help the aspiring artist on their way. From preparation through to working up fiery females and otherworldly landscapes, the book is full of insider secrets from seasoned practitioners of the art form. With tips exploring the differences between traditional and digital methods, and even combining the two, 101 Top Tips from Professional Fantasy

Few music lovers realize that the arrangement of notes ontoday’s pianos was once regarded as a crime against God and nature,or that such legendary thinkers as Pythagoras, Plato, da Vinci,Galileo, Kepler, Descartes, Newton and Rousseau played a role inthe controversy. Indeed, from the time of the Ancient Greeksthrough the eras of Renaissance scientists and Enlightenmentphilosophers, the relationship between the notes of the musicalscale was seen as a key to the very nature of the universe. In this engaging and accessible account, Stuart Isacoff leads usthrough the battles over that scale, placing them in the context ofquarrels in the worlds of art, philosophy, religion, politics andscience. The contentious adoption of the modern tuning system knownas equal temperament called into question beliefs that hadlasted nearly two millenia–and also made possible the music ofBeethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Debussy, and all who followed. Filledwith original insights, fascinating anecdotes, and portraits ofsome of th

“The standard of photography is absolutelyamazing.”— Practical Photography The third editionof Reuters: Our World Now captures the key events from2009 in more than 350 powerful photographs. Organized into foursections that represent the four quarters of the year, the imagescover the full range of global reporting: politics, commerce,conflict, the environment, natural disasters, faith andfestivities, entertainment, celebrity, and lifestyle. The photosoffer a fresh take on the year’s most memorable events as well asplenty of less-familiar stories. This completely new edition includes special “Witness” features:in-depth photo essays from around the world, many of them createdby local photographers with unique access and insight. The bookprovides an indispensable visual record of our times. 360 color and10 black-and-white photographs.

Fashion jewelry is created with the catwalk and couture inmind, characterized by its creativity and originality. It isarguably the most exciting field in fashion today. Arranged by designer, this is the first book to showcasecontemporary catwalk and couture jewellery, profiling 33international fashion jewelers who combine traditional techniquesand ultra-modern methods to create this new style of jewelry. Amongthe stunning images of work shown are collaborations with leadingfashion designers and brands such as Lanvin, Vivienne Westwood,Alexander McQueen, and Comme des Gar ons, as well as collectionsfor directional fashion stores such as Colette and 10 CorsoComo. Showcasing skilled craftsmanship, unusual materials, and an oftenlimited-edition approach, Fashion Jewelry harnesses thespirit of couture for the 21st century.

In 1958, the first edition of Robert Frank's TheAmericans was published in Paris. Les Américains contained Frank's 83 photographs in the same sequence as allsubsequent editions, with the image on the right hand page, butjuxtaposed with historical texts about American society andpolitics, gathered by Alain Bosquet. The following year, in thefirst American edition, the French texts were removed and anintroduction by Jack Kerouac was added. Over the subsequent 50years, The Americans has been republished in many editions,in numerous languages, with a variety of cover designs, and even ina range of sizes. It is the most famous photography book everpublished, and it changed the face of the medium forever. Robert Frank discussed with his publisher,Gerhard Steidl, the idea of producing a new edition using modernscanning and the finest tritone printing. The starting point was tobring original prints from New York to G?ttingen, Germany, whereSteidl is based. In July 2007, Frank visited G?ttingen. A new forma

Few artists have created as much controversy or survived itwith greater fame than Edouard Manet. In his day, the avant-gardewas not only a challenge to the traditions of art, but it was alsoa gunshot fired at society as a whole. With his painting Olympia(1869), Manet was to become, to quote Degas, as famous asGaribaldi. Yet how the urbane and diffident son of a bourgeoisfamily became the father of both Realism and Impressionism is acomplex and fascinating story that has too often been reduced totextbook clichés. As Manet has become recognized as a touchstonefor historical change but also for interpretations of how thatchange came about, his individual story has become all the morerelevant to the study of art history. Moreover, far from being anartists to shrink behind his work, one of Manets mostcharacteristic practices was to leave an indelible trace of his ownpersonal identity within his paintings, as illustrated throughoutthe volume by eminent scholar James H. Rubin. This lavishlyillustrated volume

英国著名殿堂级摇滚乐队The RollingStones（滚石）即将出版一本豪华摄影画册，以此纪念他们成军50周年以及这50年来的辉煌。这本画册名为《The RollingStones: 50 》(ISBN:9780500516249)，由英国知名出版社Thames Hudson出版，将于2012年7月12日上架。1962年7月12日正是滚石在伦敦牛津街MarqueeClub首次登台演出的日子。画册记录了乐队半个世纪以来的辉煌历程。本书共352页，精装，收录了700多张珍贵的照片，其中300多张是彩色照片。这些照片是由主唱MickJagger、吉他手Keith Richards、贝斯手Ronnie Wood 以及鼓手CharlieWatts亲自挑选的。诸多细节设计也由乐队成员全全参与，直到本书定稿的前一分钟，成员们还在就封面的终稿争论不休。因此，这是真正意义上滚石自己的书。《TheRolling Stones: 50》(ISBN:9780500516249)不仅仅是的官方版本，更是这次50周年庆祝活动的一部分。由于乐队成员们将不接

A lush visual selection from the Chanel archive—essentialreading for fashionistas and design aficionados everywhere. Chanel's combination of tradition, originality, and style hasalways made it the most seductive of fashion labels. Here the Houseof Chanel opens its private archives, revealing a galaxy ofbrilliant designs created by Coco Chanel from 1920 onwards.Dazzling clothes, intricate accessories, beautiful models, andtimeless design leave no doubt as to the lasting fame of her nameand embody everything that has come to symbolize the magic ofChanel. The book explores five central themes—the suit, the camellia,jewelry, makeup and perfume, the little black dress—and follows thethreads from past to present to show how these key items have beenrediscovered and reinvented by new designers. It includes manypreviously unpublished archive photographs and original drawings byKarl Lagerfeld, as well as glorious images from some of thegreatest names in fashion photography. 139 illustrations,

Industrial-style furniture is in fashion – bistro tables and chairs, lockers, mail sorting racks and jointed lamps are all common elements in today’s interior design. In this book, Brigitte Durieux, an authority on the style, tells us the story behind fifty European and American objects that have made the surprising transition from factories to our livings rooms and become cult furniture. Featuring more than 250 images, Industrial Chic is a beautifully illustrated showcase that reveals the incredible reach, versatility and long-lasting appeal of industrial design. The remarkable histories of these distinguished objects – including the Gras lamp, the Singer stool, the Holophane reflector, the Brillié clock and more – accompany brilliant photographs by Laziz Hamani.

David Hockney (b. 1937) has always been closely associatedwith Pop Art and California, where he has lived for much of hislife. This major study of his work, published to accompany theexhibition showing at the Royal Academy of Arts in London,redefines him as an important painter of the English countryside,presenting his recent landscapes for the first time. In an attemptto renew contemporary art, Hockney has returned to painting in theopen air, observing with honesty and intensity the scenery of hischildhood in East Yorkshire. Marco Livingstone explores this bolddeparture in the context of Hockney's sixty-year career, whileother contributors address the artists place in the landscapetradition, his recent video works and their relationship to Englishlandscape film-making, and his ongoing use of new technologies.Illustrated with paintings, iPad drawings and video stills, many ofwhich have never been seen before, this landmark publicationconfirms David Hockney as one of the greatest artists of hisgeneratio

A beautiful illustrated edition of Henry David Thoreau’s CapeCod, from the photographer of "Walden: 150th Anniversay Edition"."Cape Cod" features the complete 1906 Houghton Mifflin edition textof Henry David Thoreau’s classic work, the stunning photography ofScot Miller, and a foreword from preeminent Thoreau biographerRobert Richardson. "Cape Cod" is a wonderfully written,surprisingly funny account of nineteenth-century life on the Cape,well before it became a major tourist attraction. Many of thesixty-two lush color photographs have a timeless quality and showthings Thoreau himself might have seen: the great beach, imposingcliffs, sand dunes, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, beach grass,and seaweed. Others reflect the unique personality of Cape Cod andits people today, from local artists to modern architecture. Thecombination of Thoreau’s timeless text and Miller’s exquisitelyreproduced color photographs makes this an indispensable editionfor anyone who loves Thoreau’s writing and the perfect gift

Containing more than 150 drawings, concept art pieces, andfinal renders, as well as secrets of game mythology and developmentstories, this mesmerizing book reveals how Blizzard Entertainment’sacclaimed series gets made. In addition to a behind-the-scenestechnical look at the game cinematics and developmental art, Fanslearn how Blizzard updated Arthas the Death Knight to be even moreevil than in Warcraft III and how a new central character,Sindragosa the Frost Wyrm, was developed. Other features exploretechnical dimensions and Blizzard’s influence on the game world andbeyond. Each Book Comes with: Two 8” x 10” original art cards invellum sleeve and a 12-page illustrated storybook on the creationof the frost wyrm Sindragosa, that make this a must-have for anyWoW fan.

In the space of just a few years, Angry Birds has gone frombeing a beloved mobile game to an entire universe of entertainmentthat spans an astonishing range of media. From animation topublishing and even an upcoming feature film, the Angry Birdsexperience is becoming even more diverse and dynamic. For the first time, Angry Birds: Hatching a Universe takes youinside the creative process that has driven this boundlessexpansion and showcases the remarkable art being the Angry Birdsphenomenon. Featuring interviews with the key players at Rovio -the Finnish company behind the game - Angry Birds: Hatching aUniverse tells the make-or-break story of its initial success andthe continued innovation that has led to unforgettablecollaborations with institutions such as NASA, and the creation ofground-breaking games like Angry Birds Space. Filled with never-before-seen sketches, concept art, and othervisual treasures, along with in-depth insights into the creation ofeach aspect of the Angry Birds univer

One of Victorian Englands most charismatic characters, DanteGabriel Rossetti painted and wrote with equal passion. He wassimilarly passionate in his personal life: his etherealartist-wife, his earthy blond mistress, and the ravishing JaneMorris are al

Antonio Stradivari (1644—1737) was a perfectionist whosesingle-minded pursuit of excellence changed the world of music. Inthe course of his long career in the northern Italian city ofCremona, he created more than a thousand stringed instruments;approximately six hundred survive, their quality unequalled by anysubsequent violin-maker. In this fascinating book, Toby Fabertraces the rich, multilayered stories of six of these peerlesscreations–five violins and a cello–and the one towering artist whobrought them into being. Blending history, biography, meticulousdetective work, and an abiding passion for music, Faber takes usfrom the salons of Vienna to the concert halls of New York, andfrom the breakthroughs of Beethoven’s last quartets to the firstphonographic recordings. This magnificent narrative invites us toshare the life, the intrigue, and the incomparable beauty of theworld’s most marvelous stringed instruments.

From its ancient status as the jewel of an empire to itsmodern incarnation as a troubled, yet culturally vibrant Europeancapital, Rome has compelled the imagination of artists for over twothousand years. Now, in "The History of Rome in Painting", that

Anne Leurquin, art historian, graduated from the UniversitéLibre in Brussels, and is now a professor of art history andethnology. Her various publications and contributions toexhibitions chiefly concern Africa.

Situated in the heart of Paris, the Musee d'Orsay boasts thegreatest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art inthe world, a collection unparalleled in its diversity and quality.Since its spectacular opening in 1986 in a renovated train station,the museum has welcomed more than 50 million visitors to view worksby Bouguereau, Courbet, Renoir, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Monet, Manet,Redon, Whistler, Gauguin and other artists of the mid-19th centuryto the early 20th century. In this deluxe, large-format volume, theMusee d'Orsay's director, Serge Lemoine, and his team of curatorsand specialists examine the museum's holdings and the historysurrounding them, ranging from the primacy of academic paintingthrough the shock of Impressionism to the rise of modern art.Included are many seminal works of the period, including Whistler'sMother, Manet's The Balcony, Cezanne's Apples and Oranges, Monet'sBlue Water Lilies and Van Gogh's Bedroom at Arles. With 830full-colour illustrations of masterpieces by some of

Tote bags are becoming more and more popular because they are reusable and eco-friendly. This affordable and stylish alternative to the ubiquitous plastic bag is now also a fashion statement. The use of tote bags has spread from the eco-savvy shopper to the style-conscious consumer. With this shift, totes have moved from being a purely utilitarian item to a medium for self-expression. The printed design on the tote bag sends a message about the owner's personality. The graphics, imagery and messages displayed on tote bags are becoming increasingly sophisticated, subtle and imaginative. This book showcases some of the most striking, inventive and subversive of current examples of the tote. The featured totes come from over 120 illustrators, graphic designers and design studios around the world, from the Netherlands to Nigeria. Designs include floral prints, typography, illustrations and characters.

A title that will appeal to those interested in book cultureas well as furniture and interior design, Bookshelf is the firstpublication to take bookshelf design as its subject. From theconceptual Read-Unread Bookshelf (which weighs books read againstthose still to be started) to the multi-function Trick (a unit thattransforms from shelf-space into a table and two chairs), Bookshelfpresents over 200 inventive and experimental shelving designs inmore than 400 colour illustrations that are sure to covet andinspire. Individual specification details are provided for eachbookcase, including materials and documentation, and theaccompanying texts by Alex Johnson, author and editor of The Blogon the Bookshelf, provide a fun and informative look at the historyof the bookcase, as well as reflecting on how a new generation ofdesigners have re-imagined a classic. One might have presumed that,with the advent of the e-book, the days of the bookshelf werenumbered. In fact, readers are now taking almost as much interes

An invaluable guide for both casual opera fans and afficionados,this volume contains act-by-act de*ions of operatic worksranging from the early seventeenth century masterworks ofMonteverdi and Purcell to the modern classics of Menotti andBritten. Written in a lively anecdotal style, entries includecharacter de*ions, historical background, and much more.

In this compulsively readable, fascinating, and provocativeguide to classical music, Norman Lebrecht, one of the world's mostwidely read cultural commentators tells the story of the rise ofthe classical recording industry from Caruso's first notes to theheyday of Bernstein, Glenn Gould, Callas, and von Karajan. Lebrechtcompellingly demonstrates that classical recording has reached itsend point-but this is not simply an expos? of decline and fall. Itis, for the first time, the full story of a minor art form,analyzing the cultural revolution wrought by Schnabel, Toscanini,Callas, Rattle, the Three Tenors, and Charlotte Church. It is thestory of how stars were made and broken by the record business; howa war criminal conspired with a concentration-camp victim to createa record empire; and how advancing technology, boardroom wars,public credulity and unscrupulous exploitation shaped the musicalbackdrop to our modern lives. The book ends with a suitable shrineto classical recording: the author's critical selectio