The Oxford Companion to Art (1950)

Yesterday we visited Fulham Palace and en route discovered the most amazing bookshop called Hurlingham Books at 91 Fulham High St, London SW6 3JS.  It has the most interesting approach to displaying books in the windows I've ever seen - horizontally with the title showing. 

Inside it's absolutely crammed from floor to ceiling with books and it's quite a skill to manoeuvre inside without sending a pile crashing to the floor. There are no categories. You just stare until you see something that looks interesting.

However it excels in that one stand-out feature of an excellent second hand bookshop - it has books you've never ever seen before. 

Hurlingham Books in Ranelagh Gardens

In it I found a pristine 1950 Hardback Edition of "The Oxford Companion to Art" - or rather JR did - and he reached it down for me from a high shelf.

It turned out to be a VERY big and heavy hardback book of 1,277 pages - which I got for £5.

The Oxford Companion of Art

I confess this blog post is actually mostly to do with me finding out a bit more about the book. 

It appears the book was updated after 1950 with subsequent editions appearing in 1970 aND 1985.

The Companion to Art was designed as a non-specialist introduction to the fine arts - with an emphasis on art (and NOT "Arts" - and not the practical arts and handicrafts. The Preface indicates that it is a handbook rather than an encyclopedia and covers:

• all human artistic endeavour through all time and throughout the world
• more variety of material than other Oxford Companions
• each of the articles is intended to be an introduction only - although I found most I've read (dipping into the book from front to back) to be very thorough and provides good summaries.

The entries cover four main groups of material

• biographies of important artists
• accounts of art movements and associations of artists
• explanations of specific terms relating to art - plus essays on a few technical topics
• Perspective
• Graphic Processes
• Colour
• historical explanations of the development of art in specific countries / regions.

Articles on technical matters have been kept to a minimum but a few longer and more detailed technical articles have been included when that subject seemed to be of importance for understanding and appreciation over a wide field of art. Preface

Overall, it struck me as a very useful handbook to have in one's art library and not really outdated so long as you understand it relates to an era prior to 1950!

In an era when so much that is published about art is either dumbed down or written by people who haven't had an adequate art education, I found the book a refreshing treat which I dipped into all the way home on the tube - and it's not left my side since!

You can find copies online - mostly of the later edition which you should be able to get for less than a £10 (although do watch out for the postage costs given the weight!). Or you can try rooting around in good second hand shops like me!

I do however have a reservation!  I found it was based on Osborne's own knowledge of specific areas of art and where he had none he makes no reference to that area.  Indeed he doesn't even acknowledge that it exists!

For example, there is absolutely no reference to botanical art or any of the famous artists such as those I've written about at length on Past Masters - Botanical Art and Artists. There again, Wilfrid Blunt had not yet published The Art of Botanical Illustration - it was first published in 1950 - the same year as the The Oxford Companion to Art.

Also, I think the main problem with it as a book is it is HUGE and generalist rather than specialist.  One source suggested 94 editions published between 1960 and 2002 in 4 languages! However it is now not in print - probably because it would be too big to make that possible.

• In my view, there are specific areas within it which would make a suitable book to update and republish in a new edition in future years. 
• As indeed has happened to Wilfrid Blunt's book which is now in its (I think) fifth edition - and boasting my reviews of it in its marketing material! 

Marketing image for The Art of Botanical Illustration
including review by ME!

The author

The book was edited by somebody called Harold Osborne (1905-1987) who is characterised in records online as a philosopher and civil servant. It reminds me of the way quite a few people who are world renowned authorities in aspects of art also had jobs which paid the bills.

So who is this man who wrote "The Oxford Companion to Art" ?

He appears to have been a diplomat who spent most of his career in South America - but was particularly interested in the philosophy of aesthetics. Apparently he was also a leading authority on modern art history and wrote books for the Oxford University Press.

• born in 1905, 
• educated at Wakefield Grammar School, Yorkshire. 
• undergraduate at Cambridge University, reading classics and philosophy. 
• Served in the Intelligence Service during the Second World War 
• Became a British civil servant in South America and then in the United Kingdom, becoming Principal Officer at the Board of Trade. While in South America he published two volumes, on Andean Indians, and Bolivia.
• an influential scholar and editor, and an active author throughout his life. 

I imagined he spent a lot of time while being a diplomat in South America reading very many art books!

Publications on aesthetics and art history included more than 20 monographs and 50 articles including

• Foundations of the Philosophy of Value (1933), 
• The Oxford Companion to Art (1950)
• Theory of Beauty (1952), 
• Aesthetics and Criticism (1955), 
• Aesthetics and Art Theory (1968), and 
• The Art of Appreciation (1970). 
• The Oxford Companion to the Decorative Arts (1975) - accessible via Internet Archive
• The Oxford companion to twentieth-century art (1981)
• He also edited the Aesthetics volume in the Oxford University Press Readings in Philosophy series
• Founding President of the British Society of Aesthetics.
• Founded the British Journal of Aesthetics.

About Hurlingham Books

It's very highly rated on Google - 4.7 stars!

website: https://hurlinghambooks.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hurlinghambooks/?hl=en

Book Review: Natural History Illustration in Pen and Ink by Sarah Morrish

Natural History Illustration in Pen and Ink by Sarah Morrish is a book by a well educated and very experienced natural history illustrator who writes extremely well - and it shows on every one of its pages making it joy to read.

Combine science with art and journey through nature

One of the things which distinguishes this book is it's written by somebody who has 

• qualifications in education, science (ecology, conservation) and art (botanical illustration) and 
• lots of experience of 
• natural history illustration, 
• pen and ink as a medium and 
• teaching students in class, online and through written materials  

Sarah Morrish has created a very informative book on a topic which is not well covered in art instruction literature.  It is packed full of very educational content - nothing is vacuous or vague. The quality of the content is matched by it also being a very well structured and designed book with an excellent range of images. Sarah understands very well how to make a complex topic accessible and easy to digest by students looking to learn about or improve their skills and techniques in pen and ink illustration of the natural world

Her skills in this area have been endorsed by the Natural History Museum London which has commissioned her to produce online learning resources on the theme of natural science illustration for their Introduction to British Natural History Studies Training Course in 2021 - which is a super endorsement of her skills in this area.

Her book also usefully includes image contributions from some very impressive artists and illustrators working in this field from around the world who are both experienced and experts in their respective fields within natural history. I knew some but not all of them and I loved being introduced to artists who were new to me. 

Her book is, for me, a very refreshing change from my absolute bête noire i.e. art instruction books written by people who don't know their subject as well as they need to if they want to teach others and/or books where the flow of the content is poor and not well written.

What I really liked about the book

At the beginning two things stood out for me. There's a 

• useful discussion about the depiction of nature and wild life which explores the parameters of the subject and how it can be represented
• a timeline of the development of illustration using pen and ink which I've not seen before.

Other aspects I particularly liked 

• Her very useful summaries of key points in a chapter. It's so easy to lose these when the text is so packed full of information. These 
• Her summary checklists of things to think about with respect to different aspects of pen and ink illustration of natural history - e.g. the use of photography - which go from the basic and generic to the particular relevant to the subject matter and its particular challenges.
• Very good discussion of the range of art materials, tools and equipment available to the pen and ink illustrator including:
• Her emphasis on using the right tool for the job and 
• her discussion of the very wide variety of both pens and nibs and inks available to the pen and ink illustrator
• an excellent set of illustrations of different examples in relation to both techniques and subject matters
• Her very clear illustrations of the differences between different techniques of contour hatching, cross hatching and stippling.
• Her very clearly annotated pen and ink drawings which explain the use made of different mark-making techniques 
• it includes a very useful section on Composition which focuses on how the principles and elements translate into this subject area and media
• The huge diversity of subject matter illustrated in the book demonstrates how fascinating this aspect of art can be for those interested in nature and natural history. It includes specimens which I've never seen included in any art instruction book before.
• The step by step exercises - which do not try to be lowest common denominator exercise for those new to the subject or media and instead clearly indicate a clear aim and scope plus a recommended and precise skill level needed prior to trying the exercise.
• Her tips go way beyond the technical aspects of illustration. Sarah has some really great tips concerning the collection, presentation and storage of specimens found in the field. You just know these have been learned the hard way! The practical tips are in no way sanitised - she warns you when a specimen is going to smell!
• I love the stories behind the development of some of the drawings of how specimens or habitats were encountered and approaches used to collect information for subsequent illustrations.

In conclusion......

Essentially this book is an excellent resource and reference book. It is

• an excellent and comprehensive instruction book which is packed full of quality content that is both well organised and well written 
• very practical - with lots of useful information and tips
• packed full of illustrations and images which inform, educate and inspire
• suitable for any committed art students from secondary school to the third age

My art instruction books of choice many years ago used to be those produced by Watson Guptill (The Drawing Book etc) because they were comprehensive, objective and authoritative. I can pay this book no higher compliment then to say it very much reminds me of the quality of those publications about various art and media topics - including the book on pen and ink! 

I'm very much looking forward to her next book.

About Sarah Morrish

Sarah Morrish is a widely-respected artist, illustrator and tutor, with many years of teaching experience. With a working background in ecology and conservation, she aims to raise awareness of the beauty and fragility of nature in all its forms. She is a member of the American Society of Botanical Artists, the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, the Chelsea Physic Garden Florilegium Society and a Fellow of the Linnean Society.

You can find out more about Sarah Morrish - and the other methods she uses to teach natural history and botanical illustration in the links below

• her website - Nature's Details
• her tuition site - Illustrating Natures Details
• her Facebook Page - Illustrating Natures Details with Sarah Morrish
• her Facebook Page for the Book - Sarah Morrish: Natural History Illustration in Pen & Ink
• an interview with her -'It's important to find different ways to connect with people' | The Biologist

BOOK SUMMARY:

Publisher ‏ : ‎ The Crowood Press Ltd 

Publication date: 10 August 2021 in UK; 1 January 2022 in USA
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 208 pages | Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 22 x 1.27 x 27.99 cm

Kindle Edition: File size ‏ : ‎ 63415 KB | Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled | Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported | Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1785009222 | ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1785009228

READ a review of this book published in the magazine for the members and patrons of the Natural History Museum which was written by one of the ecologists working at the Museum

As an ecologist, I appreciated the section dealing with legalities and best practice when collecting subject material. This is so important, but could have been glossed over so easily.

The book is available from a number of sources:

• Crowood Press
• Amazon UK
• Amazon. com

(Note: the Amazon links are my Associate links)

A new book about Natural History Illustration in Pen & Ink

Natural History Illustration in Pen & Ink by Sarah Morrish is being published by Crowood Press (one of my favourite art instruction publishers) on 23rd August 2021.

Natural History Illustration in Pen and Ink
by Sarah Morrish

It's always a pleasure to introduce a new book by a friend. 

I've been watching content for this book being developed for some time - and it's great to know that we now have a known publication date and it can now be ordered.

Sarah Morrish is a botanical and natural history artist and illustrator who which combines science and art. She has exhibited extensively and also teaches workshops and online (See her website Illustrating Nature's Details). She also has a BSc Hons Ecology & Conservation Biology and a Certificate in Botanical Illustration from the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.

This is her first book. It won't be her last!

I know how Sarah teaches - she's very thorough and extremely well-organised and communicates extremely clearly - both in writing and online when she's delivering Zoom workshops / demonstrations to artists all over the world.

A new book about drawing nature in pen and ink

This is a unique book of instruction for those who enjoy - or aspire to - drawing nature and wildlife. So far as I am aware there's no other art instruction book which covers drawing a range of natural history subjects in pen and ink.

It provides:

• Practical advice on using a range of materials and equipment for illustrating in pen and ink, as well as the collection and preservation of subject matter and reference material.
• Detailed instruction in how to create essential mark-making techniques that will enhance your illustrations through accurate depiction of shape, form, texture and pattern, and in the principles and elements of design.
• Subject-themed chapters including botanical subjects, strandline and marine specimens, fossils, invertebrates, birds, feathers and nests, and mammals.
• Additional chapters on: 
•  the importance of sketchbooks and study pages, 
• protection and presentation of artwork, 
• combining pen and ink with other media and 
• composition.
• Step-by-step exercises suitable for all skill levels 
• Case studies describing working practice as a professional illustrator.

Additional examples of natural history illustration in pen and ink by other artists - including:

How to list and catalogue my art books really easily

I have been wanting to list and catalogue my art books forever! I've finally found a REALLY EASY easy way to do it and this post shares with you how I'm listing by genre and category.

This post looks at 

• why I need lists of my books
• the features of the BookBuddy Pro app - which makes creating lists of all my books early easily - apart from needing to get everyone of them off the shelves in order to scan the bar code!

Why too many art books can be a problem...

I've been a bibliophile for at nearly 50 years. I have a LOT of books. By which I mean many more than I can actually count.

A small section of my art book collection
(ignore the small pile of books on the back of the sofa on the extreme left
- they're waiting for a home!)

I watched a programme about Fran Libowitz on Netflix recently and identified very many traits we have in common - one of which is owning a lot of books

What surprised me is they were characterising a lot of books in Wikipedia as follows

She is also known for her massive book collection, 10,000 volumes in all

to which my immediate reaction was "only 10,000??!!!!".

I counted about 25 years ago and I was up to 10,000 then - and I've bought lots (and lots and lots) more since then.

My only concerns about my books are threefold

• how I am going to fit in more bookshelves?
• where's the best place to put bookshelves so they won't put too much stress on the floor joists?
• buying duplicate books (again!) - because I don't have any lists of my books!!

It's the latter which really annoys me. I've got a few too many duplicates. 

I'm perfectly able to include that a book is a good book and definitely deserves to be on my shelves more than once! Usually because the first copy is sat in a book pile waiting for the next set of bookshelves (or - perish the thought - a purge on my books!) and I haven't seen it recently. Plus I have splurges of book buying which means it's not uncommon for 5-6 to arrive at once - which means they're queuing to be read. 

How to list all my books easily

I've bought BookBuddy Pro from the Apple App Store. It cost me £4.99 and works on my Apple iPhone and iPad. I understand there are no plans to create an app for Android phones - but there are other book management apps suitable for Android.

You can read about the features on the BookBuddy pro app website 

• you can scan the bar code on a book to get all the relevant data about it - including an image of the book cover - uploaded automatically in seconds. 
• I've found if your book is a bit obscure / specialised that it can sometimes take a while - especially if it comes in more one edition. 
• I checked it out by trying to upload the first three editions of The Art of Botanical Illustration by Wilfrid Blunt and William T. Stearns - as each is different and was published by different people in different years.  It got the third edition right and then got confused with the second edition - uploaded an image from Google books - but gave it to the third edition! Resolved by uploading the correct image from my phone. Uploading the first edition is more difficult as there were no bar codes in the 1950s and this will be a manual upload

Features of BookBuddy Pro

• it identifies the genre automatically - but you can change it to something more meaningful to you (and then it remembers all your genres identified to date)
• you can create tags for books to find them fast. So for example when I get to my books about artists I'll create the artist's name as a tag. At present I'm splitting between instruction books and art history books for a specific genre  of art - and it works fine for that.
• it syncs across devices - so it's now on both my iPad Pro 12 and my iPhone 12 Pro Max. 
• it backs up to either the iCloud and/or my Dropbox account. I've got less than 20 books loaded so far and it happens fast right now. Once it's got the entire library on I think it might take a bit longer!
• it enables you to record loans of your book - and keep track of who's got them
• you can record the current status of a book - unread, being read or read
• you can identify lists of:
• favourites easily and you can also give them star ratings. I've not yet worked out whether you can list by a specific rating
• lists by tags eg. all my books about London
• lists by author - which helps with avoiding duplicates!
• Both BookBuddy (free) and Book Buddy pro (£4.99) have the same features. However BookBuddy is limited to just 50 books. So enough to test it out to see whether it suits you - but I recommend you buy the pro version if you think you'll get some use out of this

What my lists look like

This app only works with Apple devices and is specifically designed for iPhones and iPads. It's been around for some time and had been through several upgrades.

This is what a list of titles be genre looks like on my iPhone. These are some of my botanical illustration books. Note the alpha letter index on the right hand side.

Book Review: Notes from the Atelier by Julie Douglas

This book review of Notes from the Atelier

• follows on from Julie Douglas's appearance on Sky Arts in Episode 2 of the Portrait Artist of the Year 2020 last Tuesday and 
• precedes her studio appearing on Life Drawing Live! programme on BBC4 this coming Tuesday!

This coming Tuesday I am delighted that my studio will be part of the first live nation-wide life drawing session, on BBC4 with Lachlan GoudieJulie Douglas, Notes from The Atelier

Cover of Notes from the Atelier by Julie Douglas

My book review is long overdue(!) Its publication coincided with a lot of other things going on and then it hit the pile of books to be reviewed. Having now reviewed it I'm only sorry I didn't do so earlier as I would have been recommending it to people!

Notes from The Atelier is the first book by Julie Douglas, an award-winning designer, artist, illustrator - and art teacher who has been running her own Art School in Northern Ireland - comprising weekly classes and workshops - for over 25 years.

I first got to know Julie via coloured pencil activities when her artwork kept winning major awards. Then in 2015 we met up for the first time when I went across to give a lecture for a Drawing Consortium she organised at Belfast University.  Last year we met up again the Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year heat that she participated in and I was watching.

When you read this book it's just like meeting up with Julie. It's very relaxed but very knowledgeable and informative with lots and lots of positivity and encouraging noises!  

If you want to see what I mean watch the video!

Let's DRAW! With Julie Douglas from Julie Douglas on Vimeo.

Title: Notes from The Atelier

Synopsis

The aim of this book is to provide practical steps to successful observation, drawing and painting. It places an emphasis on learning how to see as a stepping stone to being able to draw and paint effectively.

The core of the book is 32 exercises which she has used with her Weekly Class - in other words

• they're not only tried and tested but also refined as a result 
• you get to see some of the artwork by her students - which means you can compare what you've produced to what her students in her weekly cass produced doing the exact same exercise.

a double page spread about pencil shading and developing tonal values

The book also contains LOTS of practical tips relating to art materials, drawing and painting practice and looking after your wellbeing which you draw and paint.

I think it's really suitable for people who are complete beginners - as well as those looking to improve.

Summary Review

RECOMMENDED: This is an excellent book for somebody wanting to learn how to draw and paint but unable to get to a class. It's very stimulating and very accessible in the sense that, while reading it, it is exactly like having Julie in the room with you. Everything you need to know is articulated very clearly and in very clear steps. 

Plus it has 45 x 5 star reviews on Amazon UK which are worth a read - and some nice reviews from other leading artist tutors

You’ve inspired me to draw again! I haven't had time to read all of it (or even half - it's a big book!) but what I've read so far is WONDERFUL! I agree with everything you say, and I think you have a SUPER solid method of teaching here. : )I am very happy to recommend it.Carol Marine, Artist, USA

I like the way the overall approach focuses on:

• learning how to see being fundamental to being able to draw and paint well
• drawing as underpinning competence in painting. 

Examining options for cropping a complex still life involving light, dark and patterns

The exercises are very clearly set out and cover a variety of media including:

• graphite pencil
• coloured pencils
• charcoal
• watercolour

Others focus on specific approaches for particular subjects eg "Location Drawing" and "Drawing a Face."

Art Instruction Books: 10 years after

Ten years ago I wrote two very long posts about Art Instruction Books. I posted one to my Making A Mark Facebook Page this morning and it seems it still has a resonance with my followers.

The two posts are:

• Art Instruction Books #1: different ways of learning
• Art Books #2 - the economics of publishing (the one posted to Facebook this morning)

This post is about what they're about - and what I think has happened since and what may well happen next.

a small section of my Art Book Bookshelves - before I rearranged them again.

Different ways of Learning - in summary and since

The first post Art Instruction Books #1: different ways of learning summarises some of my thoughts back then on:

• the way people learn
• the way people learn about art
• how this all relates to art instruction

It took different models of the way people learn - and extrapolated this into how this applies in relation to art instruction (but not art instruction books)

It strikes me as interesting that over the last ten years

• in some ways art instruction has remained the same (for some) in terms of how it works
• in other ways it has changed hugely.

For example technology has well and truly arrived :

• Lots of artists now teach students remotely - as a matter of routine
• Lots of artists now control their own websites and online learning schools / video output / podcasts - and are not beholden to other publishers / platforms etc to deliver their content and generate their own followers in terms of students
• It's normal to have art students who don't live in the same country as you

In order to do that art instructors have had to become good at making videos and/or podcasts and/or modular instruction.

What I find very interesting - as somebody whose first degree is in education and who has initially formally trained as a teacher - is that most people are doing this with no idea about how to teach.

So we have 

• on the one hand - democratisation around publication of art instruction; and 
• on the other - there's an awful lot of utter [expletive deleted] out there - because there is no accreditation and there are absolutely no quality controls. Anybody can produce complete rubbish!
• not forgetting that some artists are proving to be excellent instructors despite no training 

For the most part, people have not been so much into writing art books as they are about writing content - of a chunked up modular kind, which sometimes has - but often doesn't - an underpinning structure of what needs to be learned. No matter what kind of art.

The Economics of Publishing - in summary and since

I think I was absolutely spot on with Art Books #2 - the economics of publishing! However it's difficult to summarise briefly - so read the post!

 In fact I'm somewhat amazed that I was quite so prescient. But for the fact that I used to have a boss who periodically used to roll me out in front of the management team peers and ask me to perform my party trick - which was to tell everybody what was going to happen in the next 5-10 years. Based on the fact I seemed to have developed an uncanny habit of being able to tell what was going to happen over a strategic time period. In fact I was only ever doing what on any sensible R&D set-up would do - which is keep both eyes and ears open and read around to see what everybody else was doing and what new developments were getting underway and building traction. That way you assimilate the clues that are out there and sooner or later they begin to make a coherent story which either becomes even more convincing or morphs and changes into something slightly different.

Which is why I always knew the UK would vote for Brexit if they ever got the chance!  But that's a different story....

In terms of publishing what I predicted would happen has happened. 

• publishing hit the same buffers as the music industry due to the changes technology and the means of production - and a lack of experience within the industry about how manage change and how to cope with new ways of working. For example see 
• Owner of Artist Network, Wet Canvas & North Light Books files for Bankruptcy Protection and 
• F&W Media Bankruptcy Protection UPDATE re SALES of Artist Network, Wet Canvas & North Light Books
• even if some of the same publishing names exist, they've often been bought up within a global conglomerate which retains the name as a brand 
• others have gone bust or no longer print art books
• more or less all printing is now done in India or China and timelines have to accommodate the time for shipping books actually via a ship!
• the entry level / amateur hobby market continues to obsess publishers
• so much so that many books are printed now with very little instruction and lots of blank pages so that people can fill them in like a workbook. My jaw dropped when I saw one of these for the first time. I couldn't believe people were actually buying them - but they do!
• colouring books took over the world - a bit like 'paint by numbers' did when I was a kid - and totally invaded every known category of art instruction books on Amazon. Apparently a colouring book is now to be regarded as an art instruction book!
• books seem to have more pictures and fewer words - because that's actually cheaper and suits an audience which has become image obsessed and text light
• people are publishing small quick guides online
• more or less all art instruction books must now be made as ebooks as well as the printed version
• which has implications for both content and how they are formatted if they are to work well as e-books (but not all the authors have made that change!)
• publishers now LOVE authors with major online followings - half their marketing can be done for nothing by the artist!
• those that stick with conventional publishers now understand the real financial benefit comes via the workshops which can be sold off the back of the book rather than through the book itself - when you take the opportunity cost of taking time out to write and produce a book into consideration 

When I wrote my book it was made very clear to me that the only way to make it economic to publish was to sell the international rights around the world. The spin-off was that the content had to be capable of being acceptable to different audiences around the world - which accounts for why no brand names appear on the art media in my book - because not all art media exports around the world!

So what happens next?

What I'm doing next is buying up second hand versions of older books on the basis that "text on paper" is a disappearing commodity. 

The future will be more of the same for the time being

• rather less artists having a bread and butter job as an art teacher in schools and colleges - as their second job - and rather more running an online art school
• too many untrained people teaching others despite the fact they only have a partial grasp of some of the basics of art
• fewer experienced people creating art instruction books
• too few decent art instruction books - unless lovingly produced by an artist who cares deeply about passing on good art instruction in relation to his or her specific area of expertise
• more and more publishing companies going under - unless small independent operations which are resistant / immune to the overtures of the corporate big boys flashing their wallets!
• much more art instruction via video and online modules and much less via art instruction books

I have hopes though that we may also see an emergence of the in-depth manual for advanced artists by those recognised to be expert in their craft - and a re-emergence of a high regard for knowledge about the craft of making art - in different media.

I know of one in the offing - being published by a specialised art society in the USA. It occurs to me that in fact art societies are excellent vehicles for creating specialised texts for the future. Maybe we shall see more?

Maybe I'll write another one of these posts in another ten years. The scary bit is I can include a reminder to self on my iPhone!

Do let me know what you think! Comments on my Making A Mark FB page please. 

RIP Charles Reid (1937 - 2019)

The extraordinary and incomparable watercolour painter and art instructor Charles Reid died on 1st June 2019.

I'm sure all of us who were fans of him all have our own memories of "our connections" with Charles Reid - even if we never ever met him.

These are mine.....

When I first got interested in art again - as a much-needed creative diversion from number-crunching (after the long slog through my first degree at Cambridge and then the exams for my accountancy qualification) -  one of the very first painting instructors who appealed to me was Charles Reid.

I'd spend hours in the art shops salivating over the watercolour paints and then spent what seemed like forever sat in the book section pouring over the latest brilliant art instruction book from Watson Guptill in the USA - trying to decide what I could afford to buy - paints or books or paint and books - and it was invariably the latter.

One of the artist/authors I loved best of all was Charles Reid. He just connected like no other art instructor at that time.

I never became a good watercolour painter, preferring dry media to wet, but my eyes were opened to art-making while reading his books.

I absolutely loved his washy way of watercolour painting which had sensational colours and glazes and blurs and mixes on the page. I bemoan endlessly the fact I so very rarely see paintings by a master painter who celebrated the attributes of watercolour in exhibitions of watercolour painting today.

I was awe-struck by the fact he left his watercolours drip down the page and was totally unphased by it. He left his graphite sketch included in the final work - for all to see. Surely this was breaking the laws of "proper painting"?

In time I came to see him very much as the contemporary successor to John Singer Sargent.

Somebody who always painted from what he could see and was always concerned with the effect he was trying to achieve.

recent images on his Instagram account - with that very memorable self-portrait in the middle

Who remembers the:

• continuous line drawing?
• the "big blur"?
• the emphasis on seeing shapes and values as they presented themselves - and not as your brain tried to tell you they were?
• highlighting the value of the backlit subject?
• even more emphasis on the importance of edges - and "the lost and found"?
• the focus on mixing interesting darks - on the palette and on the page - and the avoidance of black
• and always always always - looking for connections and relationships within your subject - in line, mass, colour and tone... ?

What I liked about him was this teaching (in his books) was always very informal - and at the same time very thoughtful and considered - a bit like his paintings.

However, for me the most important thing was that his instruction wasn't about watercolour painting and 'how to paint' at all.

When I went to pull some of my Charles Reid books off my bookshelves I was amazed to find that absolutely none of them were in the watercolour section!  In fact I'd say I was panicking at that point!!!

They were of course elsewhere - on my composition and design shelves - and sitting with the other books in related subject matter.

That's because he was about so much more than about how to paint in watercolours or oil.

Below you can see the covers of just three of my books. I guess the most recent editions now have different covers.

I can't find my copy of Painting what you want to see (right) - but that's also a great book

I'd like to pay tribute to what he taught me by encouraging you to seek out these books if you've not read them previously - and have a good read - and then start applying his tips in your practice.

I rarely see them in bookshops anymore - more's the pity - but you can still find them all online.

Bert Dodson - a man who spent his life inspiring people to draw

"Anyone who can hold a pencil can learn to draw with some degree of proficiency"
Bert Dodson

Bert Dodson is a man who has a made a lot of difference to the lives of very many people who like to draw.

My birthday wishes timeline on Facebook tells me that he turned 81 yesterday - and I'd like to wish him belatedly a very happy birthday.  

Reading his iconic art instruction book "Keys to Drawing" was one of those "lightbulb" moments for me and I've been recommending it to people ever since.

Decades later, in an era when you go to the "Drawing"category of Amazon and all you can see are books about mindfulness, mandalas and colouring books (I despair - it makes me want to cry !!!) Keys for Drawing is still like a oasis in a desert of so-called art books by publishers who are more concerned with profit than providing decent learning opportunities.

• Keys to Drawing has now had over 250 reviews on Amazon 
• it continues to maintain a very high average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars 
• 72% have given it 5 stars
• AND it continue to be have a lot of excellent tips on "how to draw"!

Bert wrote to tell me that he really appreciated my book review of "Keys to Drawing" 

" Keys to Drawing" by Bert Dodson is one of the first drawing books that I bought after I got back to doing art after a break of over 15 years. It opened my eyes, stimulated my enthusiasm for drawing again and provided me with some really excellent guidelines about what to think about when drawing.  Keys to Drawing | Making A Mark | 18th May 2006

I gather it generated a bit of a surge in sales afterwards! 

When I was in New England in September 2006 I wrote and asked if I could visit him which is how come I came to be in his studio in Bradford, Vermont in 2006  to take this photo of him with his page proofs of his next book Drawing with Imagination - about the keys to creativity in drawing

Bert Dodson in his studio with page proofs of Drawing with Imagination (September 2006)

He now walks with an aid - and so do I - and that's because it's about twelve and half years since we last met and we now both wobble a bit from time to time!

He spent a lifetime illustrating children's books. One of the last books he illustrated was one he wrote himself.  Very sadly his website is no longer on line - but his inspiring words about drawing will live on for a very long time....

Long may people read his very sound advice on how to draw!

Bio Note:

Bert Dodson is a painter, teacher, author and illustrator. He has illustrated over 80 books for children.

• He has authored two books on drawing; Keys to Drawing (North Light, 1985), and Keys to Drawing with Imagination (North Light, 2006).

• In the 1980’s he created the political comic strip, Nuke, which was published in two volumes, as Nuke; A Book of Cartoons (McFarland and Company, Jeffersonville, NC, 1988 ), and Nuke II; Another Book of Cartoons (1990).

• He co-authored, with the biologist, Mahlon Hoagland, The Way Life Works ( Times Books, 1995), and Intimate Strangers; The Story of Unseen Life on Earth (ASM Press, 1999).

• He was animation designer for the four part PBS television series, Intimate Strangers (1998).

• He regularly exhibits his watercolors and drawings. 

I am an Amazon affiliate and all links to books include an affiliate link to my personal affiliate account. This means that if you buy a book as a result of clicking on one of these links I might earn a very small sum.

Making A Mark in August 2018

Fans of Making A Mark will remember the "Who's made a mark this week?" posts which I had to discontinue in 2014 as they were taking over my life.

Since then I've diversified and now have other active websites and blogs - and what you used to see on Making A Mark can now be found elsewhere.

I've been mulling on how to profile what I've written and seen and today I'm going to start a trial of a NEW MONTHLY SUMMARY of

• posts on my blogs and website updates 
• coupled with some of the posts to three of my Facebook pages

Tell me what you think of it - on Facebook!

Making A Mark in August 2018

For those who missed my posts because you were on holiday or life intervened...

All posts are from Making A Mark except

• ABI = Art Business Info. for Artists
• BBA = Botanical Art and Artists

Artists

Image of Wyeth's Studio, © Phil Bradshaw, FreshFly

• The Andrew Wyeth Movie - a hugely popular blog post. - an extended trailer for the new documentary film about Andrew Wyeth, originally planned for a 2012 release - but due to launch this month!
• BBA - Video Interview with Kathy Pickles - Between 1991 and 1996, Kathy Pickles exhibited every year at the RHS Botanical Art Show. Each year she won a Gold Medal for her exhibit. In 2015, after nearly 20 years, she returned for a sixth time - and won a sixth Gold Medal.... and I've just found the video interview I did with her at the time!
• Lucian Freud - paintings of plants and gardens - following the exhibition at the Tate I did a an inventory - in a timeline - of all his paintings of plants with:
• notes about their context and location
• links to where you can see them and 
• quotes by people - including Freud himself - about his paintings of plants and why he did them.

"The subject matter has always been dictated by the way my life has gone. I noticed that when I was under particular strain, I didn't feel so like staring at people or bodies all day." It was at times like these that the palm, the Egyptian Book, thistles, cyclamens, buttercups, substituted for sitters. Seeing through the skin

• Ken Howard gets the brush-off from police in Venice - Police tell Ken Howard to stop painting in St Mark's Square in Venice - where he has a home and has painted for the last 60 years!
• BAA - Notable Botanical Artists of the 20th Century - lists the famous and/or notable botanical artists who  did most of their work in the 20th century and are now dead and who get brief or more detailed bios on my website
• Ruskin the radical: why the Victorian thinker is back with a vengeance | The Guardian - For those interested in the wide-ranging interests of John Ruskin
• Drawings by Feliks Topolski of the workers who print the money for the Bank of England are going on display at the Bank of England Museum for the first time in 60 years! (Drawing money: images of Bank print workers go on display | The Guardian)

Calling All Artists - Art Competitions and Open Exhibitions

Three book reviews about Botanical Art and Illustration

On Monday, three new art instruction books arrived and I've been spending this week reading different perspectives on guidance and instruction for those interested in botanical art, painting and illustration - and then writing three book reviews.

The books are:

• Botanical Illustration - The Complete Guide by Leigh Ann Gale 
• Botanical Art with Scientific Illustration by Sarah Jane Humphrey 
• Botanical Painting by Margaret Stevens (with the SBA)

BELOW you can find the links to the three book reviews and a short summary of each.

Links are embedded in the title of the books reviews.  If you want to know more, read the full review on Botanical Art and Artist News

Graphite and watercolour - two NEW guides

Two new publications by leading artists who demonstrate expertise in their respective fields

• one is a new book about his watercolour portfolio by leading watercolour painter David Poxon RWS NWS
• the second is a detailed guide about using graphite for scientific illustration by Rogério Lupo.

[Note: This post has been revised since first published]

Watercolour Heart and Soul by David Poxon

Watercolour, Heart & Soul is David Poxon's first book about how he paints in watercolour.

To me that seems somewhat surprising given he's been a leading watercolour painter with an international reputation. Indeed he's moved on to being one of those artists who you see a lot of other artists trying to emulate his paintings!

David is an elected member of the prestigious R.I. (The Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours) and serves on the R.I. Council. He is also a signature member of N.W.S (The National Watercolour Society) in the USA and has served on the jury for selection (in 2015).

The book is now published.

Watercolour Heart & Soul contains an eclectic collection of his most iconic paintings together with a detailed section describing the artists techniques. Author's website

I confess I've not yet seen a copy as it is so new, however if it's as good as David's paintings.....

UPDATE: Please note I am only suggesting this book for people who want to see David's paintings. 

You can order this 190 page book in one of three ways

• from his website via this link for £29.90 + flat rate shipping at £3.90
• order via Amazon - with free delivery
• or buy it at the upcoming annual exhibition of the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour at the Mall Galleries - although I expect it will be in stock if you are're in the Galleries before then

Graphite for Scientific Illustration by Rogerio Lupo

Graphite for Scientific Illustration by Brazilian illustrator Rogério Lupo is a new English translation of his Guide (in Portuguese) about how to use graphite for scientific illustration of botanical subjects.

This is a FREE guide which can be downloaded as a PDF file from Slideshare (just click the link in the title above)

It's intended for:

• anyone interested in learning about the fundamentals of graphite 
• anyone who wants improve their knowledge and skills in the use of graphite for scientific illustration generally and botanical illustration in particular.

The guide covers the following:

• how to observe and render light and shadow and nuances accurately
• How to sharpen, handle and move a pencil to achieve better application and coverage of the support with graphite
• How to use pencil delicately so as to make good use of time, achieve a good finish and preserve the integrity of the paper
• how to render shade gradually from the lightest to the darkest tones
• How to render the different textures and colours of subject matter in monochoromatic shades of grey
• How to recognise and represent luminosities, reflections and contrasts; 
• Practical and fast methods for rendering of hairs and thorns.
• How to prevent errors, cope with problems with paper and damage which cannot be repaired

He also provides a very useful commentary on both brands and grades of graphite and different types of paper suitable for working on when using graphite.

Rogério Lupo is a Brazilian Natural Science Illustrator based in Sao Paulo. He has won first prize in several competitions including the very prestigious Margaret Flockton Award - for international 'strictly botanical' illustrators in 2010 and 2013. He graduated in biology from the Universidade de São Paulo. Much of his work is dedicated to the illustration of scientific botanical articles/papers. He has also researched different approaches to illustration and artistic techniques.

Judging by the traffic to my blog post yesterday on my Botanical Art and Artists website, there's very great interest in getting hold of this Guide!

Hence why I decided to share it with a wider audience.

Review: Bird Art by Alan Woollett

a new book about drawing birds

If you want to learn how to draw birds - in graphite or coloured pencils - then 'Bird Art' a new book by renowned bird artist Alan Woollett, was designed for you!

One of the well known 'secrets' of wildlife art is that birds sell fast! Twitchers not only like to 'collect' birds via their binoculars, they also like to have birds on the walls in their homes.

This may well be the reason why more than a few artists have dedicated themselves to drawing and painting birds - and all the ones I know are also fabulous artists too! Most paint and a few draw.

One such bird artist - who draws in graphite and coloured pencil - is Alan Woollett. Alan wins awards for his bird art; has his drawings selected for international exhibitions of bird art; teaches internationally, and even manages to sell his drawings before he's even finished them. In other words, he knows a few things about how to draw birds!

(Follow him on Facebook at Alan Woollett Art - he doesn't have a website and on Twitter @awoollett)

Wildlife Artist of the Year - Earth's Beautiful Creatures Category Winner
Maribou Portrait by Alan Woollett ( Maidstone , Kent)
(coloured pencil on Fabriano Artistico)

Not the prettiest bird in the room - but very striking and caught my eye from the other side of the room. Wildlife Artist of the Year 2016 - The Awards

Alan has an amazing talent for making a very striking image. I suspect this talent has been hard won. He lives near Maidstone and trained at the Kent Institute of Art and Design and has been a professional artist for a long time. He's always focused on wildlife art and for the last few years has been drawing in his studio at the bottom of his garden.

Latterly he's also been writing his new book about how to draw birds. This is as much about Composition and Colour as it is about the overall approach from beginning to end that he uses and the stages of his drawing process.

"In essence I want to show you how my pictures are conceived" AW

UKCPS 2015 Annual Exhibition - R.K. Burt Paper Award for Best Still Life
Birds Nest Study by Alan Woollett
coloured pencil, 36cm x 27cm

What I like about the book

Urban Sketchers: Gabi Campanario steps down

A major announcement by Gabi Campanario today - he's stepping down from the Board of Urban Sketchers.

Dear fellow urban sketchers,

Since setting up the Urban Sketchers nonprofit in 2009, I've been quite involved with most operational aspects of the organization, from filing government forms and dealing with bank accounts to setting up blogs, organizing events and recruiting volunteers.

As Urban Sketchers has grown and thrived, many others have contributed their time and efforts, and we've built a solid and sustainable nonprofit. That level of shared commitment and belief in our mission is why I feel comfortable that we've reached the point in our natural evolution for the founder to take the back seat. After my term expires in December, I'll no longer be part of the Executive Board.

But I'm not wandering off too far. I have offered to serve on the Advisory Board and plan to continue contributing as a blog editor and correspondent.

I'm very proud of the work we do as a nonprofit, organizing an exhilarating international Symposium every year, promoting workshops and publishing blogs.

It makes a difference in the way people see the world and connect with each other.

I hear it all the time: "Urban Sketchers has changed my life!" people tell me. And I reply the same way: "It has changed mine, too!"

Gratefully and respectfully yours,

gabi

Gabi Campanario has given so very much in terms of time and effort to Urban Sketchers that it seems remiss not to try and mark this change in some way.

Below I've got a timeline - and a few images and links - which those of you who came to Urban Sketchers late in the day may well find interesting, while the rest of us reflect on just how long it has been since Gabi had a very good idea!

Urban Sketchers Timeline - a Gabi perspective

• 2007: Gabi begins the Urban Sketchers story - and creates a Flickr group for those interested in urban sketching.  This is the original group.

In 2007, a global community of urban sketchers began to form when Seattle-based journalist and illustrator Gabriel Campanario created an online forum “for all sketchers out there who love to draw the cities where they live and visit, from the window of their homes, from a cafe, at a park, standing by a street corner... always on location, not from photos or memory.”  Our history

•  2008: The Urban Sketchers blog was set up by Gabi - who invited others to join. I feel very privileged to say I was one of the original 100 who joined Urban Sketchers in the very early days. Here's a link to Gabi's introduction as a correspondent - Meet the correspondents: SEATTLE > Gabi Campanario - dated 29th October 2008. (The following day I was introducing myself!)

Advice on Painting from John Singer Sargent

Thomas Jefferson Kitts has done us all a favour and created a digital version - and an ebook in pdf format - of two second-hand accounts of Sargent's teaching and painting methods. One of these is as recounted by the Honorable Evan Charteris, K.C. in his 1927 biographical book, "Sargent" (now out of print).

I've previously read accounts of how Sargent painted - based on those who observed and recorded what he said. However it's nice to be able to read it in an attractive format - albeit online

The difference with this version is that Kitts has added his own annotations - in red ink - to the original text and has also presented it rather well in pdf format.

You can download the pdf file for Advice on Painting from John Singer Sargent from Google Drive

If you prefer you can go to the original digital archive of the book from the Internet Archive - see
John Sargent by Charteris, Evan.
People always think the subject of this painting is John Singer Sargent - but it's not.

The painting is by Sargent - but it's called Reconnoitring and it's a portrait of the painter Ambrogio Raffele. It's currently on loan from Galleria d'Arte Moderna di Palazzo Pitti, Piazza Pitti 1 50125 Firenze, Italy to the National Portrait Gallery where you can see it in the Sargent: Portraits of Artists and Friends exhibition - on until 25 May 2015.

My book - what happened next

My book published at the beginning of this month. Below I highlight what has happened since publication and the many different countries where you can now find it!

My book - with 365 tips and techniques for drawing and sketching
with three different spines, titles and covers for the three different editions of my book
(top) UK (middle) USA (bottom) English edition for Asia
It's still the same book inside the covers!

So what's happened since publication?

A lot! I really very much appreciate:

• the kind people who have been sharing information about the book on their websites, blogs and Facebook before and after publication. Very many thanks to all those who have been doing this - Sally Strand, Coral Guest, Gayle Mason, Sarah Morrish, Shevaun Doherty, Ester Roi, Laura Frankstone, Loriann Signori, Paula Pertile, Melissa B. Tubbs, Alyson Champ and Lis Watkins.  (Please do let me know if I've missed anybody out)

• 

  Sketching 365 in Foyles
  - nearly next to Andrew Loomis!

  my book's new Facebook Followers - Lots of new people have signed up to follow my book's Facebook Page Katherine Tyrrell: 365 Tips for Drawing and Sketching - and are very welcome!
• even more thanks and appreciation to those people who bought the book and have been sharing reviews - Mary Kemp, Coral Guest, Laura Murphy Frankstone and last but not least Parkablogs (see his video at the bottom of the post)

It is packed choc a bloc with so much information, from how to draw to what to use, how to sharpen a pencil even, and drawings on every page. A feast of sketches you wish you'd done yourself, and not all by Katherine but loads of guest artists, different styles, different materials. I wish I'd had this book at the start of my arty journey. It would have saved a lot of time. Mary Kemp - Why I Love "Sketching 365" by Katherine Tyrrell

This is a specialised and practical anthology of drawing methods and techniques. Focusing on media of all kinds, from pen to pastel, and carbon to crayon, the possibilities are both lavish and simple, splendid and modest, and accompanied by carefully organised tips and guidelines that flow through the pages like a rainbow of ideas yet to be discovered. Coral Guest A New Book by Katherine Tyrrell

It’s a book about drawing, all sorts of drawing, and it will be helpful to anyone who draws, for whatever reason, or anyone who would like to. Organized into 365 points or tips, the book is both encyclopedic and accessible. Tyrrell’s writing style is clear and calm. The lucidity of her text is matched by the excellent design of the book’s interior, which is clean, crisp, and visually balanced. Laura Murphy (on Amazon)

• Reviews on Amazon.com have all been five stars which is AMAZING!  Only four so far but hopefully more to come as these do make a big difference - as you can see below. On Amazon.com Drawing 365 is currently

• #2 in the Hot New Releases list of books about Drawing
• #28 in the Hot New Releases list of books about Art & Photography!!!



Drawing 365 is #2 in the top new releases in books about drawing on Amazon.com

• For those living in the rest of the world - Sketching 365 is now also being listed on Amazon (as an English Language book) 
• in Europe - in France, Germany, Italy, Spain
• in Japan and China

I never thought I'd see my drawing on the book cover in Japan
(I think they probably ought to be listing the "English for Asia" edition!)

• Many thanks to those who have shared photos of the book in bookshops. I get a really big thrill about these - it's like sending your children out into the world and being surprised where they get to. That's very 'cheesy' I know but I'm not going to lie that's really what it feels like! I absolutely loved it when I got the very first one (in New York - below) from Bernadette Madden. I'm also posting these to Facebook - and now the bookshops are joining in as well! 

I cannot tell you how weird it feels to know that MY BOOK is in
Barnes and Noble bookshop at 54th and 3rd in New York City!!!
Very many thanks to Bernadette Madden for the photo

• plus, of course, the bookshops have been listing it. All those in the UK will know that getting listed by a chain like WH Smith is a very big deal!  I've even discovered online book sites in Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Poland, the Czech Republic, India, USA and New Zealand which are listing it (even if it is not yet available to order at the latter - presumably they're waiting for stock)!
• and finally Drawing 365 has been listed on Goodreads

• 

  The article about my Book on Artists Network
  

  Drawing Basics: Learn 10 New Habits

  By: Cherie Haas, Online Editor | January 13, 2015

  In terms of Editorial: Last week, my new book - and the headlines of my first 10 tips - were highlightedin an article called Drawing Basics: Learn 10 New Habits by Cherie Haas on the Artists Network. "Drawing Basics" is the title of the first major chapter in my Book - and "Learn Ten New Habits" is the very first section in that chapter.  I decided to start the book by focusing on drawing in terms of behaviour rather than skills - because I really believe it's the habit of drawing and the habits you can develop associated with drawing which really help improve confidence and drawing ability.  However a few other tips can also help too... ;) PLUS There's an interview with me about My Favourite Things in the February edition of "Artists and Illustrators".

Note: My book is one book inside - but it has three different titles, covers and publishers. These are:

• "Drawing 365" - published on the 1st January in the USA  by North Light Books
• "Sketching 365" - published on the 8 January in the UK by Apple Press - this blog post provides the list of artists included in the book
• 365 Hints & Tips for Drawing & Sketching is the English Language version in Asia published by Page One Publishing.

My biggest thank you....

.... has to go to the artists who contributed images to the book. 

I've started sharing information about who these artists are - and their images - on the book's Facebook page and will be continuing to do for some time to come! Sharing images has been considerably helped by the latest "3 drawings a day for five days" challenge currently viral on Facebook. 

 What I'm very struck by is how different everybody's drawings are. That's very much what the book is about - helping people gain confidence and realise their potential to be their own inner artist - with their own very unique style!