Review: The Vanity of Small Differences

Grayson Perry's exhibition of the tapestries which make up The Vanity of Small Differences continues its travels around the UK .  This work is so good it gets its own tour of the UK! It's now reached Manchester City Art Gallery where it will be on display until 2 February 2014. Well worth visiting if you can get to Manchester! (More details at the end of future tour dates!)

The tour prompts me to review the Catalogue of the tapestry project of the television programme. I'm really pleased to have been sent a copy of the book of The Vanity of Small Differences for review.

Front Cover of the book of the exhibition of the tapestries arising out of the television series!
by Grayson Perry
Published by Haward Publishing

Background: A brief synopsis of the artwork and how it came about

The Vanity of Small Difference is a very important piece of contemporary art - which was conceived as a public work of art. It comprises six Tapestries listed below together with links to Grayson Perry's explanation of what the tapestries are about.

• The Adoration of the Cage Fighters
• Expulsion from Number 8 Eden Close
• The First Two Tapestries
• The Annunciation of the Virgin Deal
• The Upper Class at Bay
• The Third and Fourth Tapestries
• The Agony in the Car Park
• Lamentation
• The Final Two Tapestries

The piece explores British taste. It's a contemporary version of Hogarth's 'Rake's Progress' and also reprises classic artworks (puns in the titles of tapestries provide clues!) in contemporary form. It all started with a safari around UK. Grayson Perry visited different groups of people - in Sunderland, Tunbridge Wells and the Cotswolds - which resulted in a BAFTA award-winning Channel 4 series ‘All in the Best Possible Taste with Grayson Perry’ (2012). His visits to places strongly identified with social classes investigated the taste of the different tribes of people in terms of class and social mobility and unearthed more than a few surrprises.  

The other thing you need to know is that Grayson Perry is very intelligent, acutely observant of contemporary mores - and finally, he's truly astonishing in the way in which he manages to be both very articulate with very accessible.  I'm a  huge fan!

BOOK Title: The Vanity of Small Differences

Synopsis:  This book is the catalogue of the exhibition of The Vanity of Small Differences - an iconic piece of contemporary art based on research by Grayson Perry into contemporary taste, social class and class mobility. It tells the story - and shows us the processes - of how he developed tapestries telling the story of Tim Rakewell and his progress through life to his death. The name is a link to the Tom Rakewell of the Rake's Progress. The book explains how the tapestries came about and provides a commentary on what they reveal.

Summary review:  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: This is an essential guide to a multi-layered, culturally rich and very important set of tapestries. A contemporary tale, an iconic artwork - and an interesting story about how the tapestries were produced plus excellent publication values all combine to make this both a very interesting and a very high quality publication.

Average customer review Amazon.com to be published 31 October 2013 Amazon.co.uk: Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars based on 4 customer reviews)

Highlights a visual narrative of what it is to be English today - in terms of taste and associated visual aesthetics  a great read - in terms of the essays. A stronger sense of the morality tale which underpins some of the narrative of the tapestries.  the research is represented by a portfolio of annotated photographs - with some surprising captions Perry's sketchbooks are a delight. In these he developed the themes, the storyline and finally the sketches for the tapestries. Plus added annotations about the artwork and notes of key themes for individual tapestries. Superb illustrations of both tapestries and details. each individual tapestry enjoys a folded panoramic pullout - which means we get to see them very much bigger than the size possible on a conventional page. Plus details enable one to see the way the tapestries are woven and how the colour transitions work - which is an aspect I found particularly interesting - scumbling on a loom! Plus who knew that looms are now digital and can produce a large tapestry in about 5 hours?

Think Again? Those who have no connection with figurative artwork or social commentary  Those who have no interest in the fascinating process which generated the tapestries

Who should buy this?: Fans of Grayson Perry - whose fan base seems to be increasingly exponentially. He's on his way to becoming a "national treasure" if not there already!  people who want an example of how to be unique; how to make art which is different

Who should not buy this? Those not interested in tapestries, contemporary art or social comment

Author: Grayson Perry Publisher: Hayward Publishing (UK 10 June 2013 | USA 31 October 2013) Technical data: Hardcover| 128 pages | 21.5 x 25 cm | 120 colour and black and white illustrations ISBN-10: 1853323152 ISBN-13: 978-1853323157 Paperback: No Available as an ebook? No - however an app about the Tapestries is available

Digital guide

The Arts Council Collection have created an app for iPad and iPhone. This gives you commentary on Perry's perspective, details art historical references and provides a guide to the making of the works. You can see the tapestries up close with detailed zoom facility and have Grayson's own audio guide. Reproductions of the classical referenced artwork are disappointly tiny. They work better when accessed via the interactive aspect of the app.  The bonus is Grayson Perry reading the words associated with each tapestry and highlighting the similarities between classical painting and his tapestry.

The digital guide,Grayson Perry: The Vanity of Small Differences, is available only on the App Store (£1.99).

The Vanity of Small Differences - The Tour

Exhibitions to date

These include the following. The link in the title is to the exhibition page at that location.

• Gallery I Victoria Miro, 16 Wharf Road, London N1 7RW (7 Jun - 11 Aug 2012)
• Sunderland Museum and Winter Garden - the location for two of the patesries  on 28 June, as part of the Festival of the North East which celebrates the return of the Lindisfarne Gospels to Durham Cathedral. It is of particular significance that the works begin their public tour in Sunderland as this is where Grayson sets two of the tapestries, The Adoration of the Cage Fighters and The Agony in the Car Park. 
• Perry’s own edition of The Vanity of Small Differences was displayed as part of the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition 2013 (June - August 2013) - see my review 10 reasons to visit the RA Summer Exhibition 2013 - my #1 reason was the set of tapestries which got a room to themselves.
• Manchester Art Gallery (24 October – 21 January 2014)

Future Tour Dates:

• Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (14 February – 11 May 2014), 
• Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool (May – August 2014) and 
• Leeds City Art Gallery (1 August – 1 October 2014). 
• An international tour will follow. 

The Art Fund and Sfumato Foundation are supporting the UK tour of the tapestries, as well as education and interpretation materials for the UK tour

Book review: One Drawing a Day

This review kicks off the The Big Drawing Book Review 2013 - which I introduced on my main blog Making A Mark.  

It follows on from The Big Drawing Book Review in 2007.  There have been so many new books in the intervening years I thought it was time for another one! You can find out how you too can participate by reading my introduction blog post (see first link above).

It seemed appropriate to start with a book which encourages people to draw.

This then is a review of One Drawing a Day: A 6-Week Course Exploring Creativity with Illustration and Mixed Media by Veronica Lawlor.

The key distinction of this book is that it grew out of a blog created by professional illustrators and art educators which has been more or less posting one drawing a day each month since June 2009.

Title: One Drawing a Day

Synopsis:  This is a structured daily drawing course exploring creativity with illustration and mixed media which allows you to pick and choose the order that you complete the work. The author proposes readers should do 42 daily exercises - one drawing a day - over a period of 6 weeks. Drawing is a euphemism insomuch as in this book it also involves sketching with paint. The focus is on expressionism rather than realism.

Summary review:  This is a book to stimulate those who’d like to improve their drawing and sketching - and to reinvigorate those who know how to draw but need to stay fresh and inspired by what they see and how they draw/sketch/paint. In my opinion, it’s too challenging for beginners but would suit those who like experimenting and want to widen their repertoire of skills and improve their drawing in terms of interpretation and impact. It's both A handy book to have around when your drawing goes stale.  A good book to consult if you want to make progress with your drawing without going to class.

Average customer review Amazon.com 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews) Amazon.co.uk 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews) Goodreads: 77% of people liked it ; 3.40 average rating, 43 ratings, 11 reviews

Highlights the structure of the exercises is flexible - it provides a framework but you can choose what you want to do The Exercises: Push the boundaries of conventional art-making for novice artists and those with no formal education in art and illustration Recommend subject matter to focus on and media to use Focus on observation from the real and not drawing from photos Provide quick tips for those skim reading! They contain some very useful information - I learned a few new things! the book advocates a wide range of materials to use for drawing and sketching - including ink and paint washes which both need brushes. Excellent demonstration of different ways you can use a range of art materials - stimulating for those who like mixed media Very nice production values - design and format are contemporary and easy on the eye; quality of reproduction of images is good There are two social media sites associated with this book where you can see the artwork triggered by use of the book this is the blog One Drawing a Day written by the members of an illustration collective called Studio 1482. There are blog posts most days. There is an a Flickr group - One Drawing a Day. Note that some of the people who participate are adult professional artists.

Think Again? Exercises may feel routine to some with a formal art education - on the other hand it’s nice to have a reminder!  If you are apt to take words very literally, you may feel some of the exercises are a major challenge. Try thinking how you can use the intent and vary the subject matter  The sketches are very “sketchy”. The style is fine by me but some people who like drawings to be “realistic” might not like it. I say “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!” (NB It took me 10 years to loosen up the way I drew!)  The book lacks variety in terms of different styles of drawing and sketching compared to the variety of sketches seen elsewhere in other books and other projects. Probably connected to the content having been produced by an artists’ collective (Studio 1482).  Those who want to stay home and draw might not like the fact that the book includes exercises which involve getting out and about to draw and sketch  Those who want to stick to one medium which makes them feel comfortable may not appreciate the challenges to their skills and techniques

Who should buy this?: Artists and illustrators who’d like to keep their drawing regular, fresh and creative  People who like structured exercises to complete to create a discipline of habit  People who like experimentation  People who like trying and using different media and mixing media  People who want to devote more time to sketching and need some ideas to get them going  People who like engaging with related social media sites

Who should not buy this? Those wanting to learn how to draw - from the very beginning. I don’t think this is a beginners’ book. it assumes a lot of prior knowledge of art materials and that you will “get on and do” on your own.  Those who want to take their time and draw very precisely  People who like to draw using photographs - unless they want to break away from this limited approach to making art

Author: Veronica Lawlor + others (all are professional illustrators and/or art educators) Publisher: Quarry Books (1 October 2011) (Note: Studio 1482 artists Greg Betza, Margaret Hurst, and Veronica Lawlor are also featured in the Quarry Books release “The Art of Urban Sketching“)  Technical data: Publication Date: 2011 Paperback - 128 pages Available as an ebook? Yes - Kindle version available on Amazon Also available as an ebook via iTunes for reading on an iPad

This book will feature on a new website I'm creating.  

This is my main website about drawing books (which is currently being redesigned) The Best Books about Drawing and Sketching 

Color Studies by Edith Anderson Feisner - NEW 3rd Edition

A NEW 3rd Edition of Color Studies by Edith Anderson Feisner and Ron Reed has just been published in the USA (21 August 2013).

It should be available in the UK in either September or November depending on which reference source you read.

It's even worth buying just as an investment! Without even having seen it, the value at which the 2nd edition (which I own) now trades for on the Internet suggests that this 3rd edition should be snapped up immediately by all artists who like owning very good books about colour.

This is the book I always used to recommend to people wanting a complete overview of Colour as a topic for artists prior to the publication of Colour and Light by James Gurney.

I can't think of a reason why I wouldn't continue to recommend it very highly since it will be the old contents - with new chapters.  Feisner takes a different approach to Gurney and also has content not found in Colour and Light

Here's the Table of Contents of the NEW 3rd Edition

Table Of Contents

Part I: Color Foundations

Chapter 1: What is Color?
Chapter 2: Color Systems and Color Wheels
Chapter 3: Color Theorists
Chapter 4: Coloring Agents
Chapter 5: Digital Color Media and Technology

Part II Dimensions of Color
Chapter 6: The Dimension of Hue
Chapter 7: The Dimension of Value
Chapter 8: The Dimension of Intensity
Chapter 9: The Dimension of Temperature

Part III: Color in Compositions
Chapter 10: Color and the Principles of Design
Chapter 11: Color and Elements of Design
Chapter 12: Color Interactions
Chapter 13: Color and the Effects of Illumination

Part IV: The Influence of Color
Chapter 14: Color Symbolism
Chapter 15: Putting Color to Use— Past, Present, and Future

Appendices | Glossary | Bibliography

Bloomsbury Books in the UK indicate that the new content is as follows

Feisner and Reed provide an up-to-date discussion of sustainable color applications and green materials as the underlying component of colorants, dyes, and inks in textiles, printmaking and paints. A new chapter on color and digital technology discusses illuminating with color (LED), color tools and management (Pantone), as well as color consulting and marketing.

This is what I had to say about the second edition back in 2008 (on Making A Mark - in Learning about Colour - Art Book Reviews for Artists #1)

This is the most comprehensive book about colour that I've come across to date. It's accessible but I think it likely that it would be of most interest to colour nerds (like me)! Preview this book and the full contents guide on Google Books. This is what it provides:

• explanation of the five main colour wheels and their application
• a historical account of colour theory plus a chronological list of colour theorists (unique?)
• a historical account of pigments and their use in fine and applied art plus a list of historical colour palettes linked to current colour code.
• analysis of the four dimensions of colour - hue, value intensity and temperature
• colour in composition - in relation to the principles and elements of design
• colour symbolism - including colour symbols in religion
• a thorough glossary of colour terms

Intervaled scale: A color scale that forms a smooth equal visual transition from one component of the scale to the next
Glossary - Colour by Edith Anderson Feisner

• over 75 colour charts
• over 100 works by students and well known artists
• coloring agents:
• dry binders
• liquid binders
• pigment origins and characteristics of common colours
• hue - various art media (eg Liquitex Acrylic Paints) matched to colour-aid paper pure hues
• color legibility rankings (background colors and lettering/line colors) Did you know that the most legible background colour is yellow?
• a very comprehensive bibliography

Details of the 3rd edition (UK)

Details are provided by Bloomsbury Books in the UK. It's being published as a Design Book.

 

Published:	21-11-2013
Format:	Paperback
Edition:	3rd
Extent	256
ISBN:	9781609015312
Imprint:	Fairchild Books
Illustrations:	355 illustrations
Dimensions:	280 x 215 mm
RRP:	£54.99
Online price:	£49.49

Authors

The book seems to have acquired a new author for the 3rd edition.  It may be Ron reed who has provided the new material in this 3rd edition. The two authors are

• Edith Anderson Feisner - a Visiting Specialist / Assistant Chair (Retired) in the School of Fine Arts at Montclair State University, USA. She has taught courses in color, design, and introduction to visual arts. She has held many positions in the Embroiderers' Guild of America including certified teacher, teacher certification board, as well as the author of the master craftsman programs in color and design. Her fine art works are in both public and private collections. 
• Ron Reed - an Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator for Interior Design in the School of Family and Consumer Sciences at Texas State University-San Marcos, USA. Reed served as the IDEC Southwest Regional Chair between 2011-2012.

NEW Drawing Books in 2013

2013: NEW Books About Drawing is my new website which will track:

• new drawing books in 2013
• revised editions of some well regarded existing publications
• new editions of some historical books about drawing.

Listings are on a month by month basis - as books are listed for publication (however note that its' not unusual for some of these dates to slip a month or two).

The books listed include:

• art instruction books about drawing and sketching - designed specifically for artists working in drawing media and those keeping sketchbooks / journals.
• academic books about drawing
• catalogues for exhibitions about drawings

I don't include every book published and to be frank my aim is to try and identify quality publications rather than more "same as same as" books and those which I regard as dumbed down.

Perspective and Urban Drawing and Sketching

To be published by Wiley
in February 2012

For those who have difficulty drawing buildings and tackling urban sketching there's some books being published by Wiley early in the New Year which might provide help.  In February, Wiley is publishing:

• the sixth edition of Basic Perspective Drawing: A Visual Approach by: John Montague
• Freehand Drawing and Discovery: Urban Sketching and Concept Drawing for Designers by: James Richards

Although their target audience is students and practising designers, architects, planners, and landscape architects, I'm sure there's bound to be content of interest for anybody who is serious about drawing buildings or anything involving perspective.  They've not got to the "see inside" stage as yet - but could be worth a bookmark for those who have an interest in these areas.

Art History

There are also a number of excellent books coming up about drawings by master draftsmen and famous painters.  Examples include:

To be published by D Giles Ltd

in January 2013

January 2013

• Durer to de Kooning: 100 Master Drawings from Munich which is the catalogue of the exhibition which is coming to the Morgan Library and Museum in New York
• Fine Lines: American Drawings from the Brooklyn Museum - this is very first survey of their renowned collection of drawings

February 2013

• Raphael: Drawings - based on the remarkable collection of Raphael's works in the collection of the Städel Museum in Frankfurt.

March 2013

• Albrecht Dürer: Master Drawings, Watercolors, and Prints from the Albertina - this feels like it ought to be connected to an exhibition but I've yet to spot one

June 2013

• Hopper Drawing (Whitney Museum of American Art) - this is an exploration of renowned painter Edward Hopper’s detailed compositional studies and figure drawings.  It also appears to be connected to exhibitions although I can't yet confirm this from the museum websites.  Here are the 'maybe' dates of the exhibition
• Whitney Museum of American Art (05/23/13–10/06/13) 
• Dallas Museum of Art (11/17/13–02/16/14)
• Walker Art Center (03/15/14-06/22/14)

To be published by YaleBooks
in June 2013

This is what Yale Books (the publisher) have to say about the book

In 1967, Hopper's widow, Josephine Nivison Hopper, bequeathed her husband's artistic estate to the Whitney Museum of American Art, including a fascinating collection of more than 2,000 drawings spanning his entire career. This group of works has never been the subject of in-depth study and many have never been reproduced before. Hopper kept these drawings for personal reference as he revisited various themes throughout his career. Carter E. Foster carefully examines how Hopper used his drawings to develop his paintings, arguing that the artist's work can only be fully understood after in-depth study of these preparatory sketches. Foster also argues that Hopper was, in many ways, a traditional draftsman who methodically developed schematic ideas into detailed studies to refine content.
YaleBooks - Hopper Drawing by Carter E. Foster 

Commentary on Drawing

There's to be a revised second edition of the well regarded Vitamin D book - although I have to say Vitamin D2 doesn't have quite the same ring! 

Vitamin D2: New Perspectives in Drawing will be published in May 2013 by Phaidon and will feature contemporary drawing by 115 artists from around the world.

More drawing instruction and Andrew Loomis

The publishers of the venerable art instructor have not finished - we have one more. Fun With A Pencil by: Andrew Loomis was first published in 1939 and is going to be republished in April 2013 by Titan Books.

More Books about Drawing

Below you can find my other websites relating to books about drawing

The Best Books about Drawing and Sketching
Do you want to learn how to draw? Not sure which book to buy? Want to find out which are the best books about drawing and sketching? SCROLL DOWN to find lin...

2012: NEW Books About Drawing
This site lists BRAND NEW books about drawing and sketching due to be published in 2012 on a month by month basis and highlights major new books which I reco...

2011: NEW Books About Drawing
Find out about new books about drawing and sketching published in 2011 - in hardback, paperback and ebook editions. Listings on a month by month basis but ar...

The Best Art Books about London and the River Thames

I've recently created a new website - The Best Art Books about London and the River Thames - which was prompted by review of the book Spanning the Thames: The River and Surrounding from the Barrier to Teddington Lock - see Book Review: Spanning the Thames.

It made me ponder on how many good books there are about artists who have painted London and I decided to try and assemble them all in once place.

My new website comprises my recommendations about the best art books about London and the River Thames. You'll find it has three main sections:

• Art Books about London - these are ones which focus on places in London - often places people are trying to get to
• Art Books about the River Thames - the theme of painting at points up and down the River Thames is a popular one and many artists have developed this theme
• Artists and London - some artists are very closely associated with painting London eg Canaletto and Monet to name but two

It includes books by a diverse set of artists past and present

• Edward Bawden CBE, RA (1903 – 1989) was a British painter, illustrator and graphic artist. (This is a link to the Edward Bawden Archive) 
• David Gentleman - a very popular artist who paints London in pen and ink and watercolour
• various artists who have produced sketchbooks of London
• Plus books about the paintings, drawings and fine art prints produced of places in London by artists from the past such as Canaletto, Monet, Whistler and Dore.  

It also includes a lot of artwork related to transport in London.  There has always been a very strong association between good graphic art and its use on the London Underground, in stations and on posters around the capital.

I've not yet finished adding books to this website but this seems like a good start.  I've got the Camden Town Group on my "to do" group and am happy for people to suggest other artists whose artwork about London and the Thames should also be on this website.

I am also planning a guide to the guide books about seeing art in London!

Book Review: Spanning the Thames

Reading Spanning the Thames: The River and Surrounding from the Barrier to Teddington Lockprompted me to think about the number of books there are about the Thames or reference art and artists who have painted the Thames which led to a new website - of which more in the next post!

The Best Art Books about London and the River Thames
Do you like drawings and paintings of London and the River Thames? If you do then you'll want to review the best art books which show you places in London and along the banks of the River Thames.




However, first my review of this book.  The list of artists whose paintings appear in the book is at the end

Title: Spanning the Thames: The River and Surrounding from the Barrier to Teddington Lock

Synopsis: This is a book about the tidal Thames - in paintings, drawings, prints, stories and historical anecdotes. Twenty five artists were commissioned to illustrate their favourite bridges and buildings along the Thames and this book is the result.  These are accompanied by a story or historical commentary by Michael Harrison  The title is of course a pun on the topic of bridges!

Summary review and recommendation: This is a small book for a small niche market.  Those who buy it are very likely to enjoy it a lot - although I'm not sure it will ever find a large audience. I enjoyed both the artwork and the history stories and the background information about the different bridges and buildings along the tidal Thames.  You think you know something - and then you see it in a completely new light and learn something brand new!

Highlights excellent range of good artists - producing good paintings and fine art prints in a range of different ways using different media the diversity in the artwork produced for this project.  strong on figurative landscapes no photorealism (why bother painting if you can photograph it to achieve this result?) interesting stories

Think Again? no artists of note from the past (ie Monet's paintings of London Bridges and the Houses of Parliament in the fog do not feature in this book!).  This isn't a negative but anybody wanting wanting or expecting such paintings need an another book

Who should buy this?: people who love London and/or the the River Thames and/or marine art people visiting London - it makes a great and unique souvenir

Who should not buy this? those who don't like art and prefer photos

Author / (Publisher) Commentary and stories by Michael Harrison / Images by various artists / (Artists Choice Editions)

Technical data: Publication Date 2008 Hardcover - 84 pages, 160 × 160, casebound with dustwrapper, £12.95 ISBN-10: 0955834309 ISBN-13: 978-0955834301 Amazon.co.uk Spanning the Thames: The River and Surrounding from the Barrier to Teddington Lock Amazon.com  Spanning the Thames

The list of artists whose paintings appear in the book are:

• Sarah Adams - Southwark Bridge
• Kelly Allen - Hammersmith Bridge
• Michael Bennallack Hart - Battersea Bridge
• Jason Bowyer - Chiswick Bridge
• Janet Brooke - Canary Wharf
• Paul Cox - Millennium Bridge - 
• Alfred Daniels - Rowing Crew at Putney - I love the fact I've now got some of his work in a book
• Mick Dean - King Henry's Wharf and Limehouse Wharf
• Anthony Dyson - Dry Dock (Cutty Sark) and Millennium Dome - Member of the RE producing wonderful prints
• Francis Farmar - A Boat Race, Putney. - Francis paints places. Do take a look at his website it's delightful - link is in his name.
• John Griffiths - Teddington Lock Absolutely delightful illustrations in line and wash. John Griffiths died on 13 March 2012.  Here's a blog post about his wonderful drawings / prints
• Frank Kiely - The Globe - It's been a pleasure to watch this Irish artist work his way around London over the last few years - recording the buildings and the Thames as he went! 
• Stuart Kolakovic - Hungerford Bridge 
• David Mann - Grosvenor Bridge from Embankment
• Luke Martineau - Boats at Low Tide near Kew Bridge
• Chris Orr RA - Topless in Battersea -  Professor of Printmaking Royal College of Art 1998
• Neil Pittaway - Tower Bridge - a Fellow of the Royal Watercolour Society (RWS) and the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers (RE)
• Andrew Turnbull - Thames Wharf
• Roy Willingham - The Thames Barrier
• Joseph Winkleman - The London Eye

Book Review: A Yorkshire Sketchbook by David Hockney

Title: David Hockney - A Yorkshire Sketchbook

Synopsis: A facsimile 92 page sketchbook used by David Hockney in 2004 when sketching the the East Yorkshire Wolds.  It contains sketches of the Yorkshire Wolds and Bridlington in watercolour, ink and pencil - and no words.

Summary review and recommendation: This is a sketchbook which dates from the beginning of Hockney’s reconnection to Yorkshire and painting.  Those who sketch and who like Hockney’s work will love it.  Those who have never ever sketched will be very puzzled by it and may even call it a complete waste of money - but they will have missed the point. I RECOMMEND this book for those who enjoy facsimile sketchbooks.

Highlights It starts at the beginning of the sketchbook (publishers details etc are relegated to the last page) It feels as if Hockney has handed you his sketchbook It illustrates the motifs which interested him as he began to paint Yorkshire again Take off the dustcover and the hardback cover is just like a black sketchbook used by many in the UK

Think Again? Those expecting an art instruction book will be severely disappointed The publisher’s description does not indicate at all clearly that this is a facsimile sketchbook (ie all images and no words) This may become a DVD (but I doubt it)

Who should buy this?: People who love Hockney’s work People who love facsimile sketchbooks People who carry a sketchbook everywhere they go People who want to learn more about sketching and want to see what a real sketchbook looks like

Who should not buy this? People who don’t sketch and don’t understand the nature of sketching and what a sketchbook actually looks like People who expect words rather than sketches in a facsimile sketchbook

Author / (Publisher) David Hockney / Royal Academy of Arts, London

Technical data: Publication Date (December 2011 hardback) Hardcover - 92 pages in conventional small landscape sketchbook format (21.2 x 15.4 x 1.8 cm) ISBN-10: 1907533230 ISBN-13: 978-1907533235 The full price version is not cheap! It’s much better value on Amazon which is where I ordered it. Amazon UK: A Yorkshire Sketchbook Amazon USA: David Hockney: A Yorkshire Sketchbook

Those of us who sketch know the joy of looking at one another’s sketchbooks. Having this book in my hand feels rather as if Hockney has just handed me his sketchbook! 

I own the DVD of his sketchbooks and consequently knew exactly what to expect in terms of content and drawing style. However I do think the publishers should review the publicity profile and the description of this book on the Internet. Nowhere does it indicate clearly that this is a complete facsimile of a sketchbook used by Hockney in 2004.

In summary:

• Sketchers who like Hockney's drawings and paintings will love this book. 
• Fans of Hockney's work will like this book 
• Those who have never sketched may well struggle to really appreciate it

Art in Transit: Handbook for Packing and Transporting Paintings

Art in Transit: Handbook for Packing and Transporting Paintings by Mervin Richard
Marion F. Mecklenburg and Ross M. Merrill is available for free from the Smithsoninian Institute.

Art in Transit: Handbook for Packing and Transporting Paintings by Mervin Richard

Marion F. Mecklenburg and Ross M. Merrill is available for free from the Smithsonian Institute.

Title:  Art in Transit: Handbook for Packing and Transporting Paintings

Synopsis: This technically detailed Handbook focuses on different approaches and procedures that will enable museum specialists (packers, registrars, curators, and conservators) to effectively use the results of the research of specialists in the field.  It includes tips and techniques also of relevance to those transporting high value artwork.

Summary review:  If you’ve ever wanted a comprehensive document telling you what to do when packing and transporting artwork, this is a good place to start. Although written for art galleries and museums, there’s a lot of information which will also assist the professional artist who is transporting valuable paintings.  Other artists will also find useful information in this large and comprehensive handbook.

Highlights Accessible: written in the language of lay people rather than art technologists / historians bullet points unpack the processes into easy stages key terms are highlighted in bold lots of useful sub-headings Comprehensive and evidenced synopsis of scientific evidence for best practices in the transport of paintings and other artworks Advantages and disadvantages of different techniques are identified Fascinating glossary Information derived from a variety of publications of note Use of a pdf format enables easy navigation of the document onscreen searches of the document

Think Again? NOT a “how to send paintings for beginners” document NOT for everybody.  Is it relevant to artists producing low value paintings (relative to art in museums)?  However some tips still relevant - and a useful resource of questions arise (eg case labels in different languages) NOT a quick read.The language may be accessible - but there’s still an awful lot of information. NOT a small document - 6.1MB pdf

Who should buy this?: Those wanting to know about good practices detailed in this book Those transporting valuable paintings to clients and to/from exhibitions Museum conservators Gallery transport technicians

Who should not buy this? Those unconcerned about archival practices and nature of packing required for valuable paintings and other works of art People who don’t work in museums have no need to buy this since its is freely available online

Author / (Publisher) Mervin Richard, Marion F. Mecklenburg and Ross M. Merrill / (National Gallery of Art, Washington)

Available from: no need to buy - it’s available for free from the Smithsonian Institute (click the title).   However if you’d like you'd like your very own personal copy you can try buying from via Amazon where copies are available for between $250-$1,000

Technical data: Copyright © 1991, 1997 National Gallery of Art First edition 1991. Second edition 1997 No. of pages Hardcover - pages Paperback pages; ISBN-10 ISBN-13 pdf document - 6.1MB file size

The contents include the following.  As you can see this is a technical document rather than a “how to send paintings for beginners” document.  It’s also particularly related to the conservation of very old paintings where the painting may be fragile

• Assessing Risks
• Criteria for the Selection of Paintings for Loan
• Selection Criteria for Frames
• Selection Criteria for Paintings on Canvas or Paper Mounted on Canvas
• Additional Issues for Large Paintings on Canvas
• Selection Criteria for Contemporary Paintings on Canvas
• Paintings on Wood, Ivory, or Bone
• Paintings on Metal and Other Nonporous Rigid Supports
• Transit Climate Conditions
• Expected Transit Environments in Summer and Winter
• Temperature Protection
• Insulating Materials
• Temperature Half-Time
• Temperature Half-Times of Packing Cases
• Relative Humidity Protection
• Wrapping Materials for Paintings: Polyethylene
• Wrapping Materials for Paintings: Glassine
• Wrapping Materials for Paintings: Kraft Paper
• Wrapping Materials for Paintings: Kraft Paper or Glassine Covered with Polyethylene
• Wrapping Materials for Paintings: Inner Packing Case
• General Properties of Silica Gel
• Use of Silica Gel in Packing Cases for Painting
• Shock and Vibration Hazards
• Shock and Vibration Hazards
• Vibration Fragility of Painting
• Shock Protection
• Fragility Factors
• Probable Drop Heights
• How to Use a Dynamic Cushioning Curve: Procedure A
• How to Use a Dynamic Cushioning Curve: Procedure B
• Optimum Static Loads - Quick Reference Table
• Load-Bearing Areas
• Vibration Protection
• Vibration Control for Canvas Paintings - Backboards
• Vibration Control for Canvas Paintings - Foam Inserts behind the Painting
• Vibration Control for Canvas Paintings - Stretcher Lining
• Packing Cases
• Case Construction - Structure
• Handles
• Skids
• Chemical Stability of Packing Materials
• Soft Packing
• Sample Packing Case No. 1
• Sample Packing Case No. 2
• Sample Packing Case No. 3
• Sample Packing Case No. 4
• Sample Packing Case No. 5
• Sample Packing Case No. 6
• Sample Packing Case No. 7
• Case Labels - English, French, Spanish, German, Italian
• Role of the Courier
• Glossary