Sketchbooks are an essential part of the creative process for artists of all disciplines, ranging from textiles and jewellery to interior design, printmaking and ceramics. The sketchbook is a complete record of the creative process which, it can even be argued, is more important that the finished object at the end of this process. This book is a vital resource for artists of all levels including students, makers and collectors, as it not only gives practical advice about building your own sketchbooks but also provides examples of different artists' working methods. Extraordinary Sketchbooks takes the reader through different themes and functions for sketchbooks, including drawing to collect visual research, course work, developing concepts and suggestions for making simple and quick visuals into exciting images. An inspiring gallery of examples from a range of artists including recent graduates, practising artists and lecturers and working professionals form a variety of art and design industries. A fantastic resource for artists everywhere.

An essential guide to sketchbooks and their complete record of the creative process. Sketchbooks are an essential part of the creative process for artists of all disciplines, ranging from textiles and jewellery to interior design, printmaking and ceramics. The sketchbook is a complete record of the creative process which, it can even be argued, could even be more important than the finished object at the end of this process. This book is a vital resource for artists of all levels including students, makers and collectors, as it not only gives practical advice about building your own sketchbooks but also provides examples of different artists' working methods. Extraordinary Sketchbooks takes you through different themes and functions for sketchbooks, including drawing to collect visual research, course work, developing concepts and suggestions for making simple and quick visuals into exciting images. For inspiration, explore the gallery of work from a range of artists including recent graduates, practising artists, lecturers and working professionals form a variety of art and design industries. This is an essential creative resource for artists everywhere.

'Filled with inexpensive and relatively easy do-it-yourself design projects for the home. Step-by-step photos show you how to do everything from dipping vintage cutlery in paint and reupholstering an armchair in shoelaces to covering a wall in mirrors' - Telegraph 'True original Pascal Anson urges us, with winning wit and idiot-proof step-by-steps to turn ''dad'' jeans, an ugly table, holey trainers, mismatched cutlery [...] into desirable stuff using the alchemy of imagination. His brief? Low skill levels and high concept' - World of Interiors In Ordinary Made Extraordinary designer, artist and maverick-maker Pascal Anson shows how easy it is to transform everyday items into extraordinary statement pieces. Make ordinary a thing of the past with 24 inspiring and achievable projects including: - Create a chandelier with just a few rolls of Sellotape. - Cast a stunning concrete plant pot. - Build a child’s treehouse with cling film. There are ideas for projects for everyone – from repairing and reinventing worn out trainers, to bigger projects such as the wood-clad car and the stylish hairy chair.

If you want to discover the fun of collage then this fabulous book is the perfect kit. Collage artist Maria Rivans has gathered hundreds of beautiful, quirky, and downright daft images, and they're all here for you to cut out and stick. Flowers, birds, cats, and butterflies can be combined with buildings, eyes, moustaches, and catalog models in dubious pants to create extraordinary original artworks and talking pieces! Maria provides an introduction to collage styles and tips on technique. An ideal activity for young and old, this book is a perfect gift or self-purchase for anyone seeking arty fun and a great deal of sticky silliness!

Featuring never-before-seen drawings by the renowned contemporary artist, a beautiful facsimile edition that reveals the working process of an extraordinary creative mind Sketchbook reproduces original working drawings and sketches by the contemporary American artist and designer Daniel Arsham, whose work freely crosses the boundaries of art, architecture, film, and design, and also speaks to fans of pop culture, including sneakerheads, car enthusiasts, and anime devotees. Spanning a decade and featuring previously unpublished drawings by this highly skilled draftsman, this beautifully produced facsimile edition provides an unprecedented, intimate look at Arsham’s working process, revealing a new side of an extraordinary creative mind. Published in association with No More Rulers

Foreword / Connie Wolf and Alison Gass -- Private to Public / Gretchen Diebenkorn Grant -- Understanding Diebenkorn / Steven A. Nash -- Two Sides of a Coin: Reflections on Artistic Practice / Enrique Chagoya -- The Ace of Spades / Alexander Nemerov -- (With)Drawing from Mastery / Peggy Phelan -- The Sketchbooks -- Notes to Myself of Beginning a Painting / Richard Diebenkorn

Bringing together a broad range of contributors including art, architecture, and design academic theorists and historians, in addition to practicing artists, architects, and designers, this volume explores the place of the sketchbook in contemporary art and architecture. Drawing upon a diverse range of theories, practices, and reflections common to the contemporary conceptualisation of the sketchbook and its associated environments, it offers a dialogue in which the sketchbook can be understood as a pivotal working tool that contributes to the creative process and the formulation and production of visual ideas. Along with exploring the theoretical, philosophical, psychological, and curatorial implications of the sketchbook, the book addresses emergent digital practices by way of examining contemporary developments in sketchbook productions and pedagogical applications. Consequently, these more recent developments question the validity of the sketchbook as both an instrument of practice and creativity, and as an educational device. International in scope, it not only explores European intellectual and artistic traditions, but also intercultural and cross-cultural perspectives, including reviews of practices in Chinese artworks or Islamic calligraphy, and situational contexts that deal with historical examples, such as Roman art, or modern practices in geographical-cultural regions like Pakistan.