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An attractive, highly illustrated little sourcebook of ideas and practical exercises, Collins Artist's Little Book of Inspiration is for artists looking for new creativity.Through a combination of practical instruction, illustrated projects and step-by-step demonstrations in watercolour, oil and acrylic, popular artist Hazel Soan explains how to develop your observational skills and unleash your creativity.The book shows you how to find inspiration all around you – 'seeing' like an artist, recognizing potential subjects and considering new approaches. Hazel Soan encourages you to experiment with papers and other surfaces, refresh your palette and understand what different materials can achieve.From concept to composition let this little book be your guide to what to include in your work, how to be creative with colour and utilize tone and texture. Learn to see the world around you and the art materials you use in a new light, with ideas to inspire you around the house, out and about and on your wider travels. This attractive book also contains inspiring gallery pages which reveal how other artists have found new approaches to their chosen subjects.

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The extraordinary true story behind the film Belle. The life of Dido Elizabeth Belle – the first mixed race aristocrat who was brought up as the adopted daughter of Lord Mansfield – the Lord Chief Justice of England. Now a Major Motion Picture.Beautiful, wealthy and sophisticated, Dido Belle appears, in her famous portrait alongside her ‘sister’ and companion Lady Elizabeth Murray, a vision of eighteenth-century aristocratic virtue. But Dido Belle was no normal eighteenth century Lady, and this was no common painting. Adopted and raised by Lord Mansfield – one of the most powerful men of the day – Dido Belle’s mixed race and illegitimacy became the controversy of English high society. Born to a captured slave mother and a captain in the Royal Navy, Dido’s evident grace and adoption by the Mansfield family to be raised as a daughter in Kenwood House challenged English notions of race at their highest rank.Meanwhile, as Lord Chief Justice of England, Mansfield presided over the case that would come to be known as the Zong affair – a crucial legal ruling that would galvanise a nascent abolitionist movement and radically alter attitudes towards the barbarism of the Atlantic Slave trade. From the elegant surroundings of Kenwood (reopening after extensive renovation in November), Dido Belle and Elizabeth, to the economics of the Caribbean and the horrific journeys of African slaves to the New World, Paula Byrne vividly depicts for the first time the diverse contexts of this controversial painting. The portrait shocked its contemporary viewers but also resonated with the public of the time – the name of Lord Mansfield was synonymous with the great civil rights question of the age. Today the picture is presented as an icon of black female history.Telling the story behind the major new film starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tom Wilkinson and Miranda Richardson, this book is the real life of Dido Belle.

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A unique collection of stunning photographs and detailed portraits of over fifty of the most striking owl species around the world.The less we know about something, the more we create a mythology around it. This is especially true for owls. Mainly nocturnal, generally silent, and reliant on the element of surprise in their attacks, they seldom encounter humans, but we have still created a vast body of legend around these mysterious avians – for some, they symbolise wisdom, for others they are the agents of evil or harbingers of death.Understanding these birds is a great challenge outstandingly met by award-winning natural history author Mike Unwin and David Tipling, one of Britain’s foremost photographers. Unwin, who has watched and admired owls all over the world, captures the essence of each species, while explaining the unique natural history that has made these silent assassins the most effective feathered predators of darkness. He describes a fascinating range of breeding and hunting behaviour, the unusual calls that have given rise to so much superstition, and the cultural impact of owls around the world. The stunning range of photographs, taken and compiled by David Tipling, captures the beauty of each species and the drama of the landscapes they inhabit.At once an investigation and a celebration, A Parliament of Owls looks at over fifty species of these infinitely fascinating birds, from the Snowy Owl hunting lemmings in the Arctic tundra to the rodent-eating Burrowing Owl of the dusty hollows beneath the South American pampas.

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Great value omnibus edition, containing all the very best silent adventures of the half-dressed man, whose cartoon antics showcase how much fun you can have with your trousers off.He grew from a tiny idea on the back of a napkin to a tiny idea in thousands of books.And now, after three long years and hundreds of cartoons there’s still only one ROGER – whether hanging out at work, at leisure or on his travels, he's exposed much and little of himself and lived a dressed-down life blissfully ignorant of his trouser-free predicament.With ROGER it’s always a revelation and in a lifetime made up of so many outstanding moments, these are the ones that frankly stood out the most.It’s all out there, from a man who knows no bounds or any tailors – there's something here for everyone and some things no-one will ever want to touch.We proudly present 'The Full ROGER' – The best bits of ROGER’s best bit.

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The deadpan cartoon adventures of an expressionless, wordless, trouserless man, whose presence seems to go unnoticed.Enter the extraordinarily ordinary world of a half-dressed man.In the world of ROGER, silence speaks volumes, whether in the workplace, at leisure, or on his travels.In this debut collection of captionless cartoons, we share in the mundane, deadpan adventures of an expressionless, wordless, harmless man, whose full-on, half-dressed presence only we seem to notice.Tied to the workplace, but freed from the shackles of his lower garments, ROGER continues to go about his business in his own unassuming and bemused fashion.Who is he? What is he thinking? Where are his trousers? These are all questions to which perhaps only ROGER has the answer, but for now he's content to hold his peace.This textless, trouserless book opens a window on to ROGER's life at work and promises to stand out from the crowd. As ROGER might say, if only he spoke – bring it up, bring it on, bring it out…

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Mike Chaplin is one of the most popular art experts on the very successful Channel 4 series Watercolour Challenge. In this book he reveals how he works and puts forward his ideas and teaching methods, offering plenty of tips and practical advice for the amateur artist.This book is intended for artists with some painting experience who wish to develop their technique, style and outlook. It is a book to make them think and to push the technical and personal boundaries of what they believe they can achieve in paint. Mike’s teaching focuses not only on techniques but also on expanding the readers’ approach to their painting as a whole.Starting with a fascinating look at the development of watercolour as an expressive art, the book then covers selective techniques, both traditional and the more unusual, and topics such as observation, drawing, colour and composition. All kinds of painting subjects are included, from the natural landscape to urban scenes, and throughout the book Mike provides plenty of practical advice and useful tips about techniques. There are also a number of special features, focusing on particular aspects of painting, as well as several full step-by-step demonstration paintings.

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The book all amateur digital photographers need – learn how to take the perfect photograph every time, from the authors of the bestselling Collins Complete Photography Course.In this book, John and Graeme apply their years of experience as professional photographers and instructors to teaching you the techniques and tips for capturing your friends and family, children and pets, holidays, sports days, celebrations, parties, festivals, weddings, births and birthdays. This book will show you the best way to photograph them all – every important person, place and memory you’ll want to treasure.Using the same practical, project based course structure that helped so many amateur photographers get to grips with their cameras in their bestselling Collins Complete Photography Course, John and Graeme will give you the confidence to get out your camera and start taking photos. Includes tips and advice on how to get the best out of your iphone and other mobile and point-and-shoots cameras as well as your digital SLR.John and Graeme’s warm and encouraging style will build your confidence, inspire your creativity and get you experimenting with your photos. With specially shot case studies and projects, step-by-steps, troubleshooting and project reviews you’ll be learning as you shoot right from the get go.Collins Complete Photography Projects is the natural follow-up to the Collins Complete Photography Course, benefiting those who have worked their way through the first one, but it will stand alone with a concise technical section that will bring new readers up to speed. A must have photography book for anyone with a digital camera and a little imagination.

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The definitive artist’s reference guide and comprehensive sourcebook of art materials and painting techniques, now available in a modern ebook edition.The Complete Artist’s Manual covers all the elements of painting and drawing from materials to techniques, colour composition and media – the ultimate artist’s bible.In addition, it contains a structured painting course with simple exercises developing into more advanced projects, with demonstrations by well-known practising artists who share their experience and expertise with the reader.Contents includes;SupportsDrawing and painting mediaDrawing and sketchingPainting techniquesColour and compositionWhat to paint – getting startedThe artist’s studioGlossary and directoryThe Complete Artist’s Manual is visually rich and exciting, practical and comprehensive – no artist’s studio should be without it.

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Киана Андервуд – всемирно известный флорист и основательница флористической студии Tulipina. Ее букеты, стильные и современные, сохраняют естественное очарование охапки свежих цветов, собранных в саду или в поле. В книге вы найдете 40 пошаговых уроков по созданию цветочных композиций в разных цветовых гаммах – от розового до черного. Каждый букет представлен в двух вариантах: лаконичном и более сложном. Чудесные фотографии послужат вам источником вдохновения.

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Средние века… Период, окутанный для современного человека романтическим флером. Время отважных рыцарей, прекрасных дам, турниров, песен менестрелей… и, конечно, удивительных шедевров – величественных зданий, ярких витражей и гобеленов, живописных полотен, созданных мастерами, прославившими свои имена в веках. Да, мы понимаем, что не все так однозначно, Средневековье не было золотым веком истории. Культура духовная и культура светская нередко противостояли друг другу. И все же не восторгаться наследием этого периода просто невозможно. Наша книга посвящена наиболее значимым и знаковым явлениям средневекового искусства и будет интересна широкому кругу читателей.

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