Art Forms Books

Union: The Heart of Rugby is an epic international portrait of rugby through the lenses of the world's great rugby photographers. Conceived to celebrate the true heart and soul of rugby around the world, Union will be both a stunning large-format book and exhibition. Launched in spectacular styl...

A prelude to fame, Just Kids recounts the friendship of two young artists--Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe - whose passion fueled their lifelong pursuit of art. In 1967, a chance meeting between two young people led to a romance and a lifelong friendship that would carry each to international su...

A fascinating and varied survey of contemporary street art prints and stencil graffiti art. Graffiti has evolved into a rich and democratic form of visual expression that is now most often labelled 'street art'. As it matures, street art has moved indoors; galleries now exhibit and sell limited-e...

The British Museum holds the largest Maori collections outside New Zealand, including some items of major artistic and cultural significance. This important book will contain a substantial introduction including a history of the study of Maori material culture in Britain and New Zealand and a histor...

High Voltage Tattoo is a graphic perspective on today's global tattoo culture by Kat Von D, star of The Learning Channel's L.A. Ink and one of the most talented and popular artists working today. Designed in a style that is reminiscent of a handmade Gothic journal with its red padded cover, ornate t...

Denis Robinson has compiled a moving tribute to Christchurch with a collection of paintings of the city as it was before the devastating earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. He approached 19 artists - Cantabrians, past or present, or frequent visitors from other places - to request paintings that showed...

Whether you'd like to build an SUV, an excavator, a tanker truck, or a race car, this hands-on book will show you how. You can create street scenes such as a construction site, a fire rescue, or even a family on moving day. Children of all ages will let their imaginations run wild as they learn that...

In this autobiography, published in 1975, the private Andy Warhol talks about love, sex, food, beauty, fame, work, money, success; about New York and America; about himself - his childhood in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, good times and bad times in the Big Apple, the explosion of his career in the sixt...

Join Sharon Sprung in the studio as she shares her secrets for creating the illusion of life. She describes the properties of each colour on her palette, demonstrating how to mix colours to create a range of lifelike flesh tones; explains how different brushes are useful for creating lifelike effect...

Crime Noir is the most sophisticated, exciting, and dangerous comic book genre around. It is the highly stylized, modern version of such classic 1950s films as "The Maltese Falcon" and "The Asphalt Jungle". Modern crime noir is exploding in popularity with movies such as "Batman Begins" and graphic ...

In this book some of Katherine Mansfield's possessions, collected for the first time for an exhibition, are presented along with what she and others have written about them. They show another facet of this enigmatic New Zealander and offer new insights into her life. Here is poignant evidence of her...

See the world of Bleach in a blast of color! This art book contains Tite Kubo's vibrant illustrations, including art from Volumes 1-19 of the series, as well as an annotated art guide and some extra character information!

Charles F. Goldie (1870-1947) is one of New Zealand's best known artists, with mystique surrounding his work. His fame has been fed by newspaper reports documenting record-shattering prices, thefts, vandalism and forgeries. The book explores Goldie's career, his early still life paintings, his time ...

Here is a rare homage to the art of classic 2-D animation and the time-honored method of hand-drawing characters that come alive on the silver screen. The creator of "The Simpsons" and "Futurama," reveals the art of brilliant character design, backgrounds, and prop art in this la...

264 wood and ivory carvings, none of them larger than a matchbox: potter Edmund de Waal was entranced when he first encountered the collection in the Tokyo apartment of his great uncle Iggie. Later, when Edmund inherited the 'netsuke', they unlocked a story far larger than he could ever have imagine...

Len Lye (1901 - 1980) is one of New Zealand's most celebrated, influential and inspirational artists who continues to be recognised internationally as a pioneer film maker, kinetic sculptor, poet, writer and painter. The world centre for Len Lye is the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery where his collectio...

New Zealand in Watercolour showcases a selection of beautiful paintings by 30 of the country's leading watercolour artists. Four or five paintings from each contributor are displayed, accompanied by captions from the artists themselves that explain their technical and emotional approach to the subje...

A new edition of this iconic book includes new larger format and photographs rescanned from Marti Friedlander's originals. It is an indepth photographic study of the ancient art of moko.

The first New Zealander to win the Victoria Cross, the first Pakeha to explore the West Coast of the South Island and New Zealand’s most distinguished nineteenth-century landscape painter: by any measure, Charles Heaphy was a central figure in colonial New Zealand - and one of the most multi-f...

Sir Peter Siddell's intricately detailed paintings of New Zealand urban scenes and landscapes that are not quite a replication of actuality are much loved and enduringly popular. Both technical tours de force and rich with acute observation, they feature in all our national art collections and never...

The Tattoo Chronicles is an illustrated diary that offers an intimate look at a crucial year in the personal and professional life of Kat Von D, the charismatic, no-holds-barred tattooer and star of LA Ink. When Kat does a tattoo, she writes an entry about it in her journal, reflecting not only o...

Timeless Land is a unique collaboration between three of New Zealand's most steadfast and individual talents: painter Grahame Sydney, poet Brian Turner and writer Owen Marshall. Much of their best and most enduring work has grown out of their deep attachment to, and familiarity with, the essence of ...

In 2008 the famous painter Don Binney completed a suite of 24 absolutely charming coloured pencil drawings of Auckland's West Coast, from Huia to Te Henga (Bethells). They are evocative of the coast so many New Zealanders love and they are magnificent works in themselves. They are accompanied by tex...

The entire collection of John Howe's dragon art, created over his 30-year career, is presented in one breathtaking volume. This book offers a personal exploration by John of the inspirations and techniques he uses to render these amazing beasts. Each dragon is gloriously presented on a double page s...

Just as film, art, music, and literature have the power to move people, Stefan Sagmeister's innovative work shows that graphic design, too, can cut to the emotional quick. His desire is to transform stale thinking, and Sagmeister: Made You Look does just that. Compelling, honest, and intensely pe...

A one-of-a-kind manual that covers everything piercers and piercees need to know about the process, from the woman who brought tongue-piercing into the mainstream. Piercing pioneer Elayne Angel shares her exhaustive knowledge of piercing history, terminology, tools, techniques, jewelry, and plac...

This exciting collection features 12 stunning posters celebrating the art of Eric Carle. The perfect gift for new parents decorating a nursery, or a delightful addition to any classroom these posters feature colourful and kid-friendly images, including character favourites such as the Hungry Caterpi...

The liberating underground comix of the 60s heralded an explosion in the genres of erotic comic art, and this volume picks up the story to show how European, American and Asian artists have explored the possibility of the form in the years since. Erotic Comics: A Graphic History Volume 2 examines ho...

This beautiful book reveals and illuminates New Zealand's vast national art collection. 400 artworks in full colour, many never reproduced before. The book spans the entire collection, from early European prints to contemporary acquisitions. International artworks by Rembrandt van Rijn, Albrecht...

Comickers Art 3: Write Amazing Manga Stories delves deep into the creative process of manga storytelling, with detailed advice on how to take your own ideas and turn them into fluid and original stories. With beautiful full-color art and tons of helpful tips and tricks, this third volume in the Comi...

This is an indispensable guide to beads and beading techniques, presenting essential beading know-how together with a wide range of inspirational projects, tips and ideas. Each chapter focuses on a different beading technique, guiding you through the basic skills, tools and materials, before tacklin...

A lush sourcebook of nearly two thousand tattoo designs from artists around the world. From the editors of TattooFinder.com, it's a fantastic compendium for people who want to think before they ink! Whether you're tattoo-curious or tattoo-crazy, The Tattoo Sourcebook has everything you need to pick ...

From James Busby on, European settlers made gardens from the moment they set foot on New Zealand soil, and of course Maori had extensive cultivations of kumara around their kainga. Many settler gardens were matters of survival - kitchen gardens on which families were reliant - but as individual circ...

Over 50 step-by-step lessons in pencil, coloured pencil and markers introduce readers to the genre of manga fighting.Hundreds of dynamic illustrations help readers learn the skills they need to create action-packed characters and scenes.The drawing basics include anatomy, shading and perspective. Th...

Clear, challenging and inspiring, this book contains instructions for 65 abstract paintings that you can get to work on straightaway, with no previous experience.All the basic information relating to picture elements, composition, theme and design is provided at the start of the book, together with ...

"Acrylic Revolution" will show readers everything they need to know to be successful in their acrylic painting projects. With over 101 of the most popular, interesting, and indispensable tricks for working with acrylic - each with its own step-by-step demonstration - there is literally page after ag...

A two-sided photographic tour of the world of modern American burlesque and fetish includes in the first part a cultural history of burlesque complemented by the author's provocative tips on erotic fashion and sensuality, and in the second part a photographic celebration of fetish style.

At last this much sought after art book is back in print - with 32 new pages covering Dibble's latest works from 2002 to 2005. Having set up an operational studio and established networks to sell through, Dibble was able to spend 2002 to 2005 exploring his art. This new edition of Paul Dibble covers...

All drawing is based on the simple construction of lines and shapes.This great new series teaches how to draw popular subjects in extremely easy step-by-step stages.Even an absolute beginner will be able to create great drawings following these illustrations.In this book, Paul Davies includes a fant...

This is the most complete how-to-draw book available on erotic manga - from a world renowned illustration studio. It is an easy-to-follow step-by-step guide to creating your own erotic manga characters. Create your own manga fantasy step-by-step! With it's adult-orientated themes, "Erotic Manga" - k...