Art books
Brassai: Conversations With Picasso << click to see more on Amazon
The photographer Brassai got to know Picasso and his circle quite well in Paris during World War II, and with great foresight he kept notes of their meetings. This book is a delightful compilation of anecdotes, quotes and other nuggets from this fascinating period. Brassai's stunning black and white photos accompany the text -- photos of Picasso himself, of his sculptures, and of his friends.
Kimon Nicolaides
The Natural Way to Draw : A Working Plan for Art Study << click to see more on Amazon
Nicolaides' classic methods have been widely adopted by art schools and art instruction writers (often without credit). But nobody can teach like Nicolaides himself. This book is the genuine article.
Picasso (Jumbo) << Click to see more on Amazon)
NB: ISBN 3-8228-8267-4
This is a superb book, the best on Picasso and his works that I have seen, despite some bafflingly negative customer reviews on Amazon. Over 700 pages, with scholarly apparatus, it has sometimes been confused with a much smaller general interest book of about 200 pages with the same title, by the same authors (Warncke and Walther) and with the same publisher (Taschen) (let the buyer beware). To add to the confusion it was originally published in two volumes; this edition includes both. In any case it is apparently out of print now though still available second hand. The tone is absolutely not in the style of the "New Art History". This may have been a contributing factor in the book's demise though to me it is an advantage. It is exceptionally well illustrated and includes numerous studies for each of many major landmark pieces.
Postmodern Ceramics
Mark Del Vecchio
M.A.
August 04, 2004Updated June 3rd 2008