Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell: The Ultimate Collection

Alwyn Crawshaw

Alwyn Crawshaw's Ultimate Painting Course: A Complete Beginner's Guide to Painting in Watercolour, Oil and Acrylic

In Alwyn Crawshaw's Ultimate Painting Course, the artist encapsulates 50 years' of painting and teaching in one volume. He begins with the basics: brushes, paints, and surfaces; choosing a medium; and the fundamentals of simple perspective, color-mixing, composition, and tonal values. He then starts you off with simple three-color exercises, which are followed by a number of helpful half-hour exercises. He also shows you how to work from photos and sketches and includes a section on painting outdoors. Finally, there are more than 20 step-by-step demonstrations - in watercolor, acrylics, and oils - that feature landscapes, seascapes, and human figures. An outstanding guide for aspiring artists.

John Howe

Myth and Magic: The Art of John Howe

For the first time ever, a portfolio of illustrated work from the award-winning artist, John Howe, which reveals the breathtaking vision of one of the foremost fantasy artists in the world. Myth and Magic is arranged into six sections, which looks at the books by J.R.R. Tolkien that have inspired John, as well as a fascinating tour through the paintings that he has produced for some of the finest fantasy authors working today. From the beloved painting of Smaug which decorates The Hobbit, his numerous and bestselling calendar illustrations, the world famous "Gandalf" picture, which is synonymous with the HarperCollins one-volume edition of The Lord of the Rings, this large-format hardback will delight fans of Tolkien, and anyone who has been captured by the imagination of the artist who so brilliantly brings to life the literary vision of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Meredith Etherington-Smith

Axel Vervoordt: The Story of a Style

Axel Vervoordt began his career as an art and antiques dealer in the late 1960s, when he meticulously renovated a narrow street with sixteen of the oldest houses in Antwerp. In 1986, his company moved to a castle near Antwerp. Axel Vervoordt's company grew rapidly in this castle and he became a major collector and decorator. The foundation of Vervoordt's style is his commitment to making the past a relevant part of today's design. By juxtaposing different works of art, gathered throughout space and time, a spontaneous dialogue between them is revealed, creating a new dimension for the future. Axel Vervoordt transcends the roles of decorator and collector. He understands the power of objects to conjure up an entirely new atmosphere and knows exactly where to place them to transform the space. This gorgeous book will be an inspiration to anyone interested in a home that is elegant and personal without being ostentatious or superfluous.