Susie Hodge – författare

Unpack the powerful visual symbols artists have used throughout history.  From a single flower to a carefully placed skull, works of art across history are filled with symbols that carry powerful meanings. The Symbols of Art reveals how artists use these symbols to communicate ideas without relying on words.  Why is there a lily in that religious painting? Why does a still life include an hourglass, a mirror or a piece of fruit? In some cases, these symbols would have been immediately understood by contemporary viewers but now need decoding for a modern audience. In other instances, symbolism is more deliberately elusive, inviting viewers to look closer and think deeper.  This richly illustrated visual reference includes: Over 100 key symbols drawn from art history Symbols from the natural world, the manmade world, the supernatural, and colours and shapes Famous artworks used as case studies to show symbolism in context How meanings change across cultures, movements and centuries An easy-to-navigate, fully indexed structure designed for quick consultation as well as browsing Bringing together examples from across periods, cultures and artistic movements, art historian Susie Hodge explains how symbolic meanings can shift depending on time, place and intention, revealing layers of interpretation that radically deepen our understanding of artworks.   Clearly organised and expertly written, The Symbols of Art is both an authoritative reference and an inviting guide for curious readers.  Whether you’re visiting a gallery, studying art history or simply want to see artworks with fresh eyes, this book gives you the tools to decode visual meaning and experience art more deeply.

The Elements of Art deconstructs great works of art into manageable components so that you can better understand and appreciate them.Knowing how to interpret art is one of the biggest issues facing casual gallery-goers. They may ask themselves questions like: Why is the Mona Lisa so small? Why are some frames gilded in gold while others are non-existent? What can the use of material say about a work, whether it’s an oil painting, collage or made of found objects? And does the life of the artist matter?This book answers all of these questions and more and introduces the key elements with which you can analyse and better understand artwork. From colour, medium and size to where the piece is situated, and the artist who made it, you’ll learn what’s important and what’s not so important.The book includes two parts:Part One introduces the elements using examples from throughout art history, introducing key terms and techniques while giving you the tools to apply lessons learned outside of the book.Part Two puts the elements into practice by breaking down 30 great artworks element by element—from Michelangelo to Frida Kahlo.With the Elements of Art, you’ll learn important information about technique, style, material, location and colour that will shape you to read and interpret art. Whether you're a student, teacher, culture vulture or art enthusiast, this book will help you de-mystify great works of art, making for a more meaningful, fulfilling and enjoyable visit to any gallery.

Discover the destinations that have inspired the world’s greatest art, cinema, food, novels and music.Pure armchair travel, this book is for anyone with a sense of wanderlust and curiosity: immerse yourself in 100 places that have inspired a remarkable cultural environment.In Paris, visit the labyrinth streets of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables and the charming streets of Montmartre, the backdrop of Amélie; in New York visit Brooklyn, home of Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing and Jean-Michel Basquiat’s stomping ground round the East Village. Split by continent, and with fascinating text and charming hand-drawn illustrations for each entry, this is the ultimate atlas of 100 cultural places every armchair traveller needs to know about.

Drawing Masterclass explores the act of vision of the world’s great artists, describing how their work was created to allow you to weave some of their magic into your own paintings. With detailed analyses and instructive creative tips sections, you can learn how to convey movement like Degas, apply acrylic like Twombly, and command colour like Matisse. The book is organized into seven chapters covering important genres: nudes, figures, landscapes, still life, heads, fantasy and abstraction. Each chapter selects a cross section of artists and examines their practice in detail, using key paintings. Each artist is described through one of 100 selected masterpieces, plus a biographical profile and a practical look at the way the painting was made: the materials and technique, an examination of the ideas and inspiration behind its making and how the artist’s life might reflect their concerns. Light and shade, rhythm, form, space, contour and composition are all covered in detail. The book covers a broad historical and geographic sweep, and includes many of the most celebrated male and female artists.

Dogs can be a pleasure to draw, whether they are dignified, elegant, cute or scruffy. Suzie Hodges shows you how to capture the character of a great selection of popular dog breeds.This delightful introduction to drawing dogs completely demystifies the drawing process. It shows how images can be built up easily, from initial geometric shapes right through to the finished animals. Susie Hodges includes a good selection of popular breeds and she uses a helpful two colour method that clearly shows every line and curve of the step-by-step pictures. Even absolute beginners will find themselves creating great drawings when they use this book and there is much to inspire more experienced artists too. An invaluable guide for anyone interested in this subject.

Learn the Basics of Drawing Drawing is an essential skill that represents the first step into all other visual arts. This practical book teaches aspiring artists how to draw the most popular topics: buildings, landscapes, people, portraits, and still life. Even absolute beginners will be amazed at what they can achieve by working through this book and learning from the tips, tricks and know-how of experienced artists. Fifty original, exciting projects free readers to practice and perfect their skills without dreary routine exercises. Each demonstration features a photograph of the subject, the finished drawing, clear instructions, and step-by-step photos. How to Draw shows how to draw with a variety of different media, including artist''s pencils, chalk, charcoal, dip pens, graphite sticks, and more. Inside How to Draw: Practical art instruction for drawing all of the most popular topics: buildings, landscapes, people, animals, portraits, and still life. 50 demonstrations each include a photograph of the subject, the finished drawing, and clear instructions with step-by-step photos. Advice on how to draw with a variety of different media, including artist''s pencils, chalk, charcoal, dip pens, graphite sticks, and more. Introduction to essential tools, materials and basic drawing techniques.

The Short Story of Art is a new and innovative introduction to the subject of art. Simply constructed, the book explores 50 key works, from the wall paintings of Lascaux to contemporary installations, and then links these to sections on art movements, themes and techniques.The design of the book allows the student or art enthusiast to easily navigate their way around key periods, artists and styles. Accessible and concise, it simplifies and explains the most important and influential concepts in art, and shows how they are connected. The book explains how, why and when art changed, who introduced certain things, what they were, where they were produced, and whether they matter. It demystifies artistic jargon, giving readers a thorough understanding and broad enjoyment of art.

Why Your 5 Year Old Could Not Have Done That is Susie Hodge’s passionate and persuasive argument against the most common disparaging remark levelled at modern art. In this enjoyable and thought-provoking book, she examines 100 works of modern art that have attracted critical and public hostility – from Cy Twombly’s scribbled Olympia (1957), Jean-Michel Basquiat’s crude but spontaneous ‘LNAPRK’ (1982), to the apparently careless mess of Tracey Emin’s My Bed (1998) – and explains how, far from being negligible novelties, they are inspired and logical extensions of the ideas of their time. She explains how such notorious works as Carl Andre’s Equivalent VIII (1966) – the infamous bricks – occupy unique niches in the history of ideas, both showing influences of past artists and themselves influencing subsequent artists. With illustrations of works from Hans Arp to Adolf Wölfli, Hodge places each work in its cultural context to present an unforgettable vision of modern art. This book will give you an understanding of the ways in which modern art differs from the realistic works of earlier centuries, transforming as well as informing your gallery visits for years to come.

An American who spent most of his life in Europe, a portraitist who painted landscapes, a family man who never married, and an accomplished pianist who often entertained his sitters, John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) was one of the most influential portrait painters of his time, but he is also an enigma. Despite his huge body of work, we know little about Sargent the man. Truly international, he was acclaimed on both sides of the Atlantic, and was close friends with many of the leading artists, writers, actors and musicians of his generation. Over the course of his career, Sargent created roughly 900 oil paintings, more than 2,000 watercolours and a vast number of sketches and charcoal drawings. He travelled extensively, to Venice, the Tyrol, Capri, Corfu, Spain, France, England, Holland, the Middle East, Canada and across America. Wherever he went, he captured the people and the surroundings. Using the fluid brushwork that had been introduced by his friends the Impressionists, his portraits are intimate and experimental, conveying both superficial appearances and psychological depths, and his landscapes are atmospheric and immediate. Sargent was in constant demand for his portraits, and during his lifetime he was perceived as a far more significant artist than contemporary avant-garde painters such as Paul Cezanne (1839-1906) and Paul Gauguin (1848-1903), and he allied himself with one of the most progressive, independent ateliers in Paris. His style fused the spectacular Impressionistic brushwork with techniques he learned from both Old and Modern masters, combined with his interest in human psychology, all consolidated by his own adroit artistry. Yet during his life, as well as attracting such acclamation from across Europe and America, he also provoked both scandal and condemnation, and after his death, he became judged adversely. As with many artists however, the wheel of favour eventually turned and once again, in the early 21st century, Sargent's work was reassessed and revalued and he is now considered one of the finest and most skilful painters.The first part of this informative book explores the life of Sargent and the times he lived in, and the second part is a magnificent gallery of his work, with details about each painting and its context, with expert analysis of his style and technique. This beautifully illustrated volume, with 500 reproductions and images, will be essential reading for anyone who would like to learn more abut this intriguing artist, whom The Metropolitan Museum in New York called `the Van Dyck of our times.'.

Draw over 30 expressive and characterful step-by-step portraits, with best-selling author Susie Hodge.Build up gradually from initial geometric shapes right through to finished faces, using a simple, confidence-boosting two-colour method.Choose from a wonderful selection of 30 faces, from babies and toddlers through to adult couples and seniors, that are suitable even if you're an absolute beginner.In no more than 6 easy stages, you'll learn to build up the images gradually from initial geometric shapes right through to the finished face, using a clear, two-colour method that shows exactly how the lines are constructed and then refined.Featuring a wide selection of head- and shoulder portraits, this book includes a range of diverse and dynamic faces and hairstyles that will inspire and encourage you to apply your new skills to portraits of your friends and family.With its easy-to-follow landscape format you can watch the stages build across the page and then recreate them with ease... Just grab your pencil and get drawing!The book contains material previously published in How to Draw Faces, 2011 (9781844486731).

Celebrated for his use of expressive brush marks, which filled his paintings with dynamism, light and colour in a way not seen before in Renaissance art, Tiziano Veccellio became the greatest painter 16th-century Venice had ever known. In the first half of her beautiful new book, Susie Hodge explores Titian's fascinating life through his family, friends, patrons and commissions. Starting out as a young apprentice in the great city of Venice, Titian grew up surrounded with spectacular works of art, architecture and sculpture. His early influences and remarkable achievements are explained clearly with informative and attractive illustrations throughout. The second half of the book contains a comprehensive gallery of over 300 of Titian's major works.of art, each of which is accompanied by a thorough analysis of theartwork and its significance within the context of Titian's life, hisrapidly changing technique and his body of work as a whole.

Named retrospectively, the Golden Age was a period when the new Dutch Republic had become the most prosperous nation in Europe, leading in trade, science and art. From 1600 for almost a century, more than four million paintings were produced there, and the accomplishments in realism and naturalism by a large number of Dutch artists were unprecedented.These artists painted life as had never been seen before; their technical skills were often outstanding, and their art was distinctive in its depiction of lifelike objects, places and people of all ages and backgrounds. Unlike traditional Flemish and Italian Baroque paintings, Dutch artists in general avoided idealization or portrayals of splendour, and instead developed their own unique and innovative styles, themes and subjects.The first section of this detailed book considers all this ina biographical guide to some of the greatest Dutch Golden Age artists and their work. Roughly chronological in order, it explains who the painters were, where they lived and worked, who and what taught and influenced them, and why their work was often groundbreaking. Among many others, included are Frans Hals, Rembrandt, Nicolaes Maes, Jan Lievens, Judith Leyster, Gerrit Dou, Gerrit van Honthorst, Adriaen Brouwer, Jan Steen, Hendrick Avercamp, Jacob van Ruisdael, Pieter de Hooch, Johannes Vermeer and Rachel Ruysch. While mostare discussed, some do not appear, as even in this substantial book, there is room for only a proportion of the exceptionally proficient painters of the period.The second part of the book is a gallery of outstanding works from a range of Dutch Golden Age artists, grouped into the broad themes of landscapes (and town- and seascapes), portraits, genre, history and religion, and stilllife, giving a fascinating, colourful and in-depth overview of what constituted the art of the period.With more than500 reproductions, you can dip in and out of this beautifully illustrated volume, or peruse it from cover to cover. It is essential reading for anyone who would like to learn more about the extraordinary flowering of art during the Dutch Golden Age, and a book that you will turn to over and again

A group of primarily Scottish artists (mainly William York Macgregor, Joseph Crawhall, George Henry, Edward Atkinson Hornel, Sir John Lavery and Arthur Melville), the Glasgow Boys were active around the turn of the 20th Century. Though they painted in a number of different styles, they are connected by their rejection of classic Victorian painting. Inspired by the luminous techniques of James McNeil Whistler, they harnessed Impressionistic brushwork and livid realism in their work, trying new methods and everyday settings to create stunning works of art. With over 100 images, and broad introduction, this is a fine addition to Flame Tree's ever-increasing series on painting and illustration, Masterpieces of Art.

This beautiful book is a brilliant exploration of a fascinating artist who changed the world of art in the 20th century and inspired future painters such as Picasso and Matisse, who said of Cezanne that he was "the father of us all."

This is an expert account of the Post Impressionist artist, Paul Gauguin, who defied convention and renounced European civilization to pursue his art in the South Seas. It explores the influences that defined his style, from Impressionist painters to the brilliant hues and primitive forms of the South Pacific Islands. It features a gallery ranging from his early Impressionist work to his vibrant pictures of a Tahitian idyll. Paul Gauguin was one of the most important artists of the early 20th century. This informative book outlines the artist's personal and working life, his work in France and his paintings of the tropical landscapes of Tahiti and the Caribbean. His mission became to depict an authentic primitivism; a method known as Cloissonism, a technique that was inspired by medieval enamelling: The Yellow Christ is a good example of this style. Another iconic work is Vision after the Sermon (Jacob Wrestling with the Angel). This beautifully illustrated book is essential reading for those who would like to learn about this artist, and to view his works in one comprehensive collection.

A comprehensive reference book on the life and works of Diego Valazquez, the most important painter in the Spanish Habsburg court of King Phillip IV. Featuring a wonderful gallery of his paintings, accompanied by an expert analysis of each work, and a description of his style and technique. This beautifully illustrated book is essential reading for anyone who would like to learn more about this master of painting, who influenced so many later artists.

Years before artists like Kandinsky and Mondrian claimed to have invented abstract art, a Swedish artist had already created more than 1000 strikingly beautiful abstract paintings! This is the amazing story of Hilma af Klint. Largely ignored during her lifetime, her work exploded onto the world stage with an exhibition at the Guggenheim in NYC in 2019. She is now recognised as the mother of abstract art. Books in the series: 9781916781153 Frida Kahlo: A Pop-Up Book 9781916781177 Jane Goodall: A Pop-Up Book 9781916781160 Albert Einstein: A Pop-Up Book 9781916781214 Henri Matisse: A Pop-Up Book 9781916781146 Leonardo Da Vinci: A Pop-Up Book 9781916781245 Hilma af Klint: A Pop-Up Book AGES: 5 plus AUTHOR: Susie Hodge is an art historian, author, artist and journalist with more than 100 books to her name. She has an MA in the History of Art from Birkbeck, University of London, and is a Fellow of the RSA. Teresa Bellon was born in Spain in 1987. After studying illustration in Madrid she became an illustrator of children's books. Influenced by Portuguese and Nordic illustrators, her art is characterised by a touch of naivety and expressive use of colour.

Gustav Klimt, well known for his sensual, arresting depictions of women (The Kiss, Fulfillment, The Tree of Life), was a founder of the Viennese Secession movement at the turn of the 20th century, Vienna's own Art Nouveau. His extravagant work, was an obsessive manifestation of the dazzling intellectual society of his time and he painted very large canvases combining oils with gold foil. This beautiful new book brings together a wide selection of Klimt’s magnificent work.

A celebration of some of the world's greatest dog paintings as well as an enlightening look at the history of dog breeds by art historian Susie Hodge, the book features 50 great paintings from throughout history, each depicting a different dog breed.With an essay about the work of art and the artist as well as a separate piece about the individual dog breeds, the author analyzes the dogs featured in the works of art, explaining the original human uses of specific breeds - such as herding, hunting, defending or lap dogs - and how those dog breeds have changed over time - sizes, colour and uses. It reveals how certain breeds were very popular in history and how the fashions for different breeds changed over time.Featuring many of the world's best-loved works, including Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and His Wife by Jan van Eyck, Hunters in the Snow by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, and The Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre-Auguste Renior, this informative and attractive new book will appeal to both art and dog lovers alike and form part of a new series.Gemini MasterpiecesA treasured series celebrating 50 of the world’s greatest paintings throughout history, each on the theme of your favourite animal or plant to bring the story of the breeds and artworks to life.

This fascinating new book looks in detail at Renoir's influences, life and works. The first part begins examines his style; it covers Renoir's techniques and training: painting copies at the Louvre; his time at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts; meeting his muse, Lise Trehot; working with fellow impressionist artists and his struggles for recognition. The volume then investigates Renoir's move away from Impressionism, his stay in Guernsey and also the changes to his personal life and the way in which these informed his work. It also documents his eventual success in the art world and considers the devastating series of illnesses and losses that blighted the end of Renoir's long painting career. The second part of the book is a gallery of Renoir's work in 300 glorious pictures, each accompanied by an in-depth analysis of its context within his life, his technique and his body of work as a whole.

Peter Paul Rubens was one of the most productive and exciting painters of his time, noted for his expressive, emotive and sensual paintings which are now instantly recognizable. Indeed, his voluptuous female figures have given rise to the word 'Rubenesque'. This book explores the life and times of Rubens, from his early studies in Italy through to his apprenticeship in Antwerp and his subsequent outstanding accomplishments as 'the prince of painters and the painter of princes'. It also contains a gallery of 300 of his paintings and drawings, revealing his unparalleled position as an artist, diplomat, scholar, linguist, teacher, art collector and devoted family man.

This is an expert and detailed account of the painter Claude Monet, one of the key founders of the Impressionist movement and arguably the most influential painter of modern times. It is an insightful biography that tells the story of his life, the historical context of society at the time, and his relationships with Renoir, Sisley and Manet. It features a beautiful gallery of all Claude Monet's most significant works accompanied by in-depth analysis of his style and technique, stunningly illustrated with 500 beautiful images. It explores his relationship with the traditional art world and his courageous rejection of it, choosing to establish a new form of art. The first half of this impressive book is a review of the life of Claude Monet and the development of his talents. It follows his early experiences and artistic education, as well as his personal life, financial difficulties and marriages, shedding light on why Monet became the painter he did. The second half is a gallery of more than 300 of his works with analysis of each painting.Paintings are reproduced from all phases of his career, including when he lived at Argenteuil, where some of the most famous impressionist works were created. This extraordinary book is an essential volume for anyone wanting to learn more about this fascinating and ground-breaking artist, and to study his greatest works in one beautiful collection.

The Art of Fine Gifts: Twentieth-century painter, designer and wood engraver Eric Ravilious was responsible for a fascinating range of different works, from illustrations for books to designs for ceramics for the established Wedgwood pottery firm. This gorgeous new book features beautiful woodcut images of countryside life, watercolours of rolling landscapes and many of Ravilious' acute and profound war paintings.

Brimming with upbeat guidance, this accessible handbook shows how anyone can use art to enlighten, uplift, calm and ease stress and anxieties. Visual art is enlightening, challenging, informative and arresting; but it can also be therapeutic, reducing anxiety and stress levels, and offering perspective on the challenges that we all face in our lives. This guide introduces readers to new ways of looking at a wide range of art. Through careful examination and explanation, it investigates how engaging with art and drawing upon its ideas can help everyone feel connected and inspired. From Frida Kahlo confronting her anxieties to Henri Matisse embracing happiness, from Louise Bourgeois conquering fear to Auguste Rodin finding hope, it shows how you too can use art to work through difficult emotions and improve your mental wellbeing. Even art that unsettles can help us to think and feel differently. Artists have been conveying aspirations, emotions, ideas and stories for thousands of years; this book will help everyone to ‘read’ these messages, and thereby to enrich their own emotional life through art.

Take a look inside the homes of some of your favourite artists and explore how each one reflected their spirit and creativity.From William Morris and Pablo Picasso to Georgia O’Keeffe and Frida Kahlo, Artists at Home showcases the quiet retreats, creative hubs, lifelong homes and holiday escapes of key artistic figures. Author Susie Hodge introduces readers to each artist's life and work, placing the significance of the home at the heart of their practice before exploring how each location both reflected and inspired their creative output.By delving into their homes – the architecture, interiors, the lives lived there, and the work created there – we can see these artists’ private spaces as reflections of their artistic output. For these inspiring people, homes are places where the boundaries between work, creativity and daily life are indistinct – they are as much as reflection of their artistic intention as the great artworks that made their name.

'A lively and illuminating window into a shadowy corner of the art world.' – Publishers WeeklyStep inside the astonishing world of art forgery, where masterpieces are faked, fortunes are made, and almost no one is who they seem. Art Fraud reveals the true stories behind some of the greatest scams in art history, where con artists forged their way to fame, fortune or infamy. Discover the motivations and methods of master forgers, from Eric Hebborn’s faked Old Masters to Han van Meegeren’s deception of the Nazis. Meet eccentric copyists, bitter experts, and insiders who turned against the institutions they once admired. Each chapter tells the story of a different forger, weaving in the investigations that finally unmasked them and the secrets they left behind. Written by bestselling author and art historian Susie Hodge, this is a fascinating, brilliantly researched collection that blurs the line between genius and fraud. Whether you are an art lover, a true crime reader or simply curious about how the art world really works, this book is full of twists, scandals and unforgettable characters.

Discover the fascinating connections between the world's greatest artists. I Know an Artist introduces some of the most inspirational stories of friendship, love, creativity and shared passions in the world of art. Each of the 84 illustrated profiles reveal the fascinating links between some of the best known artists. Whether through teaching, as in the case of Paul Klee and Anni Albers; a mutual muse, as seen in the flowers of Georgia O’Keeffe and Takashi Murakami; or an inspirational romantic coupling like that of Lee Krasner and Jackson Pollock.  In telling the tales of these creatives lives and achievements – each extraordinary and oftentimes ground-breaking – Susie Hodge exposes the fascinating web of connections that have fostered some of the world’s art masterpieces. Some are well-known, whereas others span both time and place, linking pioneers in art in fascinating and unexpected ways.  Illustrated in colourful tribute to each artists’ unique style, I Know An Artist is an illuminating and celebratory account of some of the art world’s most compelling visionaries. A perfect introduction for students, and a source of new and surprising stories for art lovers.

Unpack the powerful visual symbols artists have used throughout history.  From a single flower to a carefully placed skull, works of art across history are filled with symbols that carry powerful meanings. The Symbols of Art reveals how artists use these symbols to communicate ideas without relying on words.  Why is there a lily in that religious painting? Why does a still life include an hourglass, a mirror or a piece of fruit? In some cases, these symbols would have been immediately understood by contemporary viewers but now need decoding for a modern audience. In other instances, symbolism is more deliberately elusive, inviting viewers to look closer and think deeper.  This richly illustrated visual reference includes: Over 100 key symbols drawn from art history Symbols from the natural world, the manmade world, the supernatural, and colours and shapes Famous artworks used as case studies to show symbolism in context How meanings change across cultures, movements and centuries An easy-to-navigate, fully indexed structure designed for quick consultation as well as browsing Bringing together examples from across periods, cultures and artistic movements, art historian Susie Hodge explains how symbolic meanings can shift depending on time, place and intention, revealing layers of interpretation that radically deepen our understanding of artworks.   Clearly organised and expertly written, The Symbols of Art is both an authoritative reference and an inviting guide for curious readers.  Whether you’re visiting a gallery, studying art history or simply want to see artworks with fresh eyes, this book gives you the tools to decode visual meaning and experience art more deeply.

Discover the destinations that have inspired the world’s greatest art, cinema, food, novels and music.Pure armchair travel, this book is for anyone with a sense of wanderlust and curiosity: immerse yourself in 100 places that have inspired a remarkable cultural environment.In Paris, visit the labyrinth streets of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables and the charming streets of Montmartre, the backdrop of Amélie; in New York visit Brooklyn, home of Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing and Jean-Michel Basquiat’s stomping ground round the East Village. Split by continent, and with fascinating text and charming hand-drawn illustrations for each entry, this is the ultimate atlas of 100 cultural places every armchair traveller needs to know about.