Arts and Culture

Relax and unwind the creative way!Learn to use drawing as a pathway to relaxation with the creative art exercises and soothing meditations found inside this inspiring book. Anyone who has ever experienced a relaxed, calm state while doodling understands the powerful connection between hand and mind. From flowing one-line designs to calm-inducing repetitive patterns, drawing can put us into a state

"Kudos to Sandra Sider, for bringing simple tools to guide quilters to the playful side of design! Understanding 'the grid' can turn a simple square into a personal expression!" —designer Victoria Findlay WolfeYour resource for a lifetime of planning and designing template-free geometric modern quilts. This compact guide is like many of the best things in life: simple. Designing a successful geome

Temporary natural arrangements have captivated people across the world. Learn how a professional artist creates these outdoor installations, and get inspired to create your own with a detailed look at the outdoor world of artist James Brunt. Brunt makes art that works with the environment while not changing it or having a permanent impact on the world in which he creates. Whether on a beach or in

In many ways, the M26 Pershing was the most advanced and most powerful tank fielded by the US military during the Second World War. The prototype T26 "heavy" tank design was developed to answer the threat of the German Panther and Tiger tanks. Unfortunately for US Army tankers, the T26 tank wasn't ready for field use until 1945. The T26, specifically the E3 variant, was adopted and standardized as

Reborn in 1951, the Myasishchev design bureau made its mark by creating the M-4 strategic bomber. Yet, this subsonic aircraft was soon made obsolescent by supersonic fighter technology—any new strategic bomber would need supersonic performance to avoid being intercepted. Hence in 1952, Myasishchev started work on supersonic bomber projects, which led to the M-50 of 1955. Designed for sustained sup

The PBY Catalina, designed and produced by Consolidated Aircraft, whose production was supplemented by that of Boeing Canada, Canadian Vickers, and the Naval Aircraft Factory, was the most widely used flying boat of all time. Developed in the 1930s, the famed patrol bomber was used around the world by the United States and its allies—the Soviets even produced hundreds of duplicates. The versatile

Anzio Annie, Anzio Express, "Leopold"; known by many names, the German 8 cm Kanone 5 Eisenbahngeschütz (railway gun), commonly abbreviated K5(E), was the most successful and widely used of Germany's railway gun designs. Twenty-four of the weapons, capable of shelling England from positions in France, were built and were used by Germany on most of their fronts, including France, Italy, Russia, and

During WWII, Germany fielded a variety of six- and eight-wheeled armored cars, which were used in numerous ways, including reconnaissance, antitank, infantry support, and other roles.  The earliest of these vehicles, the 6-Rad, or six-wheeled vehicles, were based on 6 × 4 truck chassis. Once the limitations of this design became evident, later models utilized specially designed all-wheel-drive pow

SS United States was the flagship of the United States Lines and was representative of the apex of steam-engineering technology. Designed by William Francis Gibbs, the ship was designed to be both fast and safe, due to the use of new materials with an emphasis on being fireproof. This book chronicles the design, construction, and operation of the liner. Using many materials taken from the ship its

Do you love the look of fancy letters but think they are too hard to draw? Think again! Everyone’s favorite art teacher, Mrs. Arnold, is back with another super-fun guide that breaks popular art techniques down into bite-sized lessons. In this newest book, Mrs. Arnold will teach you how to draw 18 different alphabet styles! Trust her—you can do it! The book is conveniently organized into three mai

Reveals the contemporary art phenomenon of disrupted realism through the paintings of 43 artists at its core.

Profoundly shaped by the events, forces, and overflow of today's disjointed, social-media-heavy life, these artists' paintings are “disrupted” stylistically, thematically, or sometimes both.

A comprehensive how-to reference that teaches wet textile surface design techniques for making custom cloth.

Learn surface design for textiles, to create rich and personally expressive fabric surfaces. Projects by expert Susan Brandeis (author of the bestselling The Intentional Thread) help a range of levels--beginners to r

With a midengined configuration, sturdy tricycle landing gear, and nose-mounted 37 mm cannon, the Bell P-39 was a thoughtful and innovative design. However, the plane lacked the all-out performance of some other key fighters available to Allied fliers (e.g., Spitfire, Hellcat, Mustang), particularly at altitude. Largely rejected by British and American combat squadrons, the Airacobra was much bett

After occupying the Balkans early in the war, the Axis powers constantly struggled to police the region. The partisan presence was quite substantial, and while the various fractured guerrilla groups expended a great deal of energy fighting among themselves, they were still a threat to German/Italian control. The Germans and Italians were heavily engaged with the Allies across multiple fronts, so m

As of 2023, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is the fastest manned jet aircraft ever produced. It set the record in 1976 and has been retired since the late 1990s. With its unrivaled speed and stunning appearance, the Blackbird has maintained an almost supernatural mystique to this day. The type entered service in the 1960s as a high-altitude (and obviously extremely high speed) military reconnaissanc

The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is one of the most successful fighter designs of the 20th century. The type first flew in 1972, transitioning directly from the drawing board to production with remarkably few hiccups. By late 1974, planes were already being delivered to operational units, and it remains on active duty with several major international militaries today, including the US Air Force. A

Learn how to lean in to your unique style of creativity with this fluid art instruction book that combines creative inspiration and soulful introspection with practical instruction.

Author and licensed psychotherapist Jessica Young is your expert, empathetic guide to developing your energy and feeding your creative flow. Th

Hand lettering just got a whole lot more fun with this instructional guide from professional lettering artist Dawn Nicole Warnaar.

This comprehensive book, perfect for beginners and experienced lettering artists alike, begins with three foundational lettering styles and then expands to ten playful variations. Each style com

In this hands-on introduction to one of the rarest of textile crafts, artist and designer Ashdown—one of the few remaining experts—shares its centuries-old methods and how to apply them to make contemporary ornamental trimmings. • 11 guided projects for home and wardrobe, from Chanel-style jacket fringe to braided edging for a window blind • For beginner and intermediate

This updated and expanded edition of Tommy at Fifty is the definitive illustrated companion to the album that made the Who one of the greatest and most influential bands of the rock era. Written by two leading experts on, and close associates of, the group—journalist and author Chris Charlesworth and original album cover designer Mike McInnerney—it considers the album from four distinct angles, ex