Nature’s beauty can be fleeting but not through Louie Schwartzberg’s lens. His stunning time-lapse photography, accompanied by powerful words from a Benedictine monk, serves as a meditation on being grateful for every day in this Ted Talk.
Category Archives: Illustration
So you want to be a painter? Six books to help you on your way.
Painting is something we all started off in life adoring and thinking we were amazing at. Then somewhere along the way we started doubting our skills. The wonderful Ken Done in his book A Life Coloured In (psst you can also read his newest book Art, Design, Life here) rightly pointed out that it’s around the time we start injecting rational thought into our work that the belief in our creativity starts to wane. While this is such a shame, it is heartening to see that so many adults are picking the paint brush up once again in an effort to spark painting’s original joy.
If you happen to be one of those creative individuals, then you are in luck! We have scoured the internet and have found six books to help you on your way.
Drawing and Painting Beautiful Flowers by Kyehyun Park
Learn how to draw beautiful flowers and add breathtaking watercolour with the easy step-by-step instructions in Drawing and Painting Beautiful Flowers. Drawing and painting realistic flowers is achievable! Create a wide variety of blooms and greenery using an easy step-by-step method, then add watercolour for gorgeous effects. In Drawing and Painting Beautiful Flowers, discover how to draw flowers such as roses, cosmos, daffodils, tulips, hydrangeas, lilies, daisies, and more from various angles, and learn about perspective and shading. Once you have the skills to draw a single flower, learn how to draw groupings, bouquets, and wreaths. Mix in grasses and wildflowers to create a variety of looks and dynamic scenes. Then, learn simple techniques to add luscious watercolour, using shading, blending, and gradient techniques for eye-catching results. Popular Instagram artist Kate Kyehyun Park shares her secrets for capturing realistic flower, leaf, and plant shapes. Artists of all levels love drawing and painting nature, and with these techniques they’ll confidently render lifelike botanicals in an array of lovely palettes.
Master Oils : Painting Techniques Inspired by Influential Artists by Selwyn Leamy
Learn how to paint in one of the modern artist’s favourite medium: oil. Taking inspiration from iconic paintings in the London Tate Collection, discover the techniques of the masters and improve your own painting skills with 30 guided projects. Master brushwork and form with Cezanne; thin and blend with Turner and Whistler; and play with texture with Richter and Riley.
The Beginner’s Guide to Oil Painting by Craig Stephens
Craig Stephens has a simple motto for painting: With a brush, some paints and a willingness to learn, anyone can do it. With that mindset, Craig takes his most essential lessons, boils them down to their basics and teaches you everything you need to know to start oil painting, without any fuss or highbrow. Thanks to his experience teaching painting to high school students for over two decades, Craig is an expert at helping those with no experience pick up a brush and make beautiful art they are proud of. With his direction, you’ll create dynamic, vivid paintings and learn to capture your world in ways you never thought possible. Each project in this book is designed to highlight the important elements of using oil paints, helping you to practice new skills and get comfortable with the medium. And thanks to Craig’s helpful step-by-step directions that pair a picture with each stroke, you’ll get great results. Hone your colour-mixing eye as you blend the vibrant greens and subtle yellows in the Freshly Cut Avocado piece. Practice painting unique textures, like the small craters in the Simplified Strawberry or the glossy skin on the Smooth and Shiny Plum. Learn all the ways to capture natural light, like transparency in a glass of Refreshing Lemon Water or dazzling reflections on a Chrome Coffee Creamer. Oil painting is a timeless art form, and with Craig as your teacher, you’ll create 22 beautiful pieces for your walls and learn all the foundational skills you need to enjoy this hobby for years to come.
Modern Japanese Painting Techniques by Shinichi Fukui
This book makes it easy to create and admire wonderful Japanese-style paintings and portraits. Modern Japanese-style paintings are recognisable by their restrained use of three-dimensionality and perspective, reliance upon expressive lines, and the bold use of colour to direct the viewer’s eye. There are other ways that artists imbue their work with Japanese-inspired attributes, including through the skilful use of shape, texture, and facial expression. Author Shinichi Fukui introduces readers to 7 notable modern Japanese artists who specialise in shin hanga-style portraiture of Japanese women. He then presents instructions to create 21 different original paintings — from sketching models, preparing and mixing paints, blocking in colour, and rendering fine details. Using these techniques, and a bit of acrylic paint, readers will be able to create eye-catching works of art that express a timeless Japanese aesthetic.
Painting Happiness: Creativity with Watercolours by Terry Runyan
Painting Happiness offers playful, expressive watercolour painting techniques and projects that will help you find your calm. Combat stress and anxiety and release your own inner creative with this beautiful mindful watercolour book. In this simple and vibrant guide, hugely popular Instagram muse @TerryRunyan explores the art of watercolour through the lens of mindfulness, presenting activities and projects which you can paint along with as you allow your creative side to flourish. This watercolour guide is easy and accessible for beginners, as Runyan gently delves into the basics of the artform, starting with simple techniques which you can follow along with, as well as presenting some fun projects ideas for painters to explore. Alongside beautiful examples of the techniques and styles explored in the book, Runyan also encourages readers to practice mindfulness as they paint, and explores the ways in which art can be used to help improve mental health. Exploring the idea of perfectly imperfect watercolours, Runyan places emphasis on self-expression and allowing yourself to make mistakes.
Watercolour Painting at Home by Bley Hack
With Watercolour Painting at Home, artists can learn to find painting inspiration around their homes and gardens, and then paint beautiful, homey art. Easy-to-follow watercolour techniques and projects help you find inspiration at home and paint what you see around you, from seasonal decor to favourite recipes and the flowers in your garden. As we all spend more time at home, you may find yourself looking for a creative outlet that doesn’t require you to get out and about. That’s where Watercolour Painting at Home comes in, with ideas and inspiration for painting from your couch, front porch, backyard, and more. Painting your favourite things will make your home look more beautiful to you, and it will help you appreciate where you live and what you have. It’s easy to find inspiration at home; just look to your holiday decor, favourite recipes, plants, office, and more. Expertly written and illustrated by a professional artist, this beautiful book is filled with inviting and colourful large-scale art accompanied by instructions that are clear and easy to follow for any skill level.
Enjoy!
So you want to be a photographer? 6 books to help you on your way
Photography is often a skill to learn sitting on people’s hobby wish-lists and it is no secret that Team Booko loves taking photos too. We have scoured the internet looking for books to not only inspire you but to also offer tips and tricks for those who would like to take a plunge into this creative world.
It would be remiss of us to share our favourite photography books and not include our very own photographic inspiration based here in Melbourne in the form of Chris Cincotta. Chris is behind the lens of the Humans In Melbourne facebook page (you can follow his work here) and @melbourneiloveyou on Instagram. Chris takes a photo each and shares it every day and, not surprisingly, has some wonderful coffee table books available on his website.
Understanding Street Photography: An Introduction to Shooting Compelling Images on the Street by Bryan Peterson
Discover the secrets to mastering street photography from an acclaimed international photographer, teacher, and best-selling author, Bryan Peterson. Street photography enables us to experience the world through a new lens. In Understanding Street Photography, readers will learn the techniques behind images taken around the globe, from the vibrant streets of Varanasi, India, to the crowded walkways of the Charles Bridge in Prague, and so many other corners of the world. In this master class, street photography is defined as images that convey evidence of human interaction, whether that’s a striking cityscape, an image of rush-hour foot traffic, the remains of a half-eaten sandwich, or a pedestrian portrait. Along the way, Peterson shares 120 “mini diaries” the story behind each image; the thought process; the arrangement of the composition; the psychology of the colours; and the lens, aperture, shutter speed, and ISO for readers to replicate his work. Professional and aspiring photographers alike will learn how to produce posed and candid compositions, capture light and movement, and work with shadows, weather, and architecture, and hone your craft. Through lessons, exercises, and anecdotes, Peterson shares his best tips for capturing the unpredictable world of urban life in motion.
Photographers on Photography by Henry Carroll
Think you know photography? Think again. Through a carefully curated selection of quotes and images, this book reveals what matters most to the masters of photography. With accompanying text by Henry Carroll, author of the internationally bestselling Read This If You Want To Take Great Photographs series, you’ll learn what photography actually means to the giants of the genres and how they developed their distinctive visual styles. Divided into clear sections, quotes offer intimate insights into “the camera”, “the photograph”, “taking pictures”, “style, subject matter and technique” and ultimately answer that all-important question-“what exactly is photography?” in wildlife.
Flora Photographica: The Flower in Contemporary Photography by William A. Ewing and Danaé Panchaud
Vivid, bold, spectacular and unexpected: a definitive overview of one of contemporary photography’s most innovative fields, showcasing flower imagery by more than 120 of the world’s leading practitioners. There has never been a period in photography’s long history – no school, no movement – when flowers have not been a central focus, whether in the form of the classic still life, the botanical study, incorporated into portraiture and studies of the human body, documented in street photography, or used subversively in surrealist collage and montage. Today, flower photography remains in full bloom, with photographers the world over depicting flowers and floral motifs in novel ways. Featuring works by more than 120 photographers, Flora Photographica links the very best of flower photography from the past thirty years with its predecessors. Vibrant and abundant with myriad species of flora, this stunning book is both a celebration of organic beauty and a keen look at the meaning of flowers in human culture – not to mention an insightful look at a key aspect of contemporary photography – making it a must-have publication for lovers of flowers and photography alike.
How I Make Photographs by David Yarrow
For over two decades, legendary British photographer David Yarrow has been putting himself in harm’s way to capture immersive and evocative photography of some of the world’s most revered and endangered animal species. With his images heightening awareness of endangered species and also raising huge sums for charity and conservation, he is one of the most relevant photographers in the world today. Featuring his 150 most iconic photographs, David Yarrow Photography offers a view of some of the world’s most compelling and threatened species. This collection of stunning images, paired with Yarrow’s first-person contextual narrative, offers an insight into a man who will not accept second best in the relentless pursuit of excellence.
Take Photographs, Not Snapshots: The Essential Elements of Photography by Cider Mill Press
There is no reason to be intimidated by your camera, as this book is ideal for the beginner looking to learn more or the professional looking for a quick reference guide on location. Take your photos from so-so to stunning with techniques to help you understand aperture, depth of field, lighting, and composition. With guides for both digital and traditional cameras, as well as smartphones, upgrade your photography game on any platform with ease. Don’t just settle for a good enough picture, become a master photographer with Take Photos, Not Snapshots.
How Do I Photograph A Sunset? by Chris Gatcum
How do we learn? We learn by asking questions. But what if we don’t know what questions we should be asking? Thanks to the digital revolution, photography has never been so popular, and whether you shoot on a phone or a top-spec DSLR or CSC camera, the urge to improve is relentless. In this book, author Chris Gatcum asks the questions that every photographer will have in mind at some point in their image-making journey, and then answers them in a clear, concise, straightforward and inspirational manner. Laid out in intuitive sections, this book tackles the questions that are on every photographer’s mind, as well as those that they haven’t thought of yet. And with a clear progression through each chapter, from the simple to more complex, the book asks and answers questions to satisfy the complete novice as well as the advanced practitioner.
Enjoy!
Starting School with Booko
Children all over the country are preparing to begin the new school year next week and we are all hoping that it will be a year that has far fewer interruptions than the last two years.
Starting school is such an exciting time and while it’s fun to shop for new shoes, pencil cases and lunch boxes, there is always a little trepidation at the thought of a new routine, new friends to make and new teachers to meet.
We have found six wonderful books that all aim to help the smallest students have a smooth start to their schooling.
The Wild Guide to Starting School by Laura and Philip Bunting
The familiar and much loved animals from previous Bunting tales—Mopoke, Kookaburra, Liarbird, Koala, Quokka, and a few new friends—guide you from starting the day just right (mmm, GumFlakes) to first day jitters, meeting teachers, making friends, lunch time, home time and all the things in between. It is time to get set for your wildest adventure yet. Follow this simple guide and you’ll learn everything you need to know.
All The Ways to Be Smart by Davina Bell
This book has been out for a few years, and it remains a firm favourite in bookshelves all around the country.
Smart is not just ticks and crosses, smart is building boats from boxes. Painting patterns, wheeling wagons, being mermaids, riding dragons. From the award-winning creators of The Underwater Fancy-dress Parade and Under the Love Umbrella comes this joyful ode to all the unique and wonderful qualities that make children who they are.
Ally-saurus and the first day of school by Richard Torrey
When Ally roars off to her first day at school, she hopes she’ll meet lots of other dinosaur-mad kids in class. Instead, she’s the only one chomping her food with fierce dino teeth and drawing dinosaurs on her nameplate. Even worse, a group of would-be “princesses” snubs her! Will Ally ever make new friends? With its humorous art, appealing heroine and surprise ending, this fun board book celebrates children’s boundless imagination.
You can read more of Ally’s adventures here.
Let’s Get Ready for School by Jane Porter
Starting school can be a great adventure, but it can make you feel a bit nervous too. Let’s Get Ready for School is a perfect book to reassure any new school-starter. Jane Porter answers all of these questions and more in this warm, witty and reassuring book for young children that explores everything they’ll need to know before starting school. Marley, Maya, Theo, Akiko, Ella and Zakir are all getting ready to start school. Why not come along with them and see what it’s like? Illustrated with charming characters by Carolina Rabei, this is the perfect introduction to joining a new class.
Old Friends, New Friends by Andrew Daddo
What do you do when none of your old friends are in your new class? From the team who brought you First Day and When I Grow Up comes an empowering and relatable picture book about making friends and being yourself.
Hello World by Kelly Corrigan
From New York Times bestselling author Kelly Corrigan comes a book that celebrates the people in our lives and the meaningful connections we make that come from asking each other questions. Hello World! is the perfect reminder that the journeys we take through life are all about the people we will meet along the way, people who will make us smarter, stronger, and more amazing than we ever thought possible. With her trademark inspirational wisdom, Kelly Corrigan writes the perfect book for anyone about to embark on a new adventure.
Enjoy!
Ted Talk: Why people believe they can’t draw
Most people think they can’t draw, but communications expert Graham Shaw isn’t buying it. In this fun, instructional talk, he demonstrates how a few adjustments can make all the difference.
Our Six Favourite Graphic Novels
Graphic Novels are long-form stories told mainly through drawings. They are now recognised as an important medium for storytelling, both for fiction and non-fiction, for adults as well as for children. Parents and educators are also discovering their benefits in encouraging reading and developing literacy. You can find graphic novels in a huge range of art styles and subject matter – and the diversity is growing daily! Dive into this format through these recent bestsellers:
Smile by Raina Telgemeier
It all starts here – reading Raina Telgemeier is practically a rite of passage for tweens and early teens. Whether it’s her own stories, or her adaptation of the iconic Babysitter Club series, readers just can’t get enough of her observant and empathic stories of the drama and tensions of growing up. Smile is her memoir, starting in her Sixth Grade, when she had a string of dental procedures – including braces – after a painful accident. Add in fickle friends, first crushes, and finding her own identity, and you get a heartfelt rite-of-passage story reminiscent of Judy Blume.
The Sad Ghost Club by by Lize Meddings
The Sad Ghost Club is centred around mental health, and is a great conversation-starter with tweens, while still providing a rich, reflective experience for teens and adults. It is about SG (Sad Ghost), who struggles with anxiety about school and feelings of loneliness. SG agonises over whether to go to a party, feeling nervous about not fitting in. After an awkward start to the party, SG meets Socks, and together they form the Sad Ghost Club, a secret society for the anxious and alone, a club for people who think they don’t belong. The Sad Ghost Club is a sweet, quietly optimistic story with a fresh and on-point analogy for depression, and presenting totally relatable situations.
Heartstopper series by Alice Oseman
Alice Oseman is both an accomplished novelist and artist – their popular Heartstopper series focuses on Nick and Charlie, characters from their first novel Solitaire. This adorable LGBT+ webcomic is now available in book form! Heartstopper volume 1 sees the beginning of Nick and Charlie’s blossoming romance, from their meeting in their newly-organised “vertical classroom”, to their first kiss. Heartstopper is upbeat, but does not shy away from depicting the difficulties of being queer teens, and is lauded for being relatable and a realistic portrayal of contemporary teenage life.
Future Girl by Asphyxia
The first thing you will notice about Future Girl is that it is a beautiful object – textured cover, heavy paper, packed with colourful art. This art/prose hybrid is not strictly a graphic novel, but deserves attention for its striking format and subject matter. Future Girl is set in a dystopian, near-future Melbourne whose heroine, Piper, is based on the author’s own experience. Piper is a deaf girl who relies on hearing aids and speech for communication. When an environmental catastrophe strikes, she defies the authorities by learning to grow her own food – through which she is introduced to sign language, and a Deaf community who does not view its differences as deficits. Future Girl is an an enthralling and heartfelt coming-of-age story from Deaf artist/writer/activist Asphyxia.
They Call Us Enemy by George Takei and Justin Eisinger
The graphic novel format has been used as an eloquent tool for exploring, and inviting understanding of, social causes. They Call Us Enemy is one such award-winning example – it describes how a young George Takei – now beloved Star Trek actor and activist – and his family were incarcerated in a World War 2 camp for Japanese Americans. Their personal experiences fighting for safety and survival are juxtaposed upon descriptions of the social-political controversy surrounding this unjust practice. They Call Us Enemy is an emotional story that will resonate across many age groups, and offers powerful reflections upon the current issues of hate speech, institutional racism and racial profiling.
The Mental Load: a Feminist Comic by Emma
Not everyone can coin a powerful term that sparks a global discussion – French comic artist Emma did just that, when she drew an essay about women’s “Mental Load”, the invisible labour and unpaid organising that we do for others, an issue that disproportionately impacts women. This piece now headlines this collection of graphic essays on everyday feminist issues – sexism in the workplace, objectification, motherhood, women’s health. The topics and examples are instantly recognisable. Follow up with its recently-released companion volume, The Emotional Load.
Hey science teacher – make it fun
Science teacher Tyler DeWitt thinks science textbooks are impossible to understand. He delivers a rousing call for science teachers to ditch the jargon and make science fun in this Ted Talk.
Our favourite children’s books on the market
Ahh… children’s books. We love their ability to share big ideas in fun, engaging ways; tell tales of mischief, feelings and friendship; bring characters to life through unexpected adventures; delight budding imaginations and inspire little people to become life-long readers.
We have scoured the internet to find six of the most delightful and heart-warming children’s books that we know you are going to love reading these school holidays.
Oli and Basil: The Dashing Frogs of Travel by Megan Hess
Meet Oli and Basil, the dashing frogs of travel, in Megan Hess’s first World of Claris story! Two frogs dream of flying, but don’t realise that they’ll need each other to take to the skies. Oli is an artist who dreams up wild, fabulous machines, but he doesn’t know how to build them. And Basil is a master craftsman who can build anything from scratch, except he doesn’t know what to build. If only there was a way that these two dashing frogs could become friends. From the beloved creator of the Claris stories comes this heart-warming adventure about the joys of newfound friendship. You can see Megan’s other books here.
Malala Yousafzai (Little People, Big Dreams) by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
When Malala was born in Mingora, Pakistan, her father was determined she would have every opportunity that a boy would have. She loved getting an education, but when a hateful regime came to power, girls were no longer allowed to go to school. Malala spoke out in public about this, which made her a target for violence. She was shot in the left side of her head and woke up in hospital in England. Finally after long months and many surgeries, Malala recovered, and resolved to become an activist for girls’ education. Now a recent Oxford graduate, Malala continues to fight for a world where all girls can learn and lead. This powerful book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the activist’s life. You can read Malala’s own story here.
Bedtime is Boring by David Campbell
Billy Bunny REALLY doesn’t want to go to bed. He’s NOT tired! Not even a little bit. It may be bedtime, but Billy is NOT going quietly… See if Billy wins the bedtime battle in this hilarious sequel to Stupid Carrots, written by (a quite tired) David Campbell.
Maybe…by Chris Haughton
Chris Haughton is a fan favourite in our household. Maybe is another funny, suspenseful and keenly observed cautionary tale about pushing boundaries and indulging your more mischievous, cheeky side (when nobody is looking). Three little monkeys, and their big monkey, are sat high up on their branch in the forest canopy. “Ok, monkeys! I’m off,” says the big monkey. “Now remember. Whatever you do, do NOT go down to the mango tree. There are tigers down there.” Mmm . mangos! think the little monkeys. They LOVE mangos. Hmm … maybe . maybe they could just look at the mangos? That’d be ok, right? You can see Chris’ other books here.
With a Little Kelp from Our Friends: The Secret Life of Seaweed by Mathew Bate
Did you know that feeding seaweed to cows can reduce the methane in their burps and farts by more than half? Or that a forest of kelp absorbs more carbon than a tropical rainforest of the same size? We can even make edible bioplastics from seaweed! Beyond the tideline, there are around 10,000 types of seaweed. An essential ingredient for life on Earth, seaweed has sustained animals and people for many thousands of years. From ancient history and mythology to modern uses in food, health and medicine, discover how seriously cool seaweed is, and how it can even help tackle climate change. Complete with a guide to common seaweeds and foraging guidelines, this charmingly illustrated picture book will educate and inspire, and encourage respect for the natural world.
Reggie Red by Josie Layton
With freckles and curls so big and so red, Reggie felt worried…’Just look at my head! Others have hair that is brown, blonde and flat, How can I make MY hair look like that?’ Reggie Red tells the story of a little girl who discovers that beauty is far more than what you see on the outside.
Enjoy!
Monday Inspo
The school holidays are here so we are diving into the world of children’s literature and this week on the blog we’ll be sharing our favourite children’s book on the market. But to ease into the week we have these wise words to share.
Celebrating the Australian Book Industry with Booko: Places We Swim Sydney
From lap pools to ocean pools, harbour pools to waterfalls Places We Swim Sydney covers the very best of the city’s famous and hidden swimming spots.
