Best Selling Books by Susie Hodge

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 residency both reflected and inspired the artist’s 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.

From Romanesque to Realism; Pop Art to Pluralism, in this series, Susie Hodge introduces the most important art ideas and concepts that form the foundations of Western art.

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 colors 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 organized 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.

Because teachers have so many things to do, creating new, inspiring lessons can often take a back seat. This book is designed to assist you in providing lesson ideas on everything from women''s role in WW1 to the Russian Civil War. With more than 70 curriculum-linked lessons suitable for teaching 14-16-year-olds, this fabulously user-friendly resource features activities and teaching strategies based on the latest research and best practice. The practical, task-based activities are aimed at supporting and reinforcing your teaching, and promoting pupils'' enjoyment of the subject; encouraging their curiosity and imagination and helping them to develop enquiring minds and engage with the past. There are activities for individual, pair and group work, and the worksheets are all photocopiable and downloadable. This is an essential resource for all secondary school history teachers: newly qualified, experienced and in training.

I Know an Artist is a collection of 84 beautifully illustrated portraits that reveal the fascinating connections between famous artists throughout history.

The Short Story of Contemporary Art is a must-read introduction to this exciting and important period from bestselling author and art historian Susie Hodge. This fascinating pocket guide to art explains the how, why and when of contemporary art - who introduced certain techniques or genres, and why these matter. Simply constructed, the book explores 40 key works - from the iconic sculpture of Barbara Hepworth to the street art of Keith Haring and the performance pieces of Marina Abramovic - and links them to the most important movements, themes and techniques. Accessible, concise and richly illustrated, the book reveals the connections between different periods, artists and styles, giving readers a thorough understanding and broad enjoyment of contemporary art.

The author of Elements of Art demystifies the drawing of animals and birds to show that everything we see can be drawn using simple lines and shapes. Learn how to draw all kinds of woodland animals using this fun and easy step-by-step method. Starting with simple shapes, Susie Hodge shows you how easy it is to develop circles, rectangles, squares and ovals into an exciting selection of animals and birds including rabbits, badgers, woodpeckers, wolves, squirrels and chipmunks. If you have never drawn before this is definitely the book for you, and there is a lot here to inspire more experienced artists too.

This comprehensive handbook provides art teachers with practical advice on -planning effective lessons -developing imaginative ideas for teaching art across the age ranges -developing students'' creative, technical and critical skills -preparing students for coursework and exams This book is a must for all secondary art and design teachers, whether still in training, newly qualified or experienced.

The Knights Templar are one of the most secretive and powerful religious orders in history: for over two centuries they were the elite fighting force of the Crusades. Highly trained, and adhering to a strict chivalric code, their success on the battlefield brought them both wealth and political influence. But it is the legends and secrecy surrounding the order and its Grand Masters that continue to fascinate historians and general readers alike. Secrets of the Knights Templar examines each of these mysteries in turn to reveal the truth about the Knights'' secret practices, rituals and codes, as well as the continued influence of the Templars today. From the true location of the Holy Grail to the Templars'' involvement in the Battle of Bannockburn, and from the sudden downfall of the order to modern-day claims of descent - S. J. Hodge uncovers the hidden links behind the stories and separates historical fact from fiction.

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.

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 analyze and better understand artwork. From color, 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 color 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.

Drawing is easy - but you need to know the basics. Artist and writer Susie Hodge gets you drawing right away. With simple exercises to build your confidence, she quickly shows you how to grasp the fundamentals. Every exercise is made up of step-by-step instructions with clear, easy-to-follow illustrations. Line by line, you can see how it''s all done and soon you will be creating your own fantastic artworks. Step-by-step projects include: • A glass full of water • A forest on a Spring day • Faces and their proportions • Drawing draped and crumpled fabrics For anyone who''s ever wanted to try their hand at drawing, but hasn''t had the confidence, this thorough guide will provide you with the groundwork to get you sketching what you see.

Because teachers have so many things to do, creating new, inspiring lessons can often take a back seat. This book is designed to assist you in providing lesson ideas on everything from the Roman Empire to Martin Luther King. With more than 70 curriculum-linked lessons suitable for teaching 11-14-year-olds, this fabulously user-friendly resource features activities and teaching strategies based on the latest research and best practice. The practical, task-based activities are aimed at supporting and reinforcing your teaching, and promoting pupils'' enjoyment of the subject; encouraging their curiosity and imagination and helping them to develop enquiring minds and engage with the past. There are activities for individual, pair and group work, and the worksheets are all photocopiable and downloadable. This is an essential resource for all secondary school history teachers: newly qualified, experienced and in training.

Like having 100 of the world’s greatest painters at your side, giving you their own personal tips and advice – Painting Masterclass examines 100 paintings from art history: the way they were made, what they do well, and how and what we can learn from them. Throughout the history of painting, one of the best ways in which many great painters have developed their own personal approaches has been by copying other artists’ work. Learning from great artists helps to encourage a discerning eye, as well as an understanding of colour, materials and perspective, and can inspire further innovation. With the detailed analyses and instructive creative tips sections in this book, you can learn how to convey movement like Degas, apply acrylic like Twombly, and command colour like Matisse. With paintings comprising a broad variety of styles, approaches and materials, the book studies the techniques of many of the greatest painters who have worked across the globe from the 15th to the 21st centuries, using watercolour, gouache, tempera, fresco, oils, encaustic and mixed media, including: Titian, Francisco Goya, Gustave Courbet, Georges Seurat, Edvard Munch, Paul Gauguin, Gustav Klimt, Amedeo Modigliani, Jenny Saville, Caravaggio, Egon Schiele, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Paul Klee, Claude Monet, Edward Hopper, Georgia O’Keeffe, Leonardo da Vinci, Marlene Dumas, Mary Cassatt, Frida Kahlo, Marc Chagall, Sandro Botticelli and Jackson Pollock. Perfect for students as well as professional painters, and with a broad historical and global reach, this book is an indispensable introduction to the rich history and practice of painting. Organized by genre: nudes, figures, landscapes, still lifes, heads, fantasy, and abstraction. Includes practical tips and advice, allowing you to weave some of the great artists’ magic into your own work. Selected masterpieces serve as perfect examples of a particular quality in painting: light and shade, rhythm, form, space, contour, and composition are all covered in detail. Explores each artist’s creative vision, describing how they made the artwork. Use it as a guide, a confidence-booster, a workbook, a companion – or simply admire the paintings!

A comprehensive yet accessible sourcebook for curators and amateurs alike that examines the finer points of 100 well-known works of art Great paintings cannot be fully understood in a single encounter. Art lovers want to revisit and reconsider the masterpieces again and again throughout their lives, perceiving in greater depth and possibly modifying their value judgments every time they look at a work. Viewing a painting as a whole is a perfectly acceptable method of interacting with art, but a deeper understanding can only be gained by analyzing the painting in detail. Art in Detail spotlights these finer points that even connoisseurs may not pick up on quickly or perhaps at all. It covers all the minutiae that a quick glance will almost certainly fail to reveal. These include subtle internal details, such as hidden symbols and artistic tricks employed by the painter to achieve particular effects. In addition, Susie Hodge writes intelligently and informatively about relevant external influences on the artist—everything from the broad socio-economic context in which he or she flourished, to smaller local difficulties, such as the level of air pollution at the time the painting was created. This book examines 100 paintings from artists such as Pollock, Courbet, Monet, Mondrian, El Greco, van Eyck, and many others.

Come on, you know you''ve thought it--while viewing a "masterpiece" of abstract art, you mutter, "A kid could do that." Here Susie Hodge, author of How to Survive Modern Art, explains why the best examples of modern art are actually the result of sophisticated thought and serious talent. From Marcel Duchamp''s notorious Fountain and the scribbles of Cy Twombly to Mark Rothko''s multiforms and Carl Andre''s uncarved blocks, Hodge addresses critical outrage with a revealing insight into the technical skill, layering of ideas, and sheer inspiration behind each work. In cleverly organized chapters such as "Objects/ Toys," "Provocations/Tantrums," and "People/Monsters," Hodges thoughtfully and definitively lays bare the perception that modern art is mere child''s play.

Step 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.

How do you sum up the amazing world of art in just 100 words? This striking book takes on the challenge From pottery to Pointillism, each of the carefully chosen 100 words has its own 100-word long description and quirky illustration, providing a fascinating introduction to art. Basically, everything you need to know in a nutshell. Along with some classic methods, such as painting and sketching, you''ll also discover less predictable aspects of art that will give you a fresh perspective. Featuring materials, elements, methods, art movements, styles, and places this book covers a wide range of topics and themes, as well as some key artists of the past and present. With a clean, contemporary design, each word occupies a page of its own. A large striking illustration neatly encapsulates the accompanying 100 words of text. Other titles in the 100 Things to Know About series include: Ancient World, World Politics, Inventions.

Discover 100 wonderful and majestic creatures to draw! Whether you have your favourites already, or are looking for inspiration from a range of diverse habitats including rainforests, mountains, polar regions or the African savannah, you''re bound to discover an animal in this book that you will find irresistible ''Äì and you will just want to pick up your pencil and start drawing! Each animal is broken down into three or four simple stages that lead you effortlessly through to the finished drawing. There are no written instructions to follow ''Äì just basic shapes and pencil strokes. Even if you''Äôve never drawn anything before, you will be amazed at how quickly you will achieve incredibly impressive drawings. Every project also shows two finished examples of the animal ''Äì one shaded with pencil and the other with colour. This is the perfect book for budding artists yearning to draw their favourite animals. The material in this book is taken from the following books in Search Press''s successful How to Draw series: Mountain Animals, Polar Animals, Rainforest Animals, African Animals.