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The Creativity Complex: Art, Tech, and the Seduction of an Idea
by Shannon Steen“Creativity” is a word that excites and dazzles us. It promises brilliance and achievement, a shield against conformity, a channel for innovation across the arts, sciences, technology, and education, and a mechanism for economic revival and personal success. But it has not always evoked these ideas. The Creativity Complex traces the history of how creativity has come to mean the things it now does, and explores the ethical implications of how we use this term today for both the arts and for the social world more broadly. Richly researched, the book explores how creativity has been invoked in arenas as varied as Enlightenment debates over the nature of cognition, Victorian-era intelligence research, the Cold War technology race, contemporary K-12 education, and even modern electoral politics. Ultimately, The Creativity Complex asks how our ideas about creativity are bound up with those of self-fulfillment, responsibility, and the individual, and how these might seduce us into joining a worldview and even a set of social imperatives that we might otherwise find troubling.
Creativity from Suburban Nowheres: Rethinking Cultural and Creative Practices (Global Suburbanisms)
by Ilja Van Damme Ruth McManus Michiel DehaeneLooking at suburbs as places of creativity gives rise to novel and thought-provoking narratives that typically run counter to the idea that suburbs are sites of "ordinary," "mundane," and "everyday" practices. Far from being geographies of "nowhere" – dull, materialistic, and monotone – suburbs are unpacked as being heterogeneous and historically layered places of living, work, and creation. Situating creativity in place and time, Creativity from Suburban Nowheres displaces mainstream understandings of creativity and widespread stereotypes commonly associated with the suburbs. Contributors explore the particular forms of creativity that suburbs elicit both in the process of their making, materialization, and community construction, and in the myriad ways in which suburbs are inhabited and experienced. They highlight accounts of suburbs as places that give people the space and latitude to shape individual and collective identities through creative practices at odds with mainstream culture, and often remote from the classic agglomeration "assets" associated with inner cities. Anchored in historical and geographical research, this volume highlights how and in what forms creativity should be understood in the suburbs, why and when creativity can be found, and how the notion of suburban creativity overthrows ingrained and dominant normative viewpoints. Rather than seeing creativity arise despite its suburban location, Creativity from Suburban Nowheres illuminates the emancipatory potential of suburbs for creativity.
Creativity in Art, Design and Technology (Springer Series on Cultural Computing)
by Susan Liggett Rae Earnshaw Jill TownsleyThis is an open access book.Creativity is a difficult concept, how can it best be defined, understood, applied, and practiced? This book provides important answers to these questions. Technology can enable artists to be more creative. Scientific and artistic thinking give us two complementary tools to understand the complexity of the world, with science reducing subjective experience to essential principles and art intensifying and expanding our experiences. These examples also show how artists can push the boundaries of technology into exciting new realms that have not been explored before. The impact that art and art practice can have on culture, society, and social responsibility is explored in detail through examples and case studies. In addition, the book presents how artists are creating and reflecting cultural and societal resonance in their work. Can other disciplines help artists to be more creative? All are part of an interrelated wider society and enables artists to develop artwork fit for highly interfaced and conceptually broad contemporary contexts. This is illustrated with examples which show exciting and challenging results. Creativity in Art, Design and Technology is relevant for artists, designers, scientists and technologists. All can benefit in a major way from a greater understanding of creativity, and the ways in which mutual interaction and collaboration enables all areas to develop. The potential for the future is immense and this book signposts the way forward.
Creativity in Indian Dance: Uday Shankar's Autumn Years, 1960 – 1977
by Sulakshana SenHeralded as the father of Indian Creative Dance, and India’s cultural ambassador, Uday Shankar (1900–1977) was a dancer and choreographer who created a vibrant new Indian dance form without any ethno-regional centricity. Over time, Shankar’s art evolved from being a representation of the exotic East, to a narrative of modern India. This book provides a detailed study of Shankar’s works in his autumn years (1960–1977), which remain largely un-documented. It discusses the form and content of Shankar’s style, and its basic tenets - something hitherto unexplored. It also analyses Rabindranath Tagore and Uday Shankar as path-breakers of the duality in Indian performing arts traditions. The productions explored in detail are Samanya Kshati (1961), Shankar’s tour of USA, Canada and Europe in 1962, and India’s cultural diplomacy, as well as Prakriti Ananda (1966), Shankar’s last tour of USA (1968), his last masterpiece, Shankarscope (1970, 1971 and 1972), together with Shankar's legacy. This book is an essential read for scholars and researchers of dance history, art history, critical theory, artists' biographies, creative arts studies, theatre and Asian performing arts studies as well as students of International Relations theory – primarily those interested in cultural diplomacy and soft power.
Creativity in Intelligent Technologies and Data Science: Third Conference, CIT&DS 2019, Volgograd, Russia, September 16–19, 2019, Proceedings, Part II (Communications in Computer and Information Science #1084)
by Alla G. Kravets Peter P. Groumpos Maxim Shcherbakov Marina KultsovaThis two-volume set constitutes the proceedings of the Third Conference on Creativity in Intellectual Technologies and Data Science, CIT&DS 2019, held in Volgograd, Russia, in September 2019.The 67 full papers, 1 short paper and 3 keynote papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 231 submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections in the two volumes. Part I: cyber-physical systems and Big Data-driven world. Part II: artificial intelligence and deep learning technologies for creative tasks; intelligent technologies in social engineering.
Creativity in Intelligent Technologies and Data Science: 4th International Conference, CIT&DS 2021, Volgograd, Russia, September 20–23, 2021, Proceedings (Communications in Computer and Information Science #1448)
by Alla G. Kravets Maxim Shcherbakov Danila Parygin Peter P. GroumposThis book constitutes the proceedings of the 4th Conference on Creativity in Intellectual Technologies and Data Science, CIT&DS 2021, held in Volgograd, Russia, in September 2021.The 39 full papers, 7 short papers, and 2 keynote papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 182 submissions. The papers are organized in the following topical sections: Artificial intelligence and deep learning technologies: knowledge discovery in patent and open sources; open science semantic technologies; IoT and computer vision in knowledge-based control; Cyber-physical systems and big data-driven control: pro-active modeling in intelligent decision making support; design creativity in CASE/CAI/CAD/PDM; intelligent technologies in urban design and computing; Intelligent technologies in social engineering: data science in social networks analysis and cyber security; educational creativity and game-based learning; intelligent assistive technologies: software design and application.
Creativity in Intelligent Technologies and Data Science: 5th International Conference, CIT&DS 2023, Volgograd, Russia, September 11–15, 2023, Proceedings (Communications in Computer and Information Science #1909)
by Alla G. Kravets Maxim V. Shcherbakov Peter P. GroumposThis book constitutes the proceedings of the 5th Conference on Creativity in Intellectual Technologies and Data Science, CIT&DS 2023, held in Volgograd, Russia, in September 2023.The 40 regular papers and 2 keynote papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 148 submissions. The papers are organized in the following topical sections: Artificial intelligence and deep learning technologies for creative tasks. Knowledge discovery in patent and open sources; Artificial intelligence & Deep Learning Technologies for Creative tasks. Open science semantic technologies; Artificial intelligence and deep learning technologies for creative tasks. Computer vision and knowledge-based control; Cyber-physical systems and big data-driven control: pro-active modeling in intelligent decision making support; Cyber-Physical Systems & Big Data-driven world. Industrial creativity in CASE/CAI/CAD/PDM; Cyber-Physical Systems & Big Data-driven world. Intelligent Internet of Services and Internet of Things; Intelligent Technologies in Social Engineering. Data Science in Social Networks Analysis and Cyber Security; Intelligent Technologies in Social Engineering. Creativity & Game-Based Learning; Intelligent Technologies in Social Engineering. Intelligent Technologies in Medicine& Healthcare; Intelligent Technologies in Social Engineering. Intelligent technologies in Urban Design&Computing.
Creativity in Music Education (Creativity In The Twenty First Century Ser.)
by Yukiko Tsubonou Ai-Girl Tan Mayumi OieThis book creates a platform for music educators to share their experience and expertise in creative music teaching and learning with the international community. It presents research studies and practices that are original and representative of music education in the Japanese, Asian and international communities. It also collects substantial literature on music education research in Japan and other Asian societies, enabling English-speaking readers to access excellent research and practical experiences in non-English societies.
Creativity in the Age of Digital Reproduction: xArch Symposium (Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering #343)
by Giancarlo Di Marco Davide Lombardi Mia TedjosaputroInspired by this symposium we would like to rethink and provide an insight about the use of new technologies in architecture and design. The consideration spans over (but not limited to) computational design, virtual experience, digital fabrication, artificial intelligence and sustainability/environment. Readers of the proceedings will benefit from discussions on how adoption of new technologies can benefit the Construction Industry rather than just for the sake of leveraging new technologies. The book targets scholars and high-education level students, as well as Ph.D.s which research falls into the broad realm of digital design.
Creativity in the Design Process: Exploring the Influences of the Digital Evolution (Springer Series in Design and Innovation #18)
by Carmen BrunoThe book provides an open and integrated view of creativity in the 21st century, merging theories and case studies from design, psychology, sociology, computer science and human-computer interaction, while benefitting from a continuous dialogue within a network of experts in these fields. An exploratory journey guides the reader through the major social, human, and technological changes that influence human creative abilities, highlighting the fundamental factors that need to be stimulated for creative empowerment in the digital era. The book reflects on why and how design practice and design research should explore digital creativity, and promote the empowerment of creativity, presenting two flexible tools specifically developed to observe the influences on multiple level of human creativity in the digital transition, and understand their positive and negative effect on the creative design process. An overview of the main influences and opportunities collected by adopting the two tools are presented with guidelines to design actions to empower the process for innovation.
Creativity in the Early Years: Engaging Children Aged 0-5
by Simon TaylorThis book offers an accessible and comprehensive new introduction to the subject and practise of creativity in early years education. Taylor takes a uniquely rights-based and inclusive approach to creativity, providing students with a holistic, internationally-minded overview of creativity and its place both inside and outside the classroom. Sections focus on: Defining creativity and its benefits Different modes of creativity Creativity in a policy and social context Creative pedagogy in practice Creative leadership Each chapter offers questions for critical reflection, illustrative contemporary case studies, and ample suggestions for further reading.
Creativity in the Early Years: Engaging Children Aged 0-5
by Simon TaylorThis book offers an accessible and comprehensive new introduction to the subject and practise of creativity in early years education. Taylor takes a uniquely rights-based and inclusive approach to creativity, providing students with a holistic, internationally-minded overview of creativity and its place both inside and outside the classroom. Sections focus on: Defining creativity and its benefits Different modes of creativity Creativity in a policy and social context Creative pedagogy in practice Creative leadership Each chapter offers questions for critical reflection, illustrative contemporary case studies, and ample suggestions for further reading.
Creativity in Tokyo: Revitalizing a Mature City
by Matjaz Ursic Heide ImaiThis book focuses on overlooked contextual factors that constitute the urban creative climate or innovative urban milieu in contemporary cities. Filled with reflections based on interviews with a diverse range of creative actors in various local neighborhoods in Tokyo, it offers a rare glimpse into the complex set of elements that provide long-term, physical, and sociocultural support to urban creativity. Ursic and Imai highlight the interplay between physical and soft (social) factors in the process of place-making and explore how a city’s creativity is influenced by financial support and accessible infrastructure, as well as the sets of informal networks, services, and tacit, locally embedded knowledge that provide the basic layers of stimuli needed for creativity to fully develop. The authors show how the future development of creativity and the overall development of a city depend not only on the (top-down) planning strategies of formal authorities, but also on the appropriate (bottom-up) inclusion of heterogeneous elements that are provided and embedded within the small, hidden context of city spaces.
Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration
by Ed Catmull Amy WallaceFrom Ed Catmull, co-founder (with Steve Jobs and John Lasseter) of Pixar Animation Studios, comes an incisive book about creativity in business—sure to appeal to readers of Daniel Pink, Tom Peters, and Chip and Dan Heath.Creativity, Inc. is a book for managers who want to lead their employees to new heights, a manual for anyone who strives for originality, and the first-ever, all-access trip into the nerve center of Pixar Animation—into the meetings, postmortems, and &“Braintrust&” sessions where some of the most successful films in history are made. It is, at heart, a book about how to build a creative culture—but it is also, as Pixar co-founder and president Ed Catmull writes, &“an expression of the ideas that I believe make the best in us possible.&”For nearly twenty years, Pixar has dominated the world of animation, producing such beloved films as the Toy Story trilogy, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Up, and WALL-E, which have gone on to set box-office records and garner thirty Academy Awards. The joyousness of the storytelling, the inventive plots, the emotional authenticity: In some ways, Pixar movies are an object lesson in what creativity really is. Here, in this book, Catmull reveals the ideals and techniques that have made Pixar so widely admired—and so profitable.As a young man, Ed Catmull had a dream: to make the first computer-animated movie. He nurtured that dream as a Ph.D. student at the University of Utah, where many computer science pioneers got their start, and then forged a partnership with George Lucas that led, indirectly, to his founding Pixar with Steve Jobs and John Lasseter in 1986. Nine years later, Toy Story was released, changing animation forever. The essential ingredient in that movie&’s success—and in the thirteen movies that followed—was the unique environment that Catmull and his colleagues built at Pixar, based on philosophies that protect the creative process and defy convention, such as:• Give a good idea to a mediocre team, and they will screw it up. But give a mediocre idea to a great team, and they will either fix it or come up with something better.• If you don&’t strive to uncover what is unseen and understand its nature, you will be ill prepared to lead. • It&’s not the manager&’s job to prevent risks. It&’s the manager&’s job to make it safe for others to take them.• The cost of preventing errors is often far greater than the cost of fixing them. • A company&’s communication structure should not mirror its organizational structure. Everybody should be able to talk to anybody.• Do not assume that general agreement will lead to change—it takes substantial energy to move a group, even when all are on board.
Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration
by Amy Wallace Ed CatmullCreativity, Inc. is a book for managers who want to lead their employees to new heights, a manual for anyone who strives for originality, and the first-ever, all-access trip into the nerve center of Pixar Animation—into the meetings, postmortems, and “Braintrust” sessions where some of the most successful films in history are made. It is, at heart, a book about how to build a creative culture—but it is also, as Pixar co-founder and president Ed Catmull writes, “an expression of the ideas that I believe make the best in us possible.”<P><P> For nearly twenty years, Pixar has dominated the world of animation, producing such beloved films as the Toy Story trilogy, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Up, and WALL-E, which have gone on to set box-office records and garner thirty Academy Awards. The joyousness of the storytelling, the inventive plots, the emotional authenticity: In some ways, Pixar movies are an object lesson in what creativity really is. Here, in this book, Catmull reveals the ideals and techniques that have made Pixar so widely admired—and so profitable.<P> As a young man, Ed Catmull had a dream: to make the first computer-animated movie. He nurtured that dream as a Ph.D. student at the University of Utah, where many computer science pioneers got their start, and then forged a partnership with George Lucas that led, indirectly, to his founding Pixar with Steve Jobs and John Lasseter in 1986. Nine years later, Toy Story was released, changing animation forever. The essential ingredient in that movie’s success—and in the thirteen movies that followed—was the unique environment that Catmull and his colleagues built at Pixar, based on philosophies that protect the creative process and defy convention, such as:<P> * Give a good idea to a mediocre team, and they will screw it up. But give a mediocre idea to a great team, and they will either fix it or come up with something better.<P> * If you don’t strive to uncover what is unseen and understand its nature, you will be ill prepared to lead. <P> * It’s not the manager’s job to prevent risks. It’s the manager’s job to make it safe for others to take them.<P> * The cost of preventing errors is often far greater than the cost of fixing them. <P> * A company’s communication structure should not mirror its organizational structure. Everybody should be able to talk to anybody.<P> Chosen for Mark Zuckerberg's "A Year of Books"
Creativity, Inc. (The Expanded Edition): Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration
by Ed Catmull Amy WallaceThe co-founder and longtime president of Pixar updates and expands his 2014 New York Times bestseller on creative leadership, reflecting on the management principles that built Pixar&’s singularly successful culture, and on all he learned during the past nine years that allowed Pixar to retain its creative culture while continuing to evolve.&“Might be the most thoughtful management book ever.&”—Fast Company For nearly thirty years, Pixar has dominated the world of animation, producing such beloved films as the Toy Story trilogy, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Up, and WALL-E, which have gone on to set box-office records and garner eighteen Academy Awards. The joyous storytelling, the inventive plots, the emotional authenticity: In some ways, Pixar movies are an object lesson in what creativity really is. Here, Catmull reveals the ideals and techniques that have made Pixar so widely admired—and so profitable. As a young man, Ed Catmull had a dream: to make the first computer-animated movie. He nurtured that dream as a Ph.D. student, and then forged a partnership with George Lucas that led, indirectly, to his founding Pixar with Steve Jobs and John Lasseter in 1986. Nine years later, Toy Story was released, changing animation forever. The essential ingredient in that movie&’s success—and in the twenty-five movies that followed—was the unique environment that Catmull and his colleagues built at Pixar, based on philosophies that protect the creative process and defy convention, such as:• Give a good idea to a mediocre team and they will screw it up. But give a mediocre idea to a great team and they will either fix it or come up with something better.• It&’s not the manager&’s job to prevent risks. It&’s the manager&’s job to make it safe for others to take them.• The cost of preventing errors is often far greater than the cost of fixing them.• A company&’s communication structure should not mirror its organizational structure. Everybody should be able to talk to anybody.Creativity, Inc. has been significantly expanded to illuminate the continuing development of the unique culture at Pixar. It features a new introduction, two entirely new chapters, four new chapter postscripts, and changes and updates throughout. Pursuing excellence isn&’t a one-off assignment but an ongoing, day-in, day-out, full-time job. And Creativity, Inc. explores how it is done.
Creativity Policy, Partnerships and Practice in Education (Creativity, Education and the Arts)
by Kim Snepvangers Pat Thomson Anne HarrisThis book examines the gaps in creativity education across the education lifespan and the resulting implications for creative education and economic policy. Building on cutting-edge international research, the editors and contributors explore innovations in interdisciplinary creativities, including STEM agendas and definitions, science and creativity and organisational creativity amongst other subjects. Central to the volume is the idea that good creative educational practice and policy advancement needs to reimagine individual contribution and possibilities, whilst resisting standardization: it is inherently risky, not risk-averse. Prioritising creative partnerships, zones of contact, practice encounters and creative ecologies signal new modes of participatory engagement. Unfortunately, while primary schools continue to construct environments conducive to this kind of ‘slow education’, secondary schools and education policy persistently do not. This book argues, from diverse viewpoints and methodological perspectives, that 21st-century creativity education must find a way to advance in a more integrated and less siloed manner in order to respond to pedagogical innovation, economic imperatives and creative possibilities, and adequately prepare students for creative practice, workplaces and publics. This innovative volume will appeal to students and scholars of creative practice as well as policy makers and practitioners.
Creativity Under Duress in Education?: Resistive Theories, Practices, and Actions (Creativity Theory and Action in Education #3)
by Carol A. MullenCreativity Under Duress in Education? introduces a new framework—creativity under duress in education. Leading creativity researchers and educational scholars discuss creative theory and practice from an educational lens that is provocative. Across international contexts, this book combines insights from creativity and educational research; rich illustrations from classrooms, schools, and other professional settings, and practical ideas and strategies for how anyone invested in education can support creative teaching and learning. Readers will encounter diverse perspectives from an international cast of authors exploring cutting-edge ideas for creativity and innovation as a foremost priority for economies in the new millennium. At the same time, they consider forces of authority, control, and constraint that impact creative education and innovation within educational systems, extending to the professions. Educators and those interested in the future of education are vitally important to this conversation around research-based and practical analyses of creativity in and beyond the classroom. Addressed are these major issues: (1) creativity frameworks of theory and action in education, (2) research investigations into creativity and education, and (3) applications of creativity theory in real-world practice.Dynamic, this book presents a bridge between draconian contexts of assessment and explosive creativity in diverse places. A key contribution of the volume is its validation and promotion of creativity and innovation for students, teachers, professors, leaders, employers, policymakers, and others seeking ways to profoundly improve learning and transform education. In tackling the seemingly irreconcilable issues of creativity and accountability in K–12 institutions, higher education, and policy circles, worldwide, this work offers a message that is both cautionary and inspiring. Book editor Carol A. Mullen, PhD, is Professor of Educational Leadership at Virginia Tech, Virginia, USA. A twice-awarded Fulbright Scholar to China (2015) and Canada (2017), she was honored with the 2016 Jay D. Scribner Mentoring Award from the University Council for Educational Administration. She is author of Creativity and Education in China (2017) and co-editor of Education policy perils (2016).
Creativity, Wellbeing and Mental Health Practice (Palgrave Studies in Creativity and Culture)
by Tony GillamThis book argues that some aspects of mental health practice have become mechanical, joyless and uninspiring, leading to a loss of creativity and wellbeing. A high level of wellbeing is essential to mental health and contemporary mental health care – and creativity is at the heart of this. A greater awareness of everyday creativity, the arts and creative approaches to mental health practice, learning and leadership can help us reinvent and reinvigorate mental health care. This, combined with a clearer understanding of the complex concept of wellbeing, can enable practitioners to adopt fresh perspectives and roles that can enrich their work. Creativity and wellbeing are fundamental to reducing occupational stress and promoting professional satisfaction. Introducing a new model of creative mental health care combined with recommendations for wellbeing, Creativity, Wellbeing and Mental Health Practice is a practical, evidence-based book for students, practitioners and researchers in mental health nursing and related disciplines.
Creatura Nova: Pasión y perdón
by Gennaro CarranoAtemporal drama en el que autor Gennaro Carrano nos muestra los polos opuestos del ser humano: la extrema maldad y la bondad absoluta y cuyo final soprenderá al lector por la crudeza de los hechos. La historia proviene de una época lejana y de un lugar que bien podría estar más cercano de lo que imaginamos. Dos hombres nos la traen, tan distantes entre sí como el tiempo y el lugar del mismo. Felice, poeta de la alta sociedad y Valerio, un hombre sencillo. El impulso de contarla surge de un sentimiento vacilante, el deseo de comunicar la deriva de sentimientos ignorados y el impulso de deshacerse de una pesada carga. Dos hermanos son los protagonistas de la historia: Verginia y Adelfo. La miseria, la soledad, la ignorancia, la ira y la frustración pueden ser una mezcla explosiva para cualquier hombre que no esté acostumbrado a verse por dentro.
Creature: Paintings, Drawings, And Reflections
by Shaun TanFrom the creator of THE ARRIVAL, a collection of essays illuminating his thoughts and advice for writers and artists, young and old.Shaun Tan is one of the world's most highly acclaimed narrative artists—his stories and images are loved by countless young and not-so-young readers around the world. Drawing upon 25 years as a picture book and comics creator, painter, and filmmaker, CREATURE explores the central obsession of this visionary artist, from casual doodles to studied oil-paintings. Beyond sketches for acclaimed works such as THE ARRIVAL, THE LOST THING, and TALES FROM OUTER SUBURBIA, this volume collects together for the first time unseen and stand-alone illustrations, each resonant with unwritten tales of their own. Detailed commentary by the artist offers an entertaining insight into the endless allure of imaginary, non-human beings and what they might tell us about our so-called "normal" human selves. Artists, writers, students, dreamers, and anyone interested in the deeper undercurrents of creativity, myth, and visual metaphor will find inspiration in these pages.
Creature
by Andrew ZuckermanPhotographer Andrew Zuckerman's strikingly detailed images of animals from around the world are as delightful as they are inspiring. This collection of astonishing studio portraits of 175 wild creatures—from baby leopards to parrots, bears, mandrills, and many more—are stunningly foregrounded against white backgrounds, depicting their subjects with rare sensitivity, insight, humor, and wonder. Zuckerman—also an up-and-coming filmmaker, whose first short film, High Falls, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007—has created a volume perfect for animal lovers, photography fans, and anyone fascinated by the world around us. Creature is a beautiful and thought-provoking look at the fragile wonders of the natural world. Plus, this is the fixed format version, which includes beautiful high-resolution images.
Creature
by Andrew ZuckermanPhotographer Andrew Zuckerman's strikingly detailed images of animals from around the world are as delightful as they are inspiring. This collection of astonishing studio portraits of 175 wild creatures--from baby leopards to parrots, bears, mandrills, and many more--are stunningly foregrounded against white backgrounds, depicting their subjects with rare sensitivity, insight, humor, and wonder. Zuckerman--also an up-and-coming filmmaker, whose first short film, High Falls, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007--has created a volume perfect for animal lovers, photography fans, and anyone fascinated by the world around us. Creature is a beautiful and thought-provoking look at the fragile wonders of the natural world.
Creature Camp: Make Your Own • 18 Softies to Draw, Sew & Stuff
by Wendi Gratz Jo GratzBy a mother and daughter duo: &“a bit of a &‘learn to sew&’ book for children . . . provide[s] ample inspiration without intimidation for young crafters&” (Publishers Weekly). This collection of 18 skill-building projects teaches children with no sewing experience how to sew their very own cuddly pals. From sewing on buttons to putting in zippers, this guide walks kids step-by-step through various skill levels. They will learn to embroider, turn corners, and make curves with these fun designs. Multiple examples of each project encourage them to explore ideas. Featuring shapes, critters, and monsters that appeal to kids&’ imagination, the projects build on skills and develop creativity. &“Written for children by Wendi and her daughter Jo . . . a book of sewing basics focusing on creating fun stuffed creatures, and it&’s suitable for new or experienced sewists ages 9 and up. It&’s kid-tested and approved, because all of the sewing was done by 11-year-old Jo and her friends . . . With Christmas coming, I can&’t think of a more perfect book for kids and grown-ups alike. There is just so much cuteness that needs to be stitched and gifted!&”—Wild Olive Blog
Creature Features: Draw Amazing Monsters & Aliens
by Randy MartinezPrepare to scare . . .Open this book, grab a pen, and give life to the monsters that lurk in your imagination. Creature Features shows you how to draw all things creepy, slimy and fantastical. More than 40 step-by-step demonstrations take you from start to finish as you master techniques for drawing the scariest beings on the planet and beyond, including dragons, zombies, vampires, aliens, demons, werewolves and many more.Author Randy Martinez takes a no-fear approach to drawing. As an officially licensed artist for Lucasfilm, Ltd., he's mastered the art of drawing full-color images of some of your most favorite creatures from popular comics and films. Taking it one step at a time, you'll be drawing like a pro right down to the last detail—from evil eyes and terrifying teeth to pointy nails and sharp scales.With Creature Features, being freaky has never been more fun. Get in touch with your dark side, and get drawing today!