The decorative art of the Indians of the American Southwest has long been recognized as one of the most beautiful art traditions in the primitive world. It demonstrates a technical skill with simple materials, a symbolic richness, and a faculty for creating rich effects by the imaginative use of ornament that are all almost unique. Museums use Pueblo ceramics for display pieces, and modern artists and crafters have turned eagerly to the handwork of prehistoric Indian women for inspiration and working ideas. Mrs. Dorothy Sides, a noted artist and collector, has gathered together and redrawn in black and white nearly 300 examples of the finest authentic Southwestern Indian decoration that she has seen in a lifetime of study. She has not limited her selection to one period or style, however; to make her book as useful as possible, she has selected material ranging from the thirteenth century great geometric art of the Pueblos to the handcrafts carried on by the nomadic and Pueblo peoples of the present. The main emphasis of this volume is on ceramic decoration, and Mrs. Sides includes pieces from the rich archeological sites of Pecos, Sikyatki, the Mimbres, and modern Pueblo pottery from Acoma, Zuni, Cochiti, and the Hopi. She also includes designs and motifs from the basketry of the Apache, Pima, and Papago; beadwork from the Mohave; authentic Zuni masks; Hopi kachina dolls; and sand paintings and blanket designs from the Navajo. This broad coverage of beautiful ornament illustrates many different art styles to fit every situation: geometric designs based upon balanced mirror fields of design, symbolic figures of the thunderbird, and modern stylizations. All is beautiful and imaginative. Any crafter working with ceramics will find this book indispensable as a source of rich, easily used, powerful design; workers in wood, weavers, metal workers, and leather workers will find that it will enlarge their decorative resources considerably. It also offers unusual and eye-catching designs for commercial artists who wish to do work suggesting travel, handcrafts, the Southwest, or the social sciences. Individual drawings are royalty-free and may be reproduced without fee or permission. "Worthy of an honored place in the library of aboriginal American art." — F. H. Hodge, Director, Southwestern Museum.

A full-blooded Sioux trained as a warrior to age sixteen discusses the crafts, lore, and customs that were the essence of that training.

Rich in tradition and history, the art of batik has been a deeply integrated facet of Chinese folk art for over 2,000 years. Using molten beeswax, skilled artisans paint patterns onto white cloth, which is then dipped into indigo dye. When the wax is removed with boiling water, unique designs of great harmony and beauty remain. The themes depicted in batik decoration have a strong native flavor, and are distinctive of the Chinese provinces and districts where they were created. In Huangping, mountains, trees, and birds are represented. In the Miao district, the concentration is on flowers and butterflies, while in the Yunnan Province, designs of peacocks, monkeys, and elephants abound. In this stunning pictorial archive, more than 110 authentic designs have been carefully reproduced from a rare, early collection of batik art. Collected from the remote areas of China's southwestern provinces, each decorative pattern is rich in beauty and meaning. This royalty-free volume will be an invaluable resource for artists, designers, craftspeople, and any lover of traditional Chinese folk art.

Full-page reproductions of drawings from the early 15th century to the end of the 18th century, all beautifully reproduced and representing the finest efforts of the great masters of Western art. Includes works by Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Dürer, Fragonard, Urs Graf, Wouwerman, and many others. A first-rate browse and an excellent model book for artists.

Voluminous, diversified collection of ornamental two-, three-, and four-letter combinations — all in a rich variety of styles, many incorporating crowns, coronets, and ancient and modern alphabets. 130 black-and-white plates.

Extremely pliable yet amazingly durable, metal offers infinite decorative options. Here are 1,000 prime examples of French metal masterworks, painstakingly reproduced from an extremely rare and valuable edition. From the everyday to the ornate, items include: Weather vanes Tiles Waterspouts Trims Basins Pike heads You'll also find hundreds of other images, offering a wealth of inspiration and useful historical designs.

Treasury of 250 copyright-free images, drawn from authentic motifs on Hopi ceremonial dress, Zuni shields, Anasazi pottery, Navajo jewelry, rugs and sand paintings, Pueblo pottery, and many more. Clearly drawn in detail, easily reproducible, these motifs represent a highly useful resource for a myriad of art and craft projects.

Focusing on harmonic relations between lines, color, and dark and light patterns, this manual influenced generations of artists. Practical and well-illustrated, it conveys its insights in a convenient workbook format.

273 great 19th-century woodcuts: crimes, miracles, skeletons, ads, portraits, news cuts. Table of contents includes Calaveras; Disasters; National Events; Religion and Miracles; Don Chepito Marihuano; Chapbook Covers; Chapbook Illustrations; and Everyday Life.