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The Country Set

A Celebration of Britain's Best-loved Wildlife

Hannah Dale

Batsford

Format:

Hardback ISBN: 9781909881037

Hardback publication date: 7 August 2014

Category: Art & Illustration

Hardback price:

£ 9.99

OUT OF STOCK

eBook ISBN: 9781849948845

eBook publication date: 20 July 2023

Category: Art & Illustration

eBook price: £ 8.99

  Our price: £

This beautiful little giftbook features 50 British birds and animals painted by Hannah Dale in her uniquely quirky, characterful style. From the red deer to the harvest mouse, from the sparrow to the barn owl, the nation’s favourite creatures are delightfully brought to life by this award-winning artist. Smaller pictures include their tracks and feathers, to help you identify when they’ve been near. There’s also an insightful and entertaining text accompanying each portrait.

ABOUT THE Author

Hannah Dale runs Wrendale Designs, a stationery and gift design company which specialises in endearing illustrations depicting British wildlife. Her other Batsford titles include: A Dog’s Life, The Farmyard Set The Young Ones, The Country Set, Born to be Wild and Flying The Nest. Hannah lives in rural Lincolnshire and her work is inspired by the beautiful surrounding countryside. She can be found on social media @wrendaledesigns and is also a trained zoologist.

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How to Be Creative in Textile Art

Julia Triston

Rachel Lombard

Batsford

Format:

Hardback ISBN: 9781849940061

Hardback publication date: 15 September 2011

Category: Crafts

Hardback price:

£ 19.99

eBook ISBN: 9781849941457

eBook publication date: 18 October 2013

Category: Crafts

eBook price: £ 12.99

  Our price: £

It’s a question asked by many budding textile artists: how can I be more creative? You’ve got a few ideas and know some techniques, but you’re not sure how to get started or make your work hang together. This book shows you how. It explains the creative process from the very beginning: where to find inspiration and how to harness those ideas; how to gather source material; how to pull together what you have. The authors then take you on a journey to develop a design. Learn how to put elements together to make a cohesive whole and develop a theme, learning established design rules along the way. Part Three, Moving into Stitch, gives you a range of techniques and easy experiments with which to turn your design into stitched-textile work. From choosing what fabrics to use, to layering, creating texture and adding embellishment, it covers the key techniques to try. This is a terrific book for those starting out in textiles who really do want to be as creative as they can possibly be. 

ABOUT THE Author

Julia Triston is a designer-maker and educator in stitched textiles, with over 30 years’ experience teaching in the creative industries. Julia’s work has appeared on television as well as being extensively documented in written media, and she regularly uses upcycled underwear for feminist art pieces, appearing on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square in 2012 in one of her ‘Bra-ra’ dresses. She lives in Denmark.

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ABOUT THE Author

Rachel Lombard is an award-winning textile artist and designer. Living in County Durham, Rachel runs her own business creating functional, tactile and decorative artworks. She also runs a programme of talks and workshops. Rachel is the internal verifier for StitchBusiness City and Guilds courses and has written for Stitch, Classic Stitches and Flair magazines. She exhibits her work and is an active member of Fusion and InterfaceArts.

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Learn Acrylics Quickly

Soraya French

Batsford

Format:

Hardback ISBN: 9781849944991

Hardback publication date: 4 October 2018

Series: Learn Quickly

Category: Practical Art

Hardback price:

£ 9.99

OUT OF STOCK

eBook ISBN: 9781849945677

eBook publication date: 27 November 2020

Series: Learn Quickly

Category: Practical Art

eBook price: £ 6.99

  Our price: £

A fun and accessible guide to acrylics, featuring step-by-step exercises and advice on technique to help your paintings flourish. 

Leading painter, teacher and writer Soraya French has distilled her art teaching into the things that matter most and can be digested in a short period of time – in just one afternoon you can start acrylic painting. Learning to paint is one of the life-long aspirations of many of us, and painting with today’s acrylics paints has never been easier or more accessible. Acrylics are becoming increasingly popular, especially for beginners because of their versatility and strength of colour. Acrylics can be used thickly like oils, but they dry much more quickly, or they can be watered down to look like watercolour.

The author, known for her own vibrant and colourful acrylic paintings, covers equipment and the best colours to buy and shows the different ways of using acrylic to create a range of effects with simple instruction and easy-to-follow exercises. She shows how to use acrylics to paint a range of subjects: flowers and trees, landscapes, cityscapes and people.

ABOUT THE Author

Soraya French is a successful contemporary artist with an international reputation. She tutors occasional mixed-media workshops at her studio in Hampshire and overseas, and is the author of several acclaimed art books. Soraya is currently the president of the Society of Women Artists.

 

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REVIEWS

'This excellent series concentrates on the fundamentals without reducing them to a lowest common denominator. The authors have been chosen not only because they are experts in their field, but are also popular with the intended audience – you’d actively seek their advice.’

Henry Malt
The Artist

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Experimental Flowers in Watercolour

Ann Blockley

Batsford

Format:

Hardback ISBN: 9781906388775

Hardback publication date: 23 June 2011

Category: Practical Art

Hardback price:

£ 18.99

OUT OF STOCK

eBook ISBN: 9781849941440

eBook publication date: 20 September 2013

Category: Practical Art

eBook price: £ 12.99

  Our price: £

Well-known watercolour painter Ann Blockley presents flowers through a variety of interpretations, from traditional to unconventional in both technique and concept. In this exciting new book she really pushes the boundaries of watercolour, showing how to paint a stunning range of flowers throughout the seasons.
Everyone loves to paint flowers in spring and summer but Ann inspires you to paint dramatic seedheads, foliage, fruit and berries in winter, as well as the more traditional flowers and blossoms. She also demonstrates how to create exciting textures by using collage materials like glitter, sequins, salt and gold paint.
Divided by seasons into four sections, Experimental Flowers in Watercolour is a practical and inspirational book aimed at the more experienced flower painter who wishes to take their painting to the next level.

ABOUT THE Author

Ann Blockley is a well-known watercolourist with an international reputation. She is a member of the RI (Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour) and the author of seven bestselling practical art books, including Experimental Flowers in Watercolour and Experimental Landscapes in Watercolour, both published by Batsford. Ann runs her own very popular watercolour courses, teaches at international workshops, has made three DVDs of her painting techniques and regularly writes for The Artist magazine. She lives in Devon.

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600 Watercolour Mixes

Sharon Finmark

Batsford

Format:

Hardback ISBN: 9781906388829

Hardback publication date: 3 February 2011

Category: Practical Art

Hardback price:

£ 9.99

OUT OF STOCK

eBook ISBN: 9781849941433

eBook publication date: 18 September 2013

Category: Practical Art

eBook price: £ 6.99

  Our price: £

  • All you need to know about mixing watercolours
  • Explores all the different colour mixing techniques including palette mixing, overlaying and wet-into-wet
  • Provides a visual source of over 600 watercolour mixes
  • Fully annotated paintings throughout demonstrate the colours and mixes used.

Colour is fundamental to painting and the ability to mix and reproduce specific hues is an art in itself. Colour theory can be dull and complicated, but in this book, experienced artist and teacher, Sharon Finmark, demonstrates colour mixing in a practical and easy-to-follow way.

In addition to being an extensive visual sourcebook to nearly 600 colour mixes, there are paintings featured throughout with all the different hues and mixes in each painting analysed and annotated. In this way, watercolour painters learn by application how to get the best out of their paints.

ABOUT THE Author

Sharon Finmark trained at St Martin’s College of Art and teaches life drawing and painting at Lauderdale House in London. She writes for the Artist magazine and is author of several painting books, including 600 Watercolour Mixes (Batsford).

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Cottage Garden Flowers

Margery Fish

Batsford

Format:

Hardback ISBN: 9781849943635

Hardback publication date: 12 May 2016

Category: Lifestyle & Gardening

Hardback price:

£ 9.99

eBook ISBN: 9781849941075

eBook publication date: 16 January 2013

Category: Lifestyle & Gardening

eBook price: £ 4.99

  Our price: £

Margery Fish was the voice of gardening in the 1960s and her advice and enthusiasm for horticulture has stood the test of time. In her imaginative adaption of the traditional cottage garden style that she saw disappearing around her, she brought together old-fashioned plants and contemporary plants in the same vein.Today’s mixed borders are a direct descendant of the style Margery Fish created at East Lambrook Manor in Somerset, now once again open to the public.
Cottage Garden Flowers covers plants that grow easily and naturally in our soil, including easy, adaptable pubs, perennials and shrubs, such as Astrantia, columbines, daffodils, daisies, Dianthus, foxgloves, hollyhocks, Japonica, old roses, Phlox, Primula, or Virburnum. No longer in danger of being forgotten, these traditional flowering plants have now res-established their place at the heart of garden design.
Graham Rice, the widely published gardening author and the former London Evening Standard gardening correspondent, has reviewed the plant names in the original text, providing a plant name section at the back of the book. This allows readers to identify current plants from the old Latin names within the text.

ABOUT THE Author

Margery Fish (1892–1969) was one of the most admired gardeners and garden writers of her day. Her many articles and books inspired garden enthusiasts with her easy-to-read knowledge and observation. A passion for nature and an ability to combine plants effectively in even the smallest space and in differing environments made her ideas relevant to all gardeners of her time, and an inspiration for future generations. Her garden at East Lambrook Manor in Somerset is still open to visitors today.

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The Batsford Book of Chess for Children

Sabrina Chevannes

Batsford

Format:

Hardback ISBN: 9781849940696

Hardback publication date: 15 August 2013

Category: Chess

Hardback price:

£ 12.99

OUT OF STOCK

eBook ISBN: 9781849941341

eBook publication date: 15 August 2013

Category: Chess

eBook price: £ 5.99

  Our price: £

Chess is experiencing a new wave of popularity in schools, and it’s educational too. Organisations like Chess in Schools are promoting it as the perfect way to develop analytical thinking skills, foster the competitive instinct – and provide a lot of fun along the way.
This cute, character-based book, aimed at children aged 7 and up, is a complete guide to chess for those starting out in the game. In straightforward, animated language, Jess and Jamie – two rough-and-tumble kids who are obsessed with chess – explain everything you need to know, from first sitting down at the board to sneaky tricks to help you beat your opponents.
The book explains who the pieces are and how they move (and that we’re talking about pawns, not prawns), how to reach checkmate (or, in Jess’s words, ‘how to kill the king’), and the concept of the opening, middlegame and endgame. It also introduces the idea of chess etiquette – and explains why: sometimes no one wins and a game ends in stalemate.
Friendlier and more fun than the average children’s chess book, The Batsford Book of Chess for Children should become an essential addition to any child’s bookshelf.

ABOUT THE Author

Sabrina Chevannes is a Women’s International Chess Master and digital marketing professional. She started playing chess at eight years old and has won 10 British chess titles. She lives in London.

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Studying Chess Made Easy

Andrew Soltis

Batsford

Format:

eBook ISBN: 9781849941358

eBook publication date: 15 August 2013

Category: Chess

eBook price: £ 10.99

  Our price: £

It’s a fact of chess life that if you want to win, you have to put a bit of study in. Every chess player, from near-beginner to experienced tournament player, needs to learn the openings and keep on top of current theory. But studying doesn’t have to be dull. This indispensable book contains foolproof ways to help the information go in… and stay in. Acclaimed chess author Andrew Soltis reveals the key techniques:
– Why you can’t study chess the same way you study school subjects
– How to acquire the most important knowledge: intuition
– The role of memorizing (it’s not a bad thing, despite what people say)
– How to get the most out of playing over a master’s game
– Adopting a chess hero as a means of learning
– How great players study
– Computers as a study tool
– How to train someone else

ABOUT THE Author

Andrew Soltis is an International Grandmaster, a chess columnist for the New York Post and a highly popular chess writer. He is the author of many books including 500 Chess Questions Answered, The Chessmaster Checklist, How to Choose a Chess Move and How to Swindle in Chess. He lives in New York.

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Improve Your Chess in 7 Days

Gary Lane

Batsford

Format:

Paperback ISBN: 9780713490503

Paperback publication date: 2 June 2007

Category: Chess

Paperback price:

£ 12.99

OUT OF STOCK

eBook ISBN: 9781849941310

eBook publication date: 17 July 2013

Category: Chess

eBook price: £ 10.99

  Our price: £

No time to study but want to win more chess games? "Improve Your Chess in 7 Days" is packed with practical tips, hints on how to improve, learn from the champions and find out how to beat them – in just a week. With one short chapter for each day of the week, the book is ideal for social chess players and includes a sprinkling of chess cartoons to keep you smiling as you read.
With comments and advice after each move, this is as clear a guide to improving your chess as you will ever need.

ABOUT THE Author

Gary Lane is a well known author and chess player. He learned to play at the age of 8 when his brother taught him the moves but when Gary started winning the brother took up fishing as a hobby.
A well known coach for junior and senior chess champions he has written over 30 books. Some of the more popular titiles include
“Improve Your chess in 7 Days”, Sharpen Your Chess tactics in 7 Days and “Prepare to Attack”. 

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How to Play the English Opening

Anatoly Karpov

Batsford

Format:

Paperback ISBN: 9780713490657

Paperback publication date: 10 August 2007

Category: Chess

Paperback price:

£ 17.99

OUT OF STOCK

eBook ISBN: 9781849941303

eBook publication date: 17 July 2013

Category: Chess

eBook price: £ 12.99

  Our price: £

The English Opening, from the Flank Games group, was developed by Howard Staunton. In this opening, white avoids or delays the occupation of the centre with Pawns. Once considered a minor diversion, the English is now one of the main openings and all modern world champions have played it. One of the most famous world champions, Anatoly Karpov, brings his sharp eye and extensive experience to bear in this concise introduction to the opening. Like the previous volumes from Karpov on the Caro-Kann, it is a rich book with terrific insight that is ideal for all players, particularly club players.

Chess Tactics

Paul Littlewood

Batsford

Format:

eBook ISBN: 9781849941297

eBook publication date: 16 July 2013

Category: Chess

eBook price: £ 9.99

  Our price: £

This comprehensive book describes and analyses the intriguing array of tactics available to every chess player. With the help of progressively more difficult exercises and problems, Paul Littlewood shows the reader how to deploy a variety of tactics for attack and how to defend against each type of tactic successfully. Armed with this guide, players of all abilities, from the beginner to the experienced player, will find that they can significantly raise the level of their game.

ABOUT THE Author

Paul Littlewood is an International Master and former British champion, and is well known on the chess circuit for his sparkling chess play.

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Henry Stephens’s Book of the Farm

concise and revised edition

Alex Langlands

Batsford

Format:

eBook ISBN: 9781849941259

eBook publication date: 10 July 2013

Category:

eBook price: £ 6.99

  Our price: £

The Book of the Farm, written by the 19th-century farming expert Henry Stephens, was the indispensable farming ‘bible’ referred to by the historians living and working on the BBC series Victorian Farm. This brand new version has been fully revised and edited by Alex Langlands, who starred on the programme, to bring its timeless wisdom to a fresh audience.
Beautifully illustrated throughout with both black-and-white and colour illustrations, the book is a complete guide to the farming year, from planting thorn hedges in winter to pulling up potatoes in autumn. Along the way it gives fascinating information about every aspect of farming, from sheep shearing to bringing in the harvest, and practical instructions for skills such as cheese- making, animal husbandry, sheepdog training and other traditional country pastimes. Although farming has changed irrevocably since the 19th century, there are some aspects that remain timeless, and this exquisite book is a nostalgic celebration of our rural past.

ABOUT THE Author

Historian Alex Langlands is an expert in nineteenth-century farming practice, and appeared on the BBC TV series Victorian Farm. He lives in Winchester.

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