----------------------the bookshelf---------

 "composite sketch"

 "court sketch"

 "accident"

"drawings on prison walls"

 "drawing bought from a homeless person at the train station for 10 marks."

 "drawing made under the influence of LSD"

Treasures from the university library: Between all the shiny art books I found this rather plain looking publication: Zeichnung Heute (Drawing Today), which was published on the occasion of an exhibition with the same name in Vienna in 1971.
The book is full of examples for all different ways drawings are used. The last page is blank and visitors of the exhibition could make their own drawings and participate in the show.

------------The Bookshelf----------

John Lurie: Learn to Draw

Yes, John Lurie, the actor and musician.
He made the book "Learn to Draw Vol.1" which is full of funny, ironic scribbly drawings, and another book with paintings, called "A Fine Example of Art" (which I haven't seen yet, unfortunately).
Here's a link to more of his art.

Thanks to Seamus for lending me the book (saying that he really needs it back. Which was in 2010. It's gonna happen, I promise.)

----------------------the bookshelf---------

FRESH- Cutting Edge Illustration, 1-3

Besides the compilation "Illustrators Unlimited - the Essence of Contemporary Illustration" from Gestalten Publishing, there has been another release on illustration in 2011, edited by Slanted Magazine: "Fresh - Cutting Edge Illustration".
Generally, books with words like "essence", "ultimate" or "cutting edge" in the title instantly evoke a strong scepticism in me. Also the in-your-face cover design of "Fresh", with some strangely unmotivated pixel-like patterns on the spine, made me almost not look inside.
But both books, "Illustrators Unlimited" and "Fresh" turned out to be pleasant surprises.
"Fresh" comes along as quite an ambitious project: it's a box with 3 books, dividing illustration into the categories Object, Public and Print.
One might argue that Public and Object are displaying works that should rather be shown in books on Street Art and Industrial Design, but for me, looking at the choices, the compilation presents a convincing concept and an interesting take on the term "illustration".
The artists featured in the book were selected through a Call for Entries in March. Interestingly, in the comment section of this Open Call unfolded a long discussion about whether or not illustrators should try to have their ideas and personal style displayed in compilations like "Fresh" while not getting paid for it.

--------------------book week------------

Well, last post of the book"week" (which unexpectedly took 4 months...):
The book Behind the Zines: Self-Publishing Culture is simply a great, interesting book. Everyone who has a soft spot for self-published small edition magazines is going to love it.
Coming, like the previous book I posted, from Gestalten Publishing.

--------------------book week------------

very nice brand-new compilation of contemporary illustrators, coming from Gestalten Publishing.

more here.

--------------------book week------------

I received this lovely booklet from Korea: Cicciolina the cat by illustrator Jung Eun Park.
Thank you, Anu!

--------------------book week------------

I stumbled upon Drawings from the Gulag by Danzig Baldaev last summer in the American Bookshop in Amsterdam. It was standing next to Baldaev's "Russian Criminal Tattoos", which I had seen before but wasn't too impressed about.
Drawings from the Gulag is a lot more explicit then his series of Tattoo-books; and to be honest, I didn't really like it either; too pornographic, too violent.
If you happen to see it somewhere, have a look yourself and decide, and here's a review from The Guardian.

--------------------book week------------

Drawing Autism

Drawing Autism is published by Mark Batty Publishing. Sounds like a really great book, I hope I'll find it somewhere to have a look at it.

found on the blog 50watts

--------------------book week------------

Beni Bischof: No more pie in the sky

New from Swiss publishers Nieves: bloody but funny zine by Beni Bischof. (And: Nieves is going to publish a book by him soon.)

--------------------book week------------

Werner Mannaers: Cahiers de Brouillons

Cahiers de Brouillons by Belgian artist Werner Mannaers is a lovely book that consists only of pages from his sketchbook.
Thanks to Gwendolyn for showing it to me!

--------------------book week------------

Alexander Binder: Allerseelen

ja,ja, I know: that's not drawing. But I saw Allerseelen by Alexander Binder recently on the Amsterdam Art Book Fair and it was my favorite of all the books there. It's published by London-based publishing house Mörel Books.

----------Hello, it's book week-------

Charley Harper -An Illustrated Life by Todd Oldham

This beautiful book with the nature illustrations from american artist Charley Harper is on my book wishlist. The design of the book is great and I just love Harper's work.

------------The Bookshelf----------

The Bookshelf IX: Ulla Saar

I just got the lovely book "not entirely brown" as a present from my friend Anu, with drawings from her fellow Estonian artist Ulla Saar. The drawings, centered around a specific area of Tallinn, can be coloured and sent to the author.

------------The Bookshelf----------

the bookshelf VIII: Nieves

Nieves is a publishing house based in Zurich, specialized in artist' books and zines. If you never heard of them, go on their website, they have such great publications that I could easily make a 10 page christmas wishlist.

images (from top to bottom): Wesley Willis, Stefan Marx, Ingo Giezendanner and Mike Mills.