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Charley Harper: An Illustrated Life
The definitive monograph of artist Charley Harpers work, lovingly edited by Todd Oldham.
Hardcover, 421 pages
Published
June 1st 2007
by Ammo Books
(first published 2007)
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Spotted on Beth's to-read shelf and caught my curiousity. I was able to OhioLINK this from CCAD, and WOW, is it huge!! I always find it inspiring to see an artist's whole career brought together in a single book, complete with stylistic changes, adjustments for commercial appeal, and notes and sketches. I still think my favorite part is Harper's birds and animals, which have happily been compiled into ABC and 1-2-3 board books.
"Dearest to Charley's heart are the paintings he completed for himse...more
"Dearest to Charley's heart are the paintings he completed for himse...more
Bound Miami SunPost December 17, 2009
http://miamisunpost.com/themorgue/200...
The Colors of Our Life
Todd Oldham’s Homage to Charley Harper
John Hood
With all the dark and lonely nights, the gray days, and the salt-and-pepper view of the world, sometimes a cat just wants to get uninhibitedly colorful. I don’t mean acid flashback, let’s-smash-the-kaleidoscope colorful. I mean simple, bold and ultra vivid colorful. The kinda colors we see in nature, but more real. And the kinda images we find there to...more
http://miamisunpost.com/themorgue/200...
The Colors of Our Life
Todd Oldham’s Homage to Charley Harper
John Hood
With all the dark and lonely nights, the gray days, and the salt-and-pepper view of the world, sometimes a cat just wants to get uninhibitedly colorful. I don’t mean acid flashback, let’s-smash-the-kaleidoscope colorful. I mean simple, bold and ultra vivid colorful. The kinda colors we see in nature, but more real. And the kinda images we find there to...more
A huge coffee table book of illustrator Charley Harper's work. Harper had a one-of-a-kind style, very geometric and stylized. His work with color was amazing and I mostly marvel at his ways of conveying information with pure visuals.
When I was in grade school, there was a copy of one of his books (the Giant Golden Book of Biology) in the library. Even though there were hardly any dinosaurs in it (there was a sweet spread of two tyrannosaurs fighting over a slain Triceratops), I checked it out f...more
When I was in grade school, there was a copy of one of his books (the Giant Golden Book of Biology) in the library. Even though there were hardly any dinosaurs in it (there was a sweet spread of two tyrannosaurs fighting over a slain Triceratops), I checked it out f...more
This book gets 5 stars for Charley Harper's life and work, not for the manner in which Todd Oldham curates it. I mean, Oldham's efforts are adequate but not extraordinary. I have always been sort of vaguely a fan of Harper's work, in the way that you take certain aesthetic parts of your world for granted, but I have never sat down to learn more about his body of work. His birds for the Ford magazine make my heart sing. I liked the interviews and conversations between Charley and Todd, especially...more
I admit. I'm in love with my calendar. I don't think I've ever been in love with a calendar before I discovered Charley Harper. Then I stumbled on this book at the library containing hundreds of Harper's works, and I'm even more smitten. Harper is an American artist with a delightfully simple, geometric style. He's most known for his illustrations and graphics of nature: animals, insects, birds, etc. But he's also done illustrations for cookbooks, textbooks, magazines and posters.
I brought the b...more
I brought the b...more
Charley Harper's art is everywhere. At this point, his colorful, witty, blocky lithographs and paintings are a veritable facet of the American psyche. Everybody who's seen this book in my room has said something along the lines of "Oh THAT guy!" Not terribly eloquent a recognition, perhaps, but what better fate could an artist hope for than for their work to be recognizable on sight, decades after its creation, by almost anyone? My thrift-store eyes are peeled now for any of the seemingly consta...more
I adore Charley Harper, so much that I could almost say that I wish I could see the world through the lens of his flattened, simple-shape filled style. I loved seeing his different kinds of works, and even liked most of his works including people (rather than animals), especially the Betty Crocker cookbook. The interview was okay, but he didn't seem that enthusiastic; maybe that was just his character. My one complaint is in the formatting; none of the names of the works on listed on the pages t...more
I love Charley Harper, especially his birds and animals. This is a big, coffee-table sized collection of images from his books, advertisments, paintings, and posters. He actually drew a great deal more than birds and animals. His style is whimsical without ever being too cute and sometimes has surprising bits of humor. Some of the Advertising and Promotions work is kind of crazy, such as a promotion for pineapple throughout the seasons (a glass of cut up pineapple slices next to a bluebird, in a...more
(More pictures at parkablogs.com)
Charley Harper is an artist with a very unique style he calls "minimal realism". He's able to capture the essence of his subjects with minimal visual elements.
The painting of birds caught my attention with the clean smooth lines which resembles vector work. His colour choices are from observation in life and the resulting image is always bold and striking. Many of his pieces are on nature.
The author Todd Oldham only discovered Charley Harper's work in 2001. Sinc...more
I've wanted a copy of this for a while. It is a large retrospective os Charley Harper's work.
I have the smaller $50 version as opposed to the $200 edition. Aside from Charley's wonderful work, the book is on high quality heavy paper and put together really well. I don't feel gulity at all for spending all of my Christmas money on it.
Kudos to Charley Harper and Todd Oldham for putting together such an awesome retrospective.
I have the smaller $50 version as opposed to the $200 edition. Aside from Charley's wonderful work, the book is on high quality heavy paper and put together really well. I don't feel gulity at all for spending all of my Christmas money on it.
Kudos to Charley Harper and Todd Oldham for putting together such an awesome retrospective.
Harper was a favorite of mine as a child. His graphic depictions -- and I mean graphic in both senses, as in the distillation and near abstraction of his work, plus the subject matter, as in his eerily beautiful depiction of piranha fish devouring a cow -- of nature are unique, elegant, minimalist and beautiful. Hats off to Todd Oldham for bringing this labor of love to press. His devotion to creating this overdue monograph is everyone's gain.
I bought this book about two years ago, and until now, it's been sitting on a table in my bedroom, waiting for a time when I could look at it. I don't know what I like more: the birds, or the small woodland mammals. I hate whimsy as a rule, but Harper shows that whimsy can be a good thing; there is genuine humor and joy in many of these drawings. I loved this book, and now my bedroom will look weird without it sitting there.
How can one not like this book that has within the pages so many pieces of art by Charley Harper? I loved it. The text is limited to an interview of Charley Harper by Todd Oldham. It is less than 20 pages, and aside from the introduction, that is it for text. The remaining pages are all very vibrant works of art. Lovely!
This defies description. His illustrative style has been aped for years. His use of color and line, and his work on some pretty big projects ensure that most everyone knows his work, but few know his name. Expertly laid out, each page is a treat.
Wonderful art by a wonderful artist. I could stare at a pinecone Charley Harper drew for hours. I love the simplicity, how everything is pared down to the basic shapes and colors. As Harper describes his techniques: subjects are "flattened" to make them more 2D, and he works with "sharp lines", that I kept trying to figure out how he was making with paint. He calls his style "minimal realism", and it's gorgeous.
The introduction features a charming interview with Charley Harper, conducted by mode...more
The introduction features a charming interview with Charley Harper, conducted by mode...more
HUGE & incredibly heavy in size & weight made for a workout to and from the library.
Some of the art is intriguing, using simple shapes to create such striking images. Some leans toward disturbing and questionable.
Some of the art is intriguing, using simple shapes to create such striking images. Some leans toward disturbing and questionable.
Tons and tons of Harper's animals and peoples, made out of fine lines and fantastic colors, printed up big. Things I want: Charley Harper wallpaper, a skirt printed with Charley Harper illustrations, a Charley Harper tattoo.
A thorough compendium of Harper's illustrations. I loved the 50's and 60's styles.
This was a Jamil's pick and it is a winner! Love these illustrations.
A beautiful collection of work from one of my favourite artists.
I can sit and look through this book for hours upon hours!!!
Love, love, love this collection of Mr. Harper's artwork!
LOVE THIS. Great coffee table book. 5 big stars.
Just get it and enjoy...
just perfect
Glorious.
absolutely lovelovelove this!
to name just a few:
-dinosaur fight! p.20-21
-its head and legs hidden in its tightly closed shell, a box turtle is protected from a red fox p.118-119
-on land and in water, animals breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide p.107
-a school of piranhas attack a cow crossing a stream and reduce her to a skeleton in seconds p.142-143
-lavoisier measuring the amount of oxygen a man uses p.78
but seriously, they all rule and so does the interview. <3
to name just a few:
-dinosaur fight! p.20-21
-its head and legs hidden in its tightly closed shell, a box turtle is protected from a red fox p.118-119
-on land and in water, animals breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide p.107
-a school of piranhas attack a cow crossing a stream and reduce her to a skeleton in seconds p.142-143
-lavoisier measuring the amount of oxygen a man uses p.78
but seriously, they all rule and so does the interview. <3
Apr 15, 2012
Nancy
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-read-while-eating
If I could, I would choose to walk around in only the universe that Charley Harper painted. This book makes that clear.
The interview that precedes the plates, alas, didn't help me understand why his work is so profound and makes life clearer than it is in real life. (I'm afraid interviews are rarely comfortable or insightful -- especially if led by a great admirer.)
The interview that precedes the plates, alas, didn't help me understand why his work is so profound and makes life clearer than it is in real life. (I'm afraid interviews are rarely comfortable or insightful -- especially if led by a great admirer.)
got this out of the library because I'd been coveting it but wanted to make sure it was worth the purchase, since I'm trying to be a little more reasonable with my book purchases. LOVE IT. such a gorgeous collection of Charley Harper's work, with a nice lengthy interview at the beginning. so much inspiration. DEFINITELY BUYING MY OWN COPY. THE END.
Charley Harper's work is at once complex and simple. He captures the worlds of flora and fauna so well. His illustrations and paintings are perfect examples of geometry in art. I love his lines, shapes, use of color & design.
I applaud Todd Oldham for bringing Charley and his work to the forefront. His interview is delightful.
I applaud Todd Oldham for bringing Charley and his work to the forefront. His interview is delightful.
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Jacky Todd Oldham is an American fashion designer originally from Corpus Christi, Texas. He hosted a segment called "Todd Time" on MTV's House of Style in the 1990s. He produced a clothing line associated with the Warner Brothers Batman Forever. Oldham designs furniture and home accessories for the La-Z-Boy Furniture company and was named creative director for Old Navy effective Oct. 1, 2007.
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