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Paper Pools
Water and light, which have fascinated David Hockney for a long time, are the themes of irresistibly cheerful works he has dubbed 'Paper Pools.' To produce them, the artist 'drew' with colored paper pulp on handmade paper; when pressed and dried, the pulp merged with the paper. The images is thus part of the paper fiber itself.
Fusing papermaking and painting, the 'Paper Pools' have been hailed not only as a new departure for Hockney but as a genuine tour de force. This volume, in addition to reproducing in full color the 29 'Paper Pools' thta make up the series, contains Hockney's own vivid and humorous account of how he came to create these intriguing works.
David Hockney, CH, RA, (born 9 July 1937) is an English painter, draughtsman, printmaker, stage designer and photographer, who is based in Bridlington, Yorkshire, although he also maintains a base in London. An important contributor to the Pop art movement of the 1960s, he is considered one of the most influential British artists of the twentieth century.
In the 2001 television programme and book, Secret Knowledge, Hockney posited that the Old Masters used camera obscura techniques, utilized with a concave mirror, which allowed the subject to be projected onto the surface of the painting. Hockney argues that this technique migrated gradually to Italy and most of Europe, and is the reason for the photographic style of painting we see in the Renaissance and later periods of art.
Fusing papermaking and painting, the 'Paper Pools' have been hailed not only as a new departure for Hockney but as a genuine tour de force. This volume, in addition to reproducing in full color the 29 'Paper Pools' thta make up the series, contains Hockney's own vivid and humorous account of how he came to create these intriguing works.
David Hockney, CH, RA, (born 9 July 1937) is an English painter, draughtsman, printmaker, stage designer and photographer, who is based in Bridlington, Yorkshire, although he also maintains a base in London. An important contributor to the Pop art movement of the 1960s, he is considered one of the most influential British artists of the twentieth century.
In the 2001 television programme and book, Secret Knowledge, Hockney posited that the Old Masters used camera obscura techniques, utilized with a concave mirror, which allowed the subject to be projected onto the surface of the painting. Hockney argues that this technique migrated gradually to Italy and most of Europe, and is the reason for the photographic style of painting we see in the Renaissance and later periods of art.
- GenresArt
100 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
24 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 18, 2014
This is my kind of art book.
Hockney describes his reluctant route to learning a new medium, pictures made from pressed color paper pulp. He writes about the people he collaborated with at Tyler Graphics Ltd. to make the images.
I loved reading him describe his creative process, how he went from one idea to the next in a thorough study of a single object.
That makes it sound a bit too analytical. The book isn't. It's very conversational, like a fun version of what someone did for summer vacation and the recurring thoughts he had that threatened to pull him away. It's a look at an artist in the moments of creation, when the outcome is uncertain but the process is providing inspiration.
In addition to his entire Paper Pools series, there are also many drawings by Hockney of the workspace and his two collaborators, polaroid studies of the pool, and other photographs.
It's a quick, very enjoyable read.
Hockney describes his reluctant route to learning a new medium, pictures made from pressed color paper pulp. He writes about the people he collaborated with at Tyler Graphics Ltd. to make the images.
I loved reading him describe his creative process, how he went from one idea to the next in a thorough study of a single object.
That makes it sound a bit too analytical. The book isn't. It's very conversational, like a fun version of what someone did for summer vacation and the recurring thoughts he had that threatened to pull him away. It's a look at an artist in the moments of creation, when the outcome is uncertain but the process is providing inspiration.
In addition to his entire Paper Pools series, there are also many drawings by Hockney of the workspace and his two collaborators, polaroid studies of the pool, and other photographs.
It's a quick, very enjoyable read.
February 1, 2025
an excellent view into the process for these pressed paper “paintings”
November 14, 2021
Hockney’s recollections on the process of working with Ken Tyler on the project nearly outshine the arresting pressed paper artworks they produced together - It sure sounded like a lot of fun.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews