Reviewed by Henry Malt
Lee Quiñones: 50 Years of New York Graffiti Art and Beyond
Lee Quiñones
If you think graffiti is nothing more than vandalism, look away now. If you’re still with me, you may wonder why I’m featuring a book about a single artist you probably haven’t heard of.
There isn’t a shortage of books on graffiti, but they tend to have quite small illustrations. This has a lot to do with the quality of the photographs, which are often snatched on less-than-ideal equipment. Sharpness is a bonus, blurring a regular hazard. The ephemeral nature of the forms prevents later return.
This covers 50 years (yes, really) of Lee’s work and the publisher has the courage to often reproduce the material they have in double spreads, letting the art speak for itself. If you wanted one artist to speak for a whole genre, Lee is your man. If you want a book that treats graffiti as fine art and illustrates it sumptuously, this is it.
Damiani £45, 192 pages (h/b), ISBN 9788862088114
Nature Imprinted
Jane Spink
Linocutting is ideal for the beginner as it requires relatively little equipment – and you can build up your stock as your abilities increase. Jane Spink assumes no previous knowledge and starts from the very basics, introducing tools, materials and techniques, with everything fully and patiently explained. She includes plenty of illustrations so you’re never in any doubt about what’s happening – I think even I could sharpen a v-gouge after seeing Jane do it.
All of this takes up the first third of the book, which you’ll be glad of. You’ll now progress to design and layout, before moving to a series of projects starting with a simple image on a single block. As you progress, more lines, blocks and colours are introduced, building your competence and confidence gradually.
With Jane’s guidance, it’s impossible not to fall in love with this book, as well as the whole art of printm
