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Architecture & Design

Are you looking to be inspired by some of the finest designers and architects? You find a wide selection of fascinating architecture and design books at Tales. The design books can inspire you to renew your style or house, but you can also use them in your creative process both as a student or professional. If you are more into buildings and the process behind them, take a look at our architecture books that will take you around the world to the most wonderful and groundbreaking buildings on Earth. All of them will look good on your coffee table.
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  • Save 23%
    - A Foundation Course for Graphic Designers Working in Print, Moving Image and Digital Media
    by David Dabner, Sandra Stewart, Eric Zempol & et al.
    £15.49

    The sixth edition of the market-leading, practical book for both students and small businesses.

  • Save 20%
    by Alexa Chung
    £11.99

    Alexa Chung's IT: the Top Ten Bestseller from the international fashion muse and Vogue contributing editorNow a Penguin paperback, this one-off collection of Alexa Chung's writing, doodles and photographs combines stories of early style inspirations such as her grandpa and the Spice Girls with discussion of figures of obsession like Jane Birkin and Annie Hall, reflecting on heartbreak, how to get dressed in the morning, the challenges of taking a good selfie, and more. Interspersed with pages from Alexa's notebooks and many a photo of a good night out, It is now perfectly sized for any bag - handbag or otherwise. Witty, charming and with a refreshingly down-to-earth attitude, It is a must-have for anyone who loves fashion, worries about growing up, or loves just about everything Alexa Chung. 'If you love Alexa Chung, buy it. If you are interested in fashion and style, buy it. If you're after a book full of pretty pictures and inspo, buy it' - Cosmopolitan Alexa Chung is a model and contributing editor to British Vogue. The recipient of numerous style awards, Alexa has won the prestigious British Style Award (voted for by the public) three years in a row. She currently lives in New York City.

  • Save 15%
    by Vincent Van Gogh
    £10.99

    A new selection of Vincent Van Gough's letters, based on an entirely new translation, revealing his religious struggles, his fascination with the French Revolution, his search for love and his involvement in humanitarian causes.

  • - Step-by-Step From Lines to Perspective
    by David Drazil
    £22.49

    Master the basics of architectural sketching with this proven & easy-to-follow 6-step framework guiding you from the first lines to full perspective sketches. The book includes 40+ specific tips, 15 worksheets, and countless examples.

  • Save 10%
    - The ultimate practical reference to watercolor mixes and dilutions
    by Julie (Author) Collins
    £8.99

    A practical and inspirational manual that shows you a huge range of color mixes in watercolor. Use the book as a handy reference when you want to know how to mix a specific color, or as a catalog of inspiration when seeking ideas to try in your work. The handy color viewing card included can be used to view each color swatch in isolation.

  • - In Simple Steps
    by Yishan Li
    £5.99

    Draw 28 amazingly cute kawaii-style characters in just 8 easy stages.

  • Save 18%
    - The Wit and Wisdom of Coco Chanel
    by Patrick Mauries & Jean-Christophe Napias
    £11.49

    An elegant collection of legendary designer Coco Chanel's maxims on style, women and life, presented in a fashionable gift format.

  • Save 21%
    - Create Frame-Worthy Art in Just a Few Simple Steps
    by Anna Koliadych
    £14.99

    15-Minute Watercolor Masterpieces is an enchanting book by the talented Anna Koliadych. Published by Page Street Publishing Co. in 2020, this book has quickly gained recognition in the art community. It belongs to the genre of instructional art books, but it stands out with its unique approach. The book guides you through creating stunning watercolor artworks in just 15 minutes. It's perfect for both beginners who want to learn watercolor painting and experienced artists looking for new techniques or quick practice exercises. Koliadych's easy-to-follow instructions and beautiful illustrations make this book a must-have for anyone interested in watercolor painting. Page Street Publishing Co. has indeed brought a gem to the market with this publication.

  • Save 10%
    - Embroidery and the Making of the Feminine
    by Rozsika Parker
    £17.99

    Uses household accounts, women's magazines, letters, novels and the works of art themselves to trace through history how the separation of the craft of embroidery from the fine arts came to be a major force in the marginalisation of women's work. This book also discusses the contradictory nature of women's experience of embroidery.

  • Save 19%
    - The beginner's guide to flower painting for journal pages, handmade stationery and more
    by Marie (Author) Boudon
    £12.99

    DIY Watercolor Flowers is a captivating book by Marie Boudon, published in 2019 by David & Charles. This book falls under the genre of Art and Craft, specifically focusing on watercolor painting. The book guides the reader through the beautiful world of watercolor flowers, teaching them how to create their own masterpieces. The author, Marie Boudon, beautifully explains the techniques and nuances of watercolor painting, making it simple and accessible for everyone, regardless of their painting experience. The publication year, 2019, marks the year when this treasure trove of artistic knowledge was shared with the world. The publisher, David & Charles, is known for their high-quality art books, and this one is no exception. DIY Watercolor Flowers is a must-have for every art enthusiast's library.

  • Save 20%
    by Phaidon Editors
    £19.99

  • Save 18%
    - 50 Years of Signs, Symbols, Banners, Logos, and Graphic Art of LGBTQ
    by Andy Campbell
    £20.49

    Published in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Stonewall and the Gay Pride Parade, this is the first-ever illustrated history of the iconic art, symbols, and design that represent more than 5 decades of LGBTQ pride and activism-from the evolution of Gilbert Baker's rainbow flag to the NYC Pride typeface launched in 2017.

  • Save 27%
    by Rebeka Elizegi
    £21.99

  • Save 31%
    - Designer of Dreams
    by Oliver Gabet
    £51.99

    A magnificent showcase of one of France's greatest couture houses.

  • Save 21%
    by Oliver Sin
    £14.99

    Drawing the Head for Artists is the definitive modern guide to drawing the human head and portrait, featuring the classic mediums and methods of the Old Masters. Written by celebrated portrait artist and veteran studio instructor Oliver Sin, this richly informative and beautifully illustrated volume leads readers step-by-step through his method, from establishing a point of view to applying the timeless principles for creating an accurate and expressive likeness. Among the topics covered: Essential Materials & Techniques:Learn about necessary supplies and basic drawing techniques, including hatching, various stroke styles, and blending.Applying the Essentials:Explore how the concepts of sight-sizing, value, negative space/shapes, and plane changes factor into a portrait's underlying structure.Techniques for Creating Depth & Dimension:Investigate how contrasting shapes, overlapping forms, and linear and atmospheric perspective are used to enhance depth.Creating the Illusion of Three Dimensions:Examine how edgescontours as well as changes in valueare used to convey three-dimensional form. Brimming with striking images that document all the phases and details of the author's process, Drawing the Head for Artistsinspires and informs all artists, from aspiring to accomplished, on how to successfully portray the physical subtleties and emotional eloquence of the human face. The For Artists series expertly guides and instructs artists at all skill levels who want to develop their classical drawing and painting skills and create realistic and representational art.

  • by Emmanuel Cooper
    £23.49

    This guide provides a short introduction to glazes with basic instructions on making your own, followed by a comprehensive collection of glaze recipes, covering a wide range of temperatures and variations. The book should be of use to any potter or ceramicist.

  • Save 21%
    by Professor Katherine Willis
    £13.49

    This large-format poster book lets you decorate your walls with images from Katie Scott's Botanicum. Featuring plantlife of all kinds, from right around the world, it's a stunning celebration of all things botanical.

  • Save 24%
    by Christopher Herwig
    £18.99

  • Save 27%
    - The Complete Hipgnosis Catalogue
    by Aubrey Powell
    £21.99

    The complete catalogue of seminal design collective Hipgnosis, showcasing ground-breaking cover art created for the all-time greatest rock & roll bands, including the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd.

  • Save 27%
     
    £21.99

    Clear thematic structure offering an extensive overview on the subject.

  • Save 10%
    by Winifred (The Nottingham Trent University) Aldrich
    £31.49

    Metric Pattern Cutting for Women's Wear is a groundbreaking book by the esteemed author Winifred Aldrich, who is renowned for her work at The Nottingham Trent University. First published in 2015 by John Wiley & Sons Inc, this book has become an indispensable guide in the genre of Fashion and Design. Aldrich's expertise shines through each page, providing detailed instructions and insights into women's wear pattern cutting. Readers will find the author's innovative approach to the metric pattern cutting for women's wear truly enlightening. This book is not just an ordinary guide; it's a comprehensive tool for anyone who wants to delve into the world of fashion design. Published by John Wiley & Sons Inc, it's a testament to their reputation for releasing quality educational resources. This book is written in English.

  • Save 15%
    - An Exhibition Catalogue
    by Bill Watterson
    £10.99

    Enjoy this beautiful companion book to the Calvin and Hobbes exhibition. Includes an in-depth, original, and lengthy interview with Bill Watterson.

  • Save 30%
    - In Association with the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris
    by Pamela Golbin
    £41.99

    This fascinating publication presents the roles two men have played in turning a small workshop in nineteenth-century Paris into one of the most successful and recognized brands in the world. Known for both craftsmanship and must-have high design, Louis Vuitton the luxury house was started by its eponymous founder in 1854. The first half of this publication traces the innovations by Vuitton, who turned the little-known guild profession of emballeur (packer) into the foremost luxury trunk maker in Paris, with a clientele that included in his lifetime the French nobility as well as the elite of a prosperous empire. Prime and never-before-seen examples of Vuitton's craftsmanship, along with the fashion that went into them, are the highlights of these chapters. The second half of the book examines the role of Marc Jacobs as Louis Vuitton's creative director (since 1997), who took the Louis Vuitton house into a new era with a series of collaborations with artists and designers-such as Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince, and Stephen Sprouse-as well as designing a line of highly successful and desired clothing for the company.By examining two divergent but often similar careers one hundred years apart, Louis Vuitton / Marc Jacobs is not only a layered study of the evolution of a luxury brand in the past 150 years but also a celebration of technical and design innovations in the new century.

  • Save 20%
    by Nicola Moorby
    £11.99

    J.M.W. Turner is one of the most influential and important British artists of all time. His watercolours, with their extraordinary effects of shifting light and dramatic cloudscapes, are especially highly regarded. This book reveals the secrets of his technique for the first time, allowing watercolourists to try them out for themselves.

  • - A Guide to Dress Sense for Every Woman
    by Christian Dior
    £10.99

    Reveals the secrets of style and covers topics from what to wear to a wedding and how to tie a scarf to how to walk with grace.

  • Save 10%
    by Leonardo da Vinci
    £8.99

    This selection offers a cross-section from the 6,000 surviving sheets that constitute Leonardo's notebooks, including his thoughts on landscape, optics, anatomy, architecture, sculpture, and painting. Fully updated, this new edition includes some 70 line drawings and a Preface by Leonardo expert Martin Kemp.

  • Save 29%
    by Pamela Golbin
    £35.49

    The name Valentino has been synonymous with high fashion for almost fifty years. Based in Rome, Valentino is only one of two couture houses recognized by the French government outside of Paris. His exquisite designs are coveted and worn by young Hollywood and high society the world over. On the occasion of his last couture collection, presented in Paris in the spring of 2008, this landmark book celebrates forty-five years of Valentino’s remarkable career. Published in association with a prestigious exhibition at the Museé des Arts Decoratifs’s famed costume department in Paris, this volume focuses on Valentino’s haute couture creations, highlighting the most important and iconic creations of his half-century in fashion through recurring themes in Valentino’s work—variations on the ideas of volume, line, and texture as well as motifs such as geometry, pleats, and flowers—through new photography, sketches, fabric samples, and commentary on the dresses by Valentino himself. In addition, unprecedented photography by François Halard of Valentino’s last fittings and backstage of his runway show reveals Valentino’s private world for the first time. "Valentino On Valentino," a chapter of first-person accounts of the designs of these iconic dresses, along with Valentino’s commentary on his fashion, will make this publication unique in the study of Valentino as a cultural and artistic icon.

  • Save 25%
    by Oppi Untracht
    £52.49

    Nearly ten years in preparation and production, Jewelry Concepts and Technology is the definitive guide and handbook for jewellery makers on all levels of ability. It is also a unique reference source for those not directly active in the field but who wish to gain an understanding of what lies behind the jewellery-making mystique.

  • Save 29%
    by J. C. Cooper
    £28.49

    Explains the meanings associated with objects, plants, animals, myths, religious symbols, and images in art.

  • Save 27%
    by Mojang AB
    £25.49

Architecture

Our selection of cultural books also include architecture books. If you are fascinated by beautiful or memorable buildings we have the books for you. 

Architecture is the art form everyone is in contact with everyday. We move across a wide variety of buildings everytime we go out the door. Schools, work spaces, museums and even your own home is a form of architecture. Some buildings however have that extra effect on you. They make you shop and wonder, and most importantly they are products of their time. They are part of our history and tell the story of the time they were made. Some architects also go beyond that creating something never seen before and these are the buildings that we remember and they might even become attractions or landmarks like the beloved Eiffeltower in the city of lights.   

You could also get inspired as an architect or architectural student yourself. The architecture books invite you into the process of making a building out of the ordinary. If you are interested in sustainability you could also find architecture books about that. In the last couple of years we have also seen an increase in sustainable architecture, where materials are reused or alternative and good for our planet. They are the buildings of the future. 

We also have a collection of garden architecture books. In recent years open air spaces have been desired especially in the big cities, where fewer and fewer have access to a garden or park. Therefore we need innovative ways of finding new green areas in the cities also in order to be sustainable. For that matter we need to plant more trees and have nature surrounding us both for our planet, but also for the wellbeing of ourselves. Find ideas for new kinds of creating just that in our selection of architecture books. 



Fashion and design

Everyone wants to be stylish, and in our selection of design and fashion books you can get inspired by some of the best style icons and designers in the world. You can get that extra tip that will help you become the most stylish person in the room or one of the new style icons of Instagram.  Whether it’s about interior or clothes you will find it all among our fashion books and design books.

Fashion is a way of showing who you are. The way you dress reflects your personality and it is a way of showing how you feel or wants to feel that day, although it can be difficult to mix your outfit in the right way, and that is where the fashion books can help. Another wonderful thing about the fashion and design books is that they look stylish in themselves, and they will look gorgeous as a coffee table book. They add that extra level of style to your furnishing, and you display all your knowledge about fashion. So that is why you find the most beautiful and cool fashion books for decor at Tales. 

In our selection you find the popular fashion book In Paris by the French Instagram it-girl Jeanne Damas and Lauren Bastide. In the book they try to cover the secrets of the parisienne; who she is, what she wears and where she is heading. The fashion book contains interviews with 20 of the most inspiring French women from the city of light, and concludes that being a parisienne is not just about how you look and dress, but a way of life. 

If you yourself dream of having a designer carriere, you could also find fashion books for designing in Tales’ selection of culture books. Get the perfect guide to sewing, draping, and picking patterns for your next stylish creation. 

If you need inspiration to renew your furnishing you could - in addition to selecting a stylish book among our fashion books for coffee tables - also find design books about that. They help you pick the most tasteful furniture on the market and most importantly how to style them, and you could end up with the most wonderful interior in your own house. 


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