The Zen of Seeing and The Awakened Eye by Frederick Franck w/2 prints, VTG 70s

Description: Two volumes of Frederick Franck's Zen and the art of drawing books: The first, "The Zen of Seeing: Seeing/Drawing as Meditation", is a kind of how to book on opening yourself up to seeing in a kind of meditative state, and letting your hand draw from your sight. The second book "The Awakened Eye" is "a companion volume to The Zen of Seeing" and describes how Franck took the ideas from the original book and turned them into a class, and how he has run the class in the past. It contains further instruction in the art of seeing and drawing that he has refined through his classes. Uniquely, both books are entirely hand drawn, both art and text. At times it makes for some difficult reading, but I found that also helps to focus on the message. Also note that "The Awakened Eye" includes laid in two prints of drawings by Franck "signed in plate and ready for framing". These prints were printed side by side on a folded double length piece of paper. See photosl 1. "The Zen of Seeing: Seeing / Drawing as Meditation" drawn and handwritten by Frederick Franck. 1973 Vintage Books. Assumed first edition thus (stated also simultaneously printed in hardcover, no edition or printing specifics called out on copyright page). No ISBN.158 pages with line drawings on most pages. Trade paperback. $5.95 cover price. 2. "The Awakened Eye: A Companion Volume to The Zen of Seeing, Seeing / Drawing as Meditation" drawn and handwritten by Frederick Franck. 1979 Vintage Books. Stated first Vintage (paperback) Edition September, 1979 (simultaneously printed in hardcover, no printing detail on copyright page). ISBN 0394740211. 160 pages with drawings on most pages. Trade paperback. $4.95 cover price. Includes laid-in prints of Frederick Franck's drawings. Both drawings are a little smaller than 8.5"x11" and are printed on a double length piece of paper, blank on the reverse. One drawing is of "summer grasses" and the other is a reclining nude. Very interesting books on how Franck draws the many pictures he has created. In parts the books read like how-to guides, focused not on art technique per se, but more on the mentality of the artist while creating. In other parts of the books, he describes how he determined to best "teach" this method, as well as the kinds of outcomes to expect. He also describes how he does things, not so much as a "how-to", but more a "how-I-do-it" -- especially memorable for his explanation of how he handles crowd scenes as a composite of subjects when the people keep changing as he draws. There are a great many drawings throughout these books - I'd consider this as much an "art" book as a how-to book. Interestingly, he teaches not to worry about shading of your drawings, but he included ink wash shading in a large percentage of the drawings he included in these volumes. It appears to be a little "do as I say, not as I do", or at least a way to show he is a master of this way of drawing, enough to add additional detail. No complaints, though, the art is very interesting and detailed. Photos are of the actual books on offer. See the photos for additional insight into content and condition of these books on how to see and how to draw what is seen.

Price: 18.75 USD

Location: Lisle, Illinois

End Time: 2024-11-22T00:31:57.000Z

Shipping Cost: 7.75 USD