During his career as one of America's most sought-after illustrators, Andrew Loomis (1889-1959) taught at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, and in 1939 he codified his lessons in his first manual, Fun with a Pencil. Four years later it had already been through six printings, and he followed up over the next two decades with a series of even more successful how-to books that remain the gold standard for artists to this day. …

In 1977 The Metropolitan Museum of Art presented Age of Spirituality: Late Antique and Early Christian Art, Third to Seventh Century, the largest exhibition ever to focus on the period that spans the transition between the classical and medieval ages. In keeping with the didactic spirit of the exhibition, the Museum held a symposium in November 1977 to provide the public with a broad background for appreciation of this little-known field and to offer art historians the provocative speculations and conclusions of their colleagues. …

The recently announced Assassin’s Creed® IV Black FlagTM sees a sea change for the game franchise with a harsh new setting in the Golden Age of pirates. With intricately detailed environments and finely honed and evocative historical re-imaginings, The Art of Assassin’s Creed® IV Black FlagTM includes the game’s vast nautical gameplay, and its amazing range of locations, characters and action.

Having taken players all the way to the gateway to the modern world in Syndicate, Assassin’s Creed once again takes fans on an adventure through history. The Art of Assassin’s Creed 7 collates hundreds of concept arts, including sketches, final paintings, and 3D Renders, alongside in-depth commentary from the artists and developers, representing the ultimate insight into the design processes behind the game. …