Rockwell on Rockwell: How I Make a Picture [first edition]

"I try to use each line, tone, color . . . each person, facial expression, gesture . . . for one supreme purpose - to tell a story." And here Norman Rockwell tells the story - in his own words and pictures - behind the creation of the paintings that have made him America's most beloved artist. Written at the peak of Rockwell's career and never available before in any bookstore, this intimate and inspiring book is now available to the public for the first time - the most revealing book on this great artist because the author is Rockwell himself. Open this lavishly illustrated book and you'll see Rockwell in action, surrounded by his friends, his models and all the unpublished sketches and studies that show the artist's mind at work. You'll step into Rockwell's studio in Arlington, Vermont, meet the neighbors who were models for hundreds of his unforgettable characters; see him direct his "actors" to produce just the right facial expressions and strike the most telling pose to convey joy, outrage, or just a sneeze. You'll learn how he searched out the right locations, props, and costumes for the authentic Rockwell look - literally buying clothes off people's backs to clothe the models for HUCKLEBERRY FINN. Most fascinating of all, Rockwell tells (and shows) you how he conceived the ideas for his famous paintings and then developed a picture like, "The First Day of School," from the earliest doodles through more elaborate drawings and color studies to the final, immortal painting. Every page of HOW I MAKE A PICTURE glows with Norman Rockwell's enthusiasm, humor, creativity, and affection for the typical Americans who fill his canvasses - and who have loved his work for many years. Radiant with Norman Rockwell's personality - in words, drawings, and paintings - HOW I MAKE A PICTURE is the great illustrator's ultimate self-portrait. 176 pages. 10 x 13 inches. Over 50 color plates and over 400 black and white illustrations. Index.