Sign-In
Cart
Book of the Unknown Painter
Paperback
PhilosophyArt Criticism & TheoryIndividual Artists
Currently unavailable to order
Please enter your email and a message will be sent to you when this product becomes available on our website.
Publisher: Location-Bks
Published: Jan 27 2026
Pages: 148
Weight: 0.32
Height: 0.41 Width: 5.33 Depth: 7.78
Language: English
How does a painter live in harmony with their work and the world?
Book of the Unknown Painter is a collection of aphorisms written by an anonymous artist known only as The Painter. While the first draft was written during a summer in China, these insights span a lifetime of reflection on art, offering a profound meditation on painting, creativity, the ego, and how an artist or anyone might live in accordance with their work and the world.
Throughout the book, The Painter invokes the need to envision painting as an act rather than an object, emphasizing the verb over the noun. To be fully appreciated, painting, according to the author, must be performed rather than merely looked upon.
Like painting itself, this book has no fixed beginning or end. Chapters group the aphorisms for flow, but readers are free to enter and exit as they wish. Book of the Unknown Painter will resonate with artists, writers, and creatives seeking new insights into their practice and deeper meaning in their lives.
LOCATION-BKS is an artist-run independent publisher dedicated to publishing mass-market paperbacks by artists. Submissions. Always. Welcome.
Also in
Art Criticism & Theory
Drawings by Rembrandt and His Pupils: Telling the Difference
Robinson, William W.
Bevers, Holm
Hendrix, Lee
Hardcover
E Is for Edward: A Centennial Celebration of the Mischievous Mind of Edward Gorey
Hischak, Gregory
The Edward Gorey Charitable Trust
Hardcover
Werner's Nomenclature of Colours: Adapted to Zoology, Botany, Chemistry, Mineralogy, Anatomy, and the Arts
Syme, Patrick
Werner, Abraham Gottlob
Hardcover
Color Theory: An Essential Guide to Color--From Basic Principles to Practical Applications
Mollica, Patti
Paperback
From Plant to Pigment: How to Make Your Own Vibrant Inks, Pastels and Paints
Stopka, Natalie
Hardcover
Color Curious: Find Color Inspiration All Around You for Art, Design, and Life
Bianchi, Ana
Hardcover
Werner's Nomenclature of Colours: Adapted to Zoology, Botany, Chemistry, Mineralogy, Anatomy, and the Arts
Syme, Patrick
Hardcover
Interacting with Color: A Practical Guide to Josef Albers's Color Experiments
Horstman, Fritz
Paperback
The Oil Painter's Color Handbook: A Contemporary Guide to Color Mixing, Pigments, Palettes, and Harmony
Casey, Todd M.
Hardcover
Pantone: The Twentieth Century in Color: (Coffee Table Books, Design Books, Best Books about Color)
Recker, Keith
Pantone LLC
Eiseman, Leatrice
Hardcover
Color Collective's Palette Perfect: Color Combinations Inspired by Fashion, Art and Style
Wager, Lauren
Paperback
The Natural Pigment Handbook: A Maker's Guide to the Art, Stories and Recipes for Creating Paint
Mayes, Lucy
Hardcover
Palette Perfect for Graphic Designers and Illustrators: Colour Combinations, Meanings and Cultural References
Caldas, Sara
Paperback
The Complete Color Harmony, Pantone Edition: Expert Color Information for Professional Results
Eiseman, Leatrice
Paperback
Werner's Nomenclature of Colours: Adapted to Zoology, Botany, Chemistry, Mineralogy, Anatomy, and the Arts
Werner, Abraham Gottlob
Syme, Patrick
Paperback
Special Subjects: Basic Color Theory: An Introduction to Color for Beginning Artists
Mollica, Patti
Paperback
Color Mixing Recipes for Oil & Acrylic: Mixing Recipes for More Than 450 Color Combinations
Powell, William F.
Hardcover
Fausto & Felice Niccolini. Houses and Monuments of Pompeii. 45th Ed.
Schütze, Sebastian
Kockel, Valentin
Hardcover
Color Collective's Palette Perfect, Vol. 2: Color Combinations by Season. Inspired by Fashion, Art and Style
Wager, Lauren
Paperback
Color Psychology and Color Therapy: A Factual Study of the Influence of Color on Human Life
Birren, Faber
Paperback
The Universe in 100 Colors: Weird and Wondrous Colors from Science and Nature
Mudge, Terry
Thrasher, Tyler
Hardcover
3000 Color Mixing Recipes: Watercolor: The Ultimate Practical Reference to Watercolor Mixes and Dilutions
Collins, Julie
Paperback
Color Theory 101: Pocket Guide: Essential Guide to Color Relationships, Symbolism, and Mixing for Artists
Tabares, Michelle
Paperback
Frieze Frame: How Poets, Painters, and Their Friends Framed the Debate Around Elgin and the Marbles of the Parthenon
Stallings, A. E.
Paperback
Secret Knowledge (New and Expanded Edition): Rediscovering the Lost Techniques of the Old Masters
Hockney, David
Paperback
The Designer's Color Box: A Guidebook and 75 Cards for Creative Combinations and Inspirational Ideas
Adams, Sean
Paperback
Botanical Drawing in Color: A Basic Guide to Mastering Realistic Form and Naturalistic Color
Hollender, Wendy
Paperback
Nouvelles Femmes: Modern Women of the French New Wave and Their Enduring Contribution to Cinema
Knudson, Ericka
Hardcover
Women Among Monuments: Solitude, Permission, and the Pursuit of Female Genius
Van Schaik, Kasia
Paperback
Color Mixing Recipes for Portraits: More Than 500 Color Combinations for Skin, Eyes, Lips & Hair
Powell, William F.
Hardcover
On Ruben Slikk: A Manifesto on the Purpose of Art and the Value of Transgression
True, Caleb
Paperback
Creative Authenticity: 16 Principles to Clarify and Deepen Your Artistic Vision
Roberts, Ian
Paperback
Design Elements, Color Fundamentals: A Graphic Style Manual for Understanding How Color Affects Design
Sherin, Aaris
Paperback
Color Index XL: More Than 1,100 New Palettes with Cmyk and Rgb Formulas for Designers and Artists
Krause, Jim
Paperback
Emily Vanderpoel's Color Problems: A Practical Manual for the Lay Student of Color
Vanderpoel, Emily Noyes
Hardcover
Color By Numbers Coloring Book for Adults Nice Little Town: Adult Color By Number Book of Small Town Buildings and Scenes
Zenmaster Coloring Books
Paperback