It is very exciting to progress from proofs to press with my National Galleries of Scotland book, The Scottish Colourists: Art and Life. It is due to be published on 24 September 2026 and you can pre-order your copy here.
Spot the Typo!
First comes the proofing of the text, all 20,000 words of it, plus start and end matter, image captions and credits and you name it, it has to be proofed! Here is a snapshot of the book’s jacket, which includes author biography and a descripton of its contents. The book tells the story of the interwoven lives of Samuel John Peploe, John Duncan Fergusson, George Leslie Hunter and Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell. They were bound together by friendship and an immersion in progressive French art, which resulted in their use of bold design, beautiful brushwork and – above all – brilliant colour. Individually and collectively the quartet were the torchbearers of modern art in Scotland and are the nation’s most celebrated artists of the twentieth century.
Photo: Alice Strang
Colour Proofing the Scottish Colourists
Incredible care is taken over the photography of the works reproduced in the book, as well as colour proofing the resultant images. I spent a wonderful day with my National Galleries of Scotland Editor, Jonny Clowes, comparing the printer’s proofs with the paintings they depict. Jonny is seen here checking Tulips – The Blue Jug of c.1919 by Samuel John Peploe. It is currently on display at the Scottish National Gallery, where it can be seen for free. We also checked works in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, as well as the Galleries’ Print Room and stores.
Off to Press!
The journey from proofs to press concludes with the wonderful moment when the book is sent to the printers. It will now be printed, bound, packaged and distributed. Publication day is 24 September 2026 and I cannot wait to see my first copy. To find out about the commission to write a book about the Scottish Colourists, read this post. An example of a book I have contributed to, about Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, can be read about at this link. For more about S. J. Peploe, try this bit of news.
