Book Description

Reviews (2)

What A Clever Little Book
I picked up this book after seeing the positive review in the NY Times Book Review. I was taken particularly with the illustration from the Tate Museum of the family's viewing "The Cholmondeley Ladies by British School, seventeen century." One of my favorite paintings from the Tate, a print of it hangs in my home.

The story, apparently autobiographical, is about a family-- Mom, Pop and two boys-- who go for an outing at the Tate. Only Mom and the narrator, who ultimately becomes an artist, are really into this visit. Mom asks questions to the children in an effort to awaken their interest in great art. Dad, not to be outdone, keeps a running supply of corny jokes going.

The book title comes from a game the author's mother used to play with her dad. "The first person draws a shape - any shape, it's not supposed to be anything, just a shape. The next person has to change it into something. It's fantastic. . . And, in a way, I've been playing the shape game ever since."

If this beautifully illustrated little volume gets one child to appreciate art, it will be well worth the money the parents paid for it. It's the next best thing to visit a gallery or museum.

depressing
I bought this book based on the NY times review and found the book depressing. The father is an oaf, and one of the main paintings the author discusses in the book is a painting of a famly where the husband has just discovered his wife's affair with another man. Why would I want to explain that situation to my child? And the best part of the book - the shape game, is only 2 pages and almost an afterthought. I wish there was more of that. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Edgar Degas as the least impressionistic Impressionist
One of the most interesting things about Mike Venezia's look at Edgar Degas is how much we learn about the world of art at the time Degas was painting. In the middle of this volume there is a nice distinction between the Neoclassical art of painters like Jacques Louis David with the Romantic artists like Eugene Delacroix. Then we get a concise look at the Impressionists and while Degas was considered a leader of the movement it is clear that his work was decidedly different from Claude Monet, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissarro, and the rest. Then there is the work Degas did with photography as a way of rethinking composition and his work with prints, the latter done with Mary Cassatt. My favorite volumes in the Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists series have been those that have given me insights into the work of a particular artist. This look at Degas does not exactly do that, but it has furthered by art appreciation endeavor, which would be a good thing. There are reproductions of 20 of the artist's works in this book as well as representative ones of key contemporaries. Contextualization is one of Venezia's strengths, even more so than the cartoons for which he is probably best known. As intended, this is a fun series that manages to work in some educational type stuff along the way.. ... Read more

Book Description

A squirrel named Micawber loves the paintings he sees through the windows of the nearby art museum. One day he notices an artist copying the old masters, and he decides to do the same -- with surprising results.

In their second collaboration, best-selling author-illustrator team John Lithgow and C. F. Payne introduce children to the world of art through the eyes -- and paint-splattered tail -- of a highly creative squirrel. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Excellent Book John!
this is an excellent book to read to kids& a cute story about squirrel that learns how paint by watching a human painter. john lithgow words make it enjoyable even for adults to read it over & over again & the pictures are full of life & color. it comes with a cd of john reading his story so parents can take a rest .

Highly recommended for bedtime reading for children.

Still my 3 year old's favorite
In this wonderful book about a little squirrel's adventures, Lithgow seems to know that even a small child can understand the elaborate, descriptive words he uses to rhyme. I love the fact that he doesn't speak down to children, but brings them up to his level. C.F. Payne is also an amazing artist that brings Micawber and all of his escapades to life. His friends are a little too realistic for me, but it gives me the opportunity to show my daughter nature without actually having to touch the real thing!! :) My daughter loves to find things we may have overlooked or simply forgotten about and she is now asking about the Monet "depicting a haystack at twilight" as well as the other artists mentioned. We recently used this as an opportunity to see more art in books and the museum. She also loves to hear Lithgow reading the story and I use it as a special treat just for her. I purchased this book for her over a year ago and it is still one of her favorites.

Interesting rhymes and unusual word choices
In this charming book, John Lithgow uses clever rhymes, avoiding one syllable words and expected endings. As his little squirrel adventures through New York City on his journey to become a self-made artist, vocabulary words and artistic concepts are skillfully introduced to children. My 2 year old daughter loves to have this book read over and over, and fortunately it is sweet and intelligent enough that I enjoy it nearly as much as she does. Every squirrel we see is now called Micawber and she wonders aloud if he might have paint on his tail if she could just get close enough to see. I highly recommend it for any young, curious child, just be prepared for him or her to develop an unusal interest in your neighborhood squirrels!

Great for kids of all ages
At least one other reviewer claims 'Micawber' is inappropriate for younger kids, based on the reaction of one 4-year old. I would just like to say that my 17-month old chooses both 'Micawber' and the other Lithgow/Payne collaboration, 'The Remarkable Farkle McBride', from the shelf for me to read to her, and listens all the way through to both books, laughing at and pointing to the illustrations along the way (especially Micawber's self-portraits). I believe she is responding not just to the pictures, but to the rhythm and lilt of the poetry as well. This is NOT just a book for grownups!

An inviting story
Kids ages 4-8 will find this an inviting story of a squirrel who loves the paintings he sees through the window of an art museum. One day he notices a street artist copying the masterpieces - and he decides to try his own hand at art, with some unexpected results. A CD of the author reading this story is included. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Learn why El Greco painted those stretched out people
From time to time I have heard about various hypotheses concerning physical ailments that would explain the striking artwork of Domenikos Theotokopoulos, known as El Greco ("the Greek") when he became a famous painter in Spain. But Mike Venezia explains the effect in terms of El Greco creating movement by twisting and stretching out the figures in his paintings. Part of his distinctive technique involved using crackling, electric colors and mysterious lighting. Tracing his journey from Greece to Spain, Venezia looks at how El Greco was influenced by Venetian artists like Titian and Tintoretto, and provides examples of the work of those artists to help young readers understand the point. There is a nice comparison offered between paintings of "The Assumption fo the Virgin" by both Titian and El Greco. The book ends with some nice analysis of the "Burial of Count Orgaz."

What I really like about Venezia's "Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artist" series is that it focuses on art appreciation, and explaining the uniqueness of each artist, more than it does on their biography. Of course, it is the latter that usually serves as the inspiration for Venezia's humorous cartoons. There are over two dozen such books in this series and they are a wonderful way of introducing young child (and some adults) to the wonderful world of art.

El Greco for kids
"El Greco," by Mike Venezia, is a visually striking introduction to the life and work of this great artist. Venezia uses reproductions of classic paintings, a simple but compelling text, and his own humorous cartoons to bring El Greco and his world to life. This book is part of a series designed to introduce the world's great artists to children.

"El Greco" begins with the great painter's birth on the island of Crete in the 16th century, and takes the reader along on El Greco's travels through Europe. Not only does the book include many full-color reproductions of El Greco's works, but it also includes reproductions of works by artists who influenced him. We get a fascinating portrait of El Greco as a family man, traveler, and artistic innovator. Venezia's cartoons provide entertaining complements to the text and reproductions.

This is a truly beautiful and educational book. El Greco's remarkable use of color and light, and his passionate treatment of the human form give his work both visual and emotional impact after all these centuries. If your child has an interest in art, this book would make a good addition to the family library. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Not Recommended
I found this book to be not at all helpful, and too A-to-B-to-C. It was very "Copy what you see here.", and overall, unoriginal, and boring.

Easy first step
This book is a very good start for people who wish to startlearning the basic of fantasy drawing. It works with you step by stepwith precise instructions and examples and, unlike other books of it's kind, progresses fast so you can see some results in a matter of hours. that is extremly importent since it will give you the needed motivation to continue and try to work more complicated figures. The books teaches you to draw warriors, some monsters, dragons, castles and a few heroic figures.

The only fallback is that is where you'll get - basic figures, who will look diffrent from each other by your determination of color, armor, horns and hight of it's turrets, but no more change then that.

At the bottome line it is a great and easy books for begginers, like myself. after a great search for a book just like this one I can say it hits the spot.

Great book
The directions are easy to follow and well worded. the book isnt too technical and stays on-topic. This is a great book and easy to follow. strongly recomended! ... Read more

Book Description

Illus. in full color. "An accessible picture book about the life of Diego

Rivera sounds like an oxymoron, but Winter and Winter succeed beyond belief.

His early life is the focus; the text in Spanish and English captions the

paintings. It does a journeyman's job of conveying facts in well-condensed

sentences; the Spanish translation is clear and easy to follow. The paintings

are done in Rivera's own colossal style, even though they actually measure only

a few inches square. Winter displays her clear knowledge of and love for her

subject."--(starred) School Library Journal.




... Read more

Reviews (7)

The Life of Diego Rivera Simplified
This is a very simplified life story of Diego Rivera, famous Mexican artist. It is filled with pictures that are artistic and designed in the style of the artist. Any child, especially those interested in art, would find this book of interest.

Diego
Diego was a remarkable young man that overcame obstacles in life. He started by losing a twin. He went on to discover that his true gift was painting and he eventually became a famous artist.

Diego
I felt this book was a very nice book on Diego Rivera. It illustrated how and what influenced Rivera in his early life. I think though that the author could have gone more into depth of this adulthood life and works. I feel that this could greatly improve this book and have children more fascinated by Rivera. I know I am.

DON'T Buy the paperback!
I love this book and bought it for a nephew a few years ago. The 4 stars are for the hardcover edition. I ordered the paperback version for my son and was very disappointed. The illustrations are very small--the words in English and Spanish take up much of the space, and the colors are completely washed out. Only the colors on the cover are true to the original version--and they make you see what you're missing inside the book. Do not waste your money on this version. It doesn't do the book justice; the gorgeous illustrations and their glorious colors are not at all evident in this cheapo paperback.

Great book for kids
My kids, who are 2 and 5, really enjoyed this book. It makes a fantastic gift for children, and I keep coming back to buy more copies to have on hand for birthday parties and the like. The illustrations are in the style of Rivera's own work, and the story is accessible for young readers. ... Read more

Book Description

Through original artwork by the renowned artist Tomie dePaola-a longtime aficionado of Frida Kahlo's work-as well as beautiful reproductions of Kahlo's paintings, this latest Smart About book explores the creative, imaginative world of Mexico's most celebrated female artist.

Illustrated by Tomie dePaola. ... Read more

Book Description

Ed Emberley, who can show anyone how to draw anything, gives monster-crazed artists the perfect how-to manual in this newest addition to the Ed Emberley Drawing Book Series.Previously published more than twenty years ago in two small two-color volumes, these works take on a scary new vitality in this large full-color format.Perfect for summoning up the ghosties and ghoulies for Halloween posters and party invitations, this is also a book that is sure to satisfy the appetite for frightful creatures all year round. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Halloween Fun
All of Emberley's books are wonderful. The Big Orange Drawing book specializes in things that are orange so a lot of it is Halloween themed. I loved working through these books as a child and still have some of the Halloween decorations I made from this book.

learn to draw the easy way
This book is from a series of 4 books from Emberly are the easiest books on drawing there are, period. Anyone young or old can learn to draw some great critters and vehicles from these books. ANYONE! These are a great first step. All of his Big Color books are great, (They are a series, each named after a color). Famous for the easy way it shows you how to draw step by step, what appears to be a complex Haunted House, but it is simple when you do it his way. This book includes a number of fun ideas including robots, tiger, military ships, Halloween holiday drawings, and more. He even shows you how to make yours unique rather than a copy of his drawings. You can be the doodle hero of your classroom or office after using this book. He does it simply using very simple steps, lines, and basic shapes to start you off. My favorite in the series would be the Purple Book, because I am partial to the pirate ship instructions.

If you want to move up from here and learn the terminology of what you are doing, and really become an accomplished artist, the next step after these are the terrific books by "Jack Hamm".

If you just want to have some fun, get this book!

~*~ Ed Emberley is the man ~*~
I am a 21 year-old artist. I forgot all about Ed Emberley until a couple of weeks ago. Emberley was my first artistic inspiration and I developed an interest in art through the direction of his variety of juvenile instructional books. I highly recommend these books to any children who express an interest in art. His series of books are EXTREMELY simply to understand and children at any age can grasp his artistic expertise.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND ALL OF ED EMBERLEY'S DRAWING BOOKS!
Believe it or not children's drawings end up looking much like Ed Emberley's. Line by line and shape by shape the Halloween related objects take form. Our other family favorite was Emberley's "Big Red Drawing Book". Absolutely love these books! ... Read more

Book Description

Here is a doodler doodling.

And here are her doodles.

Here is a book starring twenty-one words, a blank piece of paper, and a train of thought.

And you will be amazed.

WOW!

Reviews (18)

This is a step by step book on how to draw Pokemon. GREAT!!
I like this book because it teaches you on how to draw Pokemon including CHARZAIRD. But the bummer is they don't give you all the Pokemon to draw but I have to hand it to Ron Zalme he is the first man to teach the Pokemon fans how to draw them. That is why I gave it a five star rating.

For the Artistic Pokemon Fan!
I purchased this book for my 5-year old daughter who loves to draw. Since she is also a Pokemon fan, she was thrilled with this book, and, with some parental assistance, she is now able to draw some of the more basic Pokemon.

Good for learning how to draw
This book gives great lessons on how to draw Pokemon,and it shows basic steps nicely.I think this book would be great for art students,as it's clear and easy to understand.It's helping me improve my artist skills.

Draw
Now with this exelent book you can become a master Pokemon artist!!! Learn to draw all your favorite Pokemon!!! Think it would be too hard??? Well not with this!!! A must for the kids!

Easy steps for drawing pokemon
Pokemon are great and more fun, to draw. Draw Meowth the bad cat from Team Rocket but a good cat at heart. Draw Pikachu, Ash's favorite Pokemon. Ash's other favorites you can draw are Charmeleon, Charizard, Charmander, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Pidgey. Some of Misty's favorites are Psyduck, and Polywhirl; you can draw them too. Brock's Pokemon are Zubat and Vulpix. Some more of Ash's are Caterpie and Snorlax. Have fun drawing these and many more. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Mike Venezia introduces kids to the art of Paul Gauguin
One of the more interesting aspects of looking at the life and works of the Impressionist painters, such as Paul Gauguin, is to follow how they were looking for a style of painting that really spoke to them as artists. As was the case with his books on Van Gogh, Monet, and other Impressionists artist, Mike Venezia traces the evolution of the artist, from Gauguin's first painting "Landscape" (1873), to his early impressionist works like "Interior of the Artist's House" (1881), to the development of his own style as represented by "Vision After the Sermon" (1888), to the work he did in Tahiti, such as "Day of the Gods" (1894), for which he is best known. In this Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists volume Venezia does one of his better jobs of explaining the changes in the artists evolving style. These books are the corner stone of the do-it-yourself art appreciation course I have been working on this year and the more specific Venezia gets in terms of explaining an artist's work the more I find it helpful.

This volume includes 17 of Gauguin's paintings from throughout his artistic career, as well as an example of the woodcarving he did on Tahiti. There are also paintings by some of contemporaries-Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro, and Van Gogh-which allow you to get a sense of how Gauguin compared to some of the other major impressionist painters. Interestingly enough, these are three artists who liked Gauguin's style of painting. However, Venezia has a cartoon explaining how Claude Monet and Paul Cezanne did not think much of Gauguin or his work and which also implied Gauguin was stealing ideas from Cezanne, in which case seeing reproductions of the two paintings in question would have been an appropriate choice. I think one of the reasons Venezia talks about Gauguin's work more than his life in this volume is because ultimately Gauguin gave his life over to his art more than most great artists. The lesson his life offers, of finding your own unique artistic vision and staying true to it, is something budding young artists could certainly learn to admire. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Cartoon stars
The Lee Ames series of books are good if you already have the basics of drawing down and some minor artist skills. They show how to take your basic skills and make some neat stuff. But this book is basically 1 page to a cartoon star, and about 6 drawings on the page to get a completed look. For some simple ones it works but on others it gets a little tricky. No text instructions here, just the drawings which you are just copying. If you want to LEARN how to draw and get the basic skills first whether you are kid or an adult, the books by Jack Hamm and Ed Emberly are the best place to start. They can make anyone an artist. Then come back to books like Ames.

This book was awsome!
I am 9 years old and love to draw. This book tells you how to draw a lot of famous cartoons. Some of the ones I like the best are PopEye, Flintstones and Scooby Doo. If you like to draw, you will enjoy this book.

It was great!!!!
I like this book because it has almost all those famous cartoons that you can barely get off the web. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Follow Mickey and his friends through this most magical of worlds as they show us how to look at, understand, and enjoy the works of the greatest artists. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An excellent, gorgeous and highly accessible book
Disney Looking At Paintings: An Introduction To Fine Art For Young People uses Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and Pluto to show young readers the majesty and imagination present in great works. Full-color, finely reproduced images of classic artworks captivate the eye on almost every page. The text renders artistic concepts in readily accessible terms. Chapters address how shape, size, color, light and dark, motion, materials and more are applied in works of art ranging in style from impressionism to realism to modern art and much more. Simple quizzes help reinforce the lessons about art learned in this excellent, gorgeous and highly accessible book, superb for reading aloud to young ones or letting them discover on their own.
... Read more

Reviews (3)

A great learning tool.
My compliments to Lee Ames and Creig Flessel for producing this "DRAW 50 PEOPLE" book. The step-by-step application to Mr. Flessel's wonderful drawings are an inspiration to the future artists in this world. Anyone wishing to improve their artistic skills (beginner or accomplished) would do well by following the examples in this book,(as well as the rest of the draw 50 series). I always say "There's nothing like learning from the BEST"!

Draw 50 People
Draw 50 People is a great book. The book, like others in the series, has the would-be artist drawing right away. The drawings/directions are clear, well done and easy to follow, with excellent results. It's great for kids and I even took a couple of ideas myself. I highly reccomend this book. Creig Flessel and Lee Ames did beautiful work in this book. Two thumbs up!

Only for kids
I thought this book would be a little creative. I was wrong. The book is weak for a couple of reasons: first, instead of teaching how to draw specific elements that make these characters it shows how to draw individual entries. So if your child wants to learn how to draw a viking, (s)he will only see one perspective and nothing more. No technique on how to draw the helmet, the garb etc.. Second, the book doesn't follow basic techniques to learn how to draw. In my opinion this book should be for 5 year olds in the house that are tired of coloring books. Buy a Jack Hamm book if you want to learn how to draw! ... Read more

Book Description

CraftsAround the world is fun crafting activities for kids 7 to 12 as seen on the public television series Hands On crafts for Kids..Travel around the world as we learn about different countries and cultures through their crafting traditions.Hands on Crafts Around the world includes 68 projects in four color with supply lists, step by step instructions, and full size patterns. ... Read more

Book Description

Interest in anime and manga-the arts of Japanese animation andcomics-is exploding in the US children's market. PokŽmon, Digimon, Dragon BallZ, and Sailor Moon are just a few of the anime phenomena delighting kids ages 4- 12. Kids Draw Anime, the eighth book in the popular Kids Draw series, is the firstbook specifically designed to teach kids 6-12 how to draw the popular animestyle themselves. Focusing on sh›jo- and sh›nen-style anime, the book teachesthe familiar "big eye" look, in which characters are drawn cute and young asopposed to the angular, dramatic characters of adult-oriented styles.Young artists will find a complete introduction to anime style, taught withengaging text and full-color art. Dozens of fun, hands-on lessons demonstratehow to draw heads, eyes, expressions, hairstyles, the basic body, hands andshoes, good guys and bad guys, goofy characters, fantasy characters, robots, andmuch more. As in all Kids Draw books, each dazzling spread is easy to follow,fun to look at, and guaranteed to charm a new generation of artists! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Not bad..................
It was'nt that helpful to me, but the book is specificly about teaching YOUNGER kids how to draw. I am SO sorry if the book dosn't teach you how to draw REFINED manga, becouse once agian the book if for younger kids. I dunno, I just had to blab about that.
This book is good. It tells you how to draw manga eyes, exaturated emotions, manga noses, hands, feet, alittle bit on the body, "action line", good guys and bad guys, little bit on anime robots, anime animals, little bit(very small)on the martial arts and some more advanced characters with how-to-draw steps and subsections for all that. 3 different artists drawing in this book and it's 64 pages. Theres nothing immoral in this book, and I think its a good primer. I recomend this book for people ages 7 to 10.

a misnomer
im sorry 4 those who like this book, and thats ok, but this name is a misnomer. this is not anime, but an american recreation of it called animerican. if u want real anime, may i suggest How to draw Anime and Game characters, vol. 1

Great for getting started!
This book was great and I learned how to do a lot, but there are still many books to teach me stuff I don't know.

Great instructional book
My kids loved this book. It kept them occupied for many hours and they really liked the style and the drawings. They followed tasks step by step and they really improved. They loved the section on how to make the eyes shine and drawing hands and feet. I loved the animal section. This book is highly recommended. ... Read more