Melissa Walker
Glorious Glues! Art with Adhesives, Paula Guhin
With Glorious Glues! Art with Adhesives, art Teacher Paula Guhin has put together a wonderful little book that showcases the many uses of glue in art making.
All of her projects are rated either easy, moderate or advanced and 
can be used with all ages.
The lessons are well written and easy to follow. Tips to evaluate the artwork are included at the end of each lesson. Both 2-D and 3-D projects are included.
A chapter with simple recipes for assorted pastes, paint and clay is included as well as a glossary of terms. Black and white photo are included throughout the book.
There are some great ideas presented here to encourage creativity and experimentation. She also inspires students to incorporate the elements of art into their work.
Positives:
- The projects are low cost. Anyone can afford them.
- Most projects can be used for all ages. Older students can incorporate some of the techniques into more advanced art projects.
- The projects are fun and creative.
Negatives:
- Many of the projects, as written, are too easy for high school students.
- All of the illustrations are black and white.
Discovering Great Artists, by Kohl and Solga
Discovering Great Artists: Hands-On Art for Children in the Styles of the Great Masters, by Mary Ann Kohl and Kim Solga (Website: BrightRing.com)
Starting with Giotto and continuing on through current artists, Ms. Kohl and Ms. Solga have created multiple art lessons based on individual artist.
Each lesson includes a very brief biography, a list of materials and an easy to follow process.
All the illustrations are black and white. They include student work, work of the featured artist and some are illustrations by the authors.
All the lessons have a key that designates their art technique, the artist style, amount of planning and prep and the experience level of the student.
Most lessons are designed for elementary students, but with some adjustments, many could be used at the middle school level.
Lessons include both 2-D and 3-D projects.
The last chapter has additional games and activities. An extensive resource guide and glossary is also included in the book.
Pros:
- Lessons are art history based
- Lessons are well organized by date and style
Cons:
- Book is geared for elementary aged students only
- Color illustrations would be helpful in appreciating the artists’ work
Read others’ reviews and buy this book at Amazon.com
[ASA]0935607099[/ASA]
Pencil Drawing Techniques
This is an excellent book for those just starting out with drawing and also intermediate level students. There is good basic information on how to use pencils, as well as creating value and textures. There are exercises design to help you incorporate perspective in your drawings, including drawing cubes, cylinders and conical objects.
Pencil Drawing Techniques puts a definite emphasis on drawing from life. Working with photo references and using a grid is only briefly mentioned. There is also minimal information on different drawing media and how to use them.
The author dedicates a substantial portion of the book to drawing landscapes. He has especially helpful information on simplifying a busy or cluttered scene, creating a center of interest and developing darks. His chapter on drawing portraits shows several steps from the beginning to the end of the drawing. He shows numerous types of animals in different poses with a few step by step examples.
The last part of the book is on using colored pencils. He includes information of the different types of colored pencils and their attributes. There is also a good section on mixing colors, including changing value and intensity. There are several examples of different types of techniques associated with colored pencils such as burnishing, and using solvents and blenders.
CONS: Most of the drawings shown are sketchy, without a finished quality to them. The section on drawing portraits was a little short.
PROS: This book is a good overview of basic drawings techniques as well as compositional tips. If you like to improve your sketching abilities this would be a great book to have. Several different artists have work included in this book so you can see different styles of working. I have found this book especially helpful when trying to teach about value studies and their importance in planning a finished work.
Summary
Learn more about this book at
Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk
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Art from Many Hands
“In a world where differences in culture and ethnicity sometimes bring conflict, learning about cultural differences in arts and crafts can help students appreciate and respect one another.”
Though first published in 1981, this quote from “Art From Many Hands” still rings true.
Ms. Schuman covers fine arts and crafts from all over the world, including Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Central and South America, the Caribbean and North America. The history of each art form is first presented along with examples of finished work and tools. Detailed instructions for projects suitable for elementary and middle school students follow. Where possible, alternate materials and tools are suggested for teachers on a limited budget.
Examples of student art work are shown in both black and white and color. An extensive bibliography in included at the end of the book for those wishing to do further research.
I especially like the fact the she encourages students to create their own artwork using the techniques presented rather than copying a project step by step. Not only are students learning about other cultures, but they are learning to use their own creativity.
CONS: Not enough large, color pictures to show as examples for classrooms without access to the real thing.
PROS: Many different ideas for projects are presented with clear instructions on how to teach them in the classroom.
Summary
Learn more about this book at
Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk
[asa]0871925931[/asa]
Experimental Drawing, by Robert Kaupelis
“This book is about drawing; about the experience of drawing and seeing drawings; and about the possibilities of extending our traditional concepts concerning the parameters of drawing”, R. Kaupelis
Experimental Drawing by Robert Kaupelis is a very good text on the infinite varieties of drawing. Written by a college art professor, it is intended for beginning to advanced students and is an excellent text for teachers to use in the art classroom. The author covers a vast amount of information including contour, gesture and modeled drawing, basic composition and using value. He goes on to cover using photographs, and working in a series. He ends his book with a series of exercises that will get you working in a more expressionistic manner.
This is a great book if you are interested in the process of drawing versus the product. Your drawing skills will improve and expand and your concept of what drawing is will surely change.
CONS: This book may be overwhelming for beginners working on their own. Many of the exercises are designed to teach you about drawing, rather than showing you how to draw something specific. The author’s writing style, while clear, tends to be a little wordy and the type face is small.
PROS: As a teacher, I have found this book to be invaluable. The huge number of exercises can be used to expand student skills and their definition of what drawing is. There are many images of unusual and contemporary drawing styles.
If you just want to learn to draw a still life or a portrait, there are other books that will better suit your needs. However, if you really want to know what drawing is all about, this is a book that will push you to explore and create drawings like you have never done before.
Summary
Learn more about this book at
Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk
[asa]0823016226[/asa]
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