It’s ideal as the basis of a daily or weekly art lesson.  It’s also a great preparation for taking young children to art museums.  In fact, it’s one of the best I’ve seen, for that purpose.

Each letter of the alphabet is matched to an art-related word.  The word — like the book — is in English, but it’s also provided in Spanish, German, and French.  Each letter is also represented with Sign language.  This expands the use of the book in any classroom setting.

The illustrations in the book are delightful.  They aren’t too intimidating for young children, and will definitely appeal to them.  They’re colorful and fun.

The brief definition of each art-related word will give teachers enough to work with, to teach effectively.  They’re even more useful if the teacher spends a little time online or with art books, learning more about the subject to explain it in more depth.

I especially like that the book includes several complex art concepts, and it doesn’t “talk down” to children.

This kind of book is ideal for a homeschool group, teaching children at  multiple grade levels.

For teaching a class, or reading to more than a very small group of children, larger illustrations will be helpful.  The examples in the book are too small to be seen beyond the second row in a classroom setting.

However, many school and public libraries have excellent books to supplement what’s in “…The ABC’s of Art.”  (Every book has its limits, and this one addresses that issue well.)

The price of the book reflects the full-color pages, but it may be a little price-y for a teacher or homeschooler who is taking this out of his or her personal budget.

However, this is a very useful book for a department, school library, or public library to purchase.  It will be greatly appreciated by teachers.

As a starting point for a daily or weekly art theory lesson, this is a book that teachers have needed for a long time.

Pros

• Every page is in color, and has a lot of visual appeal.
• The terminology doesn’t “talk down” to children.
• Helpful tips make it easy for teachers to share this information without an art background.

Cons

• The price of this large paperback book  isn’t competitive with some art books from larger publishers.
• Images of the art being described are small for students to see from a distance.

(Aside from the price, I had to look hard to find a second negative comment to make.)

If you are buying books for a public or school library, I think this is a must-buy.  If you frequent your public or school library, recommend this book as a useful resource for teachers and parents.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Herman The Jester and The ABC’s of Art
Price: USD 23.99

14 used & new available from USD 4.00

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.

Glorious Glue!: Art With Adhesives
Price: USD 16.37

18 used & new available from USD 3.95

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

Discovering Great Artists: Hands-On Art for Children in the Styles of the Great Masters (Bright Ideas for Learning)
Price: USD 12.89

57 used & new available from USD 8.00

The Polymer Clay Techniques Book

Nevertheless, Sue Heaser has an outstanding reputation and presents a great range of projects.

There’s something here that would appeal to every member of your family, and that can’t be said for most art and craft books!

I like the sections on inclusions and simulating semi-precious stones. There is also a good introduction to using wire armatures and sculpting figures.

Summary

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The Polymer Clay Techniques Book
Price: USD 15.63

55 used & new available from USD 8.47

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

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Pencil Drawing Techniques
Price: USD 13.57

86 used & new available from USD 2.69

“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

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Art From Many Hands: Multicultural Art Projects Revised Expanded Edition
Price: USD 19.77

28 used & new available from USD 12.78

“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

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Experimental Drawing
Price: USD 17.21

57 used & new available from USD 9.15

This is an excellent textbook that offers a tradition approach to teaching drawing. Discovering Drawing starts by defining what drawing is. It covers the elements and principles of design, basic drawing techniques and includes information on different subject matter, including a chapter on expressive drawing. Art history, how to segments, career profiles of professional artists and rubrics are included throughout the book.

Discovering Drawing 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.

If you are looking for a traditional drawing curriculum that incorporates art history, criticism, aesthetics and writing exercises as well as sketchbook assignments, then this book is for you.

CONS: The information included is almost too basic for advanced high school students. Most of the drawing assignments are simply drawing objects from life with little content or creativity included.

PROS: This book offers a ready made, DBA based curriculum, which if followed, would expose students to all aspects of basic drawing.

Summary

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Discovering Drawing
Price: —

9 used & new available from USD 65.34

This is a wonderful book if you are interested in learning about using photographs as reference material. The author gives explicit information on photographing flowers, people, animals and still life. She includes tips on lighting and painting the illusion of light.

She also includes solid information on making enlargements, as well as simplifying, cropping and combining photos to get the best composition.

There are many excellent photographs that show the early, middle and end steps of a painting, including color suggestion. Her text is well organized and easy to follow.

The author also has a section on some of the most asked student questions such as how to paint brilliant darks and how to paint the folds of fabric.

I have used this book extensively in teaching high school students. There are many wonderful tips for scaling and enlarging images, easy perspective tricks and painting different types of details.

CONS: This book in not for beginning watercolorists. Information on paint, brushes, paper and basic techniques is not included. In addition, while all the photos are excellent, they are only from the author.

PROS: Even though this book is about painting with watercolors, there is excellent information on taking and using photographs, composition, perspective and lighting that can be applied to any media you happen to be working with. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in improving their painting skills.

Summary

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Painting Beautiful Watercolors from Photographs
Price: —

38 used & new available from USD 7.09

This book is full of these kinds of activities. Chapters include information on the Stone Age, Egypt, the Greek and Romans, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, Post-Renaissance, Pre through Post-Impressionism, Modern Art, Art of the Americas, Art of the Middle and Far East and Africa.

Also available is a set of art history slides that are keyed to specific activities. Paired together, the activities and slides offer an exciting approach to teaching about the art of the past.

CONS: Slides need to be available as DVD’s with more visuals included.

PROS: Lots of great ideas for younger students.

Summary

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Art Smart!: Ready-To-Use Slides and Activities for Teaching Art History and Appreciation
Price: USD 71.95

26 used & new available from USD 2.23