Painting-the

"...Master Hieronymous Cock, of the Shop of the Four Winds, is pressing me to make a trip south to the great city of Rome. He intends that I shall draw as I go and then study the arts and ancient ruins there. "The prints we make from the drawings you bring back will travel to the four corners of the world," he says..." So begins Anders C. Shafer's intriguing story of the two year pilgrimage painter and draftsman, Pieter Bruegel, took from his home in Antwerp, over the Alps, and south to Rome. Using what little is known about Bruegel, from the writings of his contemporaries and his art, Mr Shafer imagines a fantastic journey, filled with history, drama, humor, and art. His clever text, written as eloquent diary entries, is engaging, and complemented by evocative illustrations. Together word and art draws the reader in, transports you back to the mid-sixteenth century, and paints a marvelously entertaining portrait of the man and his times. Mr Shafer includes an informative Author's Note, to augment and enhance the narrative, and an "art gallery", with enlightening commentary, of some of Pieter Bruegel's paintings. Perfect for youngsters 8-12, The Fantastic Journey Of Pieter Bruegel is an inspiring introductory biography that is sure to whet the appetite, and send kids out looking for more.

Regarded by most as the greatest Netherlands painter and draftsman of the 16th century , Pieter Bruegel is a fascinating figure. Focusing primarily on a journey made by Bruegel when the artist was in his twenties author Shafer brings this enigmatic figure to life.

After gaining membership in the prestigious Antwerp painters' guild Bruegel embarked on a trip across the Alps, heading for Rome where he planned to see the works of the great artists as well as that city's historic landmarks.

With thoughtfully imagined diary entries and breathtaking illustrations Shafer enables readers to observe the young Bruegel as he navigates a forest, visits Lyon, rides a barge up a winding river, and visits an alchemist.

Bruegel's two year odyssey is presented with panache and superb drawings. Included is a composite of Bruegel's art as well as author's notes defining Shafer's interest in the artist. While listed as a book for young readers, it is indeed for all ages.

- Gail Cooke

One would think that art books would automatically have the best visual layouts of any books. I wish that were true! This book is probably the best layout for a how-to book I've yet seen. You can open the book to any page and the visuals are so good and text so well integrated that you will learn something then and there. This is wonderful because artists don't necessarily like progressing in art books from page 1 to the end. However, most publishers assume that is the way that they do take in how-to material. I work in mixed media and am currently concentrating on the human figure and face. Thus, this book perfectly suits me. The author is also open to a variety of styles and is not focused on only one style. I too like variety in style. Someone who is still trying to choose a medium should also benefit from this book as you can easily see the benefits and detriments of each as applied to this subject matter. However, if you are solely focused on one medium, rendered in one style, on one small portion of the human body or face, then this may not be a good choice for you. Although, then I think you especially could stand to have your artistic vision given a bit broader and looser scope than that description implies.

For anyone interested in learning to paint portraits, this is an excellent "how-to" book, much better than the average. For a relatively small book, it contains a surprising amount of information, including painting in different media and styles, selected palettes of several contemporary painters, with particular attention given to composition as well. I saw this book in Ireland on a recent trip, and am so glad to find that I can get my own copy here at home.

This book (formerly published as Still Life Drawing and Painting) is the definitive step-by-step welcome guide to those who are serious about pursuing artistic drawing. In roughly 100 pages, nine carefully crafted sections and over 800 illustrations and diagrams, the author covers the basic and not-so-basic concepts, elements, skills and techniques you need in order to produce realistic still-life drawings of everyday objects. His topics include picture elements, space division, composition, depth, textures, values, light and shadow, etc, all of which are explained in detail for a wide variety of mediums like pencil, watercolor, pastel, chalk, graphic pens, oil and acrylic, etc. As an added bonus, the author introduces us to abstraction in art. He also teaches us how to analyze other artists' work and understand which techniques went into their creation.
By studying this book as if it were a textbook on a course, doing all the exercises and reviewing each section afterwards, I have steadily improved my craft in just over a month. My drawings no longer look amateurish or sloppy, and they have been constantly rewarded with praise from my friends and family.
If you are new to drawing, buy this book as your introduction to the craft, you'll reap the rewards of working on solid principles as you get into deeper and more specific kinds of drawing. If you are a seasoned artist, buy it to review what you know and discover new techniques and new mediums. Its masterfully organized content, clearly written instructions and pleasant visual style will make your learning experience most enjoyable, and the invaluable concepts, lessons and techniques will make your art look professional right from start.

"First Lessons in Drawing and Painting" is a great way to begin your quest of becoming an accomplished artist. This book will help you understand how other famous drawings and paintings were "built", by focusing on the creation of Still Life. Jack goes through many lessons in both drawing and painting, such as how to create space and depth in your drawings, working with values, keys to good composition, light and shadow, basic painting techniques, working with a pen, etc etc... If you have no idea what all of this has to do with good artwork..., then I'd highly suggest starting right here. After you learn the basic formula, Jack take you step by step through a realistic chalk drawing, creating texture, an intro to abstraction, and even teach you floral drawing and painting (you'll learn how to draw realistic roses in here as well).

I bought this book after I had already purchased Jack's other four excellent books, this was a mistake on my behalf. I became frustrated when I reviewed my drawings as they visually reminded me that I was 'still a beginner'! So, I bought this book. I've only had this book a week and already my lack of experience is becoming harder to trace, it also helped to boost my self-confidence when I re-read Jack's books and re-tried the excercises. Conclusion: I've learned from my mistakes, so you can save yourself unnecessary frustration. This book is a great easy to follow starter book for the aspiring artist, I'd really consider this book trying to take on figure drawing, landscapes, etc... all of Jack's books will help indefinately, but this book makes you both visually, AND mentally prepared for them!

Our family enjoyed this book, which is an imaginative story about the first cave painting. A tribe is starving and suffering with a lack of food and enduring a drought. The tribe's shaman has died and she passed the job onto her adolescent daughter named Mishoo. Fearing this responsibility, she has chosen not to "catch dreams" which is apparently the cause of both the drought and the lack of hunting success. Finally Mishoo follows the commands given by her mother and grandmother in her dreams...she goes to a sacred cave. Once in the cave she builds a fire and sees how the rock walls seem to come alive with shapes of animals. She uses her gathered clays to paint the walls.

The writing is poetic and eerie. The illustrations are gorgeous and set the mood perfectly.

When Mishoo returns to her tribe after three days of painting, it has just begun to rain. The rain will stimulate growth of the grasses, which will lure the animals back to the land. It ends by saying their hunting was successful and the tribe is thriving again.

Both the writing and the artwork drew us in and made us feel a part of the story. This is the first fiction historical book for children that I have found. It is the perfect addition to our homeschool curriculum for learning about early man and cave paintings.

Both my 3 and 5 year old boys enjoyed this story, although I needed to explain some of the passages such as what "moon of the singing grass" and "dream catcher" meant. I loved the way the author captured an artist's imagination and ability to imagine and "see" the finished piece before even starting work on it, how the rock walls seemed to speak to her and how she then created what she already saw in her mind's eye. This type of explanation is seldom seen in children's literature; I appreciated that.

A list of suggested related readings and background information about cave paintings are included at the end of the book.

We read this after borrowing it from the public library and we loved it so much, we must own a copy for our home library!

FIRST PAINTER literally took my breath away. It is a truly powerful and beautiful picture book--the words, the illustrations, and the design. I've read it three times in a row and I love it more with each rereading. FIRST PAINTER is Lasky's fictional story about what she imagines could have been the first cave painter. The story is told from the perspective of Mishoo, a young girl who is the shaman for her prehistoric tribe. There is a severe drought and their tribe is dying ("My younger sister, Erloo, is so thin her wrists are like twigs."). Mishoo must visit the cave of the she-tiger in one last attempt to bring water to her people. There, in the cave, the walls seem to come alive to Mishoo with their shadows and indents. She uses a fire stick and the colors from her spirit bundle to draw horses and bison and the she-tiger. She gathers energy from her paintings and finally emerges days later to clouds--"immense and woolly against the horizon." Rain has arrived, and so too has Mishoo's passion to paint again and again!

I've enjoyed Lasky's books for many years, but she has outdone herself this time. This book is brilliant--the words are simple, yet poetic and powerful. The first-person telling pulls me into the story (as close as I can come to being there in prehistoric times). The whole idea for the book is thought-provoking and should encourage many children's discussions and imaginings about not only who painted the first picture, but who started the first language (with words or gestures?), who made the first fire (by accident or on purpose?). Is the "need" for artistic expression solely a human need? On and on.

This is my first experience with Rocco Baviera's illustrations, but they won't be my last--what a master! He used bear grease, animal fur, raw earth pigments, and more to create his primitive and powerful images. They are achingly, hauntingly beautiful; and they perfectly capture the spirit of the first paintings and the first painter.

I expect to see this book on many award lists. Thank you, Kathryn Lasky, Rocco Baviera, Melanie Kroupa, & Chris Hammill Paul (DK Ink)--what a gift you have given the world!

After buying this long-awaited book from THE Florida Keys
watercolorist, I am heartbroken. I miss my Florida home.
Millard not only captures the once lush environment that once
was the Keys, but the spirit too, which only can be found
in the hearts of Keys residents. (Old Keys residents) What
was once a beautiful place to visit is now sadly just an extension
of South Florida. This book is a reminder to me that
one can only go home in their dreams. Live Forever Millard!

Millard Wells' 30 years in the Florida Keys are reflected here through his watercolors--A long time member of the prestigeous American Watercolor Society, he is sensitive to the land, water & light of these islands. Look through his eyes at this unique & attracting environment. You'll get sand in your shoes, and as natives know, you'll want to visit!

Excellent innovative approach to painting flowers in watercolor. Paul Riley departs from the standard format of predictable how to books and speaks of research and investigation, planning and preparation, exactly as he might as a teacher. (He runs successful painting workshops from his studio in Devon.) Flowers are synonymous with color and Riley is a consummate colorist. He uses unusual tools, calligraphy brushes and bamboo pens to achieve his effects. Beautiful color, articulately written.

I have just taken up watercoloring as a hobby and having had no classes in watercoloring but having a love of painting flowers, I found this book to be extremely helpful and informative. I copied several of Mr. Riley's pictures and they turned out very well. His information on watercolors and brushes to get started with are extremely helpful and I will be following his advice! I read the book from cover to cover and am looking forward to reading his book on landscapes. His book is easy for even a beginner like myself to understand and use.

Joan Sjuts Waldman's Flower Patterns provides patterns to applique, paint or embroider, and will prove inviting to quilters seeking flower foundations. An excellent guides, ideal for quilters at all levels of experience.

A great new way to create a beautiful quilt if someone doesn't like to applique with templates. The results are truly different, but very easy to achieve. I would recommend this book to my friends. I just checked it out at the local library last night and am ready to purchase it.

Anyone who is interested in art should have Lowell's books. The pictures inside are so beautiful they could be framed. He explains things so well that anyone can understand and create their own painting. Very good books, get them all.

this tecnique is easy to understand and to applicate, I would like if it could be applicated in lanscape and still life

This is what an art book should be, page after page of splendid reproductions, including several full page details of Fra Angelico's greatest works. I was able to spend one day in San Marco, 2 years ago, I was alone most of the morning, but by noon had to contend with hoards of tourists pushing their way to get their 3 second glimsp of each fresco. Looking at these wonderful reproductions, I am reminded of the originals, I am able to see details I could not see peering through the entrances to the monks' rooms, and to recall many details had just forgotten. The text, devoted to the illuminating the art, included a wonderful explaination of composition and perspective.

this book is a piece of art itself. the reproductions and the details close-up photographs gives a new demention of fra angelico's frescos of 'san marco' in florence. it is a unic book. tzvia haitin

Hopefully young readers will come away with more of an understanding of the art of Francisco Goya from Mike Venezia's book than the fact he started painting witches and other strange creatures in his final years. Of course, Venezia emphasizes much more than that, such as Goya's gift for showing not only how people looked but what kind of people they were in real life. Several of the almost 20 works of art by Goya included in this Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists volume evidence that point. It is much harder for Venezia to show how Goya did not always paint with brushes, but used small sticks or reeds to paint. Venezia does a nice job of covering the various phases of Goya's career; I find the paintings he did as models for tapestries to be as fascinating as his drawings. As always, Venezia uses his own cartoons to illustrate the artist's life and provides basic art appreciation for many of Goya's most famous works, such as "The Colossus," "Third of May," and "Don Manuel Osorio Manrique de Zuniga." Not only young readers but any adults who stumble across this fun series will enjoy finding out about these famous artists.

This book, like the others in the series, is enjoyable and educational for young and old alike. The artwork selected shows a variety of styles and the accomanying cartoons are very entertaining. Venezia gives simple insight into the painintgs to help kids connect the man with the art and creates a mini artist history lesson.