Art: An A-Z Guide

Children's Literature

I still remember the art books in my family home when I was a young child. I would have spent a lot of time with this one. The idea of this book is to learn about art by studying fifty-nine styles or techniques. These styles or techniques are arranged in alphabetical order, from abstract art to woodcut. Each concept is illustrated with at least four or five samples. These photographic reproductions are from major museums all over the world and are quite stunning. An effort is made to liberally interpret the concept and be somewhat inclusive of numerous cultures, a frequent omission in fine art surveys. For instance, the spread about calligraphy includes the predictable samples of Chinese and 15th century writing, and then a painting with strong patterns by Paul Klee and an abstract action painting by Mark Toby. The inclusion of more artwork from the last fifty years would have enhanced this work. The design of the publication is uncluttered enough to encourage easy viewing and reading, and the content inclusive enough to give a nice overview of many aspects of art. 2000, Franklin Watts, $32.50 and $19.95. Ages 8 up. Reviewer: Kristin Harris

VOYA

From abstract art to woodcuts, this book samples art techniques, time periods, and artistic movements to present an overview of art in an innovative form. Presented as a dictionary of art vocabulary terms, the definitions contained in this resource are specific to the art world. This book begins with an explanation that to fully comprehend and explore art, one must understand concepts such as composition or cartoon as they apply to artwork, and that they might mean something very different in other contexts. Each term is presented with a simple definition enhanced by a variety of photographs and images to convey the meaning of that particular word or idea. Each image then is accompanied by a short paragraph explaining its relevance. One helpful feature is the use of footnotes at the end of each term, referring the reader to other pages that might prove interesting. Defining only fifty-nine words, this book does not promise to be a comprehensive study of art, but it proves to be a useful reference tool for a quick understanding of particular artists, their movements, and their techniques. The quality of the artwork coupled with a highly developed index and a simple presentation make this resource a good choice for a general overview of artistic terms, but it must have other materials to support it. Index. Illus. Photos. Source Notes. 2000, Franklin Watts, 128p. PLB $32.50. Ages 12 to Adult. Reviewer: Heather Hepler SOURCE: VOYA, August 2001 (Vol. 24, No. 3)

School Library Journal

Gr 6 Up-Greenway highlights 59 terms that are important "to a discussion and understanding of art." Each term is richly illustrated with examples. While there are familiar paintings, there are also lesser-known works. For example, "Expressionism" is illustrated with Vincent van Gogh's The Starry Night and Edvard Munch's Girls on a Bridge. Sidebars highlight individual artists. Occasionally, the alphabetical framework seems contrived, but the text is succinct and the full-color photographs and reproductions, often several per concept, are lush and informative. For example, under "Decorative Arts," text and illustrations consider work from ancient Egypt, 11th-century Peru, and 19th- and 20th-century Europe and the U.S. Although art from Africa, Asia, and India is included, most of the illustrations feature Western art. An excellent introduction to art terms.-Laura Younkin, Ballard High School, Louisville, KY Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.