What's In My Book Bag?

Drawing Mentor 14, Fantasy Drawing -- Kindle Book -- Free

Drawing Mentor 14, Fantasy Drawing.   Right now (1/28/12) Amazon is offering it for free.  I have no idea how long this deal will last (prices on Amazon can change at any moment).  The price will be $0.00 if it is still free.

Prices change all of the time.  Double check the price before making a purchasing decision.

Devoted to Creating: Igniting the Creative Spark in Everyone -- Kindle Book -- Free

Devoted to Creating: Igniting the Creative Spark in Everyone includes Scripture passages and looks at creativity from a Christian viewpoint.  Right now (1/27/12) Amazon is offering it for free.  I have no idea how long this deal will last (prices on Amazon can change at any moment).  The price will be $0.00 if it is still free.

 

Prices change all of the time.  Double check the price before making a purchasing decision.

How to Draw - Tips and Ideas (Effective Step by Step Guide with Pictures) -- Kindle Book -- Free

How To Draw - Tips and Ideas (Effective Step-By-Step Guide With Pictures).  Right now (1/17/12) Amazon is offering it for free.  I have no idea how long this deal will last (prices on Amazon can change at any moment).  The price will be $0.00 if it is still free.

 

Don't have a Kindle?  That's ok.  

Of course you can purchase a Kindle, Kindle Touch or Kindle Fire at Amazon.  

You can also purchase Kindle books and materials and read them on your PC.  I don't have a Kindle yet so this is what I've been doing. How to Read Kindle Books on Your PC 

There are also Free Kindle Reading Apps for the iPhone, iPad, Android and Blackberry. 

 

Prices change all of the time.  Double check the price before making a purchasing decision.

No One Saw -- Everyday Items as the Subject of Art

No One Saw is another title by Bob Raczka. In this one he uses the theme of everyday items as they are depicted in art. Amazingly, he uses many of the artists names for his rhyming text. 

I would use this book to encourage your budding little artists.  An important message of the book is that each artist views the world in his or her own unique way. 

At the end of this book, Raczka gives us a few sentences about each of the artists.  Some of the facts are quite interesting.

 

More Than Meets the Eye: Seeing Art With All Five Senses

As you know from some of my previous posts, I am definitely not an expert in art.  But I am a new fan of the books by Bob Raczka.  He has a way of making works of art interesting and entertaining to the inexperienced.  The latest book I've picked up is   More Than Meets The Eye: Seeing Art With All Five Senses (Bob Raczka's Art Adventures).  In this book Raczka uses the five senses (see, smell, hear, taste, touch) as his theme for discovering art.  He combines this theme with a rhyming text that makes this picture book additionally appealing. 

I suggest reading through the book once to enjoying the rhyme but then to go back and discuss with your child the painting and the corresponding text.  I would even recommend this for an older elementary school discussion because some of the paintings can be sort of abstract.

As in previous books, Raczka also includes a section at the back of the book to give us a fun fact about the artists included.

 

Unlikely Pairs -- In Art, 1 + 1 = ?

If you're enjoying these art books by Bob Raczka, you might want to pick up Unlikely Pairs (Bob Raczka's Art Adventures).  In this book he takes two pieces of art that he feels you would most likely never see next to each other in a museum and places them next to each other on the pages.  Then he encourages us to sit and look at these two pieces together -- unrelated but somehow linked.  As I have said in previous posts I am not an art expert by any means, but I did find this book entertaining.  I would think it would be good for discussion.  It might even be interesting to look at the pieces separately by covering one page with a blank piece of paper before looking at them together.  I know many I had not seen before and I would have looked at them differently if they were not physically next to each other.

There is also a fun fact about each artist or art piece at the end of the book.

Where In The World?: Around the Globe in13 Works of Art -- Travel The Globe with Your Kids Through Art

Where in the World?: Around the Globe in 13 Works of Art (Bob Raczka's Art Adventures) is another book by Bob Raczka.  This time he teaches us art by showing us different art pieces from around the world.  Obviously this is not a complete study since he only covers 13 pieces but it still was an interesting book.  One of my favorite pieces of art in this book was a map of the world by Alighiero E Boetti where each country looked like its flag.  At the end of the book there is a world map where the author marked the places that were represented by the artists in this book. 

The Art of Freedom: How Artists See America -- The United States as the Subject of Art

The Art of Freedom: How Artists See America (Bob Raczka's Art Adventures)  by Bob Raczka focuses on the subject of the United States in art.  Definitely a different book to share with your child as part of your July 4th celebration.  The way it is written it really gives you a lot of subject areas to discuss with your children about the country.

As in some of the author's other books there is a section at the end where each art piece is described along with a fun fact.

Here's Looking At Me: How Artists See Themselves -- A Study of the Self Portrait

Here's Looking at Me: How Artists See Themselves by Bob Raczka focuses on the subject of the self portrait.  This book is definitely written for the older child -- with its paragraphs of explanation and description.  It is interesting to see how the self portraits really reflected the artist's own style.  This would be an interesting book to share with a child after encouraging them to create their own self portrait.  I think I would have them draw or paint their self portrait first because I wouldn't want them to be influenced by what they learn from the book.  I would also use it as an opportunity for discussion -- asking them to describe their self portrait -- an explanation straight from the artist's mouth instead of someone else's interpretations of it. 

This would also be a very interesting book to pick up if your child happens to study one of the artists featured.  It would make for a nice comparison and extra learning to see how the artist created their self portrait and how that compares to their other works.

Art is... by Bob Raczka

As I have said previously, art is not my area of expertise.  Although, I really enjoy Bob Raczka's style of teaching through his books.

 Art Is... is a fun book that teaches about art with a text that rhymes.  Again, he uses photos of museum art pieces to enhance his teachings.  Each piece is named, along with the artist, year, and the museum that houses it.  At the end of the book there is a notes section where each piece is again shown in miniature and the author adds a fun fact about each artist.