Children's Book of Art: An Introduction to the World's Most Amazing Paintings and Sculptures (DK Children's Book of) Hardcover – September 21, 2009

First,***Details on the contents:***The book is divided into 3 major sections: Early Art, Modern Art, and SculptureTo quote a beginning section:"How to use this bookIn this book, find out about different art styles, the works and lives of famous sculptors, the way some artworks were created, and the amazing range of art around the world. There are four different types of pages in this book:ARTIST or SCULPTOR PROFILE: Find out about the life, style, and work of a famous artist or sculptor and take an up-close look at a work.HOW DID THEY DO THAT? Find out how an artist or sculptor did their work and see how the technique developed through history.GALLERY: Marvel at the different ways artists around the world and throughout art history have portrayed the same subject.ART STYLE: Find out about the different styles of art and follow the timeline of changing styles through art history."Early Art12 Rocky Beginnings14 Egyptian scribes16 Faces in art18 How to make frescoes20 Dreamtime art22 How to make mosaics24 Gods and heroes in art26 Chinese art28 How to create colors30 Renaissance (1400s-1500s)32 Landscapes in art34 Leonardo da Vinci36 Jan van Eyck38 How to use oil paint40 Children in art42 Baroque (1600s)44 Jan Vermeer46 Still life in art48 Rococo (1700s)50 Francisco de Goya52 How to use watercolor54 Katsushika HokusaiModern Art58 Impressionism60 Claude Monet62 How to paint with pastels64 Vincent van Gogh66 Nighttime in art68 After Impressionism70 Henri Matisse72 Pablo Picasso74 Naive art76 Paul Klee78 Surrealism80 Joan Miro82 Grant Wood84 Animals in art86 Postwar abstract art88 Jackson Pollock90 Sir Sidney Nolan92 War in art94 Andy Warhol96 Street art98 Work in art100 Friedensreich Hundertwasser102 Modern artSculpture106 Carved in stone108 The Terra-cotta Army sculptors110 How to carve wood112 African sculpture114 How to sculpt marble116 Michelangelo Buonarroti118 Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi120 Gustav Vigeland122 Abstract sculpture124 Henry Moore126 Alberto Giacometti128 How to create Land art130 Sculpture NOW132 Damien Hirst134 Get up close to the real thing!136 Glossary138 Index of artists and sculptors140 Acknowledgments-----------------Second, my review,I'm using this book with my 5 year old who came to me a bit frustrated with her pictures since all she was drawing were princesses and unicorns. The book is so colorful, everything just pops; it definitely keeps her interest. It's organized so that each two facing pages detail one facet of art or artist, be it fresco, cave art, Jackson Pollock, etc. This is really well thought out time-wise because we can read those 2 pgs together in one sitting. I can ask her what she likes best, and then we can think up together how she can make her own version of the work (she's 5 so some knowledge of available materials from me is helpful to her in conceptualizing how she'll bring it to life, but for an older child they can work with the materials on their own), for example reproducing Egyptian hieroglyphs after that 2 pg section. It's been really rewarding for me as a parent to see how her eye for art and the line has strengthened and it's been time well spent together. Done this way there's enough weekly projects for a year, so for the price it's a great resource. At first she was a bit put off (because she's a girlie girl) that the book wasn't chock full of pretty pictures, but after a few wks she got used to all the different ways that art has been made, so her eyes have opened in that sense. She's also thrilled that she gets to put her own spin on the work that we look at. It's not the kind of book that I would leave in her hands to muddy or to soil, maybe for an older child it would be OK to let them have at it, but we go over it together and it has been fun. It can be challenging to figure out how to incorporate the style into a painting or work especially if you're unfamiliar with the technique (and being 5 she's unfamiliar with most of it) but that is part of the fun, and also it requires a lot of focus, and that has helped her to be able to finish something she starts.Overall very happy w.this purchase. Would definitely buy as a gift for curious/artsy elementary school-age children, along with a drawing pad/construction paper and a set of paints/brushes/pencils. Faber Castell makes a tote that has quality brushes with basic paints and a paint pallette that is perfect for little hands; Young Artist Learn to Paint Set, available on Amazon. Also great to have at home if the art curriculum for your child's school is cut due to lack of funding.

Thought I was ordering something different, but once I took a look at this book - decided to keep it. Very cool layout that captivated my child right away, with good and basic info on all sorts of art and art history. A lovely way to introduce the study of art to anyone, as adults who visit often take a look too.

Exactly what I was hoping it would be: general guide to a broad array of artists and styles with interesting facts and pictures. We use it for a quick reference when coloring or painting or before a trip to museums. It is intended for 7 year olds, but I read it to my 2 year old and for a quick discussion it is perfect. I take him all around town to museums on the weekends and, within reasonable expectations, he enjoys it very much. I believe we will use it for a long time.

Beautiful book however calling it "complete picture of the world's art,art history and artists" is a mistake when you don't include women. I purchased to use as a timeline for art history lesson .Now to find similar resource for women of the art world.

my grandsons are twins and homeschooled. They are learning about the famous artists work, but their personal history. Perfect for teachers.

I love this book! I bought a copy to send to my grandchildren who are interested in other people's art, as well as working on their own. It provides such wonderful explanations and illustrations of styles, techniques, and types of art that I ordered a second copy to keep on a shelf here at home.

The book is a wonderful intro to art for kids in upper elementary grades. I felt it was too old for my 6 year old grandson so I returned it but will keep it in mind as he grows older.

My daughter saw this book at her school book fair and put it on a wish list. It quickly sold out so I had never seen the book before ordering it on Amazon. Wow! What a fantastic book! It's full of information about every type of art along with directions on how to do some of it. There's a lot of information about the individual artists, as well. My husband and I have both found it educational for us, too. I will purchase this to give as a gift over and over.