Looking At Pictures

by Joy Richardson, Charlotte Voake (Illustrator)

Combining clear, entertaining prose, imaginative layouts, and stunning color reproductions of some of the world's greatest paintings, Looking at Pictures teaches children to enjoy and respond to art on their own. Educator Joy Richardson introduces and explains twelve major themes in the study of art. From the treatment of light and the use of color to the tricks of perspective, she leads children on a journey of discovery through the basic concepts and vocabulary of painting. Each section focuses on one key work, which is reproduced in a full-page colorplate. Ingeniously chosen color details and a wealth of other illustrations amplify the discussion. Drawing on the incomparable collection of the National Gallery, London, Looking at Pictures features works by Van Eyck, Leonardo, Rembrandt, Constable, Cezanne, Matisse, and Picasso, among others. Outstanding illustrator Charlotte Voake's delightful watercolors, inspired by elements in the paintings, add humor and charm to this unusual introduction to art.

Genres: Art, History, Childrens

80 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 1997

Reviews

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book that is phenomenally successful on multiple levels. In the bulk of the 80-page book, the author isolates twelve important concepts about art and explains them in an appealing and age-appropriate way; alongside these explanations are a selection of great masterpieces (all from the National Gallery in London) chosen to exemplify these concepts (multiple works for each concept, often from different time periods); it provides an excellent introduction to art galleries and museums, discussing arrangement, framing, restoration, and the scientific examination of paintings using x-rays, microscopes, infra-red photography.

With all the beautiful reproductions and magnified details, one might wonder about the contribution of Charlotte Voake. These small cartoonish illustrations are informative and humorous, but do not intrude.

I was also particularly gratified to see that sacred art was not ignored or played down, as other recent art appreciation books for children have done. There is even a page discussing "attributes" that artists use to identify particular saints in artwork over the centuries.

Although the works included are a wonderful sampling of the masterpieces at the National Gallery, the essential takeaway from this book is that the foundational knowledge it provides allows for better informed viewing of any work, wherever it may be held.

[Sanna Sjölund]

det här var tydligen en bok rekommenderad för barn. men jag står inte över det. jag lärde mig saker!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!!

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book introduces kids to some of the works of art held by the National Gallery in London, and uses them to exemplify different artistic approaches and techniques. My art-loving 6-year-old loved reading the book with me as part of our homeschool art curriculum, and she was disappointed when it ended. I'd actually like to go through it with her again in the future and have her attempt some of the techniques presented.

[Carol Bakker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent: both challenging and accessible for young artists. Good material on color, pigments, symbols, light. And engaging little notes to the readers, like this one:

If you look closely among the fruit and flowers, you'll find a butterfly • a snail • a fly • a mouse. The longer and harder you look, the more you'll see.

Interaction is encouraged.

Dogs and doves were quite common in fifteenth-century paintings. You'll find at least two more in this book.

This is a book to explore, pore over, and savor.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was so interesting! It presents painting techniques and the media used for artwork through history.