Express Yourself!: Activities and Adventures in Expressionism

by Joyce Raimondo

• Interactive introduction to 6 famous Vincent van Gogh, Edvard Munch, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Vassily Kandinsky,
Willem de Kooning, and Jackson Pollock


• Hands-on approach to understanding
great art


• Parents and teachers need Art Explorers—ideal for homeschoolers, too!


The Art Explorers series offers a new approach to art, encouraging kids to interpret what they see in famous artworks, then try the techniques themselves. Express Yourself!: Activities and Adventures in Expressionism , the third book in the series, draws children into the compelling, dramatic world of expressionism by highlighting the work of six famous artists. From modern expressionists (Van Gogh, Munch) to German expressionists (Kirchner, Kandinsky) to abstract expressionists (De Kooning, Pollock), each artist is represented by a famous artwork, paired with questions to get kids thinking about what they see. Easy-to-follow activities provide hands-on experience with the artist’s techniques, subject, and mediums, each illustrated with examples by real kids. Packed with great art and ideas, Express Yourself! lets kids understand art—and become artists themselves.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

48 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Geared for readers/kids ages 6-11,
this book is a perfect resource to showcase 6 Different famous artists using some of their famous artwork as inspiration for the young artists.
The book shows a picture of say, Munch's "The Screamer" and then asks the readers about the colors, the emotions, why is the person screaming, etc?
And then the kid recreates 2 different art projects based off the famed art;
The book also features Van Gogh's Water color Starry Night, Kircher's oil Pastel 'Dresden Street', Kandinsky's abstract 'Improvisation', de Kooning's wet paint abstract approach to people, "Woman V", and Pollock's splatter paint "Number 10"...

Each of the 12 projects featured can easily be adjusted to classroom, library program or at-home fun for ages 6-11...Want to try them all!

[Jaclyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for teaching children about art and famous artists. The book also provides ideas on creative projects (one of the best things about this book) you can try to emulate the artists' work you are learning about. The bios on each artist are pretty short. If you want more than a snapshot of their life and work, you will have to bring in other resources. I think another highlight of this book is how interactive it is. It provides many questions that get you thinking about art and inspire you to create. The questions also provide guidance in how to look at art more closely.

[Lorna Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic art book. You rally feel like you understand abstract expressionism and teach it when you finish reading the book.

[A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't like how the book is designed. It seems crowded and not appealing.

[Heather Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for educational art projects to introduce and understand expressionist painters. Helped me with a report I was writing on Edvard Munch.

[Juliej · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to have in the homeschool arsenal.