Some great books to help you teach Art movements, Artworks and Artists!
It can be really hard to find books to teach the difficult concepts of Art in a child friendly way. I have bought many books over the years, some have been more helpful than others! Here are some of my favourite books that I have used in the classroom.
13 Artists Children Should Know
Angela Wenzel
Some of the most popular Artists over history presented in a colourful and succinct way for kids. Includes artists like Andy Warhol, Vincent Van Gogh, Henri Matisse and Henri Rousseau, and big glossy pictures of their most famous artworks. Best of all, it's cheap! You can buy it for about $18 on book depository.
The Arrival
Shaun Tan
If you are looking for a book by an Australian artist, look no further than the beautiful story of an immigrant by Shaun Tan. A totally illustrated book with no words, it nonetheless tells a story that students can understand through it's narrative artworks. It is excellent for getting students to explore ideas through symbols and the elements of art, and looking at how another person's perspective is expressed through art.
Hiroshige. One Hundred Famous Views of Edo
Melanie Trede, Lorenz Bichler
When you want to teach your year threes about Asian Art, look no further than Utagawa Hiroshige's beautiful landscape prints. A beautiful hardcover book that looks as good as it's content, too! it is a great resource for teachers, a bit too wordy for students but with many beautiful Japanese landscapes for your students to explore and be inspired by.
The Colour Monster
Anna Llenas
A book that succinctly explores colour theory through a short and sweet story about a monster who feels confused. I have had success with this book teaching students in upper and lower primary. Bonus points: The illustrator has used very cool collages using lots of different media.
The Biggest Story
Kevin DeYoung, Don Clarke
Not an art book, but for those of you at Christian schools, this book has really incredible symbolic illustrations as it presents the bible story in an easy to understand and overarching way. Suitable for upper primary students.
Important to note: I am writing from my own experiences in the classroom and do not in any way guarantee these projects will work for you. You know your student's capabilities and behaviour best. As with anything, always check the safety of all materials and processes and read product instructions carefully before you introduce them to students. Consider the age and maturity of your students before trying any of my ideas.
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