The painter's eye: learning to look at contemporary American art
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9780385303194
Published Reviews
Booklist Review
Gr. 6-9. This intelligent, articulate, and handsome introduction to the language of art should be valuable not only to young people, but also to adults who wish to become visually literate. Greenberg and Jordan, both art professionals, take viewers on a step-by-step journey to discover the meaning of several contemporary American paintings by clarifying the basic elements of art (line, shape, color, texture) and the basic elements of design (rhythm, balance, variety, emphasis, spatial order, unity). In their thought-provoking discussion, the authors balance the complexity of their treatment with integrated quotes from artists, photographs of the artists at work, reproductions of their paintings, and poems that interpret the paintings. The documentation is superb and includes notes and artists' biographies organized by styles (surrealism, op art, etc.). An unusual contribution to the body of children's books on art and artists. ~--Julie Corsaro
Horn Book Review
Color photographs. An excellent and thorough introduction to the elements and principles of art through analysis of contemporary American paintings, with fascinating biographical glimpses of their creators. Bibliography, index. From HORN BOOK 1991, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Book Review
Examining carefully selected, crisply reproduced works by 21 modern Americans, the authors develop an intelligent approach to appreciation based on awareness of the artists' techniques and intentions. From its elegantly simple title-page spread--bold, harmoniously combined sans-serif types balanced by a Lichtenstein painting that spells ``ART''--this is a notably handsome book that impels the reader to take a fresh look. Grabbing the young reader's attention at the outset with a Frankenstein's monster entitled Made in Japan, Greenberg and Jordan carefully define terms and elucidate concepts in relation to specific paintings, using special vocabulary accurately while commendably avoiding academic jargon. Photos of the artists at work and quotes from interviews and their published works not only illuminate the art but make the process of creation more accessible. Suggesting a wealth of insights and interpretations (and a rich language to convey them, including words for colors, effects, and emotions and even several poems inspired by paintings), the presentation attunes the reader to the painter's question: ``This is what I see. What do you see?'' Beautifully designed, organized, reasoned, and presented, an outstanding, mind-expanding book--not easy, but rewarding. Thumbnail sketches of the artists, grouped by seven movements (abstract expressionism, minimalism, pop, etc.); glossary; bibliography; further reading; index. (Nonfiction. 11+)