Most children have already
seen Quentin Blake's quirky and delightful illustrations,
even if they don't recognize his name. This British artist
has illustrated almost 300 children's books for a number of
different children's authors, including Roald Dahl, and he's
published his own children's books as well.
Drawing
for the Artistically Undiscovered is a large spiralbound
drawing manual that encourages kids to write (and draw, of
course) on its pages. This book's school of art, readers are
told, is informal and friendly. Right from the start,
children are cheerfully welcomed to the book on the sign-in
page. They are told to sign their name, then sign their name
as if they were in a car with a flat tire on a bad road,
sign it with their non-dominant hand, and, finally, sign
their name as if they were the King or Queen of England!
From this fun introduction, readers get a fair idea of the
kind of creative fun they'll have, and it's only one page of
over 100.
As fun as it
is, the book is also packed with technique and instruction.
The presentation is what makes it stand out from other art
instruction books--it's encouraging (never stuffy),
humorous, and its suggestions are found in small print.
Attached
to the book is a plastic pocket with all the tools children
will need to enjoy the book--three items: one black ink
sketch pen, and two watercolor pencils (one black, one red).
Plenty of blank spaces are found in the book's pages, ready
for children to fill. Kids draw spectacles, cups and
pitchers, hammers, buckets, horses, faces, and more.
Techniques and tips include getting some perspective in
drawings, using light and shadow, capturing emotions and
gestures when drawing people, profiles, and more. Some pages
include art starters, such as one that presents a few potted
plants for kids to finish drawing. It addresses such issues
as where to put a person's arms, and more sensitive ones,
like what if the world doesn't like my drawings?
This is an excellent book for
children approximately 10 and older. It might be especially
appealing to introduce around the time kids have discovered
Roald Dahl books. Although children younger than 10 may be
interested, we feel that kids 10 and up have more chance of
appreciating what the book has to offer.
Rating: 
