SchoolArts - May/June 2009

Resource Center
Books, DVDs, and Websites

Children’s Book Briefs
Ken Marantz
A Cup for Everyone. Kate Wester-
lund, illustrated by Yusuke Yonezu.
New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2008.
Illus., hardcover, 32 pp., $15.99.

Between the few lines of this simple tale of father and son penguin potters is an equally simple message: art and craft are the same. The father makes cups, displayed in rows on a double-page spread. But son Pucca “only really enjoyed making figures, even some that looked like his friends.” Influenced by his father, no doubt, he makes a sculpture into a cup which so enthralls the other animal friends that he soon has shelves full of these “ special” cups. This sweet story is culturally universal and contains an air of innocence surrounding all the action in this minidrama.

Christo and Jeanne Claude: Through the Gates and Beyond. Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press, 2008. Illus., hardcover, 50 pp., $19.95.

This is the story of a major art project some twenty-six years in the making. It is told in accessible prose with biographical underpinnings and explanations of the tremendous obstacles that had to be overcome. Photographs

play a major role in the telling. Some, like the double-page scene of the naked orange gate on a curved path in Central Park awaiting curtains, or the bird’s eye view of a section of the sinuous completed project are remarkably impressive. Other pictures describe some of the stages in making and assembling Gates. There are other sections in the book showing previous projects these inventive artists have produced around the world. This work, beyond its own attractiveness, is a fine resource for discussions about these distinctive projects. Younger readers will find delight in the photographs, while older students should gain insights from analyzing the provided data.

—Ken Marantz is professor emeritus of art education at Ohio State University.

Instructional
Resources
Pam Stephens

Art Display Cards: Art Styles.

Glenview, IL: Crystal Productions.

$29.95 for set of 32 cards.

Art Display Cards: Art Styles provides quick visual and text reference for art styles ranging from prehistoric cave art to contemporary installation art. Each card is scored in the center so that it can be folded in half without harming the card. Use the opened cards to display as a timeline, or use them one at a time to illustrate a style as it is taught. Fold the cards in half to use as flashcards for review or testing. Because the full-color 18 x 6" ( 45 x 15 cm) display cards are printed on heavy stock, they stand and can be placed on desktops. The cards offer a clear and concise reference for more than two dozen art styles and are appropriate for art teacher-preparation programs.

—Pam Stephens is associate professor of education at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff.

Video Reviews
Cindy Hasio
Drawing from the Manikin. Elkins
Park, PA: On Air Video Incorpo-
rated, 2008. DVD, 77 mins., $14.95.

Drawing from the Manikin introduces viewers to figure drawing through the use of a wooden manikin. Artist Larry Withers demonstrates how to draw a series of ovals and circles to create the anatomy of the figure and the outline of the form. He also demonstrates adding contour lines to show the curves of the muscles. A sequential demonstration features Withers describing the names of the different body parts. Withers then shows viewers how to shade figures to create a sense of realism. A list of chapters shows the different poses, and each chapter describes a different perspective of anatomy. Included with the DVD is a CD containing nine screen shots of the manikin being posed, which can be printed for later reference. This DVD is recommended for upper-grade levels.