Pippin Paints a Portrait - (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A laugh-out-loud story of artistic expression, told in direct speech and adorable manga-inflected illustrations by Charlotte Mei.

"Today I am going to paint a portrait. It is a portrait of someone very important. That someone is ME (it is a self-portrait). All famous artists paint pictures of themselves, and I am a famous artist. Or at least I will be when I've finished my portrait."

Pippin is painting his self-portrait, but his friends think he's got a lot to learn about painting. They take him to see Angelique's portrait, which takes inspiration from Cubism, Dudley's portrait, which is inspired by the work of Chris Ofili, Momo's portrait, which draws from the work of Yayoi Kusama, and Franklin and Aaliya's portrait, which is a colour field painting in the style of Mark Rothko.

Pippin is feeling very deflated, but his little friend Minky helps him to dig deep and find the artist inside himself.

Packed with information about famous artists, their approaches and their mediums, this book simultaneously engages, informs and asks young readers to question how they themselves 'read' and create art.

Review Quotes

''The author and illustrator, Charlotte Mei, provides beautifully simplistic artwork to accompany her uplifting and inspirational story of self-discovery.'' -- YA Books Central

''You can't have a book about art and not have amazing illustrations to accompany it. The book is a wonderful way to introduce elementary school-aged children to artists and art.'' -- Seattle Book Review

''I love that this book talks about famous artists but ultimately Pippin finds his own way of creating. Perfect for budding artists.'' -- Picturebook Playdate

''This is an ideal introduction to famous artists and some of their most celebrated works for young readers.'' -- Library Girl and Book Boy

''This successful debut dips into artistic mediums, and shows that there is much fun and mileage to be had in imitating old masters, as well as managing to ace your own style.'' -- Goodreads

'I'm quite a fan of this type of book - a narrative that wraps knowledge through its core. The works of Seurat, Degas, Picasso and others introduced through the narrative. What's not to love about a picture book that does that? Charlotte Mei provides playful illustrations that contrast with the fine art at the heart of the book.

Now for the teacher bit. This is the perfect book to hook young children into learning about fine art. Most children start to develop themselves as artists by drawing portraits of themselves and those around them, so the focus on this is quite clever. For anyone hoping to develop their understanding of art, it is a joy to to see how much is packed into one book. Mediums are discussed, abstract is presented and techniques like pointillism is shared with the reader.

Let your children dream, let them become artists'.
-- The Great British Bookworm

'This is an ideal introduction to famous artists and some of their most celebrated works for young readers. As Pippin ponders which medium to use for his self-portrait, his friends share theirs with him too. Pippin soon reaches the conclusion that he's best off creating his own kind of art rather than trying to emulate someone else. A great message for children to hear'. -- Library Girl and Book Boy

'This successful debut book has a young dog wanting to show off his painting prowess with his self-portrait, but all his friends are doing it too - and they're doing it a la Picasso, Yayoi Kusama, even flippin' Rothko - so how is he going to find an individual look? This then is not quite the perfect mix of art history primer and lesson in self-expression, but it's not far off ideal. It dips into artistic mediums, and shows that there is much fun and mileage to be had in imitating old masters, as well as managing to ace your own style'. -- Good Reads

'This beautifully illustrated picture book cleverly introduces children to famous artists including Degas, Van Gogh, Picasso, Rothko, Seurat and Matisse. Pippen's process in picking a subject, a medium, a style and presenting a finished portrait is relentlessly positive. This book will not only inspire children to want to create art but also feel confident and determined to do it. A wonderful book to discuss in EYFS PSHE, and for primary school libraries'. -- School Reading List

About the Author

Charlotte Mei is a stand-out illustrator and artist. Working across painting, illustration, ceramics and animation, she has a distinctive, playful approach to form and colour, which has led her to high-profile collaborations with the likes of Nike, Hermes, Lazy Oaf and Converse, as well as editorial work for the New York Times and Vice. She has a devoted following of 70k on Instagram. This is her first book.