This Book Will Make You an Artist - by Ruth Millington (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Jam-packed with imaginative ideas for all kinds of creative crafts . . . this book will make YOU an artist! Pick up your pencils, collect your collage materials, and take inspiration from 25 of the world's best-known artists in this fact-filled book full of activities. Discover famous masterpieces through the included photographs of real works of art -- from ancient cave painting to contemporary performance -- and lots more in between!"--

Book Synopsis

Can you tell a Monet from a Matisse? Pointillism from Pop Art? Street art from sculpture?


Be inspired by groundbreaking artists from around the world, then test out their amazing techniques at home with 25 fun step-by-step activities.

Jam-packed with imaginative ideas for all kinds of creative crafts . . . this book will make YOU an artist!

Pick up your pencils, collect your collage materials, and take inspiration from 25 of the world's best-known artists in this fact-filled book full of activities.

Discover famous masterpieces through the included photographs of real works of art - from ancient cave painting to contemporary performance - and lots more in between!

Review Quotes

Gr 2-5-Practice! Practice! Practice! To fully ignite the creative fire and flare, warm up first by creating zigzag pencil lines and free-flowing loop-the-loops, followed by inspiration from 25 of the world's best-known artists in this colorful, historically referenced book. Readers travel through time from ancient cave art into modern exhibitions of the 20th century, featuring the masters, with plenty of ideas offered to create their own artistic works. Inspirational original designs include fiber art-wrapped string sculptures by Judith Scott, color wash over wax like that used by Emily Kame Kngwarreye to create her beautiful batik fabrics, or painted polka dot pumpkins by artist Yayoi Kusama. Whatever one's preference for creating or exploring, author and art historian Millington has delivered a text jam-packed with fact-filled and unique art activities. Surrey is adept at her craft, providing plenty of visual diversity with brightly colored drawings, all pleasing to the eye; they will have any blossoming young artist eager to dive right in. VERDICT A splendid book filled with engaging art history references and an abundance of imaginative activities to awaken and nurture the reader's artist within.--Lyn Smith, School Library Journal

From cave handprints and Roman mosaic floors to Yayoi Kusama's polka-dot pumpkin, works sure to inspire burgeoning artists.
This survey of selected artists across the globe and throughout history introduces young readers to various styles, media, and techniques. Millington starts by discussing what artists do, where they work, and what tools and materials they need. Next, the author briefly profiles more than 20 artists, focusing on their art and offering clear instructions for making similar creations. Racially diverse children, several of whom use wheelchairs, are depicted making vibrant self-portraits like Frida Kahlo's and pop art-style prints like Andy Warhol's. Readers get fascinating glimpses into artists such as Judith Scott, who was deaf and had Down syndrome; after being released from an institution by her twin sister, she blossomed into a fiber artist. Ukrainian artist Janet Sobel pioneered drip painting; Hugo Ball, the German founder of Dadaism, gave unusual poetry recitations; Moses Williams, enslaved as a youth, became a renowned silhouette-maker. Famous names such as Leonardo da Vinci, Claude Monet, and Pablo Picasso are here, but so are more recent and potentially unfamiliar artists, including South African muralist Esther Mahlangu and Emily Kame Kngwarreye, an Aboriginal artist known for her batiks. Detailed, collagelike illustrations using flat, cut-out shapes and vibrant colors honor these people's art without attempting to compete with it.

Will definitely boost aspirants' creative output. (glossary) (Illustrated nonfiction. 8-12)

--Kirkus Reviews

A splendid book filled with engaging art history references and an abundance of imaginative activities to awaken and nurture the reader's artist within.--School Library Journal

Works sure to inspire burgeoning artists... Will definitely boost aspirants' creative output.

--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Ruth Millington is an art historian and author, researching and writing about great artists, muses, and masterpieces. She has appeared on TV and radio, telling stories about Surrealism, Frida Kahlo, and other artists from around the world. When she is not working, Ruth loves to read, sing along to music, and decorate her home with lots and lots of art. She also likes to drink tea and paint pictures, and sometimes dips brushes in her mug by accident! She was brought up on the sunny island of Bermuda but now lives in the much rainier Birmingham, England.

Ellen Surrey is an illustrator who enjoys blending her love of mid-century design with vintage children's books. She also enjoys finding beauty in the past and colorfully sharing it with a contemporary audience. She's illustrated many books about inspiring people, including Dolly Parton! Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Los Angeles Times. When she isn't working, Ellen enjoys watching old movies and visiting her favorite thrift stores. She lives in sunny Los Angeles, California.