Create It!

It's fun to draw from your imagination! Surrealist artists, such as Salvador Dali and Max Ernst, created masterpieces of scenes that look real but couldn't be. Through an introduction to the features of surrealist art and profiles of famous surrealists, readers learn how to spot a painting or other work created in this genre of art. A colorful layout and full-color photographs engage readers with art history and their own creativity as they complete art projects accompanying each artist's chapter. Including collages, painting, and drawing, each project offers readers clear instructions for the project at hand as well as technique tips they can use in the future.

Readers might be familiar with some of the works of Vincent Van Gogh. What they might not know is that he was an expressionist! The expressionists used color and painting techniques to suggest mood and emotion. An introduction to expressionism and celebrated expressionists, this book presents readers with the life and famous works of Edvard Munch, Van Gogh, Marc Chagall, and more through understandable, age-appropriate content. Each colorful spread includes an art project based on the works of the artist profiled in that chapter, complete with step-by-step instructions and photographs to guide readers as they create their own masterpiece!

Some of the most famous artists of all time were from the impressionist school. Claude Monet, Georges Seurat, and Edgar Degas all created works that have stood the test of time-and they were impressionists! Readers learn about the characteristics of impressionist art and the techniques used to create it. Master impressionists are profiled throughout the book, including information about their beautiful works. Readers can use this new knowledge to follow step-by-step instructions and make several art projects in the impressionist mode. Tips and full-color photographs help readers as they create, teaching them techniques they can use in future projects.

Abstract art might seem hard to define. But, by introducing readers to the major artists of the style, they'll have a good idea of the general characteristics of an abstract piece. In addition to biographical information about Henri Matisse, Jasper Johns, Paul Klee, and more important abstract artists, readers learn about each master's most famous pieces and ways they were able to achieve the look of the work. Fun, colorful projects accompany each artist's spreads, showing readers how they, too, can make cool abstract art!

One artist that comes to mind in connection with cubist art is Pablo Picasso. Picasso famously painted in a cubist style from about 1909 to 1912. Readers can try out Picasso's techniques as well as those of Paul Cezanne, Juan Gris, and others in this introduction to cubism. Biographical information of these master cubists is paired with a colorful layout sure to engage young artists. Step-by-step instructions and tip boxes guide readers through creating several cubist masterpieces based on techniques and the best-known works of these famous cubists.

What made pop art special? Readers can find out the answer to this question through the colorful, fun pages of this book, which highlights the major features and figures of pop art. Profiles of Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Richard Hamilton, and more pop artists introduce readers to famous pop art works as well as major techniques each artist used. Then, they can put this knowledge to work in accompanying art projects inspired by the work of the pop artist in that chapter. From using newspaper to make a collage to using benday dots, young artists have a multitude of styles to learn from!