Book:

Hundertwasser for Kids: Harvesting Dreams is a book filled with activities for kids to help them learn about Hundertwasser and his art, architecture and style. I had never heard of this artist before. He was an Austrian architect and painter. I especially love his lollipop trees.

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Go-Along Literature:

Since Hundertwasser grew up during World War II, some novels set during this period would work well with a study of this artist. Some of our favorites are The Winged Watchman, Twenty and Ten, and Snow Treasure. These are for middle to upper elementary.

Picture books set during World War II that we have read and enjoyed are Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot, The Greatest Skating Race, and A New Coat for Anna.

Go-Along Art Project:

Be inspired by some of his paintings to do a similar drawing or painting. Note the bright colors he used, the bold lines, and the contrast. Invite your child to think brightly, boldly and creatively! Here are some of my favorites.

If you are starting this series in the middle, be sure to check out the first post to see all the artists in our art history timeline.

I love art appreciation and I love using a good general art book to share my love of art with my kids. We own all the featured art books mentioned below and use them during our Morning Time routine on Fridays.

{This post contains affiliate links of items that I use and like.  Thank you for your support of this blog by purchasing through our link. Note that anything you purchase once you click through one of my Amazon links will result in supporting the blog; you don’t even have to buy the item you clicked on initially!}

(images in post from Amazon)

1. Children’s Book of Art: An Introduction to the World’s Most Amazing Paintings and Sculptures from DK is a good art history introduction for elementary aged kids. It starts with cave art and progresses through modern art. Interspersed throughout are explanations of styles, methods, how-to’s, timelines, and interesting tidbits about specific artists or pieces of art. You could get by with just this one book for a well-rounded art history.

Of course, I am never satisfied with just one book!

2. Usborne’s The Children’s Book of Art: An Introduction to Famous Paintings is a good one to have to make sure your children are at least familiar with the world’s most famous paintings. The art is arranged chronologically starting with Renaissance artists.It has an “About the artist,” interesting facts about the specific painting and is just enough information to whet the appetite and make a personal connection to the art.

3. The Art Book for Children (Books One and Two) have a large reproduction of a piece of art on one side of the page and things to look for, questions to ponder, close up enlargements of details on the other side.

Great for art appreciation if you want a bit of direction and focus. Paintings (and sculptures) vary from Renaissance to Modern art.

4. Come Look With Me series (we own World of Play, Enjoying Art with Children, and Animals in Art but there are several other titles in the series) are set up similarly to The Art Book for children, except the art chosen revolves around a theme as per the title of the book. There are a few focus questions and a brief snippet of information on the artist and the piece of art showcased. We have been able to find some of these in the library.

5. How to Teach Art to Children is an Evan-Moor book from my teaching days. It is the perfect book for non artsy parents who wish to teach the elements of art to their children but have no clue how to start. The elements of art include: line, shape, color, value, texture, form, and space, and this book teaches you what each one is and provides accompanying art projects to practice each element. Part two of the book has projects that combine the elements of art while focusing on 24 famous artists and cultures.

Click the image below to find art books to teach through an art timeline.

Books:

We borrowed Uncle Andy’s from the library and enjoyed it so much it is on our wish list to purchase. Can you imagine being related to Andy Warhol? Uncle Andy’s house was crammed with all kinds of things, and lots of cats, and was incredibly entertaining to visit as a child. The book tells the story of these visits at Uncle Andy’s house. The illustrations depict New York City in the 1960s and you can clearly see where Warhol got lots of his inspiration.  Note that the author is the young boy who visits Warhol in the city.

{This post contains affiliate links of items that I use and like.  Thank you for your support of this blog by purchasing through our link. Note that anything you purchase once you click through one of my Amazon links will result in supporting the blog; you don’t even have to buy the item you clicked on initially!}

While we haven’t read Uncle Andy’s Cats, it is by the same author as the former book and looks very promising.

Go-along Art Project:

This project is a fun and simple one that can be done in a variety of media (markers, colored pencils, chalk or oil pastel, paint) as well as with a variety of simple shaped objects (trees, leaves, icecream cones, snowmen) so this is a project that can fit into any number of themes already concurrent in your schedule. Elements of art discussed are line and color, specifically contrasting colors that are opposite on the color wheel, but you can also focus on choosing cool and warm colors.

If you are starting this series in the middle, be sure to check out the first post to see all the artists in our art history timeline.

Rene Magritte is another surrealist painter (like Dali). Surrealism is a movement that started in the 1920’s. In art, it is exemplified by irrational juxtaposition of images. Magritte liked to use everyday objects like hats and apples, and combine them in mysterious, surprising ways.

{This post contains affiliate links of items that I use and like. Thank you for your support of this blog and our family by purchasing through our link. Note that anything you purchase once you click through one of my Amazon links will result in supporting the blog; you don’t even have to buy the item you clicked on initially!}

Book:

Magritte’s Marvelous Hat was inspired by Rene Magritte’s art. Magritte (portrayed as a dog in the book) buys a hat only to have it blown away by the wind. He ends up chasing it around town and allows us to see the city through his creative eyes. The book has some clear overlays that allow the reader to interact with the surreal effect of the  illustrations. This is a great book to capture the imagination, whether you are a child or not.

image credit

 There’s even a trailer for the book.

Go-Along Art Project:

I found this pin (which leads to this blog post) which imitates Magritte.

Another, more open ended, surrealist option:

Ask the children to think of some everyday objects they use and then pick at least three to place within their drawing in a surprising, non-conventional way.  This would look more like the pin below (though it is actually a project to go along with Chagall from Art Projects For Kids).

If you are starting this series in the middle, be sure to check out the landing page to see all the artists in our art history timeline.