123 I Can Paint! (Starting Art). Irene Luxbacher. Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press, 2007. 24 pp., pbk. & hc., $6.95 (pbk.), $14.95 (hc.). ISBN 978-1-55453-150-9 (pbk.), ISBN 978-1-55453-037-3 (hc.). Subject Heading: Painting-Technique-Juvenile literature. Grades 1-6 / Ages 6-12. Review by Lee Anne Smith. **** /4
	123 I Can Sculpt! (Starting Art). Irene Luxbacher. Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press, 2007. 24 pp., pbk. & hc., $6.95 (pbk.), $14.95 (hc.). ISBN 978-1-55453-151-6 (pbk.), ISBN 978-1-55453-038-0 (hc.). s Subject Heading: Sculpture-Technique-Juvenile literature. Grades 1-6 / Ages 6-12. Review by Lee Anne Smith. **** /4

excerpt:

Mmmm... A Sunny Field of Flowers!

Paint a strip of light, bright blue sky across the very top of your flowery field with a big paintbrush. Use a small brush or cotton swab to add green stems and leaves. Is your field of flowers home to colorful insects too? Use a very small brush or cotton swab to add small dots of color for red ladybugs, yellow bumblebees, green grasshoppers and black spiders." (From 1 2 3 I Can Paint!.)

I wish I could take art classes with Irene Luxbacher, the author and illustrator of these two delightful books in the "Starting Art" series! Her clear and simple step-by-step instructions, inventive and visually exciting art projects and her obvious respect for children as artists have led to the creation of two books that any child, parent, school or art teacher will really enjoy. I suspect enrollment at Irene's studio is always full.

     The premise for both books is that children can learn important principles of painting or sculpting while creating art and having a blast doing so. No stuffy theories to bog down budding artists here! With these art projects and the author's guidance, children will experience a unique sense of discovery and pride in accomplishment.

      The first double page spread of each book provides a brief definition of what painting or sculpture is. The next two pages show different types of materials, describing some of the ways they can be used, including the materials needed to keep the space and the artist clean.

      The author then details five projects that encapsulate a theory and/or technique in a simple, fun format that results in a delightful finished product. Each project is contained on only one double page spread, making sure that the project doesn't take too long or include too many steps, a legitimate concern for teachers and parents. At the end of the book, she combines all the techniques used in the previous projects to create a final, elegant and more complex piece of art.

      Both books cover the foundational concepts. In the case of painting, she covers background, colour wheel, tones, horizon and perspective. And for sculpting, she covers form, dimensionality, armature, texture and balance. In both books different techniques are introduced to broaden the artist's technical skills and range from project to project. The end of the book includes a glossary of "art words" and notes to parents and teachers. The notes offer a few additional ideas along with tips to ensure a good experience is had by children and adults alike. As the author states in her notes to parents and teachers:

Focus on the process rather than the end product. Make sure your young artist is relaxed and having fun with the information instead of expecting perfection every time.

     Although the format of the book might appeal most to children in primary grades, the content is definitely suitable for intermediate grades as well.

      Kids Can Press has done an excellent job with the design of the books, keeping the cover bright and inviting, the font cheerful and child-friendly and the pages surrounded by plenty of white space to give extra oomph to the visuals. I also really loved the addition of the black ink drawings around the borders of the art works and in the tiny figures located within the text. I was pleasantly reminded of Quentin Blake's use of this same device in his art instruction books for children.

      I would highly recommend these simple, unique books for home, school or public libraries.

Highly Recommended.

Lee Anne Smith is a youth services librarian and Head of the Cambie Branch for Richmond Public Library in Richmond, BC.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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