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Fish: The Goldfish Bowl, by Henri Matisse. Youve probably seen these fish before. Well, not these exact fish, but fish like them. Theyre goldfish, of course. You may even have your very own goldfish bowl at home or at school. These special goldfish swim in a bowl surrounded by vivid colors and bold patterns. Some of these patterns are made of shapes that look like fish. Point to all the fish-shaped objects you can find. Now look at the blurry patches of orange floating on top of the bowl. What do you think they are?
Bird: Wheatfield with Crows, by Vincent van Gogh. Where are the birds in the picture? If you noticed the black lines that look like flapping wings, youve found them. With just a few simple lines, the artist created a whole flock of crows. Have you ever drawn birds that way before?
Reptile: Crocodiles, by John Singer Sargent
Mammal: Tiger by a Torrent, by Kishi Ganku. No one would mistake this tiger, with its deep orange coat, black stripes, and bright green eyes, for any other animal. The artist drew the tiger inaction as it gingerly steps down a rocky path along a stream of rushing water. It rests its great weight on a front paw and twists its body toward something on the other side of the stream. What do you think it sees? Do you think it will be able to cross the water safely?
Bird: American Flamingo, by John James Audubon. This flamingo is really in the pink. The artist who made the picture spent most of his life watching all kinds of birds and drawing them in their natural environments. Can you tell where the home is for these birds? The big flamingo in the foreground bends its spindly legs and lowers its head to the water. Trace your finger along its curving neck. What do you think the bird is doing in this funny position?
Reptile: Frog On A Lotus Leaf, by Hsiang Sheng-mo. Frogs are amphibians, which are distant cousins of reptiles. Can you tell what this plump green frog is trying to do? To discover the answer, just follow its stare. What do you see? The frog is very still and focuses on its prey with great concentration. If this picture could come to life, what do you think would happen next?
How Artists See Animals
Mammal, Fish, Bird, Reptile

By Colleen Carroll 
Size: 7 x 9" 
Hardcover, 48 pages
30 full-color illustrations
Published 1998
ISBN: 978-0-7892-0475-2
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$12.95


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In How Artists See Animals children can see how Franz Marc transformed an ordinary cow into a magical one by using brilliant colors; how Roy Lichtenstein created goldfish out of metal; how John James Audubon depicted the elegance of a flamingo in its natural environment; and how Robert Jew made an iguana look so real that it seems about to crawl off its canvas.

"Carrolls series... eclipses the competition... How Artists See has the makings of a classic--a core experience for budding art enthusiasts to build on." -- Publishers Weekly

"Wow! . . . It just doesnt get any better than this." -- Childrens Literature Choice list

How Artists See is a breakthrough series of interactive, inquiry-based books designed to teach children about the world by looking at art and about art by looking at the world. Each volume presents sixteen diverse works of art, all devoted to a subject that every child already knows from personal experience. Author Colleen Carrolls engaging, conversational text is filled with thought-provoking questions and imaginative activities that spark childrens natural curiosity both about the subject of the artwork they are looking at and about the way it was created.

This direct, interactive approach to art — and to the world — promotes self-exploration, self-discovery, and self-expression. The books introduce basic artistic concepts, styles, and techniques, and are loads of fun. For children who want to know more about the artists whose works appear in each book, biographies are provided at the end, along with suggestions for further reading and an international list of museums where each artists works can be seen.

As children begin to understand the multitude of ways that artists see, they will deepen their appreciation of art and artists, of the world around them, and of their own unique vision.

Colleen Carroll is an educational consultant whose clients include Nickelodeon, MTV, USA Today, and the Smithsonian Institutions National Museum of American History. She has taught sixth grade in California and now develops the art curriculum for The Edison Project. She lives in New York.

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