November 1, 2011
Gr 3-5-Eight cartoon-style figures, creatures, or items are drawn in five steps: base shapes, three additional line-drawing steps, and final colored-in illustrations. The exercises are not, for the most part, based on geometric shapes, which reduces the extensionality of the skills being taught. However, good drawing tips (repeated in each volume) and suggestions for more projects may coax readers to move beyond the exercises in these books. Introductory pages offer a little reading practice. Good for early readers who enjoy copying cartoon characters and need encouragement to branch out.
Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
November 1, 2011
Grades 3-6 Yes, kids like to draw pets and monsters, but they also enjoy drawing people now and then. This colorful guide to drawing faces opens with an introductory section that provides drawing tips and a list of tools to get started, and offers supportive advice like everyone makes mistakes and stay loose. Different spreads are devoted to drawing the specific features of eyes, nose, and mouth. The book then goes on to explain how to create various facial expressions: happy, sad, scared, and silly. The book concludes with a glossary and a short bibliography of books and websites. The inviting format and simple step-by-step instructions make this a good place for budding artists to begin.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)