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Masterpiece Mix
37 masterpieces inspire an artist in this introduction to art history that includes a search-and-find game.
"Today I will make a new painting," declares an artist, but first she must build a stretcher to stretch the canvas; select which paints, brushes, and palette knives to use; and, most importantly, decide what to paint. Will she paint a still life in the style of Robert S. Duncanson or a portrait in the manner of Mary Cassatt?
Using reproductions of art from the National Gallery of Art by Vincent van Gogh, Judith Leyster, Claude Monet and others pivotal figures in art history, Roxie Munroe introduces readers to a variety of iconic artists, art styles, and time periods.
The sweeping painting she creates by the book's end cleverly incorporates all 37 pieces she has considered. Eagle-eyed readers will love finding the works of art in her painting and learning more about the artists in the notes in the back matter.
You'll want to start building canvases and mixing colors for a masterpiece of your very own!
"Today I will make a new painting," declares an artist, but first she must build a stretcher to stretch the canvas; select which paints, brushes, and palette knives to use; and, most importantly, decide what to paint. Will she paint a still life in the style of Robert S. Duncanson or a portrait in the manner of Mary Cassatt?
Using reproductions of art from the National Gallery of Art by Vincent van Gogh, Judith Leyster, Claude Monet and others pivotal figures in art history, Roxie Munroe introduces readers to a variety of iconic artists, art styles, and time periods.
The sweeping painting she creates by the book's end cleverly incorporates all 37 pieces she has considered. Eagle-eyed readers will love finding the works of art in her painting and learning more about the artists in the notes in the back matter.
You'll want to start building canvases and mixing colors for a masterpiece of your very own!
32 pages, Hardcover
Published August 15, 2017
About the author
Roxie Munro
54 books14 followersRoxie Munro has been an artist from the age of six, when she won first prize in a county-wide contest for a painting of a bowl of fruit. She has supported herself all her life on her art, at one point freelancing in Washington DC as a television courtroom artist. Clients included CBS, the Washington Post, and the Associated Press. Fourteen of her paintings have been published as covers of "The New Yorker" magazine.
Roxie is an award-winning author/illustrator of more than 35 books for children, primarily nonfiction. Her books have been translated into French, Italian, Dutch, Chinese, and Japanese. Recent books: "Hatch!"; "EcoMazes: 12 Earth Adventures"; "Desert Days, Desert Nights"; "Inside-Outside Dinosaurs"; and "Busy Builders."
"Roxie's a-MAZE-ing Vacation Adventure" is an interactive animated maze game app for the iPad and iPhone; "Roxie's Doors" is a 3-D animated book app for the iPad (OCG Studios, developer). She also did all the art for the new product KIWiSTORYBOOKS (Kids Interactive Walk-in Story Books).
She creates oils, watercolors, prints, and drawings, primarily cityscapes, which are exhibited widely in the US in galleries and museums. Roxie's work is in numerous private, public, and corporate collections.
Roxie Munro studied at the University of Maryland, the Maryland Institute College of Art (Baltimore), received a BFA in Painting from the University of Hawaii, attended graduate school at Ohio University (Athens), and received a Yaddo Fellowship. She lectures in museums, schools, conventions, and teaches watercolor on ships, workshops, and in the Paint in Italy program.
Many of her paintings are views from the roof of her sky-lighted loft studio in Long Island City, just across the East River from her home in mid-Manhattan. Roxie is married to the Swedish writer/photographer, Bo Zaunders.
Check out her website at www.roxiemunro.com
Roxie is an award-winning author/illustrator of more than 35 books for children, primarily nonfiction. Her books have been translated into French, Italian, Dutch, Chinese, and Japanese. Recent books: "Hatch!"; "EcoMazes: 12 Earth Adventures"; "Desert Days, Desert Nights"; "Inside-Outside Dinosaurs"; and "Busy Builders."
"Roxie's a-MAZE-ing Vacation Adventure" is an interactive animated maze game app for the iPad and iPhone; "Roxie's Doors" is a 3-D animated book app for the iPad (OCG Studios, developer). She also did all the art for the new product KIWiSTORYBOOKS (Kids Interactive Walk-in Story Books).
She creates oils, watercolors, prints, and drawings, primarily cityscapes, which are exhibited widely in the US in galleries and museums. Roxie's work is in numerous private, public, and corporate collections.
Roxie Munro studied at the University of Maryland, the Maryland Institute College of Art (Baltimore), received a BFA in Painting from the University of Hawaii, attended graduate school at Ohio University (Athens), and received a Yaddo Fellowship. She lectures in museums, schools, conventions, and teaches watercolor on ships, workshops, and in the Paint in Italy program.
Many of her paintings are views from the roof of her sky-lighted loft studio in Long Island City, just across the East River from her home in mid-Manhattan. Roxie is married to the Swedish writer/photographer, Bo Zaunders.
Check out her website at www.roxiemunro.com
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 12, 2021
An artist tries to decide what to paint and shows 37 famous paintings. At the end she paints what she loves-her city with the 37 paintings integrated into painting. Can you find all 37?
September 15, 2017
The title page gives us a sense of potential with its tubes of paint lying on blank background. What will they be used for? Then we turn the page to see an artist walking along a city street and we read, "Today I will make a new painting." A-ha, now we know what those paints are for. Our narrator takes us through the steps of prepping a canvas and gathering supplies, but then we are staring at the empty canvas along with her as she asks, "But what should I paint?" As the artist ponders, we are introduced to the various kinds of paintings and art- still life, landscapes, portraits, figure studies - and each spread shows several examples of the form being discussed. The final project takes the city we have seen glimpses of and incorporates each of the inspiration pieces the artist shared with us. She tells us that her father always says, "Do what you really love." It is obvious that she loves her town and the artwork she has studied.
The entire process of making a painting - from stretching your own canvas, to choosing a style and subject is covered in this story. All of the masterpieces shown are age-appropriate and have content young readers can identify (people, animals, fruit, etc.) The final spread of the finished "new painting" can become a look-and-find game as readers try to locate each of the masterpieces that is woven into the finished scene. Especially handy for art teachers and readers curious about the artwork is a key in the back which identifies each piece. The name of the artwork, its creator, the date, and something about the style or school the artist was known for.
Great for young readers who are drawn to detailed illustrations, aspiring artists, and art teachers.
I received a review copy from the publisher for review purposes.
The entire process of making a painting - from stretching your own canvas, to choosing a style and subject is covered in this story. All of the masterpieces shown are age-appropriate and have content young readers can identify (people, animals, fruit, etc.) The final spread of the finished "new painting" can become a look-and-find game as readers try to locate each of the masterpieces that is woven into the finished scene. Especially handy for art teachers and readers curious about the artwork is a key in the back which identifies each piece. The name of the artwork, its creator, the date, and something about the style or school the artist was known for.
Great for young readers who are drawn to detailed illustrations, aspiring artists, and art teachers.
I received a review copy from the publisher for review purposes.
August 30, 2017
I liked the way this book introduces the topic --what should I paint?
Artist/author introduces a wide range of American and Western European artists in this story. The artist narrator wonders what to paint. "My father always said, 'Do what you really love.'" -- a bit of advice that is true not only for artists on what to paint, but also in choosing among professions and other aspects of life.
The text is kept very simple, but at the end of the story is a full "Key to the Art" which provides a very brief introduction to each famous artist whose work is featured. Uses categories to group the artists in ways to help children remember the idea of painting different kinds of subjects.
I like the "I spy" aspect of the final busy city picture where the different art masterpieces are displayed throughout the town, on the library, hat shop, museum, and more.
A 4 Star instead of 5 -- First, no abstract art included; all are pretty realistic paintings of still life, landscapes, portraits, animals, anatomy, and cultural subjects, including sports. Secondly, no Eastern, African, or Latin American artists featured in this mix of masterpieces and artists.
Artist/author introduces a wide range of American and Western European artists in this story. The artist narrator wonders what to paint. "My father always said, 'Do what you really love.'" -- a bit of advice that is true not only for artists on what to paint, but also in choosing among professions and other aspects of life.
The text is kept very simple, but at the end of the story is a full "Key to the Art" which provides a very brief introduction to each famous artist whose work is featured. Uses categories to group the artists in ways to help children remember the idea of painting different kinds of subjects.
I like the "I spy" aspect of the final busy city picture where the different art masterpieces are displayed throughout the town, on the library, hat shop, museum, and more.
A 4 Star instead of 5 -- First, no abstract art included; all are pretty realistic paintings of still life, landscapes, portraits, animals, anatomy, and cultural subjects, including sports. Secondly, no Eastern, African, or Latin American artists featured in this mix of masterpieces and artists.
February 25, 2018
Munro, Roxie Masterpiece Mix PICTURE BOOK Holiday House Book, 2017. $16.95 Content: G.
An artist is getting ready to start a painting and doesn’t know what to draw, so she starts to look at different kinds of art to get ideas. She shows classic examples of still life, landscape and portraits as well as what people have drawn such as the human body, animals or sports. In the end she is standing in her studio still trying to decide what to draw. At the end of the book there is a picture of a city and the different famous pictures are displayed throughout with a key that explains who drew the picture and what it is called.
I like the idea of this book, to consider what has been done in order to inspire ideas in art, but it has no ending. The artist is still unsure what to draw which makes it feel like it didn’t help to explore all the ideas. There isn't really a story but more of a meandering through different kids of art.
EL (K-3) – OPTIONAL. Reviewer, C. Peterson.
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018/...
An artist is getting ready to start a painting and doesn’t know what to draw, so she starts to look at different kinds of art to get ideas. She shows classic examples of still life, landscape and portraits as well as what people have drawn such as the human body, animals or sports. In the end she is standing in her studio still trying to decide what to draw. At the end of the book there is a picture of a city and the different famous pictures are displayed throughout with a key that explains who drew the picture and what it is called.
I like the idea of this book, to consider what has been done in order to inspire ideas in art, but it has no ending. The artist is still unsure what to draw which makes it feel like it didn’t help to explore all the ideas. There isn't really a story but more of a meandering through different kids of art.
EL (K-3) – OPTIONAL. Reviewer, C. Peterson.
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018/...
August 18, 2017
Artists often find inspiration for their work in various ways, and sometimes looking at the work of others can provide the impetus needed to begin to paint. In this picture book, illustrated in mixed media with India ink and colored acrylic inks as well as collage with giclee prints, an artist contemplates the blank canvas for a little while. Then, as so many others have done, she examines the works of others, drawing inspiration from 37 other paintings. Although readers don't have the chance to see her paint, they do see her final painting, which is influenced by all the masterworks she's examined. The back matter includes a key to the artwork with brief descriptions of each painting alongside a thumbnail sketch of works from Mary Cassatt, Vincent Van Gogh, and Winslow Homer, among others. It's glorious to have all of these wonderful paintings in one place, clearly all of them masterpieces sure to evoke a response in viewers.
August 12, 2017
Roxie Munro is an artists and this book clearly reflects that. How does an artist work? She shows the preparation that goes into preparing a canvas and getting ready to paint. But what to paint? The author/illustrator considers still life, landscapes, portraits, animals, figure studies, cultural subjects, or sports. As each double-paged spread considers each type of painting the artist has scattered famous paintings that show that type of artwork in the illustrations. A city scene is a chance for young readers to find the art again, showing that art can be all around us. The end papers identify each piece of art, identifying the artist and giving a little information about it. This is a terrific way to introduce youngsters to many types of artwork, especially as they approach the question of "what to paint?"
March 30, 2018
An artist is looking for inspiration and trying to decide what kind of painting to do. She peruses a number of typical painting types, and comes up with a way to combine all.
This is fairly sparse in text until the notes at the back which tell a little bit about every painting (and 1 statue) included in the cityscape she produces. This would be a book which could be used in art classes for a range of Elementary classes, from Kindergarten where you just read the story to upper elem and you can explore the paintings info in the notes. All ages should like the cityscape spread and finding all the pieces of art introduced in it. I liked that all of the artwork chosen is decent for kids.
This is fairly sparse in text until the notes at the back which tell a little bit about every painting (and 1 statue) included in the cityscape she produces. This would be a book which could be used in art classes for a range of Elementary classes, from Kindergarten where you just read the story to upper elem and you can explore the paintings info in the notes. All ages should like the cityscape spread and finding all the pieces of art introduced in it. I liked that all of the artwork chosen is decent for kids.
August 8, 2017
An artist is inspired as she surveys 37 masterpieces that are in the National Gallery of Art, and a search and find game is included. A clever introduction to art history that should inspire budding young artists.
August 19, 2017
Great introduction to famous artists and their techniques. The best of the book is the reference material at the end that details the paintings shown in the book and the style of art they represent. Good art history primer for the young ones.
October 15, 2017
Recognizing that all the images used are from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and many are available in the public domain, I still felt the images didn't represent the varied nation in which we live.
April 11, 2018
An artist ponders what to paint and looks at some famous works- introducing us to types of paintings. In the end, she paints it all in a spread of the city that she loves. You can search and find all the paintings previously seen hidden in her painting.
July 3, 2017
Will be a useful addition to "introduction to art" collections, especially in public libraries.
August 21, 2017
A way of seeing art and how it fits in our world, it's types, styles etc. Basic.
September 13, 2017
Solid introduction to fine art for elementary students done in an engaging manner.
October 2, 2017
Loved reading this with my own budding artist.
October 10, 2017
Simple picture book. Non-fiction about paining and art.
October 18, 2017
Delightful read for kids and teens, especially if they have any interest in arts and creativity. Wonderful pictures too.
May 30, 2018
Nice variation of artwork in the book. Very light, loose storyline.
July 1, 2025
Preschool and school-age
Search & find at the end
Search & find at the end
July 31, 2017
An interesting introduction to the various forms of painting. Cool for the budding artist.
From advanced reader copy.
From advanced reader copy.
Want to Read
December 1, 2017Suggested at the NAEYC conference
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews