Top Picks: Art Books for Kids

From writing code to making sculptures out of trash, there are so many ways to make art. Think you've got what it takes to be a great artist? Why don't you step into my studio and give it a try?

Let's start at the very beginning. Before you can paint a picture, you need something to paint on. The material most artists use isn't paper, it's canvas. And before an artist can use it, they have to cover it in a special white coating called "gesso." Did you know this? I did not, but I learned it reading Masterpiece Mix, a book about an artist trying to decide what to paint next.

How did you feel when you looked at those paintings? Have you heard the old saying, "a picture's worth a thousand words?" In Picture This, Molly Bang uses words and pictures to show us how size, color and placement can help pictures do a whole lot of talking.

Of course, painting isn't the only type of art there is. Take a trip to the art museum with Vincent's Starry Night and Other Stories, where you'll see all different styles of art and hear stories about the people who created them. From carved bone to digital media, Italy to Cambodia, art happens anywhere and everywhere. You might also enjoy The Art Book for Children and its sequel, The Art Book for Children.

The more art you see, the more questions you might have. Why Is Art Full of Naked People? can't answer every question you might have, but it is full of interesting conversations.

What's your next art project?
