Integrating Art and Language Arts Through Children's Literature

Connecting art and language arts, this guide offers creative lessons for more than 140 favorite children's books, most of which have been published within the last 10 years. The lessons help teachers inspire young students to create art projects related to a book's story. In the first part of the book, the author explains more than 50 art techniques that can be used with almost any book, including batik, collage, decoupage, paste paper, and sponge painting. The second part of the book provides teachers with a wealth of illustrated lessons. Each lesson includes the book's title, the art project, a brief description of the story as it relates to the art project, supplies, instructions, bibliographic information, and a list of relevant Web sites. Children's Books include: BLAraminta's Paint Box BLArthur's Pet Business BLBirdsong BLCharlotte's Web BLDear Peter Rabbit BLHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire BLMilo and the Magical Stones BLRechenka's Eggs BLWhere the Sidewalk Ends BLAnd many more!

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The Principles of Art

I gave this 3 stars because he had some interesting points, but for the most part I didn't get a lot of what he was saying. I was annoyed by how he would sum up a point in Greek, or French - with no translation. Maybe I should know those languages, but I don't, so I missed out on much. I wanted there to be a more succinct explanation of what he was analyzing. I kept waiting for it to be stated as such, but it didn't occur. This book did not help me to solidify my definition of art, if anything, I am all the more confused. I am a visual artist and therefor I see the big picture. Analyzing is not my strength, so I will leave the analyzing to those of you for whom it is.
The theory of art or language -- he regards them as identical -- lies at the heart of Collingwood's philosophy. This book should become the "Bible" of language theorists, rather than the drivel of people like Chomsky, for it shows us how meaning is created. Thought is not the antithesis of emotion, but is built upon a foundation of emotion, and includes emotion within itself. This has enormous implications for the theory of art, or aesthetics, and Collingwood works them out, as well as the ramifications for civilization itself.

This is simply the best book in the field, and should be read not only by artists and philosophers, but by any one who wants to understand the place of art in his own life.

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Stories of Art

Stories of Art is James Elkins's intimate history of art. Concise and original, this engaging book is an antidote to the behemoth art history textbooks from which we were all taught. As he demonstrates so persuasively, there can never be one story of art. Cultures have their own stories - about themselves, about other cultures - and to hear them all is one way to hear the multiple stories that art tells. But each of us also has our own story of art, a kind of private art history made up of the pieces we have seen, and loved or hated, the effects they had on us, and the connections that might be drawn among them.

Elkins opens up the questions that traditional art history usually avoids. What about all the art not produced in Western Europe or in the Europeanized Americas? Is it possible to include Asian art and Indian art in "the story"? What happens when one does? To help us find answers, he uses both Western and non-Western artworks, tables of contents from art histories written in cultures outside the center of Western European tradition, and strangely wonderful diagrams of how artworks might connect through a single individual. True multiculturalism may be an impossibility, but art lovers can each create a "story of art" that is right for themselves.

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The Lost Art of the Great Speech: How to Write One--How to Deliver It

It's not all in the delivery. Here's expert guidance on how to write a dynamic speech. Splashy slides, confident body language, and a lot of eye contact are fine and well. But if a speech is rambling, illogical, or just plain boring, the impact will be lost.

Now everyone can learn to give powerful, on-target speeches that capture an audience's attention and drive home a message. The key is not just in the delivery techniques, but in tapping into the power of language.

Prepared by an award-winning writer, this authoritative speech-writing guide covers every essential element of a great speech, including outlining and organizing, beginning with a bang, making use of action verbs and vivid nouns, and handling questions from the audience. Plus, the book includes excerpts from some of history's most memorable speeches--eloquent words to contemplate and emulate.

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3D Game Textures: Create Professional Game Art Using Photoshop

The cover is slightly misleading, in that it implies you can go from a sketch to finished art, which the book isn't about. There is a disclaimer on page XIII about that. This book isn't a complete how to create 3D art, many things lighting, render / game engine, post effects, control the final image and this book doesn't cover any of those subjects.

On the other hand he does 'demystify' the process of creating texures by showing how complex textures can be built up by combining photos, Epaint & procedurals. Even an advanced artist should be able to pick up some tips if they approch the book with an open mind
I'm in the process of reviewing 2D texture creation books for 3D programs, specifically Second Life's platform, and this book is by far the best I've found out there so far.

The tutorials concentrate on developing textures from scratch, along a detailed workflow like you would set up on a typical project, and the final quality of the textures created is top notch professional grade.

While other books seem to lack in quality, concentrate too much on one specific app for the final textures, or throw in way too much concept and not enough practicality, this book strikes a perfect balance between concept and execution. The book is intelligent without being overabsorbed, and is full of fantastic information. A great read and an invaluable reference book alike. Pick this one up!

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