This fun and educational journey through art history shows young readers
how the materials artists use in their work have evolved over the
centuries, around the world. The earliest artists wielded bones, pieces
of ivory, and wooden sticks to create works that tell us much about how
ancient civilizations lived and thought. Today artists are using found
objects to make elaborate pieces that are equally revealing. Aimed at
young readers, this fascinating book focuses on 13 kinds of artistic
materials to trace the development of artistic expression throughout
history. Illustrated spreads explore how precious metals and gems were
used by ancient Egyptian artisans and how Greek sculptors created
beautiful vessels out of clay. It reveals the importance of cast metals
to the Romans, and glass to the builders of Gothic cathedrals and
Byzantine mosaics. The book also shows how the same materials were used
by artists centuries apart: paper as parchment for illuminated
manuscripts but also for artist books. Chapters explore the intriguing
histories of paint and drawing, ranging from ground pigment to acrylic
and from charcoal sticks to pen and ink. Along the way readers will
become familiar with celebrated and lesser-known works of art and the
people who created them. Informative and entertaining, this latest
addition to the 13 Children Should Know series for children reveals how
resourcefulness and ingenuity are the artist's most precious tools.