Getting to Know Art Media, Volume One: Drawing Media

Aimed at very young beginning artists, the opening volume of Getting to Know Art Media employs creative animation and fun sound effects to help demystify a myriad of drawing tools: pencils (both graphite and colored), charcoal, chalk, pastels, crayons, oil pastels, and markers. Drawing Media demonstrates various techniques for each medium (such as crosshatch for pencil and blending for charcoal), using masterworks by great artists as illustration (in the discussion about pastels, for example, viewers see works by Degas). Although the kid narrators sound somewhat artificial, the program easily compensates with an upbeat tone, fast pace, and constant encouragement to explore, practice, and try new things. Future titles in the Getting to Know Art Media series will include: Color in Art, Line in Art, Shape & Form in Art, Painting, Printmaking & Collage, and 3D Media. Also featuring a downloadable teacher's guide, Drawing Media is recommended. Aud: K, E, P. (E. Gieschen)