Talking with Artists: Volume Two

Picture Book Review
Talking with Artists:Volume 2
By: Pat Cummings

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cummings, Pat. 1995. TALKING WITH ARTISTS. Vol.2. by Pat Cummings. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. ISBN 0689803109

PLOT SUMMARY

In Talking with Artists (Volume Two), Pat Cummings introduces the readers to thirteen different picture book illustrators. Conversations with spotlighted artists include: Thomas B. Allen, Mary Jane Begin, Floyd Cooper, Julie Downing, Denise Fleming, Shelia Hamanaka, Kevin Henkes, William Joyce, Maira Kalman, Deborah Nourse Lattimore, Brian Pinkney, Vera B. Williams, and David Wisniewski. In these informal interviews the reader will learn there are many approaches to art and each artist’s own unique style.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Author and Illustrator Pat Cummings based the idea of her book on questions from children about artists. The informal nature of this book allows kids to feel closer to each featured artist in a question and answer setting. In volume two, she continues to share her conversations by asking questions of these artists like: Where do you get ideas from? What is a normal day like for you? Where do you work? Do you have any children? Any Pets? What do you enjoy drawing the most? Do you every put people you know in your pictures? What do you use to make your pictures? How did you get to do you first book? She draws the reader in by highlighting a short “My Story” section complete with pictures of drawings from when they were a child, illustrations from published books, now/then photos and snapshots of their art studios.

The focus of this second volume allows children to see that trying new things still happens as a professional artist. This is what makes their work fun. She lets the reader have an inside look at different techniques that each artist uses. By having an up-close and personal look at these artists will truly inspire future illustrators to challenge themselves with different techniques.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
-Starred Review-Boston Globe- Horn Book Honor Award for Non-Fiction


-Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Young artists will learn a lot…Well designed and well conceived"


-Starred review in BOOKLIST: "A delight for aspiring artists."





CONNECTIONS

Children that love to draw and that have aspirations of someday being an artist will love this book. For kids that can’t get enough can further investigate Pat Cummings volumes I or II. It would be interesting for a child to go on an “Art Hunt” examining the work of the illustrators they have been introduced to.



Other books in the series “Talking with Artists”
- TALKING WITH ARTIST, VOLUME 3: ISBN 0027242455
-TALKING WITH ARTIST, VOLUME 3: ISBN 0395891329