The Jumbo Book of Art

Mima Vulovic is a sessional lecturer at York University who also works
at the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General.

While The Jumbo Book of Art may be a great find for parents, teachers,
and kids looking for a quality art program, it is a definite must-have
for those who deem themselves artistically challenged. Based on the
principle that everyone is capable of artistic adventures, the book is
poised to help you translate your ideas into action—provided, of
course, that you follow some key “artistic journey rules,” such as:
“leave all doubts behind, enjoy discovery of the unknown, be your own
boss, make mistakes and, most importantly, have fun!”

Divided into four well-organized sections (“Drawing,” “Using
Colour” “Sculpture,” and “Mixed Media”), The Jumbo Book of Art
is a compendium of about 200 projects, primarily geared to children
(though most are sophisticated and inspiring enough for adults). Each
project contains the list of materials/tools needed as well as
step-by-step instructions, with occasional tip summaries. To illustrate
the sheer range of ideas, here are some examples of what you will find:
stained glass, costumes, shadow puppets, dioramas, piсatas, recycled
robots, and much more. Focused as much on process as on product, the
book also details the major components of art: elements (line, shapes,
texture, etc.), principles (harmony, movement, perspective/vanishing
point, etc.), and styles (surrealism, portraiture, graffiti, etc.).

Although the book was written and illustrated by Irene Luxbacher, it is
in fact a collaborative effort of the faculty of the Avenue Road Arts
School, one of Toronto’s premier creative education venues. The
proceeds from The Jumbo Book of Art, the school’s first book, will go
to the Arts for Children of Toronto, a charity that presents
high-quality arts instruction to children enrolled in 1000 inner-city
schools. Highly recommended.