Top Ten Tool Kit: Name That Style

Raczka, B. (2009). Name That Style: All about Isms in Art. Minneapolis: Lerner Publishing.

This simple yet informative book focus on different styles of Western Art, beginning from the Renaissance to the Modern era. The book is divided into chapters that focus on one particular style, when it was implemented, gives examples of artists and their works, and gives explanations of formal elements of each style. It is written for a middle school grade level but can be appreciated by anyone who is new to the world of art.

I do not have a copy of this book, but you best believe it's in my Amazon wish list. I think the title was what caught my interest, because it's true: in art, we have a lot of "isms," and I'm pretty sure that this book doesn't cover all of them. Regardless, it's a fantastic way to illustrate to art students the concept of naming different types of work. This is a resource that helps to build imagery and association to a type of vocabulary that is fundamental to art.

Many reviews I've read on this book have said that it is intended as a resource for children between grades 5-8. To that I say, "whatever." When I was in eighth grade I couldn't explain to you the difference between Pointillism and Fauvism, much less give you examples of artists who implemented these two styles. By the time I was in high school, I couldn't have explained the difference between late Renaissance and Baroque (more of a difference in ideology and subject matter, rather than style). My point is, even though I could draw you a pretty picture by the age of 18, I was artist-illiterate. I didn't have the vocabulary to describe the formal properties of a piece and how they aided in communicating a message. I had trouble with even reading the narrative of  a painting (even to this day I do; I bring my fiance to the art museums with me because he's the one who's well-versed in all the Biblical and Classical stories).

My one beef: when am I going to find an approachable resource that deals with non-Western art? 

My thought on it is, if crucial concepts are explained simply yet thoughtfully, it would be a benefit for anyone who's new to the information. I would like to do a followup on this book, after I receive it in the mail and read it over the next weekend. =D

Because Amazon is just so friggin' awesome. And I love how people give such thoughtful reviews.