Whaam! The Art and Life of Roy Lichtenstein - Hardcover

Rubin, Susan Goldman

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0810994925 ISBN 13: 9780810994928

Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2008

Synopsis

The life of the great Pop Art painter Roy Lichtenstein, illustrated with his most famous artworks.

 

In the newest of Abrams’ award-winning line of picture book biographies of artists, Susan Goldman Rubin evocatively explores Roy Lichtenstein’s work and life and his groundbreaking influence on the art world. In Roy’s long career as a teacher, artist, and innovator, he changed the way that people thought about art and how artists thought about their subjects, challenging people to see familiar sights with new eyes.

 

Classically trained in painting and drawing, Roy found inspiration from cartoons, newspaper comics, and children’s books―images most people didn’t consider “serious” art. He also chose to paint, in meticulous detail, the building blocks of painting―a single brushstroke or the back of a canvas―drawing attention to the way that artists use these tools. Roy and the other Pop Artists, including Andy Warhol, broke down the rules about what makes proper subjects for fine art. In over a thousand paintings and numerous other works, Roy brought familiar images into new light and captured the imagination of the world. The book includes a bibliography, an index, and a list of museums where you can see Lichtenstein’s work.

About this title

About the Author

Susan Goldman Rubin has written a number of books for young readers, including Andy Warhol: Pop Art Painter; L’Chaim! To Jewish Life in America; Searching for Anne Frank; Margaret Bourke-White, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults; and Steven Spielberg: Crazy for Movies, named one of the New York Public Library’s Best Books for the Teen Age. She lives in Malibu, California.

Reviews

Grade 4–8—Bold and graphic, with an attractive design, this title will appeal to budding artists and comic-book fans. The reproductions of Lichtenstein's work are large format, in full color, and provide eye candy for kids who aren't interested in reading the text. Cleverly inserted in between Lichtenstein's pieces are reproductions of the classic and comic-book art that inspired him, such as Henri Matisse's The Red Studio and even advertisements for shoes. Lichtenstein is known for his paintings inspired by comic books, but Rubin does an excellent job of mentioning his other work, such as his sculptures and landscape art. The insightful quotes and most of the references to his personal life serve only to explain how his art evolved or how he came to be in a particular place in the world. This approach is effective because the star here is the art and the process. The text (a bold typewriter font) is simple but descriptive and compelling. Lichtenstein's signature Benday dots appear in all of the page margins; even the page numbers are enclosed in circles. The back matter is exceptional as well, with a thorough glossary and index and an expansive list of additional resources. The thoughtful design and content show that the author truly had young people in mind while making this book.—Laura Lutz, Queens Borough Public Library, NY
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As in her Andy Warhol: Pop Art Painter (2006), Rubin presents an overview of a modern master with clear writing and an abundance of his eye-popping works, all framed on pages that mirror the artist’s signature use of primary colors and Benday dots. She begins with Lichtenstein’s early career as a middling expressionist, secretly making paintings based on comic books and advertising. She then details his techniques and explains that while his works might look mass-produced—like Warhol’s—Lichtenstein remained true to his painterly roots, painstakingly applying the dots and heavy lines to actual canvas. Nearly all of the works discussed are reproduced here, some accompanied by the comic panels that inspired them. While the book does inexplicitly maintain the distinction between “fine” art and “comic” art—Lichtenstein’s work being an example of the former for commenting on the latter—some readers, particularly graphic novel aficionados, may disagree. This well-sourced introduction to an artist with obvious kid appeal is ideal to open the floor to questions about the boundary between art and imitation. Grades 4-7. --Ian Chipman

Edition details

• Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0810994925
• ISBN 13: 9780810994928
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 48