Book Summary: This book was about the artist Horace Pippin who dreamed of being a famous artist when he was a little boy. He came from a poor family and when he was young he passed a poster that said he could win a prize if he drew the picture on the poster. He went home and drew the picture and entered it into the competition. He won the competition and received his first set of brushes, paint, and crayons. The book goes on to tell you about how he would draw random things that he saw all around him. Every time he would draw he would color or paint something in the picture red. That became his trademark in his pictures. He got married and was in the service where he was shot in the shoulder and it injured his right (dominant) arm. He thought he would not be able to draw anymore but he found a way around it. He then began to hold his right arm with his left and he was able to draw wonderful pictures. He was discovered by the president of an artist club and became famous! His paintings were everywhere and he could be seen sitting by his window drawing with his left hand guiding his right.
Reference: Bryant, J. (2013). A splash of red: The life and art of Horace Pippin. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.
Impression: I LLOOOVEEEDDD this book!! I could see sooo many children wanting to grab and read this book to see the colorful illustrations inside. The story is inspiring and Bryant nails the flow of the sentences. The order of the words have you turning the pages so that you can read what happens next. She turned a biography into art with her storyline.
Melissa Sweet is the illustrator and she does a fabulous job at trying to capture Pippins style and blending some of the text into the illustrations. Each page is completely filled with art and action. The style is a collage with bright and bold colors of self-portraits and drawings from Pippin. The cover of the book is inviting and the back cover gives a nice and inspiring phrase from Pippin that states, "Pictures just come to my mind...and I tell my heart to go ahead." She gives a blurb at the end of the book of how she really wanted to come close to Pippin's style so that the reader would have an idea of how his life was and his art. I would have to say that Her and Bryant did it and deserve a medal for this book. It has all of the elements of a good children's book that I have learned from my classes. I would recommend this book to all children of all ages who are aspiring to be artists.
Professional Reviews:
From Booklist
*Starred Review* Born in Pennsylvania in 1888, Horace Pippin loved to draw and paint as a child. When he was in eighth grade, his father left the family. Horace quit school and worked to support them. Later wounded as a soldier in WWI, he never regained full use of his right arm. Back home, Pippin began painting again, using his left arm to guide his right. Painting subjects drawn mainly from observation, memory, family stories, and the Bible, this self-taught African American artist was eventually discovered by the art community. Major museums display his works, and their locations are indicated on the U.S. map on the back endpapers, along with small reproductions of six paintings. In a well-structured narrative with recurring themes and a highly accessible style, Bryant writes short sentences full of memorable details, from Pippin’s first box of colored pencils to the scavenged house paints he used to paint his wartime memories. Combining drawings and printed elements with watercolor and gouache paints, Sweet’s mixed-media illustrations have a refreshing, down-home style and a brilliance all their own. The artwork incorporates large-print quotes, giving Pippin a voice here as well. Outstanding. Grades 1-4. --Carolyn Phelan
*Starred Review* Born in Pennsylvania in 1888, Horace Pippin loved to draw and paint as a child. When he was in eighth grade, his father left the family. Horace quit school and worked to support them. Later wounded as a soldier in WWI, he never regained full use of his right arm. Back home, Pippin began painting again, using his left arm to guide his right. Painting subjects drawn mainly from observation, memory, family stories, and the Bible, this self-taught African American artist was eventually discovered by the art community. Major museums display his works, and their locations are indicated on the U.S. map on the back endpapers, along with small reproductions of six paintings. In a well-structured narrative with recurring themes and a highly accessible style, Bryant writes short sentences full of memorable details, from Pippin’s first box of colored pencils to the scavenged house paints he used to paint his wartime memories. Combining drawings and printed elements with watercolor and gouache paints, Sweet’s mixed-media illustrations have a refreshing, down-home style and a brilliance all their own. The artwork incorporates large-print quotes, giving Pippin a voice here as well. Outstanding. Grades 1-4. --Carolyn Phelan
From Kirkus Review
This outstanding portrait of African-American artist Horace Pippin (1888-1946) allows Pippin’s work to shine—and his heart too.
“The colors are simple, such as brown, amber, yellow, black, white and green,” says pencil-lettered text on the front endpapers. These are Pippin’s own humble words. His art and life aren’t really simple at all, but here, they’re eminently accessible. On that spread, brush and pencil lie on overlapping off-white papers—lined, gridded, plain—decorated in pencil hatchings and a painted progression of hues between each primary color and its complement. From Pippin’s young childhood (working for pay to help his family; sketching with charcoal and paper scraps until he wins his first real art supplies in a contest), to his Army service in World War I, to the well-deserved fame that arrived only late in his life, he “couldn’t stop drawing.” When a military injury threatens Pippin’s painting ability, he tries wood burning—“[u]sing his good arm to move the hurt one”—and works his way back to painting. Sweet’s sophisticated mixed media (watercolor, gouache and collage), compositional framing, and both subdued and glowing colors pay homage to Pippin’s artistic style and sometimes re-create his pieces. Bryant’s text is understated, letting Pippin’s frequent quotations glimmer along with the art. Backmatter provides exceptional resources, including artwork locations.
A splash of vibrancy about a self-taught master. (historical note, author’s note, illustrator’s note, references) (Picture book/biography. 5-11)
This outstanding portrait of African-American artist Horace Pippin (1888-1946) allows Pippin’s work to shine—and his heart too.
“The colors are simple, such as brown, amber, yellow, black, white and green,” says pencil-lettered text on the front endpapers. These are Pippin’s own humble words. His art and life aren’t really simple at all, but here, they’re eminently accessible. On that spread, brush and pencil lie on overlapping off-white papers—lined, gridded, plain—decorated in pencil hatchings and a painted progression of hues between each primary color and its complement. From Pippin’s young childhood (working for pay to help his family; sketching with charcoal and paper scraps until he wins his first real art supplies in a contest), to his Army service in World War I, to the well-deserved fame that arrived only late in his life, he “couldn’t stop drawing.” When a military injury threatens Pippin’s painting ability, he tries wood burning—“[u]sing his good arm to move the hurt one”—and works his way back to painting. Sweet’s sophisticated mixed media (watercolor, gouache and collage), compositional framing, and both subdued and glowing colors pay homage to Pippin’s artistic style and sometimes re-create his pieces. Bryant’s text is understated, letting Pippin’s frequent quotations glimmer along with the art. Backmatter provides exceptional resources, including artwork locations.
A splash of vibrancy about a self-taught master. (historical note, author’s note, illustrator’s note, references) (Picture book/biography. 5-11)
References:
Kirkus Review. (2012). [Review of the book A splash of red: The life and art of Horace Pippin, by J. Bryant]. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jen-bryant/splash-red/Phelan, C. (n.d.). [Review of the book A splash of red: The life and art of Horace Pippin, by J. Bryant]. Booklist. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/A-Splash-of-Red-The-Life-and-Art-of-Horace-Pippin-Jen-Bryant/pid=5703567
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