SKETCHING OUTDOORS IN SPRING

by Jim Arnosky ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 20, 1987

Arnosky lives in Vermont, as we might guess from the sugarhouses, fiddleheads and rock walls in his sensitive, elegantly shaded drawings. Beginning early in chilly March, he daily sketches the trees, water and flora and fauna around him. The product is a lovingly put-together volume with sketches in black pencil on eggshell paper and text in sepia. He tells us the circumstances surrounding each sketch (""In a soggy April woods I heard the clucking calls of male wood frogs. . .""), and in italics are words of wisdom for the nature-watcher and sketcher (""Whenever I can, I draw things their actual size. This gives an added measure of information to my pictures""). Arnosky does not talk down; his audience is artistic young people who have already tried sketching and need advice. The soft, spontaneous yet thoughtful illustrations will attract anyone who enjoys nature, however; and Arnosky's joy in being outdoors in all weather, pencil in hand, may be catching. His conclusion; that in early spring he felt drawn far afield, yet later turned toward home, is gently stated: ""As spring commenced, it caught up with my wandering.

Pub Date: March 20, 1987

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1987

Categories: CHILDREN'S