This book published in August but officially launched just yesterday at an event and talk held at the Royal College of Art, is aimed at anyone, young or old, who fancies getting a handle on the theory and practice of art in 40 quick, accessible lessons. The audience yesterday consisted of a large number of Royal College of Art students, each of whom will be studying and practising these self-same concepts and techniques, albeit to a much deeper, more intense degree.

l-r: Jenny Broom of Wide Eyed Editions, Pam Dix of IBBY UK, Professor Teal Triggs, Daniel Frost and Rachel Williams of Wide Eyed Editions.

The book itself, produced by Wide Eye Editions to their usual high standards of production (the illustrations are by Daniel Frost), is quite wordy, so realistically is best given to children old enough to have developed reading fluency. It would certainly be very useful for KS2 primary teachers, both for helping them to become more able to teach art and design terms and techniques with increased confidence.

Ros Asquith & Jane Ray admiring The School of Art

Although the text is written by one author, Professor Teal Triggs of the RCA (who has other books on art puvblished by Taschen), the conceit is that the 40 lessons it contains are delivered, usually jointly, by five different Professors: the professor of ideas (female); the professor of form (male); the professor of senses (male); the professor of making (female); with the fifth and last professor providing some politically correct ballast. The (male) ‘professor of the planet’ champions “ways in which art and design can improve people’s lives and protect our planet for future generations”.

“Part picture book, part nonfiction guide, this playful hybrid offers a wide-ranging and engaging introduction to core elements that go into the creation of art.” Publishers Weekly