Discovering Great Artists vs Meet the Masters (2026): two leading homeschool art appreciation programs

Discovering Great Artists (MaryAnn Kohl) is the project-based art appreciation book that teaches children to make art in the style of major Western artists. Meet the Masters is the structured K-8 art-history and technique curriculum. Different formats, overlapping goals.

Discovering Great Artists and Meet the Masters are the two most-recommended homeschool art-appreciation programs in 2026. Discovering Great Artists, written by MaryAnn Kohl and Kim Solga, is a single project-rich book covering 75+ major Western artists from da Vinci through Warhol, with a hands-on art project for each artist that lets the child create work in that artist's style. Meet the Masters, by Lorraine Walker, is a multi-volume K-8 curriculum that covers approximately 35 artists across structured units, each with art history, biographical narrative, and technique instruction. Both teach art appreciation; the formats differ substantially.

Decision rubric, side by side

Discovering Great Artists wins 4 · Meet the Masters wins 2 · Tied on 1

Verdict

Both programs are well-regarded and serve overlapping but distinct goals. Discovering Great Artists wins on cost, flexibility, and project density. Meet the Masters wins on structure, sequential coverage, and depth per artist. For most homeschools, Discovering Great Artists is the better entry point ($20 trial); families that want art appreciation as a structured weekly subject often upgrade to Meet the Masters in subsequent years.