A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Art

Art Series: The Painting-In Book

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Today I have a NEAT book.  It’s  one of those use it up type books, but could easily, be adapted for a classroom setting.

It’s called the Painting-In Book, it’s written by Anna Rumsby, and it is just a fun book… meant to teach young children about paint and how to use it.

Book Synopsis: 
Can you give the gorilla a jungle to hide in? Can you create some
honeycomb for the bees? And can you mix up some delicious flavors of ice
cream?

Create paint masterpieces with nothing more than your
poster paints and Anna Rumsby’s entertaining activity pages. A great big
book of painting fun!

Also contains an introduction to mixing colors and simple, easy-to-copy painting techniques. 

My thoughts:
This is such a neat little book.  64 pages filled with one sided sheets to help young children express themselves with paint, learning to mix colours, and use differing paint techniques.

Can you give a dog some long hair?

Can you help this boy have fun with the elephant?

The instructions on each page are written clearly and simply.
I am not sure if it is the copy that I received, but the pages pull out very easily.  This makes it easy to pull individual pages out in order to let your little artist create, and later display.

Recommendation:
If you have young children, and want to let them show their artistic side and learn a few things while doing so, this book will work for you.   If you KNOW someone with young children this would make a great gift, along with some washable paints.

The Painting-In Book: 30 Paint and Play Activities
By: Anna Rumsby
Pages: 64
Geared for ages 3-5
Published by: Laurence King
Size: 14.56 x 10.29
Reviewed for: Raincoast Books.

Amazon.ca: The Painting-In Book: 30 Paint and Play Activities

Amazon.com: The Painting-In Book: 30 Paint and Play Activities

I Linked up at the Virtual Fridge this week. Good place to go to for Art Inspiration!

Art Series: One Last Word

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Today I have a different sort of an art book for you.   It’s the art of words, words in poetry that can touch you heart and elicit emotions and conversation, that can have a child go “meh” and a mom go “I like this one”.   (and have the reverse happen).  A book of verse containing works of art that cause a boy to say “I like that one mom”.

This type of art is also good.  🙂

So let me then tell you of this book “One Last Word”.

This book is a tribute to the Harlem Renaissance poets.  Quite honestly I had NO idea what the Harlem Renaissance was, but the beauty and the imagery found within these poems had me searching for what it was.   According to History.com “Spanning the 1920s to the mid-1930s, the Harlem Renaissance was a
literary, artistic, and intellectual movement that kindled a new black
cultural identity. Its essence was summed up by critic and teacher Alain
Locke in 1926 when he declared that through art, “Negro life is seizing
its first chances for group expression and self determination.” Harlem
became the center of a “spiritual coming of age” in which Locke’s “New
Negro” transformed “social disillusionment to race pride.” Chiefly
literary, the Renaissance included the visual arts but excluded jazz,
despite its parallel emergence as a black art form.“

So a time when people of Negro descent were learning to take pride in who they were and not be beaten down by their past.   If you want to learn more…read more from The History site.

I read this poem in particular, and books like the Book of Negroes pops into my head, and I can imagine that pride of remembering who you are, and the carefulness of remembering where you have been.  How hard it must have been to separate the two.

Many of the poems in this book touched my heart…the art work and poems take up 94 pages in a 120 page book, hardcover.  The remaining pages are biographies of the poets and artists.

94 pages of beauty … some with hurt felt…but mostly of the joy and pride of a person or people recognizing who they are.  Some see God in the picture, others don’t.

Three sections: Emergency Measures has seven poems.    Calling Dreams has 14 poems and To a Dark Girl has 9 poems.

The poem “We Wear the Mask” made me think of more than just negroes who suffered but all the different people who struggle with hidden issues, hurts and sorrows, mental or physical frailities, but not wanting to diminish the pain of the black folks who suffered so.  Just made me think beyond you know what I mean?

 So much beauty in words and images, chances to see inside the soul of another person.. it is good, you know?   Art!  In its own way.

I thought I would leave you with one more poem to intrigue your heart.

IF you are learning about black history… do take in this book as it’s important part to consider.  If you like poignant poetry, or are searching for poems for your child to memorize, get this book.  It’s a great book of poetry and should you get your child intrigued, could provoke conversation…or just be nice to listen to!  🙂  you will find my affiliate links below, thank you for your support.

 One Last Word – Wisdom from the Harlem Resistance.
By Nikki Grimes
Published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books
128 pages
Age Range: 10-14 (or up through adult)
Reviewed for: Raincoast Books.

Amazon.ca: One Last Word: Wisdom from the Harlem Renaissance

Amazon.com: One Last Word: Wisdom from the Harlem Renaissance

Art Series: Zentangle – anything is possible one stroke at a time

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Zentangles…I had never heard that term before until I received this book.   The cover made me think of the colouring books that I enjoy doing.   I always thought those were called mandalas though, which of course led me to research that idea.

A mandala is a piece of art made in a circle. Mandala means “circle” in Sanskrit.   In Buddhist and Hindu faith systems they have spiritual significance.  Outside those circles they are just circular drawings that can used to help you relax.

A zentangle is any design made from repetitive patterns.  Does not have to be in a circle shape.

There are some people who use the words interchangeably, but mandalas are supposed to circular, zentangles can be anything.

Good to know eh?

Anyways, all that to tell you about this book I have in my hands here.  Zentangle: the inspiring and mindful drawing workbook.  This workbook has over 70 practice tiles to play around with.  It has been put together by Jane Marbaix.

Zentangles are a way of doodling, it’s making a variety of shapes and designs on purpose.  Mostly done to fill in a space, but sometimes they just become an art form.

What I thoroughly appreciate about this book as it walks you through right from the beginning how to doodle with purpose.   It always amazes me when I see doodles come to life.   Take for instance this video.  Simple lines and shapes, but suddenly they become something.

Just fascinating to me.

Ms. Marbaix provides the space right in the book to practice the techniques that she shows the reader how to do.

She starts with the very basics, how to make the most basic of doodles and what they are called.   Doodles like tipples, crescent moon, static, zander, poke root, hollibaugh and msst.   We then proceed to the use of string and more advanced doodles.

Each step leads to more advanced techniques.

Before you know you it you’ll be filling in shapes and making rubber stamps and all sorts of interesting items.

A whole world is waiting to be drawn and doodled.

Chapters are:

  1. What is a Zentangle?
  2. First Steps
  3. Zentangle Inspired Art
  4. Tanglenhancers
  5. Zentangle Friends
  6. Tangling Fun
  7. Using Stencils
  8. Zendalas
  9. Shapes
  10. Letters and Numbers
  11. Rubber Stamping
  12. Kids Time
  13. Directory of Tangles

 I really like the lay out and the sheer amount of technique in this book.   I like to doodle, but would never call myself an artist.  I love art, but the know-how is often lacking.  If I were to work through all the lessons in this book, I would be able to make my own zentangles.   Perhaps then I could call myself a zentangle artist.  🙂

Of course as I go through this book I keep thinking to myself… wouldn’t this be fun to do with a group of interested youth?   The lessons in the book are straight-forward, they could all bring lots of paper to practice on, ideas to spur each other to doing their doodle drawings better, and can you imagine the lovely zentangles they could come up with?    To have fun deciding which of the more complicated designs they might wish to learn.

 Each of these more complicated designs comes complete with a green box describing it’s name and what the pattern is.  I just love how this book starts with easy and gradually works it way up to tougher designs to create. 

This is a great book to learn the how and wherefore’s of doing good doodling as you learn to draw zentangles.  Well-written, with lots of information and examples to draw from.  Inspiration awaits!

Use it to relax, to focus your mind, to release your creative talent, to refine your doodling abilities and more.   It’s a great book to learn from, check it out today, really.

 Zentangles: the inspiring and mindful drawing workbook with over 70 practice tiles.
Author: Jane Marbaix
Publisher: Thunder Bay Press
size: 9.11 x 10.72
  176 pages

Art Book Series: Beatrix Potter

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I talked about this gorgeous art book early in December last year.   I just LOVED reviewing this book and find it an absolutely wonderful book that tells us all about Beatrix Potter. 

This lovely book was filled with a mirade of information about Miss Potter, from childhood through to accomplished artist.   It followed her initial interest and her love of her country cottage, the progression of her “little books for little hands”, and multiple of places her art took her.  
Five main chapters:
1. Becoming Beatrix Potter
2. London and the South Coast
3. Scotland
4. The Lake District
5. Wales and Beyond
I freely admit that I was captivated by her pictures of the mushrooms, just totally loved them!

Aren’t they well done?

Equally well done is all the other art that you will find hidden within the pages of this 256 page book, each picture coming with a story of the inspiration behind it and more.   The engaging style of writing taught me so much about Miss Potter.

If you would like to know more of the story behind Beatrix Potter, her books and her wonderful art, this book will do it for you completely 

Amazon.ca
Amazon.com

Art Series: Bright Ideas Pencils

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Imagine my delight when I received some pencil crayons in the mail.  🙂  YES!!   What fun eh?   I get to indulge my colouring delight with some new pencils…fun indeed! 

The first time I used these pencils I was waiting for my son at karate.   I was joined by a young girl, asking if she could colour with me.   I told her sure, I’d be happy to have her help me with this review.  This led to a conversation about what a review was and how she was helping me.   She’s a sweet young lass that I often talk with while we wait.

This little six year old girl said:
“I like these pencils, they make nice colours”. 
“The colour is so pretty, I like how the brown ones look nice together.”
“Do you like how I did this?”
“Can I keep helping you colour?”
“These pencils are nice, look mom, see my picture?”

Bright Ideas has put together a box of 10 metallic coloured pencils. They are a nice fit in the hand and colour nicely.  They work equally well for a six year old as they do for a more mature person.  🙂

I found they went on the page smoothly and filled in the coloured area nicely.  They blend well.   I’ve done a couple of pages with them and haven’t needed to sharpen them.

They come in a nice sturdy box which holds up well to children opening and shutting it repeatedly.  I found them to be softly metallic, with a slight sheen.They are a lovely addition to the other coloured pencils that I have and I am delighted to have them.  🙂

Chronicle Books
Box size: 8.78 x 7.89

Reviewed for: Raincoast Books.

Art Series: 642 Big Things to Draw

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Do you have a child who likes to draw but sometimes or often comes and says, Mom, I want to draw something but I don’t know what!   Can you tell me what to do draw?

Now…if your child is anything like mine, 99% of the ideas you come up with will be summarily rejected.    I don’t know about you but… I FIND THAT IMMENSELY  frustrating.   Probably shouldn’t, but it is what is right?   Enter in… this wonderful book of ideas.   642 Big Things to Draw.   So many ideas… if a child can’t find something to draw in here, well… do they really want to draw?

Anyways, let me tell you about this book, and I have to tell you books like this are MEANT to be used (unless you are my son who would rather grab an idea and put it on art paper).

This is a fairly big book (9.29 x 10.67) that is filled with pages divided into sections.

Each of those sections has a word or phrase written in it.    With a good amount of space to draw in as well, or if you don’t want to be constrained by space, get a art sketch pad and draw there.  It’s all good.  Just draw and let your mind relax as you bring forth your creative talents.

Everything in this book is large… from jumbo jets, to a zoo, to a giraffe’s neck and Lake Superior.  A bit of everything inbetween.   642 different ideas condensed into 304 pages.   Slapped down into a book where the pages are divided into 1/2’s, thirds, quarters in different configurations.  Keep the mind sharp eh?  🙂

Once a week or so my son and I will grab a book and draw for 15 minutes.   Sometimes we start new projects, other times we continue to work on projects from the week before.  We use this book and others like this book as our sources of inspiration.   It is amazing how simple words can inspire art.

I LOVE IT.

642 Big Things to Draw

Chronicle Books
9.29 x 10.67
304 pages
Ages: all ages can have fun with this book

Reviewed for Raincoast Books.

Affiliate links provided to help you find this great idea starter for doing art.  

Amazon.ca

Amazon.com

Virtual Fridge Link Up

Art Series: Arnold’s Extraordinary Art Museum

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I have to admit, when I first opened this book I thought…okay.. what
kind of a weird little art book is this?  So I read it through, and then
read it again because it intrigued in it’s in weirdness. It’s weirdness turned into a quirky way of  presenting different forms of
art and ended up really intriguing
me.  I think it will intrigue you too.

 You might be asking, what makes this book quirky?

Well, it’s done
in a comic book format, it’s a lovely hardcover book with great colour
throughout from front to back.  The characters are a tad unusual, but
they all have a great attitude and they all work with each other.

Arnold
puts on an art show for his friends.   He is the collector and curator
of the art museum, who wants to share his art collection with his
friends.   He leads them on a marvelous adventure and they all learn
much.

 Imagine if you could go to an art museum where you actually have to
experience the art yourself.. like crawling through a tunnel to get to a
Japanese tea room?  What if you learned how fascinating the colour blue
was and how hard it was to prefect it?

Could you see a urinal as
a piece of art?  Find it interesting to learn why ultramarine was used
so often in pictures of the Madonna?  What about seeing the shadows or
spaces of objects as the intrigue of artists?   I learned so much from
this book, it was very neat.

At the close of the book, images of
the actual art used and where they are found is depicted.   Some of the
pieces were quite interesting, some more so after the reasoning behind
them was given.

 It was so interesting to learn more about the different forms that art
can take and some of the history and thought that go on behind them. 
There is more to art than what you can just see.

I do have to tell you that I used this book with my art class….and they were delighted.  This book really resonated with my art students.   Check out the art project they came up.  🙂

They started with circles and exploring that space, then someone got the bright idea of exploring what they can do with their hands, and then …what if we mixed colours together and swirled them around, and what if we drop lids upside and … it kinda went on and on from there.   It was a great finish off for our art class as the students had learned to work together and feed off each others ideas.  

 Arnold’s Extraordinary Art Museum

Written/Illustrated by:
Catherine Ingram and Jim Stoten

Published by: Laurence King

Size: 10.1 x 12.06 Â·

64 pages
Ages 7 and up

Reviewed For: Raincoast Books.

Amazon affiliate links are provided for your ease of finding this
quirky book.  It doesn’t affect your bottom line and blesses my heart
more than you know.  🙂   No pressure, but if you are intrigued by the
book, get it!  Links are below.
 Amazon.ca: Arnold’s Extraordinary Art Museum

Amazon.com: Arnold’s Extraordinary Art Museum