Art

Draw & Be Happy

November 28, 2018 By Annette1 4 Comments

Do you like to draw? I know that I like to doodle and doodling often makes me feel happy inside, but not always. Do you ever wonder why that is? Well Draw & Be Happy has given me some answers. Sometimes, my doodling doesn’t have an imagination behind it. Draw & be happy will help you to rediscover your imagination.

From the Back Cover:

Draw & Be Happy, if it sounds easy, that’s because it is. Yes, drawing really make you happy!

Inspired by art therapy practice, the drawing exercises in this book are thought provoking, meditative, and always fun. Each new page offers a simple strategy to help you find contentment and fulfillment through creativity. With activities that are perfect for any skill level (no previous art experience reequired!). Draw & Be Happy will help boost your confidence, reduce stress, and teach you to express yourself in meaningful and joyful new ways.

What do you Get:

160 pages that are bright and vibrant, with all kinds of helps to make you a joyful and dare I say it… a happy drawer! 🙂 How you ask? Well let me walk you through this easy to read, and fascinating book.

Have you ever considered changing your perspective when you draw? Bringing the background to the fore and vice versa. How about making a flip book of your years growing up? Or drawing a map from your place to your favourite grocer’s or coffee shop.

Eight chapters run you through warming up to finding your confidence.

Warming up
Find Calm
Get Happy
Build Self-Awareness
Energizing
For Positivity
To Relax
Find Confidence

Every two page spread gives you a new vision, a new way to approach your drawing. Perhaps you want to take a moment to draw your future, or sketch out some fun placemats for your favourite dining room, or let a dance flow across the page. Who knows where your muse might take you if you just have a touch of inspiration to guide you.

My Thoughts:

This is a neat little book. 160 pages of creative fun. Ideas I hadn’t thought of! It reminds me in a way of those 642 drawing books that I’ve reviewed in the past. Giving you all sorts of ideas that might spur on your interest, but giving you some depth to go with those thoughts. So as you consider making a linear drawing of your day, think about what made you happy or sad, causing you into dig deeper into your short term memory. Remembering the good, considering the not so good, and before you know it, you’ll be looking into your days more creatively. In the end, make drawing your therapy, and find yourself happy!

Draw & Be Happy: Art Exercises to Bring You Joy.
Tim A. Shaw
Illustrator: Cachetejack
Chronicle Books
160 pages, trade paperback
Art, Drawing, creativity

Reviewed for: Raincoast Books.

Where to find. Amazon.

Ellie Claire Art Journals

November 21, 2018 By Annette1 2 Comments

Last Friday I received three art journals in the mail from Ellie Claire; These journals offer an interactive way to get creative with your quiet time as you learn some lettering skills. They are gorgeous books with many features that I know you will love. These books are The Illustrated Word; Illuminate Your Story Journal and Faith & Lettering Journal

Illuminate Your Story Journal

is a beautiful hardcover book. Within the pages you will find beautifully coloured letters and some animals, knots and flowers. These letters are done up in different styles such at Ottonian, Celtic Half Unical, Gothic as well as others. Each letter of the alphabet is done in a step by step fashion to help YOU learn how to make these ornate letters as well. This would be such a great book to have along when you are studying illumination, monks (and their lettering), lettering in art class etc.

This hardcover book has a loop on the cover that I THINK is for holding your pen. It also sports an elastic band to hold your journal shut (or keeping the right pages held together). A light blue ribbon will hold your spot.

Faith & Lettering Journal

is a book that teaches you how to letter on a bigger scale. Using full verses, you are shown complete finished pictures to inspire you, as well as a two-page spread of six columns with a bible verse lettered out in one column, to be traced out in the next and then four columns to practice. Pro-tips are scattered throughout the pages. Some pages are fully lined, others with a matrix of dots and yet others with small graph paper. All the fully illustrated pages are beautifully done and in a variety of styles and fonts to inspire you. The goal: taking the time to meditate upon God’s word as you draw and illustrate the words.

This journal also sports a loop on the binding that looks like a pen/pencil holder. Reinforced binding holds it in place.

The Illustrated Word

is a bit different from the others. I look at this one and think.. art class anyone? Hidden within the pages of this lovely tome you will find art from the past, such as images of a “Natural Parchment Esther Scroll”. You will not only find images of the scroll, but a larger line drawn version that you can colour in. This is an colouring with a journal aspect to it. What I mean by that is you will find some of the art illustrations with a bible verse incorporated followed by a couple of journal pages with cut outs on them. Then another line drawing of a picture/painting/scroll drawing. The cut-outs will be either related to the bible verse drawing, or a full colour image of the line drawing without the bible verse. I hope that was clear! 🙂 It would be much easier to show you so see the images below. 🙂

My Thoughts:

These books are out of the ordinary for colouring and lettering books. I’ve reviewed a fair number of books like these over the years, and they almost always come as trade paperbacks with or without pull out pages to display your work. These are hardcover books sized to fit alongside your bible, or into a larger sized purse. They have many little details that cause them to be a treasure, from the pen loops, to the ribbon to hold your place, the wonderful paper they are printed on, lie flat quality, and the fine detail in the art work. They would make a lovely gift to anyone who likes to letter as they meditate upon God’s Word.

The art work in The Illustrated Word colouring journal doesn’t suit my taste. I love that the works are cited making them an excellent add-on to studying art of the Renaissance. Even though this one is not for me, this doesn’t detract from how lovely the book is and how it would definitely please another person, and be an aid to them in taking time with God’s word. I can totally see someone also bringing it along to church to take sermon notes or listening as a page is coloured in (cause busy fingers can help a listening mind).

Illuminate my story… I like this book, I do. Even though I don’t see myself as good enough to attempt to emulate her style, it’s nice to try you know? It’s small, fits nicely into my purse, has a loop to hold it shut so it doesn’t gather up all the other helpful stuff in my purse, and the lovely keepsake pocket in the back means if I doodle or practice elsewhere I can keep it as inspiration.

Faith & Lettering Journal by Krystal Whitten is just a pretty book. Like WOW.. so pretty and inspiring. She has some very good skills. I really liked the practice pages, divided into easy columns so if I totally mess up one practice session I can just move on to the next. Definitely worth getting. Gives you excellent practice time and teaches you how to make different letters.

Faith & Lettering
Illuminate Your Story
The Illustrated Word

Ellie Claire

Where to find.

Geography Crafts for Kids

November 14, 2018 By Annette1 2 Comments

You know, I’ve had this book sitting on my shelf for a while now and have looked at it off and on. Not quite the same as when I’m looking at a book to tell someone else about it though. Geography Crafts for Kids is filled with 50 different projects and activities to help expand one’s knowledge of geography. I really like this book!

From the cover:

How did early explorers keep from getting hopelessly lost?
Where is the center of the world
What does a cow in Finland sound like?

Want the answer? Check inside, and soon you’ll be doing and creating cool things that will help you experience geography like never before! Map your friend’s face, predict the weather, and find out if you have what it takes to pass your own country’s citizenship quiz. Search for eco-invaders in your backyard, or turn tomorrow’s trash into treasure. You’ll never look at Earth the same way again!

What you Get

Five chapters, templates and 50 different projects.

The five chapters are

Where in the World are you?
Maps, Maps, and Even more Maps
We are different, we are the same
The Earth Shapes you
You Shape the earth

Each chapter contains a number of interesting projects such as making a Mariner’s Cross Staff, a compass, a timezone clock, an antique map & case, a novel map, stamp box, world drum, take a citizenship quiz, read tree rings, make a Pangea pudding puzzle or even a debate book. So many different and exciting options to try. Learn the history or the reason behind each craft.

THIS I liked. Projects in a geography book that you wouldn’t expect. Who would think about putting a project about brick making in a book about geography? But when you stop and think about it, homes all over the world are made from bricks, so it makes sense. Many of the projects are ones that I would not have anticipated.

Lots of different ways to make maps were explored, one I thought was unique was printing off an antique map and printing it off on a t-shirt or pillow case. It’s just a matter of finding some transfer paper. Some were ones I expected like doing a neighbourhood or a trade route map. It’s great to mix the expected with the unexpected isn’t it?

My Thoughts:

I love the variety presented within the pages of this book. To see the options available to help your students learn geography its a great thing. This book would be an excellent addition to any teacher who wants to add hands on elements to teaching geography. I hope to make a cross staff with my lad when we study war by sea. We are taught how to use it as well. I even found a video that talks about this navigational tool. Another excellent book is can be found here.

Geography is such a comprehensive topic, there are many approaches to studying it, and this book is just another helpful addition.

Geography Crafts for Kids
Joe Rhatigan
Heather Smith
Lark Books
Hardcover, 144 pages,
Geography, Art, Crafts, Projects.

Cartoon Thinking

November 7, 2018 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

I was going through the art books on my shelf the other day and pulled this one out, I’ve a few different cartoon books and I was wondering if I needed to keep them all. Books I have are the How to Draw Comics, and How to Draw with your Funny Bone books. There is only the one shelf for art type books so I constantly need to revisit to see which ones I’ll keep and which to let go. I think that I will retain Dan Holt’s Cartoon Thinking for a while. With actual lessons and a simple black and white methodology, should I ever teach a cartooning class, this book will be useful.

From the Cover:

Help students learn about social issues, politics, government, moral dilemmas, the human experience, and how tomake new friends. Students develop creativity and critical-thinking skills while studying a humourous topic. They will laugh their way through the class and develop key skills.

You will have nine, two-hour lesson plans that combine the thinking part of cartooning with the art, using motivating instructions, simple handouts, a brief history of cartooning and foreign cartoons, the elements of a cartoon and artistic techniques, and the physical benefits of humour.

What you get:

Nine chapters laid out in a format to help you teach. This book is supposed to come with transparencies (which I don’t have) . I would think you could copy the black and white examples and display those. These nine lessons teach subjects such a perspective, historic cartoons, how to draw, caricatures, lettering, layout, social issues and more. Each lesson is well packed and is meant to last two hours in a class, and is geared to highschool and up.

As you can see, each lesson comes with objectives, items needed, and set out how to teach that particular lesson. This is a class where you do assign homework, and there are tests you can give as well.

I appreciated that each lesson included full pages of the transparencies that are meant to be used. I didn’t actually have the transparencies but generally speaking it would be easy to work around this.

My Thoughts:

One section of this lesson book contains a lesson on how to talk about historical cartoons. I was looking through and starting thinking that this lesson would be great for looking at the cartoons of the wars. To find some of those old cartoons (he gives suggestions for key words to search for) and then talk about this with the lad and give him a challenge of creating a cartoon of his own. Wouldn’t that be a great addition?

There is so much information in this book it’s worth keeping whether it’s methods of teaching are a bit dated or not. So it will stay on my shelves until I either find something better, or work my way through the material with my lad or other students.

Cartoon Thinking
Dan G. Holt
Zephyr Press
Softcover, 9 lessons, 124 pages
Cartoon, Drawing, Education, Art.

Arty Facts: Our Bodies & Art Activities

October 31, 2018 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

Are you doing a human body study and looking for art projects to enhance your learning adventures? Arty Facts is a wonderful book to enhance any study of the human body. Let me tell you about this excellant art book resource, entitled Our Bodies & Art Activities, that will nicely round out your studies.

What do you get:

21 Chapters with titles such as strong bones, taste buds, touch and feel, brainbox and sound catchers, the human body is discussed and art activities suggested for each area of the body.

This isn’t just an art book with a little bit of info, it’s also a science book with good information about the body. I found the text geared to grades three and up. There is much younger children could learn, but for reading independently, probably grade three as a minimum level.

Each page of learning comes with an accompanying art activity. There is a great range of activities from working with paper Mache, sewing, or drawing etc. You get to work with paper, glue, buttons, foil, shells, paint, sponges, sequins and more. Some of the crafts are “Salt Dough Fruit Basket”, “Textured Touch Art”, “Circuit Board Collage” and “Puffing Bellows”. I found that the crafts ranged in complexity, some being suitable for upper elementary students, and others for lower. Pick the crafts/art activities that match the level of your students.

You’ll notice that the list of needed supplies in done on a red sidebar with pictures and words. The instructions were clear making it very easy to teach. There is a materials guide at the close of the book which tells you what some of the materials are and what suitable alternatives could be used.

My thoughts:

I think this is a great book and makes me want to go out and gather a bunch of kids together. Then I can do art and learn about the body at the same time. This book is great for kinetic learners to cement learning. I was pleased they didn’t include the Robotic Hand which I often find in stem and art books about the human body.

Our Bodies & Art Activities
Editor: Ellen Rodger
Crabtree Publishing
48 pages, softcover,
Art, Kids Crafts, Human Body, Science
Series: Arty Facts.

Crafty Ideas From Nature

October 24, 2018 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

Crafty Ideas from Nature is a paperback book that gives you more than 30 crafts you can make with nature as a focus. MOST of the art projects use items you can easily collect from nature. A few of the art projects are things you can use to decorate trees, represent nature, or are games you can play. Another in the series is crafty ideas from junk. These books give loads of ideas to help children express their creativity in a wide variety of ways.

Each project is laden with pictures walking your through the steps. Each project has a handy materials list. While this list doesn’t give you exact quantities, it gives the needed information.

Some of the projects are floral cat, candy cone, leaf printing, snowstorm, dried leaf owl, and feather headdress. There are many others. A good variety of crafts that cover a variety of age ranges, but generally I’d say from age 8 and up for most of them.

My Thoughts:

Crafty Ideas from Nature gives some great ideas to help children express their creativity using what they find in the great outdoors. It would be an excellent addition to any nature study that you engage your students in. The ideas presented lend themselves to a variety of crafts and should stimulate your ideas, as well as ideas in the children around you.

Crafty Ideas from Nature
Myrna Daitz
Shirley Williams
Exley Giftbooks
softcover, 48 pages

Click on image to go to Amazon.

Plastic Canvas: Cars and Trucks

October 10, 2018 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

The other day (couple months back) I was out kicking around and saw some plastic canvas creations. They were rather well done and it spurred me on to see if I still had any plastic canvas around. I found some, but no yarn or thread to do it to be found, and then well.. life got a bit hectic.

In the process of packing/unpacking I found this plastic canvas book and tucked it away with my arts/crafts books. Ergo, when I was searching for an art book for today I stumbled upon it and since it brings back happy memories for me why not!

What happy memories you ask?

I remember sitting with my mom and a group of girls learning how to do plastic canvas. I still recall the peals of laughter rolling around the table, the conversation lightening quick, the questions and answers, the fights over who got the yarn next and can you pass me the scissors.

After I earned the badge, I found myself continuing to work with plastic canvas, cutting, shaping, learning new techniques. Then college came along and life got busy and I set it aside. I still look back at this crafting skill with fond memories. And I keep my limited supplies around but I honestly don’t know if I will ever get back into it.

THOUGH…

This book with the cute cars intrigues me. Wouldn’t they be fun to make for a little boy or girl?

After learning how to make wheels we are taught how to make seven different vehicles

big rig
pickup
bluemobile
antique coupe
yellow sports car
pink convertible
gasoline tanker

What do you think?

Good toys for girls and boys? Fun to make you think? Perhaps I should get re-inspired. 🙂

Art

Draw & Be Happy

From the Back Cover:

What do you Get:

My Thoughts:

Ellie Claire Art Journals

Illuminate Your Story Journal

Faith & Lettering Journal

The Illustrated Word

My Thoughts:

Where to find.

Geography Crafts for Kids

From the cover:

What you Get

My Thoughts:

Cartoon Thinking

From the Cover:

What you get:

My Thoughts:

Arty Facts: Our Bodies & Art Activities

What do you get:

My thoughts:

Crafty Ideas From Nature

My Thoughts:

Plastic Canvas: Cars and Trucks

What happy memories you ask?

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Art

From the Back Cover:

What do you Get:

My Thoughts:

Illuminate Your Story Journal

Faith & Lettering Journal

The Illustrated Word

My Thoughts:

Where to find.

From the cover:

What you Get

My Thoughts:

From the Cover:

What you get:

My Thoughts:

What do you get:

My thoughts:

My Thoughts:

What happy memories you ask?

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