A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Art

Art Series: Fantastic Planets

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I so much enjoy my colouring book Fantastic Collections so when I saw I could review Fantastic Planet I was delighted!  This book is part of a series produced by Chronicle books.    This review is part of an Art series is part of an on-going series of Art books reviewed for your pleasure and resource.    You can find more books here and here.

 Book Synopsis:
Bestselling author Steve McDonald uses his unique photo-based
illustration style to celebrate the fantastic places, flora, and fauna
of the natural world around us. Here are inspiring, fun-to-color images
of lush jungles, teeming reefs, desert landscapes, fruitful orchards,
sun-dappled forests, spectacular waterfalls, majestic trees, tulip
fields, animal migrations, and much more.

My thoughts:

This is a GREAT colouring book.. seriously.
Fantastic images to fill in, that take the whole page, not just part of it.
High quality paper and images…wow… the images. 

I found myself hard pressed to pick which images I wanted to share with you.

 Back to back pictures that fill the page so you have no wasted space.   In the crease of the book one can find a description of what the image is about.

For instance, these alligators are from The Florida Everglades.   Can you see how an image like this might be fun to add to a study on Florida or Alligators?

These books are meant for adults, but I’ve known young teens who have done a stellar job with them.   Just a simply delightful colouring book.   The detail and imagery is simply a delight to fill in, knowing that by the end I will have a picture of a real thing.  

My son loves the tangle of snakes he discovered, my hubby the wolves and the landscape scences, I have a friend I’d love to send the elephants to, if I could figure out how to get it to her undamaged.  🙂   Some of these images, I see them and think, wouldn’t that be nice to add to a study someone is doing on Africa, Indonesia, China and more?  A nice add on for science and geography eh?

So if you like colouring books, my advice is to get this book, You’ll enjoy it.  Draw nature, explore this planet that we live on, and take some time…just for you.  🙂

 
Fantastic Planet: A Coloring Book of Places Real and Imagined
 Steve McDonald
 Chronicle Books
11.48 x 11.87
60 pages

 Reviewed for: Raincoast Books

Art Series: 642 Things about Me.

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You know how art is about more than drawing, painting, cutting, gluing and making.  How art is also about words and how to use them beautifully?   Here is a book to encourage beauty in both of those formats for your young artists and writers.    642 things about me.

Chronicle Books has come out with another 642 things book!    This one is geared for the 8-12 year old writer and artist.    

As you can see there is plenty of space to write and to draw, sometimes to do both for the same topic.

Some of the things you might be asked to write about are:

  • something you collect
  • a cheer you could chant
  • describe what thunder sounds like
  • the music at the dentist office

Things to write and draw

  • an historical figure image, quote, question to ask
  • an artist that inspires, art work, a project you could do

Things you can draw:

  • treasure chest at the bottom of the ocean
  • colossal bike ramp
  • flag of your country
  • a valentine 
  • a merit badge for bravery

So many things to write, to draw.
So many things to see and to listen for.  Thoughts to consider, quotes that inspire.

Get this book into the hands of your young artist and watch them get busy being inspired to learn, draw, grow, and develop.  A good thing yes?

You can find my reviews on 
642 Big Things to Draw
642 Places to Draw.

If looking for the complete series of the 642 books visit Chronicle books.

642 Things About Me: Young Writer’s & Artist’s Edition
Chronicle Books
7.5 x 8.95 
304 pages
Ages 8-12

Reviewed for: Raincoast Books.

 

Art Series: Earth-Space Coloring Book

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 Imagine a book where you could combine a love of learning, with a love of colouring.   Right now my son is big into astronomy…he’s having fun doing experiments, reading and listening, watching youtube videos…and now he can see pictures of what he is learning about in a softcover colouring book AND if he were so inclined…try to replicate what he sees.

Allow me to introduce to you a  new colouring book.   Earth-Space.  This lovely book is put together by Chronicle Books.

This book is beautiful.   The images of space that are photographs taken from the Archives of NASA.  They are breathtakingly beautiful.

Each picture is labelled so we know just what we are looking at.   We see earth from space, corona australis, the orion nebula, stellar snowflake cluster and so much more.

Some of the images are so close you could almost reach out and touch them, while others really point out the grandeur of God to me…that he could make something so interesting to look at, like the Caterpillar of dust and gas.

Each page opens into two page, the first page of the natural phenomena, the second with it broken down into simple lines.   This breaks the natural beauty seem more attainable to colour.  I have to admit though, I felt intimidated by the idea of trying to replicate the variety of colours presented.  BUT since each image is broken down simple lines, it is easier diverge… take for instance the image of rings of Saturn seen below…the colouring page does not depict ALL the rings, so you can use the colours you have at hand, or if desired…you could completely change it up.  It’s a colouring book… do what you want eh?

As you can see, each colouring page is done with simple lines.  Allowing each area to be coloured in sections, or swirls or whatever you wish.   These lines give you connecting points to the real picture so you can build off that.

Just a fascinating colouring book, that at first (to me looked intimidating) but as I continued to look through and think about it, I just found it fascinating as it’s different then other colouring books, it’s more free form with the lines just providing a grounding to base one’s work off of.  Mix colours, don’t be constrained by lines, and just have fun recreating.

I can EASILY see this being used in an astronomy class with students as well.  Even just to look at the pictures to show the beauty that can be found in the galaxy above us.  🙂


Earth Space Coloring book: Photographs from the Archives of NASA.

Published by Chronicle Books.
Pages: 80
Size 8.63 x 11

Reviewed for: Raincoast Books

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: The Art of Cursive Logic

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 I almost forgot to do a post this week!   Can you believe it?

And a good reminder came in the mail today…. sample pages from Cursive Logic’s new book.  Guess what they have created?   It’s a colouring book for adults!   

 This book is actually in final production stages so I can’t tell you what the actual book will be like but I can tell you this.

They have mentioned to me how the final product will be made on paper superior to what they are sending as samples…and boy.. that will be REALLY nice paper since what they sent is very solid, great paper that won’t leak through, printed only on one side, and just a gorgeous paper for a colouring book.

This book is very much geared to teen-adult learners rather than children, as seen from the fine details found on this page. 

Let me tell you what I like about this book.

  1. It all ties together.  If you are wanting to improve your cursive abilities or simply want to learn how to do cursive, wouldn’t it be lovely to practice those skills and make some lovely art at the same time?
  2. It’s a colouring book and the images are beautiful, the learning the cursive movements is tied into the art work seamlessly.
  3. Quotes that appeal and give me something to think on.

    4. Cursive Logic instruction is not forgotten in the desire to create a gorgeous book.

    You will find the same shapes and movements of the teaching pages contained within the colouring pages.  It’s actually quite well done.

 I really really wish I could convey the beauty of the paper… it is SO nice and very solid.   It would be great for using any kind of medium to fill in the pictures.  Though I have to admit, I wish they could have included a sample of each of the kinds of paper they are thinking of using so I could have judged them.  🙂

Anyways, if you like colouring… get this book.  If you want to improve your cursive.. get this book.   Either one…you’ll improve a skill and have a good time doing it eh?

 The information from Cursive Logic:

  • like to print on
    thick, art paper
  • with perforated edges for ease of coloring and for display
  • they are doing a kickstarter campaign which you can find here:  bit.ly/2taclrc It’s a great way to support a cool book and get interesting product in return.  🙂
 I received unbound lesson pages and four sample pages in exchange for this review.

Reluctant Artist?? What do you do?

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It’s week five of the Virtual Curriculum Fair.   This week.. it’s all about art and beauty.  See in artistic forms of music, art, dance and whatever form that takes in your household.  
The VCF is hosted by Susan. 

Week One: A Time to be Encouraged.
Week Two: Language Arts: Our Style.
Week Three: Practical math.
Week Four: Exploring the World Starting with Canada.

Today my topic is: What to do with the reluctant artist?

I would never say that I am an artist, but I have birthed a lad who has creativity tied into his bones.   I’ve worked to bring that creativity into our schooling…and this year and finding myself tying it in however I can.

BUT in all his creativity he’s a rather deliberate lad.  He hates, absolutely HATES to waste his time.   Despises it with a passion… which sometimes creates a reluctant artist.. What’s a teacher to do?

Talk
1. Talk to your student.   You are looking for what is causing the reluctance. 
 a). The Style – realism vs abstract, 3-D vs 2-D etc.
 b). The Medium – painting vs drawing, colouring vs pastels, oils vs acrylics etc
 c).  The Topic – A river vs. mountains, a building vs a landscape etc

Discover
2. Discover what about the reluctance causes concern.
 a). Lack of confidence – has never used this medium/style/topic before and has no idea about how to use, approach or even if likes the idea.
 b). Medium not correct for the type of project – topic of discussion sometimes the student is correct!  And then changes can be made.   Or change the topic or style and suddenly the medium isn’t so bad.
 c). Fear of wasting time – This one is hard to get past, but I have a method that is proving to at least raise more curiousity and help!
 d). Dislike of style and not seeing the point of it – often a matter of showing the student a wide variety in the style until something appeals.   I saw this recently in my class on cubism… one student could not get a handle on it until he thought about doing shades of black!  It worked and turned out well.  
 e). Wants a different topic – Let them choose the topic if possible, it’s their art.  You can set the parameters and then let them choose what they can fit within that.
 f). Page size – could be too small, large, wide, narrow etc.   This is so easy to change, some students do their best work in miniature and other need to express themselves in wide open spaces.   It’s relative.

Action
3. Take Action.  
  a). Remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder
  b). Learning new things is sometimes difficult.
  c). Sometimes helping someone with a new form of art takes away the pressure of wasting one’s time if it doesn’t work out.

Let me expand on the latter idea.
My son and I were going to create an abstract mountain art work but okay… it was MY idea to do an abstract mountain art work and my son stopped dead in his tracks.  All he could see was the potential of failure.

So after talking with him through all the different steps, it’s still all he could see was “it’s not going to turn out and I’ll have wasted all my time.”.

We decided that he could do his own thing (he wanted very much to do a pencil sketch with shading) and that I could do the abstract art.  We work side by side so he can see me work and I can see him.  It’s a great time to chat, provide encouragement and ask questions.  

So I sit beside him and I modge-podgy tissue paper to my page and I talk about how I am not sure if this colour goes there, or what do you think if I do this for the mountains, do you think making sticky-up flowers will work?  He starts off very hesitant at first, so I show him how to make flowers that can stick up off the page and how if I crinkle the tissue paper I give it more texture, and he watches and thinks.. and the next time I come back and talk he tears off a piece and says, “I think this colour would work there mom”.   

And after some time we get this:

It’s not done yet, the lad and I are currently discussing if I should cut out a picture of a canoe for the lake or do abstract drops of colour.   We’ve talked about the pros and cons off adding birds, or how to add texture to a tree trunk and how to make clouds seem more real.  And through it all we look at pictures of the Canadian Rockies and see what they are like and the animals that live on them and what not.  We learn, we talk and we complete “what might be a waste of time”.    Over time you see, tissue paper art, of an abstract nature is not as weird or unknown and just maybe someday a lad might take a chance on doing something different with his art that’s a bit out of his way of thinking… and that’s a good thing.  For now.. he’s helping, he’s talking art and helping me see what works and what doesn’t.   The fluffy clouds…. I started…he finished.  The tree trunk I did.. but he made the branches.  We discussed how to give the tree trunk texture and depth…our first method didn’t work, so we tried another.

Is it great, out of this world art?   I don’t know, and it doesn’t matter.  What matters is this… it’s fun, and we’re both learning a ton!  🙂

If you need inspiration to do art with your students, check out my art series that you can find here and here. 

Now I invite you to visit my fellow homeschool bloggers who are talking about seeking beauty in their homeschools:

Links will all be live by Monday at 12 noon EST.

Art Series: Incredible Art Department

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Today for my art series I wanted to tell you about a neat art Website that I discovered.  It is called the Incredible Art Department.


I honestly was pointed it’s way by someone and can’t remember who so if it was YOU.. let me know and I’ll extend kudos to you.

This is a rather neat site that is just plum full of art lessons and ideas.

The Incredible Art Department started at as a showcase for students in Indiana.

It has grown from those humble beginnings to a site full of art lessons and images.  A diverse range of ideas for teachers, educators, artists, parents and students.

Just a fascinating website.

Check out this partial list of middle school materials

This is just a sample of the list and I find myself wanting to dig in, but I can’t until we finish our current art project.  🙂     The lad is doing his thing and I’m doing mine, and by the end of it, we’ll understand the mountains of Canada better eh?  🙂

So let’s see…

They have material for students from elementary up through highschool.  Projects that adults might want to take on, projects for individuals as well as classrooms.  Projects that involve more than pencil, paper or paint.  Imagine using clothing as a vehicle to communicate an art project.    Making Faberge eggs or using a chess board to create art.

So many interesting projects just waiting for you to take on.

Give it a boo won’t you?

http://www.incredibleart.org/
IAD
began as a showcase for elementary art students in Indiana and now
includes a diverse range of subjects and topics of interest to art
educators, general area teachers, students, parents, artists, and
homeschoolers the world over. – See more at:
http://www.incredibleart.org/#sthash.7cOv3rLJ.dpuf
IAD
began as a showcase for elementary art students in Indiana and now
includes a diverse range of subjects and topics of interest to art
educators, general area teachers, students, parents, artists, and
homeschoolers the world over.
On this site you can find free art lessons, news, art resources, art careers, schools, and help for new art teachers.

– See more at: http://www.incredibleart.org/#sthash.7cOv3rLJ.dpuf

IAD
began as a showcase for elementary art students in Indiana and now
includes a diverse range of subjects and topics of interest to art
educators, general area teachers, students, parents, artists, and
homeschoolers the world over.
On this site you can find free art lessons, news, art resources, art careers, schools, and help for new art teachers.

– See more at: http://www.incredibleart.org/#sthash.7cOv3rLJ.dpuf