I have just completed my fifth mini book for child artists. This is just a tiny book, half postcard size with only 8 pages and a cover. I started making these almost accidentally. The Paintbrushes was written to go with a set of paintbrushes I bought for my granddaughter aged 8. They became ‘Dad Paintbrush’, ‘Mum paintbrush’ and ‘never leave them with their heads in water or they will drown etc.’ On the cover we have Isabel Paintbrush, size 2 round ‘who is good for many things’
Tone and Texture in the Antarctic introduces the words two-dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) and then with an array of penguins describes adding tone, shading and texture.
“Pookie and Piku are playing with their friends. The ice and balloons have realistic texture added, and the ice looks cold while the balloons look shiny . Who is the odd one out?”
In Red, Yellow and Blue, Mixing Colours 1 we look at the Primary colours, secondary colours and how to darken them by adding the oppsite colour. The child learns how to paint sky and grass and do basic colour mixing.
In Red, Yellow and Blue Mixing Colours 2 tertiary colours are introduced. The child can copy the funky flowers using ‘harmonious colours’ or paint a rainbow.
And in 2 Reds, 2 Yellows and 2 Blues, Mixing Colours 3, the little field paintbox is shown (these are often ‘on special’ at the larger art shops) and we use 2 reds, 2 yellows and 2 blues.
It doesn’t get too technical about warm and cool shades, just mentions this casually, then talks about how to paint butterflies ‘using as many different yellow and blues as possible’
All these books are tiny hand-bound books, ink-jet printed by me on lovely off-white linen paper and dedicated to child artists. Lovely stocking gifts for the child-artist in your family especially if you throw your weight behind them with some brushes, paints and help! To buy these books, check out my website here, and while you are about it, think about the early-bird special offer on Dance. Dance will be printed soon and if you order it with these books, you’ll get everything together before 1 October, unless you specify that you need the child-art books earlier.
Beautiful work which would be a joy to own at any age! Love the butterflies. I don’t think your advice is just for kids. I always think of not drowning paintbrushes when rinsing out and never leave them in water. I didn’t before but it’s a vivid reminder. Weren’t these your grandaughter’s words?
Sadly, those are my words (ha-ha) – me being a bit graphic and a bit of a kid!