Skip to main content

STELLAR STORIES: The Swimmers: Paper Cut-Outs with Matisse

By

By Ana Bianchi
Gingko Press, Inc., 2018. Informational.

This beautiful informational book is both a brief biography about Henri Matisse and an art activity guide. Bianchi gives context for Matisse and his shockingly colorful fauvist paintings. Then we learn that in his later life Matisse was wheelchair bound and in poor health. Without the strength to create art in his usual way, he decided he would paint with scissors instead. And so began Matisse's interest in bright, bold collage. Bianchi describes Matisse's approach to this medium as sometimes representational, sometimes abstract, and often utilizing both the positive and the negative of his paper cut outs. The book then gives instructions for how to make your own art projects inspired by Matisse. There are lots of useful tips and tricks, including the advice to use pins to set up your composition before finalizing with glue, and the suggestion to limit yourself to a color palette of four or five colors.

The Swimmers would be a great starting place for anyone taking a trip to an art museum this summer, or as a guide for an exciting day of art-making.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) by Pamela Espeland & Elizabeth Verdick

By
If there's one book today's kids need to read, it is Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) . The authors provide a fun format for teaching etiquette to children. They discuss proper behavior at home, at school, at other people's homes and in public places. The information is completely up-to-date with cellphone manners and netiquette included. Fun, cartoony illustrations are on practically every page giving the book great visual appeal. This book is perfect for boys and girls in the fourth grade or older. WARNING: Bodily functions are discussed.
Post a Comment
Read more

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin

By loo
Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin Illustrated by Leslie Evans Charlesburg; 2009; unpaged Faces of the Moon is a short nonfiction book that describes the different phases of the moon and why the moon appears like it does on certain nights. This book is short and sweet so even the youngest of moon lovers will enjoy it. The layout is simplistic and easy to follow. I don’t know much about the moon so I found it very interesting.
Post a Comment
Read more

Books That Take You There: Egypt

By
My parents are currently planning their first visit to Egypt. And they’re going without me . Like many of you, I’ve always found Egypt fascinating, whether learning about the gross details of making a mummy or eating delicious Egyptian food eaten by people who live there today. And if we can’t all go to Cairo with my parents, we can at least take a little trip through a few books that can take us straight to Egypt! Tail of the Mummy Cat  Written by Chas! Pangburn  Illustrated by Nic Touris  Miami, FL: Papercutz, an imprint of Mad Cave Studios, 2024. Comic. 132 pages.  Nana and Otto are siblings who visit Egypt with their travel-blogger mom. Nan loves learning about Egypt and its history, while Otto wishes he could’ve stayed home. However, both of their plans change when they accidentally let a mummified cat loose from a Pharaoh’s tomb. This graphic novel lets you see both of the sibling’s perspectives through this adventure —and their stories don’t always agree! This...
Post a Comment
Read more