a small art book with a ton of great ideas

I checked this great little book,The Usborne Book of Art Skills, out of the library a bit ago and it has been the source for many art projects around here lately. I will definitely be buying a copy.

The girls look through it, pick a technique they want to try, and then we just go for it. Here's a great way to use white pastels with paint to make a cityscape and then cleverly use a rubbing technique to make the reflection in the water. They are so excited when they can learn art tricks like this and I love to have a way to introduce new materials to them and have them see the potential. This is book is great for adults, too. It's got some very cool ideas. Lots of collage, too.

So, yesterday all three of them were into making a picture of birds stamped from a potato.

They all loved it. Sadie (9) is careful, focused, and quite interested in learning the specific art skill. Which is wonderful.

Delia (7) is all about trying it out, and then moving on to do her own fabulous free-style thing. Which is also wonderful and often surreal and very funny. Liddy's work (4) is not represented here, but she lasted the longest, just stamping with the potatoes over and over again.

We also are still loving our other go-to art project idea book I have blogged about here.

And speaking of art and creative stuff, Craft Wonderland is this weekend, for all you Portland folks!