Immersed in the natural world, The Organic Artist for Kids inspires creativity by connecting kids and their adults to our wilderness roots.
In addition to offering a wide variety of fun, collaborative projects using nature as a source for art supplies and inspiration, this book also introduces the concepts of awareness and perception that are fundamental to the creative process. Children will be encouraged to learn new skills, build resilience, and be resourceful as part of an urgent struggle to prevent and undo Nature Deficit Disorder. Rooted in experimentation and an understanding that fun is fundamental to learning, kids will refine their drawing skills, as well as increase their appreciation for the visual arts and the natural landscape.
Just some of the projects and skills covered include:
- Making pens and wild inks
- Making paint from stones and rocks
- Crafting your own paintbrushes
- Making simple stencils and rubbings
The Organic Artist for Kids encourages you to return to the days when art was made with all-natural materials like charcoal and birch bark.
Table of Contents:
INTRODUCTION p.7
Paint p.13
Project 1: Simple Stone Paint p.14
Project 2: Earth Pigments p.18
Project 3: Egg Tempera Paint p.22
Project 4: Watercolor Paint p.26
Paintbrushes p.31
Project 5: Paintbrush Scavenger Hunt p.32
Project 6: Chewed Stick Paintbrush p.36
Project 7: Snake Plant Paintbrush p.38
Project 8: Stick Palette Knife p.41
Project 9: Hair and Fur Paintbrush p.44
Charcoal p.49
Project 10: Campfire Charcoal p.50
Project 11: The Charcoal Kiln Can p.51
Project 12: Artist Charcoal Stick p.52
Project 13: Charcoal Holders p.60
Crayons p.63
Project 14: Stone Crayons p.64
Project 15: Charcoal Crayons p.68
Inks p.71
Project 16: Berry Ink p.72
Project 17: Charcoal Ink p.74
Project 18: Acorn Ink p.78
Project 19: Black Walnut Ink p.82
Pens p.87
Project 20: Twig Pens p.88
Project 21: Beaver Pens p.90
Project 22: Sharp Stick Pens p.92
Prints, Stamps & Rubbings p.95
Project 23: Hand Printing p.96
Project 24: Beet Stamps p.97
Project 25: Berry Splat Prints p.100
Project 26: Pounded Plant Prints p.102
Project 27: Leaf Rubbings p.105
Project 28: Eco Prints p.108
Project 29: Nature Prints p.112
Stencils p.119
Project 30: Hand Stencils p.120
Project 31: Found Object Stencils p.122
Project 32: Cutout Stencils p.124
Papier-Mâché p.129
Project 33: Mask with Papier-Mâché Strips p.130
Project 34: Make Papier-Mâché Clay p.136
Project 35: Papier-Mâché Clay Mask p.140
Project 36: Papier-Mâché Art Box p.144
Land Art p.147
Project 37: Earth Art Mobiles p.148
Project 38: Earth Art Assemblage p.152
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS p.156
ABOUT THE AUTHOR p.157
INDEX p.158
The Organic Artist for Kids offers hands-on art experiences that help children explore their native landscapes. As a DIY resource, Neddo provides inspiring instruction for making art with, and about, nature. He also leaves plenty of room for children to wander and play along the way. Parents, teachers, and kids will all love this resource! -- Monica Wiedel-Lubinski, Executive Director of ERAFANS, Author of Nature Play Workshop for Families
There's a universe of inexpensive art supplies hiding in parks, grasslands, gardens and forests, if you know what to look for. This gorgeous guide reconnects readers with nature using simple recipes and instructions for manipulating plants, sticks, stones and other organic materials to make everything from brushes and charcoal, to richly-colored homemade paints and landscape sculpture.-- Liz Lee Heinecke, The Kitchen Pantry Scientist, Author of Kitchen Science Lab for Kids
Nick Neddo has been teaching people primitive skills since 2000. His interests span from Stone Age skills and technology, to nature observation and art. Drawing, however, is his first and greatest interest. His skill set also includes wilderness survival, tracking and awareness, basketry, and hide tanning. He currently teaches at the Roots School in Vermont, where he runs classes and workshops for both adults and children on primitive arts, Stone-Age living skills, wilderness survival, and nature awareness. He is the author of The Organic Artist: Make Your Own Paint, Paper, Pigments, Prints and More from Nature as well as The Organic Artist for Kids: A DIY Guide to Making Your Own Eco-Friendly Art Supplies from Nature. He lives in Montpelier, VT.
Target Age: 8-12
Quarry Books
Pub Date: February 11, 2020
0.4" H x 9.9" L x 8.5" W
160 Pages
Paperback