Fun: Lifelike Redux

I recently wrote about an exhibit that's currently at the Walker, and how much fun it was to see. One little girl took it a step further and recreated some of the pieces when she got home. The Walker got wind of it and posted on their blog about her project.

The recreation....

...and the original

How cool is that? This is what happens when we let kids embrace their creativity and have fun! You just know that she'll remember going to the art museum and seeing this particular exhibit for a long time, because she got to have so much fun.

Video: Idea Channel

There's a new video series on Youtube from PBS Arts Online that I just love. The Idea Channel is, "a biweekly web series that examines the evolving relationship between modern technology and art." Or in simple terms, quirky and thoughtful 3 minute videos about art and pop culture. It's a great springboard for discussions and essays--if you're looking for something to spark thoughts on that subject. This is a great resource for your tech savy, pop culture loving teens. The host poses an off the wall question, and then quickly sets out his argument for the answer. I enjoy the fact that they're simple questions yet make you stop for a moment and really think.

Watch a video, respond to the questions posed in each short, maybe find some fresh inspiration or a new perspective on the world around you. Plus, they're just fun to watch!

This video is about Mario, which pretty much every kid has played at least one Mario Bros. game. But it's probably not how you or your kids have ever thought about the video games before: How is Mario like a Salvador Dali painting? Huh? There's more to it than you might think....

Project: Pop-up Cards

I learned how to make pop-up cards when I was very young and have enjoyed creating them ever since. It's such an easy thing to make with so many different variations to try. Pop-up cards are a great project for kids of all age ranges and skill levels. You can make a simple design, using just markers...or you can go all out and throw in feathers and glitter and tissue paper!

Materials:

-Cardstock paper (you want something that will hold its shape and not bend too easy)

-Scissors

-Markers, crayons, etc.

Other suggestions:

-yarn

-tissue paper

-glitter

-whatever else you can think of! 

Once you get the hang of making these, it's really fun to try all sorts of different materials.

To start off, fold your paper into cards. Next, I suggest drawing lightly with a pencil or making a dotted line to plot out where you want to cut. It's really easy to cut too far, and then you're making cards with holes in them (which is another project entirely). I suggest starting with a basic triangle shape, because you can create many different pictures with that as your base. 

Once you've drawn out what shape you want to create, carefully cut along your lines. Then, open the card and push the shape out. It should look something like this once you're done:

Now, you've got a lot of possibilities in front of you. Flip the card one way, and you can create a bouquet of flowers:

All I did for this was tape a piece of tissue paper to the triangle. Then, I drew some flowers, cut them out, and taped them to the back of the triangle as well. (It's easier if you draw and color the flowers first, then cut them out. Just add some extra length to the stems so they pop out enough. And tape is a lot better than glue for this, because it's easier to adjust and get things to stay put right away.)

Flip the card the other way, and you have a crown or hat on someone's head:

You could try something a little more abstract and flamboyant:

I just taped the two feathers to the back of the shape like with the flowers above. 

Once you get the basics down, you can try more complicated ideas. Turn the card on its side and you have a whole new pop-up:

I cut out another piece of cardstock and taped it to the base. Just remember to check that your card can fold up correctly when you add other pieces. 

After you master simple shapes, you can move on and try your hand at other outlines:

Hearts are always fun ones to try, and work for a variety of occasions. 

So, you can go as simple or complex as you want to. It's a very easy and fun way to let someone know you're thinking about them.