Best art & craft books for the Summer 2013

Mums Tips

Get Creative

Published on Thursday, 18 July 2013 09:00

Last Updated on 19 July 2013

Monica Costa

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Here is London Mums’ selection of art & craft books for this summer. Enjoy!

Myleene Klass’s manual ‘Things to Make and Do With Your Children’

Packed full of stories, rhymes, activities and advice, Myleene Klass’ THINGS TO MAKE AND DO WITH YOUR CHILDREN will be one of the best ever art & craft books for 2- to 5-year-olds. Published as a big bumper book, this fabulous full-colour edition will be perfect for parents and children to enjoy together.

This book is designed to give you lots of new ideas for things to do with your children, both indoors and out, and often on the spur of the moment. None of them are preachy or complicated and most don’t need a truck-load of ingredients or special equipment so whether you have five minutes or five hours to fill, there is an activity in here that you and your child will love.
Really great images and clear instructions. Brilliant book, I wish I had written it myself. Available from Amazon.

Art2-D2’s Guide to Folding and Doodling
An Origami Yoda Activity Book
By Tom Angleberger

With this companion to the blockbuster bestselling Origami Yoda series, beloved author Tom Angleberger — with the help of the kids from McQuarrie Middle School— presents young Padawans with dozens of activities from the Star Wars universe. Padawans can learn how to fold R2-D2 and C-3PO, draw Jabba, and even build a fully functioning ChapStick rocket! Other Force-mastering activities include: “Kellen’s Guide to Cool Letters,” “Mike’s Complete Rules and Tips for Pencil Pod-Racing,” “Rhondella’s Tips for Photographing Origami,” and much more! With Tom Angleberger’s goofy sense of humor and accessible art style, Art2-D2’s Guide to Folding and Doodling is sure to satisfy and inspire the millions of Origami Yoda and Star Wars fans. May the doodles be with you!
Includes 16-page color insert with 10 pages of colored pull-out origami paper; instructions to make Yoda, Darth, C-3PO, Admiral Ackbar, and R2-D2; a section on photographing your origami creations, and two Star Wars backdrops to photograph them against. Really original and fun book with simple instructions on how to be creative with paper!

The Interactive Art Book

The Interactive Art Book, published by Tango Paper, is a re-titled, updated edition of a classic work by renowned paper engineer Ron van der Meer. The book presents art through the ages in a way that is understandable, entertaining, exciting and above all, a wonderful introduction to the subject. This is THE best art book for kids we have ever come across!!!

Inventive paper engineering combined with an accessible text brings the subjects of each spread to life. Gatefolds, flaps, pop-ups and other mechanics reveal the process of making and appreciating art:  light and colour, pattern and composition, narrative, style and movement and much more.
 

The book includes 60 art masterpieces and 12 three-dimensional models illustrating perspective, colour-mixing the illusion of movement and abstract composition. There is a Calder mobile to construct, 3D glasses, a colourscope, plus a separate 18-page activity book with instructions for composing pictures and making prints, collages, scratch pictures, potato prints, sculptures, and more.
 

The interactive element of the book means that every time you turn a page there is a surprise or something new to see – and as a result, The Interactive Art Book can be returned to again and again over the years as a reference for young children right through to adulthood.
 

Dutch born Ron van der Meer, who taught at the Royal College of Art, is considered one of the world’s foremost paper engineers and one of the first to create 3-dimensional books for adults as well as children. His oversized Architecture, Music, Brain and Earth packs have been hailed as revolutionary in their combination of complex paper engineering and wealth of information, and are international bestsellers.

This book can be enjoyed and understood by young people through to adults – a unique look at a complex subject presented in an accessible, enjoyable format.