We do a lot of reading with the kids at our place; both of them LOVE books. Today, we read two that had the most amazing art: Gifts by Jo Ellen Bogart, with Plasticine art by Barbara Reid (both Canadians), and Look-Alikes by Joan Steiner featuring scenes created out of ordinary everyday objects, anything from fig newtons to egg slicers. (Would you ever have guessed that a steam iron turned upside down could look like a steamship?) The art of both women is incredibly imaginative. Their attention to detail is astounding and makes for very realistic scenes. The time it must take them to create each piece is mind boggling.
Incidentally, Barbara Reid’s website is worth visiting even just for the flash intro. In very fast motion, we are given a little bit of an idea about what goes into the creation of her plasticine magic. I think it is very cool. Of course, the rest of the website is great too, containing a portfolio of her work, lessons on how to create with plasticine, a student gallery and more. Additionally, the website itself is a model for aspiring web designers – concise, easy to navigate, well laid out and classy in appearance. If only all websites were this well done…
I always enjoy the pictures in kids books, but these two books are particularly wonderful. I’m looking forward to finding some more books featuring these two great artists.
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