Friday, December 3, 2010

December 3rd: Barbara Reid

Barbara Reid is one of Canada's preeminent author illustrators with nearly 20 books to her credit. Her medium is plasticine and I don't think any other illustrator working in that meduim today matches her craft, humour, or level of detail.


On her home page, you can learn all about her and her books while catching up on the history of plasticine. It's the Portfolio and Students and Teachers links, though, that will provide hours of entertainment. Why? Because not only does Reid encourage kids to tell stories themselves with plasticine, she actually encourages them to plagiarize her work in the process. OK, not really, but she does offer up samples of her art as models to learn by. There's a good deal of student art showcased on the site which means that kids can explore and learn from the styles of other kids. I know that I plan to put a plasticine starter's kit in someone's stocking this year. You're never too young to start your artistic career, right?

4 comments:

  1. Sue, good post! Gotta get me some plasticine soon!

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  2. Oh, lordy. Am I ever glad that I looked at the images of the children's work before I looked at her portfolio. Now I am daunted by her talent!

    Found that I can buy it under the name Plasticine at the local pharmacy, so no doubt will have no trouble locating it at the craft or toy stores. We've enjoyed another kind of very light, drying clay (maybe it's Crayola Air Dry, but not sure) - it's extra soft and almost weightless, which makes it much easier for the smallest hands to manipulate. I made Lorenzo a 3D fire-breathing dragon with it.

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  3. How neat. I think BubTar might love some plasticine. He asked for a Crayole Glow Dome, but I think this would be much more practical and get a whole lot more use.

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