LEON THE WATERCOLOUR BOY
Children's book published amazon.com.
NOTES TO PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS:
Spelling used in the text:
British
Who is this book for?
It is for children from about 3 years of age to 12 years of age.
The book can be read to:
Children of 3 years of age to about 6 years of age.
Self reading:
Children of about 6 to 12 years - who have developed their reading skills - can read this book.
Sketching and painting:
Parents, caregivers, and teachers can assist children to make some basic stick figure sketches with a soft pencil and add watercolours. Some basic lines (straight and squiggly), as well as basic shapes and forms, are included (e.g. circles, squares, triangles) in the simple illustrations. Watercolours are a great medium to teach children about colours and the skills of fine art. The most basics sketching with a soft pencil (6B) and watercolour painting are covered. Watercolour pencils (soluble) are a great alternative to watercolours. Once the sketches or drawings are coloured in the child is instructed to use a fine artist’s brush and a little water to transform the colour pencil into watercolours. Watercolours are a great and exciting technique to add to children’s repertoire of sketching and painting. With this book, it is the ideal opportunity to introduce basic watercolour painting. It also touches on digital sketching using a tablet and stylus. The Tayasui Sketch App (IPad) is illustrated in this book. It includes pencil sketches, painting with watercolours, using the ink pen, and using the air brush for some backgrounds. There are several more digital tools, and the use of different layers, to explore!
READ THE BOOK ONLINE: https://williamvanzyl.atavist.com/leon-the-watercolour-boy
Front cover of book (draft).
Back cover of book (draft).
Page from the book- Leon in the tiger dress-up costume at the Playcentre
Page from the book - Leon in the tiger dress-up costume at the Playcentre
Page from the book: Steps to draw and render on a tablet (Ipad, Tayasui Sketches App & stylus).
Page from the book: Above left image shows the tools (left side) and the layers (right side). Far right: Close up of the basic tools of the Tayasui Sketches App.
What Do Preschoolers Learn Differently From Watercolour Painting?
They learn to be more delicate:
Watercolour painting involves using a small brush to paint light strokes onto watercolour paper which is more firm and stable. The delicacy of watercolour painting, unlike painting with heavier media such as poster board paints, requires a degree of gentleness and precision. Practicing these skills will facilitate and promote a preschooler's fine-motor skills, which are crucial to his/her development at this stage. From watercolour painting, a preschooler will learn how to coordinate the small movements of his/her fingers to produce a work of art. This will aid in his/her long-term ability to write, manipulate tools and objects, and perform other small movement-based tasks essential to everyday life.
Explore the basics of tonal values, shadows and textures:
Opportunities for creative thinking reinforces a preschooler's ability to engage with the world in new and novel ways. This promotes inquiry, reflection and critical-thinking skills. So go ahead and let your preschooler paint a blue sun or a red bunny rabbit -- it will only reinforce his/her cognitive skills and his/her ability to interpret and respond to the world in meaningful and insightful ways later!
Tools and equipment:
Use non-toxic watercolour paint with preschoolers. Invest in watercolour paper it is designed to enhance the experience and assists with the ‘flow’ of the water and paint on the page. The watercolour paper will allow children to create a more sophisticated and detailed sketch or painting. It is a great way to introduce them to the world of art and develop their appreciation of fine art. It will build their confidence as an artist!