Beautiful Interactive Books Introduce Kids To Artists Picasso and Calder.

The other day I received two new wonderfully designed educational and interactive books for kids. Pablo Picasso: Meet The Artist and Alexander Calder: Meet the Artist are the first ever children's books published by Princeton Architectural Press and they are wonderful hands-on introductions to the works of these two legends.

Filled with imaginative pop-ups, cut-outs, pull tabs, flaps, masks, stickers, 3D imagery and boatloads of easy to understand info, the 8.25 x 11.75 inch (21.0 x 29.8 cm) hardcover books are a must for any curious child's library. Both books were written by author, graphic designer and illustrator Patricia Geis.

Alexander Calder: Meet the Artist


No artist can put a smile on your face quicker than Alexander Calder. A sense of playfulness animates all of his work, from his signature hanging mobiles to his endlessly creative toys, drawings, and jewelry. Alexander Calder: Meet the Artist! is an exciting hands-on introduction to this beloved American sculptor. Calder's whimsical world is brought to life by imaginative interactivity. A universe of artistic possibilities opens up as young readers explore Calder's creative evolution, play with his toy designs, and even create their own sculptural circus.








buy it here


Pablo Picasso: Meet the Artist


This book takes young readers on an interactive journey through the remarkable life of the legendary Spanish painter. This engaging book uses a multitude of interactive devices to explain how his art evolved over his lifetime, from his earliest painting at age seven to the great masterworks of Les Demoiselles d Avignon and Guernica. Readers are encouraged to make their own cubist collage using an enclosed sheet containing an eclectic collection of images.








buy it here

That Dad Who Colors In His Kids' Drawings Is A Wicked Tattoo Artist, Inventor, Philanthropist and Environmental Activist.

We could all use a dad like Fred Giovannitti. Heck, we could all use a friend like him. An inventor and philanthropist, tattoo artist and environmental engineer, Fast Company has profiled him, he has spoken at TED and now he's become famous as a Dad for coloring in his childrens' drawings.



Fred Giovannitti (aka Redditor Tatsputin) trades his quiet, rural Delaware lifestyle for 10 days per month as a high-end tattoo artist in glamorous Las Vegas, Nevada at Tatlantis Allied Arts and Sciences.



above: some examples of Fred's incredible skin art

By digging deep to reveal common interests, Fred believes we can form personal bonds between ourselves and our teammates/partners/clients, allowing us to connect with each other’s personal history and develop ideas that have the ability to take on lives of their own. Giovannitti uses this philosophy to draw inspiration for each project he takes on, and the relationships he has shared with his client have led to many successful ventures—from spiritual enrichment to ocean cleaning innovations. In the wake of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, inventors were called upon to develop a mass-scale oil cleanup solution. Fred responded by co-developing an oil-cleanup device at Southern California's VorTek Recovery Solutions.


above: Fred's daughter and son and the first drawing of theirs that he colored in.

The constant traveling to Las Vegas led him to use this time as a personal challenge to see how much he could fill per flight into a single page in his sketchbook. He begins each drawing at take off and ceases upon landing. He posts the results on one of his two Instagram profiles, Mile High Moleskine and his personal Instagram Profile at It's Pronounced Jovaneti.

One of his latest collections of 'Airborne Art' is that of coloring in his children's playful drawings. The compelling side by side images have been making the rounds all over the internet and I simply couldn't resist posting the pics here for you as well. Some of them he drew in with colored pencils, others were done on an iPad:









On the iPad:




images courtesy of imgur and Fred's instagram feeds, information courtesy of his own website, TED and Fast Company

You can follow Fred on Twitter at @FredGiovannitti

Using The Force To Fight Diabetes. 6 Year Old's T-Shirt Would Melt Even The Darkest Sith Lord's Heart.

Now, here's a product that could bring light, love and hope to the Dark Side.



Six year old Audrey Chau has an older sister, Natalie, who has Type 1 Diabetes. In hopes of one day finding a cure for her sister's condition, Audrey has drawn her favorite characters from Star Wars, with much love and care (and talent). The adorable, yet recognizable characters, have been turned into a t-shirt for adults, youths and toddlers to wear, with all the proceeds from the sales going to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.




Audrey and big sister Natalie:


Buy one - I did. The price is right ($12), the cause is just and the drawings are great.



Audrey graciously thanks you for your support and says, "May the force be with you!"

Buy your T-shirt (American Apparel adult crew tee, Hanes 5.2oz Youth or Gildan Toddler Tee) here

Rest In Peace Maurice Sendak

Author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, best known for his Caldecott Medal winning book, Where the Wild Things Are, has passed away. We are blessed he has left us with such a heart-warming legacy and that his wonderful work lives on.

Amazon's complete selection of Maurice Sendak Books, Audio books and DVDs

Alfabetika. Whimsical Posters That Brighten Up Children's Rooms And Their Minds.

Alfabetika are a line of reading and counting basics made charming and stylish. Numbers and alphabet letters come to life in the form of whimsical drawings by the beautiful and talented designer (and a personal friend of mine) Anne-Lise Borgen.







The Norway born designer, who is now based in Paris, first came upon the idea to create Alfabetika when she couldn't find a suitable gift for her niece. She wanted something both cool and educational and when nothing struck her fancy, she set out to design her own.



The highly original characters were inspired by her dog Jakko's personality, cute looks and funny mannerisms combined with her love of mid-century modern design.







Staying true to her Scandinavian heritage, the alphabet posters come in both English and Norwegian Versions.



In addition to inspiring someone you love, each sale from Alfabetika’s webshop donates 5% to UNICEF, making this a gift that benefits the recipient as well as a less fortunate child.

Jakko:

Anne-Lise:


Keep an eye on Alfabetika, Anne-Lise will soon be launching custom name posters!


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