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Showing posts with the label Art

Cardboard Creativity: Epic Cardboard Props

Welcome to the new world. I hope you're reducing, reusing, and recycling all that cardboard. And while you're at it, teach your kids how to make almost ANYTHING with it. One example is using templates and 3d software to make a life-size Xenomorph with just a bunch of amazon boxes and some wood glue. That's just awesome.

Rick Beato: Everything Music

Let's be honest. No one cares what music I think you should expose your kids to. Like me, you're going to raise them on what you dig, and hope your kids like what you like. Equally the case, there's a LOT of really amazing music and it's impossible to curate all of it for everyone in every way. One of the most important YouTubers in my opinion is Rick Beato: because he's teaching people to be better at listening to their own music. If you can learn to critically listen to the music you already know, then you can be better at choosing which material will impress your kiddos. The linked video is a great video essay about Smells Like Teen Spirit, and breaks down what's actually in the recording-- what set Nirvana apart from other rock and made the music indelible. (Spoiler: there's jazz in there)

Rory's Story Cubes: Language and Narrative

Before my son could read or write, he was able to make up vivid stories with his imagination thanks to these wonderful all-ages prompting devices. Honestly, I should not have to tell you about them, but since the internet and all the social media sites aren't riddled with Rory's based memes I am assuming I'm in the minority of people who've been blessed by the awesomeness that is breaking writer's block with this toy. I am no affiliate anywhere, and that's probably a shame, because here's how it works: Rory's Story Cubes  are dice. They come in a set of nine inside a convenient box that closes with magnets. On each cube are 6 glyphs, and each glyph is an easy to interpret symbol. 9 cubes x 6 glyphs = 54 in total, with a ridiculous number of possible combinations. There are multiple sets with different sets of symbols.  You'll get as much mileage out of them as your students.

Graphic Design: GIMP and Inkscape

If you find yourself needing to make resources for your kids, it helps when it works like the tools the professionals have available. Enter G.I.M.P. and Inkscape: the free and open source answers to Photoshop and Illustrator. I use both often. Both of my kids are artistically inclined, so not only do I make material for them, I show them how I did it. G.I.M.P.  is the Gnu Image Manipulation Program, and it has been around for much longer than most people know. It's been included in versions of Linux to function in the role Paint plays for Windows . It's way more powerful than Paint, though. It's grown up and taken on features that were desired by users who had experienced Photoshop and Corel Draw and wanted to bring them to the Open Source Software community.  Inkscape  is a vector art🎨 box. If you need to make a flyers, logos, graphics for cars, cutouts, custom coloring pages, what you need is to make vector art. Sharp edges and nothing out of place. Super u...