Come along to our free drawing class at Johnsonville Library this week on Friday 14 November at 6.30pm.
Joyce is back again to show us some new drawing techniques. Last month we were shown how to draw beautiful swans using paint. Make sure you come along to see what is in store for us this month.
Remember to come along to Johnsonville Library for this month’s free drawing class.
Friday 10th October at 6.30pm
Joyce will be along to teach us a new drawing technique. Last month we created beautiful rainbow pictures.
I can’t wait to see what she has for us this month.
It was all the colours of the rainbow at our free drawing class at Johnsonville Library last Friday night.
Joyce showed us some simple steps for painting and then we were all given paper, brushes and paints to create our own beautiful rainbow masterpieces.
Our next free drawing class will be on Friday 10th October at 6.30pm so make sure you come along for some arty fun!
Come along to Johnsonville Library to join Joyce for a fun session of drawing and art and for your chance to create your own masterpiece.
These are free sessions that are suitable for children over the age of 5 years. Bookings not required – just turn up!
Friday 12th September at 6.30pm
Here’s what’s happening today:
ComicFest!
Comics are fantastic – they’re visual, they’re literary, they’re fun, they’re for all audiences and on the 2nd and 3rd of May, we’re celebrating comics in a big way with our first ever ComicFest at the Central library.
From 10am | Comic book free day
Grab your free comic from our stands, talk comics with our librarians and the great folk at Graphic comic store. Dress as your favourite comic character and win prizes!
11am–12 noon | Work with Comics | Part One
Let animator and illustrator Gavin Mouldey show you how it’s done. (Second workshop at 1pm.)
12 noon–1pm | Q&A
Join WETA and Dark Horse comic’s creators and designers, Greg Broadmore and Paul Tobin, for a Q&A session on their art, amazing creations and comic works.
1–1.30pm | Work with Comics | Part Two
Present your creations at Gavin’s second workshop.
1.30–2pm | Crazy costumes competition judging
Winners will be announced for the best ComicFest costume. Don’t forget your tights! Categories include children, teens, and adults.
The Festival of New Zealand is here! As part of the festival there is a whole week dedicated to books, reading, writing, authors and illustrators – it’s Writers Week!
It’s not just for adults though – there’s some cool children’s books, illustrators and writers that feature in the programme for the week. You might be interested in going along yourself, or have adults, friends and family who are keen. Here are some good picks:
Live Drawing with Leo Timmers – Monday 10th March, Cost $45
Practising illustrators keen to propel their work into hyperdrive are invited to a character development workshop with Belgian illustrator Leo Timmers (Who’s Driving?, Bang), who “gives his larger-than-life characters a rotundity that has them virtually rolling off the page” (New Zealand Listener).
Kei Reira Ngā Weriweri – Sunday 9th March, Cost $18
Engage all your senses with storyteller and teacher Te Kahureremoa Taumata and learn the translation of Maurice Sendak’s classic Where the Wild Things Are – possibly by heart.
Collected Stories of the Odd and Marvelous – Sunday 8th March, FREE
Some of New Zealand’s best writers read a quirky mix of tales and poems from a new anthology, The Curioseum: Collected Stories of the Odd and Marvellous. Bring the family to hear Joy Cowley, Kyle Mewburn, Jo Randerson, Dave Armstrong, Antonio Te Maioha and Elizabeth Knox share their magical, funny or provocative stories from this unique new collection for children – a collaboration between Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand and Whitireia Creative Writing.
Weta Digital Presents the Desolation of Smaug – Saturday 8th march, Cost $18
In this enlightening session, Weta Digital insiders will talk about how they created Smaug and other amazing creatures and environments in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Discover how visual effects artists blend art and science to help translate a beloved fantasy novel into a spectacular cinematic experience, and transform the New Zealand landscape into Peter Jackson’s vision of Middle-earth.
Jack Lasenby – Saturday 8th March, Cost $18
“Responsible adults may read my books, provided they sit an exam afterwards” says Jack Lasenby, one of New Zealand’s most popular children’s book authors. His writing is characterised by its honesty, vigorous language and adventurous spirit. Lasenby will join author Kate De Goldi for an entertaining talk about his award-winning books.
The Curioseum Overnight Adventure – Friday 7th March, Cost $100
Te Papa is offering a small group of 11 to 13-year-olds the chance to spend the whole night in the museum, exploring its collections and listening to stories by writers featured in the new book The Curioseum: Collected Stories of the Odd and Marvellous. These lucky kids can also write their own fabulous stories and create a book to take home. Dinner and breakfast are included, and on Saturday they can go to any exhibition in the museum for free.
Ulf Stark – Sunday 9th March, Cost $18
The author of around 30 books for children and young adults, Ulf Stark credits his mother with helping him to become a writer: “That’s how I came into contact with the great adventurers. Babar tramped around our sitting-room, Biggles flew among the cut-glass chandeliers…” Stark has also written film, TV and theatre scripts and won many prizes in Sweden and internationally. He has been nominated twice for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Enjoy this “Astrid Lindgren of our time” of our time in Swedish, together with his translator and publisher in New Zealand Julia Marshall.
Check out the family events that are happening in the festival. It’s going to be great!
Hey guys, its time to get those art juices flowing for summer. Discover that great masterpiece that you have hidden inside and get creating.
Check out some of these books for lots of ideas and inspiration to get you started. My Art Book shows you how to make fantastic faces based on paintings by Giuseppe Arcimboldo (c.1527-93). He was an Italian artist who could paint ordinary pictures but is best know for his weird faces made up of plants and animals.
Maybe you would like to have a go at making a mosaic like Diego Rivera (1886-1957). He was a Mexican artist famous for his mosaic wall art.
Even something simple like rock painting, frottage, or t-shirt printing, there is heaps to keep you busy.
The school holidays are here! These are the FREE and fun things you can do at libraries today:
Special Event: Author and Illustrator visit!
Lucas and Jutta Chisholm, Author and Illustrator of the awesome book ‘Meet Mr. Mr Sunny’, are visiting to run fun activities with you. Listen to this cool book being read aloud, find out all about how to write books and even draw and make your own book character. Cool!
Wellington Central Library, 11am. No bookings required, suitable for 5-12 year olds. Free.
Special Event: Kiwana!
Read and act out one of Margaret Mahy’s most popular books – Down the Back of the Chair and more fun-filled Kiwiana activities. The lovely librarians have some fun tricks up their sleeves for this one.
Johnsonville Library, 10.30am. No bookings required, suitable for 5-12 year olds. Free.
Storytimes:
Don’t forget our fun and popular storytimes during the school holidays.
Karori Library at 10.30am
Tawa Library at 10.30am
Kilbirnie Library at 10.30am
The holidays are about two weeks away and winter’s almost on it’s way. Worried about what you are going to do over the holidays? Never fear, come on down to Wellington City Libraries, get stocked up on new books (and maybe some DVDs for good measure) and let us entertain you!
Wellington City Libraries has more new non fiction in the Children’s collection for your enjoyment and pleasure. This month’s blog post pays tribute to the entertainment industry.
Here you will find a list of books that can give you ideas on how to make your own film (whether as a hobby or if you aim to be the next Sir Peter Jackson); getting schooled up on your favorite Disney, Pixar and Star Wars characters (maybe revisiting and watching your favorite Disney, Pixar and Star Wars movies), drawing SpongeBob SquarePants characters and even running away to join the circus!
There are three more books have been published from the series, Inspirational Lives that focuses on influential people and key figures in the public eye, in the case this month, a writer, a rap star and the creator of Apple! Who knows, maybe reading about their inspiring lives may inspire you to follow your creative dreams and goals.
If you’re a movie buff (like I am) and interested in what happens behind the scenes of your favorite movies, then have a read of this new revised and updated book on what goes on in the film industry. You will learn about how things work in film, inside knowledge about the jobs people do and even tips on how to get experience and your first job if you are looking to pursue a career in the film industry.
So you think you’re a Disney expert? Sure, you may know the words to every Disney Song and able to recite all the lines from your favorite Disney movie. But do you know the answers to questions like what is the dentist’s address in Finding Nemo?, what is Mulan’s family name? and why the words “Meega na la queesta!” makes an alien want to throw up? Hakuna Matata! All the answers are in this new encyclopedia from A to Z about all your favorite Disney and Pixar animated characters. If only they had published this when I was a kid.
Also check out my personal Disney favorites: Lilo and Stitch, Finding Nemo, The Lion King and The Incredibles.
A long long time ago in a galaxy far far away… Three new books on Star Wars arrived at Wellington City Libraries!
In the mood for Star Wars non fiction? For all you Star Wars fans, you get three for the price of one. Three books that are guaranteed to make you the ultimate Star Wars expert!
Star Wars Character Encyclopedia explores over 200 heroes, villains, droids and weird aliens from the Star Wars series. It’s great for anyone who wants to gain further insight to their favorite Star Wars characters. Also find out if you have what it takes to be a Jedi… or a Sith Lord by reading Who are the Jedi and What is a Sith Warrior from the Star Wars: The Clone Wars series. In Who are the Jedi, you will read and uncover secrets of the most powerful and heroic Jedi Knights of all time, while Who Are the Sith explores the most fearsome fighters of all time and their deadly secrets. Grab them down at your local library before someone else does.
Roll up, roll up! The Circus has come to the library!… Well almost. We now have a new and exciting book about all you ever wanted to know about circuses. Read all about the history of the circus from 18th century to present day, the use of animals, famous circuses around the world and even tips of how to be a circus performer. You will learn lots of amazing facts and information like the first circus that started was in London, 1768 by Philip Astley and the Cirque du Soleil employs over 5,000 people around the world.
How to Draw SpongeBob SquarePants.
Ahoy SpongeBob SquarePants fans! Now you can bring SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy, Squidward and Mr. Krabs to life… on paper. This book will show you how to draw these characters with simple step by step instructions. There’s lots of cool drawing tips and sketching ideas, including how to make your own flip book that brings your drawing to life as if there were on film or TV. This book is bound to keep you entertained for many hours on end.
If you enjoyed the last post on Inspirational Lives, get ready for more biographies on your favorite celebrities and key figures in the public eye:
Steve Jobs: Digital Innovator.
Read all about Steve Jobs, the American entrepreneur and best known as the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Apple Inc, the co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios! (Yup, the company responsible for our favourite Disney movies like Finding Nemo, The Incredibles and Toy Story 3!) and how this man, from San Francisco revolutionized the way we think about computer, music, entertainment brought the world the iPod, iPhone and iPad! You will learn all about this amazing genius’ inspiration life from how is interest in electronics developed, the founding of Apple, his family life and how his career came to an end due to an illness that led to his death in 2011.
Check out some of the Pixar DVDs like Brave, Up, WALL-E and Toy Story 3.
Anthony Horowitz: Creator of Alex Rider.
We all know him as the best selling author of children and young adult fiction, mostly popularly known as the author of the Alex Rider series, but what don’t you know? Read the latest and revised biography of Anthony Horowitz and find out everything you have ever wanted to know about him: His childhood, his inspiration for writing and how Alex Rider came to life and things you didn’t know about him, like his mum giving him a human skull for his 13th birthday and spending his gap year in Australia working as a cowboy. You find information on tips to be a writer and a quiz that can show you if you have what it takes to be a writer.
This book is the mother of all inspirational lives! We all know Jay-Z as the multi-platinum rap icon, shrewd businessman and husband of famous R&B singer, Beyonce, who went from being a kid from the ghetto and a high school drop put to a man who sold 50 million albums around the world, who won 15 Grammy Awards and who even owns his own basketball team! (A life we can envy.) Now is the chance to read about the man behind the multi-million dollar brand. You will read all about his troubled childhood, brush with the law, finally hitting the big time and how his performance in Glastonbury, 2008 brought acceptance of hip hop to a traditionally rock audience
Learn to draw enchanted Princesses
Anyone who who wants to draw Disney princesses (and other Disney heroines!) can’t go past this awesome book. It takes you step by step through how to draw all them all, from Snow White and Sleeping Beauty to Tiana and Rapunzel. It’s pretty detailed: first it teaches you how to draw their basic figure, then their face and after you’ve mastered those you can work on action poses and facial expressions. It also teaches you how to draw them at different stages, as well, like Tiana as a frog and Mulan as a soldier. This is a great book for more advanced artists.
This is a great general art book on how to draw realistic pictures of your favourite animals. But this book doesn’t just stick to your boring cows and cats and dogs; it also features pre-historic creatures, such as the Indricotherium (try saying that three times fast!) and the creatures of legend, such as the Gryphon and the Hydra. Another book for the more advanced artist, but don’t let that scare you off! Practice makes perfect, after all.
13 Art Illusions Children should know
Do you know what tromp l’oeil is? Or atmospheric perspective? From the very earliest paintings, clever artists have used all sorts of tricks to fool the viewer into seeing the painting in a different way. This book will reveal all these tricks and how they were created. It takes you on a journey through time, showing you how artists got cleverer and cleverer at fooling the eye. It will teach you something new and perhaps you can introduce some of these concepts to your own art work.
This book is on the same subject but focuses more on the modern types of optical illusions. It doesn’t focus on the history or the more technical aspects of how these illusions are created, but it’s a fun book to read.
How to draw series
If you’d like to take your art skills to the next level, these are the books for you! Their motto is “An art school in a book” and that is true. We’ve featured the “how to draw” series before, but these two new books( How to draw perspective and How to draw still life) are worth featuring on their own. These books will take you through the more technical aspects of drawing without being too difficult to understand. It will explain clearly everything from vanishing points to negative space.
