| Product: |
How to Draw Dinosaurs - Fiona Watt |
| Date: |
30/10/07 (119 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Great achievalbe art and craft activities for children.
Disadvantages: none
- Introduction -
Having been delighted with a couple of other Usborne Activities books relating to things to 'make and do' I was expecting to be just as pleased with some of the 'How to Draw' Usborne Activity books that I bought for my niece who loves to art and craft activities and has a new fascination with dinosaurs.
- The book -
At the beginning of the book as you would expect there is a Contents page which is very easy to use.
As with the majority of books in this series, there are 17 things to make, which I have listed below:
~ baby dinosaurs
~ dinosaur shapes
~ hide and seek
~ spikes and scales
~ potato printed dinosaurs
~ hungry dinosaurs
~ dinosaur collage
~ finger printed dinosaurs
~ cartoon dinosaurs
~ diving dinosaurs
~ wings and frills
~ dinosaur party
~ dinosaur race
~ prehistoric swamp
~ Tyrannosaurus Rex
~ scaly dinosaurs
~ dinosaur bones
In the centre of the book there is a double page spread of topic related stickers (150 stickers) that can are easily peeled off and either used on the 'makes' for the things in this book or just generally stuck on anywhere and quite honestly anything!
Most of the craft activities take up a double page spread. There are drawings of the finished item which in my experience looks a whole lot neater than the ones a 3-5 year old can make but it gives a great idea to the child and more importantly the not-so arty adult, as to what it should look like!
I do however think that it would be better if Usborne included photos of perhaps more child-like representations of the finished product.
Each activity is very, very simply explained in step-by-step, numbered sections with an accompanying drawing of most of the stages, which I found to be really useful for both of us.
- Resources that you will need -
Anyone with children in the house will already have many of the resources needed to create the art ideas and if you don't the items listed don't cost too much money:
~ old magazines, wrapping paper etc..
~ paint and paintbrushes
~ felt tip pens
~ pencils
~ glue
~ tippex
~ wax resist white crayon
~ different coloured paper
~ potatoes
- Our thoughts on the book and activities -
Adult help is dependent upon the age of the child. Up to approximately 7 and I still help with the more 'fiddly' aspects of making some of the things although the vast majority of the drawing can and should be done by the child.
I have been a fan of Usborne activity books for many years as they often offer new and exciting art and craft activities for the not so arty adults like me.
In comparison to some of the other 'How to draw' books, the activities in this book are a lot simpler and in my opinion much more suited to the age group that they are intended for, that is, 4 - 7 year olds.
The activities are great and simple enough to do, ranging from simple potato printing to more detailed collage work.
It also introduces children to different art techniques, for example:
~ to make felt tip pens run, cover with water from a brush and wipe over the pen.
~ to create skeletons and bones, use a white wax resist crayon and then wash over with watered down paint and as if like 'magic' the bones can be seen!!
The book gives helpful little tips on how to extend your artwork with some of the pages having sections labeled 'more ideas' and 'other ideas'.
It also gave both of us some helpful tips on drawing, I include myself as I am a self-confessed hopeless artist! For example, the diagonal lines and splattered paint make the dinosaurs look as if they are running.
- Price -
The paperback version that I bought was £4.99, however on Amazon they are available from just 64p just in to account P&P charges and check that the stickers are unused.
- Usborne Activities Books -
Usborne have a huge range of activity books available. They have a wide range of 'make and do' activity books but not as many 'How to Draw' books, the titles of which I have listed below:
How to draw……
~ Fairies and Mermaids
~ Animals
~ Trucks and Tractors
~ Princesses and Ballerinas
~ Christmas
- Final Thoughts -
Most Usborne Activities books are a great buy for any adult who is looking for inspiration in fun arts and crafts activities.
This is a lovely book for any child who is a big fan of dinosaurs. The activities range in levels of difficulty but all are achievable without too much intervention from adults.
Out of all the 'How to Draw' books I have, this is my favourite as it isn't pitched at too difficult a level for 4 - 7 year old and the drawings aren't too intricate to copy and follow.
Summary: One of the better 'How to Draw' books from Usborne
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