 Review by
Richard SumrallAre you looking for some imaginative ideas
to bring new life to a child's bedroom or play area? With her new book,
"Creative Kids' Murals You Can Paint," artist and author Suzanne Whitaker
can help you transform ordinary living spaces into wonderfully festive
rooms.
The starting point with this kind of project is the material chosen to
create the mural. This includes choosing the right paints, brushes, sponges,
tapes and other application tools. The next steps involve mixing the paint,
blocking and outlining the image, dry brushing, stenciling, and creating a
template.
Don't neglect the most important aspect of any composition -- the
gesture. Whitaker defines gesturing as "the very essence of the pose of a
character or object or the rough layout structure of a composition."
Spatial relationships are always critical to a mural. You should consider
the amount of wall or ceiling space you have and how much space the
composition will require.
Once the focal point is chosen, you can begin sketching; sketches
communicate the idea behind the mural. Consider using a grid; according to
the author, grids allow you to enlarge and transfer images to the flat
surface.
Put the finishing touches to your project with the final steps of adding
color and backgrounds. The choice of colors is dependent on several factors
-- the preference of the room's owner, the bedding fabric, the room's
furnishings and the subject matter in the mural. Backgrounds are a wonderful
touch to bring life to any mural. Whitaker reminds us, "The wall color is
not the background color. … The background can help tie all of the elements
together, or it can ground them so they don't appear to be floating or
simply stuck onto the wall." The secret to an effective background is to
think in terms of layers. Initial layers, such as the sky, give way to the
foreground applications. Working back and forth from background to
foreground lets you integrate colors and images into a more vibrant,
lifelike result.
[to top of second column] |
The remaining portion of the book contains over 50 different
projects that you can replicate on your wall or ceiling. There are
several themes associated with the projects, such as trees, animals,
action, storybooks and flowers. Within each theme there are four to
seven specific projects. The collection of projects represents
different levels of difficulty, letting you decide which project
matches your interest and ability.
Easier projects such as "Masked Stripes" or "Numbers" are great
introductory compositions that require a modest amount of materials
and effort. Once you feel more confident you can tackle some of the
more colorful and complex themes. Children who are active in sports
will enjoy the "Soccer Ball" or "Ball, Bat & Glove" projects. The
princess in your home will love the "Castle & Road" or "Flying Swan"
murals, while animal lovers will have their choice of fish, turtles,
frogs, rabbits, cats, dogs or birds. Even the newest arrival in your
family can have a beautiful mural in their first room. Infants will
be thrilled by the images of "Mother Goose," "Humpty Dumpty" or
"Fairyland."
All of the projects include Whitaker's step-by-step instructions,
a list of the brushes and supplies, and a key to the color scheme
contained in the composition.
"Creative Kids' Murals You Can Paint" is an informative
introduction to composing and painting murals in a child's bedroom
or play area. The author combines nontechnical explanations with
some stunning color photography to demonstrate how to create the
perfect artistic effect. In the "Introduction," Whitaker writes,
"Children's rooms are the perfect place for your creative spirit to
take flight. … My hope is that this book will motivate you and give
you the tools needed to transform your child's personal space into a
magical wonderland."
This book is recommended to parents, artists, decorators or
anyone hoping to spark a child's imagination through the images of a
painted mural.
[Richard Sumrall,
Lincoln Public
Library District]
 |
