Using the work of a specific artist as inspiration can be a fun activity with budding young creatives. Paper cutting is a true art form, and we suggest keeping a large box full of colorful paper scraps on hand for those spur of the moment creations.
Two wonderful books to pair with this activity, which focus on the later works of Henri Matisse known as his “cut outs,” are (Henri Matisse: Drawing with Scissors, by Jane O’Conner, and Adventures in Art: Cut-Out Fun with Matisse). Spend some time browsing these books and learning how Henri spent the last years of his career “painting with scissors” instead of a brush, creating bright and colorful scenes constructed out of colorfully painted paper. These books offer a wonderful source of inspiration and will spark children to put their scissors to work! If you can’t get a hold of a book about Matisse, you can also do an image search of “Matisse cut-outs” and read more about his career and technique here.
First, spread out your paper and open the books or offer reference images from the web. Even toddlers, who aren’t very skilled with scissors yet, can join in on the fun by helping you find the right shapes to recreate, and then you can do the cutting for them. This can be a fun open-ended activity as you imagine all the different things the shapes could be!
Next, spread all of your shapes out on your paper or workspace and have fun arranging them! A lot of times, the pieces will unintentionally fit and move together in a certain way. This is a great way for kids to evaluate how colors interact with each other and also to examine the use of white space and the form of the shape-all without realizing they are doing it! Play around and try different arrangements until you’re satisfied.
Now it’s time to glue your shapes down. This part is especially fun for toddlers and young children who enjoy gluing! Our design ended up changing and evolving as we secured the shapes down.
The impact of simple shapes and beautiful colors is amazing! Happy cutting…
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