goodeaton

As part of the BAM Kids Film Festival, animator/illustrator Nina Frenkel and I recently worked with 2nd graders in Brooklyn, helping them make thaumatropes & flipbooks.  The kids also saw our work along with the rest of this year’s BAM Kids Festival program in a special screening, where we did a Q&A afterwards. We screened Don’t Smash and Nina’s ever-catchy Pirate Girls Nine video!

It’s always inspiring to work with kids and hear their ideas; I also really enjoy putting together lessons and making these devices myself.  Shortly after the BAM event, I made thaumatropes with another class, and as well as 2-state devices — example above.  Such a great reason to work with your hands & try something new.

Inspired by Bob Staake’s awesome pattern designs, I’m having my Illustrator students create patterns of their own.  Here’s a demo version with the  Don’t Smash characters.  I recommend trying it yourself! (Especially if you are in the class… then it’s mandatory.) 

Monkey Business in a World of Evil

I love this NY Times review of a current Curious George exhibit — the story of the Reys, able to create simple, classic children’s stories while the world fell apart around them.  The fact that doing so literally saved them is astounding, and really stresses the need to make art under less than ideal circumstances.