All posts tagged: children

MAKI:minimag_DOT. The happy mag for creative kids

DOT. kids magazine #2

Here is the second of our series on creative kids magazines. The first one was the french magazine Georges. Today we travel to England, where DOT comes from. DOT is the new, quite lovely magazine by the publishers of the famous kids magazine Anorak (we will feature that one soon too – promised!:) It is designed for toddlers. DOT is not just the name of the magazine but also the name of its main character who carries in his head all that is needed to solve any problem. The magazine’s first issue, focusses on the theme of shapes and includes stories, games and activities, all written and edited by Cathy Olmedillas and beautifully illustrated by Anorak’s chief designer Anna Dunn. Guest illustrators include Jon Boam, Lauren Humphrey and Andres Lozano. You can buy a copy of the first issue of DOT magazine here. Like this:Like Loading…

MAKI:minimag_Têtes, Bêtes, Lettres_Pepillo

“Têtes, Bêtes, Lettres” . game by Pepillo

A happy girl, a mister wearing a moustache, a sun, a walking R…these and lots of more figures never looked more charming and fun than when assembled with the lovely iPad-app “Têtes, Bêtes, Lettres” by Pepillo. Illustrator Celine Vernier designed it as a follow-up to the book/game” Têtes, Bêtes, Lettres”, a sticker booklet edited by Helium. Simple graphic elements that can be combined to build little universes, plays of words, letter characters. Super original, super beautiful, super simple!        Like this:Like Loading…

MAKI:minimag_William Bee_Whatever

Whatever

Whatever by William Bee is one of the funniest children books. Great illustrations, not a lot of words, And a great, hilarious ending… The original version had much more pages, if you want to see some pages that did not make it into the final version, check William Bee´s blog. “Whatever” says Billy. It doesn’t matter what Dad shows him – whether it’s the tallest giraffe or the smallest butterfly or the world’s curliest trumpet or the steamiest train. Even a trip to outer space yields the dismissive response, “Whatever”. Until, that is, Billy meets the world’s hungriest tiger and is promptly gobbled up. “I’m still in here Dad,” yells Billy. “Whatever,” says Dad! Like this:Like Loading…

MAKI:minimag_David Carter_1 roter Punkt

Pop Up Art

The book “1 roter Punkt” (One red dot) by David A. Carter is a true piece of artwork made of paper. It received the Hans-Christian-Andersen-medal for the best artistic picture book in 2005. On every of the 10 double pages a refined paper construction unfolds – filigree, stunning, in elementary colours and forms. And in every paper-architecture a red dot is hiding. While following the numbers from 1 to 10 and searching for the red dot one is thrilled by the surprising diversity of shapes. It is fun to fiddle about the construction of paper lids, wheels and garlands – no matter what age! Das Buch “1 roter Punkt” von David A. Carter is ein wahres Kunstwerk aus Papier. Es wurde 2005 mit der Hans-Christian-Andersen-Medaille  für das beste künstlerische Bilderbuch ausgezeichnet. Auf jeder der 10 Doppelseiten entfaltet sich eine raffinierte Papier-Konstruktion  –  filigran, verblüffend, in elementaren Farben und Formen. Und in jedem Gebilde steckt „1 roter Punkt”. Man folgt den Zahlen von 1 bis 10 und freut sich an der Vielfalt der überraschenden Gestaltungsideen. Neugierige und Tüftler jeglichen Alters …

MAKI:minimag_Libuše Niklová_GIraffe_1971

Plastic Fantastic

Ladies and Gentleman! Let me introduce you to one of our toy heroes: „Giraffe“ is an inflatable, sound-producing toy, designed in 1971 by Czech designer Libuše Niklová. Up to the 1960ies design for children was pretty conventional, mostly offering miniature versions of adult styles for children. Inspired by the principles of pop art from the 1960ies on the approach to kids design became more inventive and playful with vibrant colours and characters. New materials that offered new forms were supporting this development. After World War II wood and metal as materials for toys became too expensive. Plastic seemed to be THE solution. It was soft, light, flexible, hygienic and colourful. And it was relatively cheap. One designer that mastered the design of plastic toys to perfection is Czech designer Libuše Niklová. She designed toys that embraced the qualities of this new material rather then trying to imitate other materials and forms. Libuše Niklová started with squeaking animal toys in molded rubber, later on she created a famous series of blown PVC figures. At that time designers …

Shock`n Sugar

Looking for a children´s book about animals, flowers or rainbows? Then “My First Nursery Book” is NOT what you want. A killed cock, a gingerbread men eaten by foxes or a burnt wolf are not the kind of things you expect in a sweet little children´s book. Illustrated by Polish/British avant-garde artist and publisher Franciszka Themerson “My First Nursery Book” is full of surreal, offbeat, macabre stories. Lots of death and horror – but then in wonderful sweet colours. A charming combination of block colour prints and red line drawings. In 2008 it has been reissued by Tate in its original 1947 form and includes four classic stories: “Who Killed Cock Robin?,” “The Gingerbread Man,” “Three Little Pigs,” and “The Three Bears.” A moral shock therapy for little ones – but with sugar coating! Auf der Suche nach einem Kinderbuch über Tiere, Blumen und Regenbögen? Dann ist „My First Nursery Book“ NICHT das Ende der Suche. Ein ermordetes Rotkehlchen, ein Lebkuchenmann verspeist von Füchsen, und ein verbrannter Wolf sind nämlich nicht gerade die Geschichten die man …

MAKI:minimag_Vaclav Spala_devil

Sweet devil!

↓ Scroll down for German/Dutch version! Sweet devil! Czech Republic has a large tradition in artisticially designed (wooden) toys. This little „devil“, designed by artist Václav Špála, is a beautiful and fun example for a Czech avant garde toy, designed in the 1920ies. Václav Špála was a Czech painter, graphic designer and illustrator, influenced by Fauvism and Cubism. He was a member of Artel, an innovative group of applied artists promoting the beauty of artistic work and taste in daily life. Their main inspiration came from folk art, and their toys were full of individualism and handcrafted quality. Not mass production, commercialism and realism, but uniqueness and a way to fantasy is what they wanted. “Devil” is completely from wood, painted in black, white ,red and yellow and has a small opening, some sort of safe-deposit – may be for hiding candy? This is a reproduction by the way, made in Prague, it is handmade and handpainted and you can get it here.     Süsser Teufel! Tschechien hat eine lange Tradition auf dem Gebiet …

MAKI:minimag_Atop a hill...by Daniel Frost

Atop a hill in Frostville

↓ Scroll down for Dutch/German version! A book without words. Is that possible?!? Yes, it is – as Daniel Frost, a young, London based illustrator proves. His first children´s book is called „Atop a hill in Frostville“ and is a wordless story. A boy and his dog wake up on a sunny morning and go on a walk through town. This is the beginning of a long, adventurous chase! Every page bristles with visual energy and humour, extraordinary and exaggerated characters, inventive street scenes and colourful details. For hours you can look, laugh, discover and invent stories….   Daniel Frosts style is modern and fresh, with a nod to 1950/60ies illustrations and their limited colour palette. Using watercolour paint, crayons and collage and a simplified imagery he creates quirky and funny worlds and characters. Inspired by the strangeness of everyday life.  For little ones and grown ups!  More of Daniel Frost and his current work here. Atop a hill in Frostville is published by Little Otsu, Portland.   Een boek zonder woorden. Is dat mogelijk? Ja, is het – …

MAKI:minimag_Sparkle and Spin_Ann&Paul Rand

Sparkle & Spin. A book about words

Do you like ice cream? Then we have got something for you! *Sparkle and Spin* is a book about words and – adorable enough –  dedicated ” to all children who like ice cream“.:) It is the second of four children books which designer Paul Rand and his wife Ann did together. The book is full of Paul Rands playfulness and humour and a virtuoso book for the audience he got so much inspiration of: children! Ann Rand, an architect by training, wrote the text in short sharp rhymes and rhythms with a clever awkwardness that makes you hear a child speaking. Paul Rand combined  simple forms, a selective colour palette and plays with paper cut-outs, doodling, collages and typography for his illustrations. The book got very good reviews and the New York Times chose it as one of the ‘Ten best illustrated Books of the Year’! in 1957. With its bold, playful interplay of words and pictures, the lyrical text explores what words are and how they are used. And it highlights some characteristics such as that some words sound like what the mean, …

MAKI:minimag_Rain!_Cover

Rain!

↓ Scroll down for German version! Rainy days are not really a big fun thing. May be that is why RAIN!, the book by  illustrator Christian Robinson and author Linda Ashman caught our attention immediately! So colourful, fun and full of energy – it just made us smile!!! Rain can STILL be fun!  A little happy boy and an old grumpy man both go out on a rainy day and meet in a cafe by accident. Their attitudes could not be more different! The little one is happy to wear his frog-rain coat, is having fun with jumping into puddles and enjoys the trip to the cafe to munch cookies. The old one is complaining about the nasty galoshes, the hat that ruins his hair, the water in the streets. When they meet at the suitably named „Rain or Shine Café“ the question is: Which mood will be more contagious, the good or the bad one? Which one will win out – the ill-humor or the happiness? Robinsons illustrations are highly expressive mixed media collages, he paints, draws …