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INTRODUCTION
Circle Story
A very accessible series of circle stories for young children conceived and developed from the Da Nang B&P – Art For Children.
The first story is very simply about the life of Sun in the daytime … and of Moon in the night. It is a typical reading story with many personal addition possibilities. Like on the second page: Is there a park or place in your area where people do stretching exercises in the early morning?
During the day it happens to be very sunny, but when night falls and it gets dark, the streets become empty and for many children that is scary.
In the house it is usually cozier, until the light goes out in the bedroom and the crocodiles wake up under bed .. or not?
But normally children lie in their beds at night and have no idea how empty the streets are. Very empty sometimes!
ABOUT ILLUSTRATION
[Moon – Sun] [Mặt trăng – Mặt trời]
The illustration technique that Trinh uses offers many opportunities for the children to explore, even when there is little to see at first sight. But that’s because Trinh tells a lot, but not always literally. A typical example is the empty street (page 11), we see the closed shops. But what is being sold in those stores? Young children can’t read yet, but if you let them have a look and then ask what is sold in the middle store … they probably
And how about the moon hanging above? Is it now in a yellow round bed? Or does the moon dream of getting bigger again?
That is the great advantage of the technique that Trinh uses and her way of illustrating: no elaborate pictures that leave little to the imagination of the children and only confirm what the text also tells. She’s also not using the comic book stile which looks as it is made by a computer. And that is often the case. It takes some getting used to her drawing style.
Besides, a lot of books are intended for the schools, because they are the largest buyers. But those books are very often meant to increase the vocabulary of the children, and then the illustrations should not send the children into a fantasy world. They have to stay focused! The illustrations are often correctly realistic, detailed and “finished”.
Because Trinh’s drawings are not really worked out, they are more of an impulse to further fill in, more is expected of the viewers than just looking and establishing that it is beautiful.
The beginning right away on the first picture where Sun Moon wishes to rest and the lady throws the windows wide open to greet the new day … or just to wake up?
On the left half of the picture we see Moon falling asleep, while on the right half Sun starts the day well. On the left half it is the night that fades while on the right half-life awakens. Only the face of Sun is more elaborate. Although very prominently present, Sun still looks from a distance. Sun, give the children the space to watch the moon go to sleep and the people waking up.
That also happens in real life: the people who have worked all night go to sleep and the sleepers go to work, but we like to take it easy … just leave us a moment …
This style of work is very inviting for children, even with little drawing experience. Compare it with playing the violin and the piano: even if you cannot play the piano, when you press a key there is a beautiful sound. It is nearly impossible for a beginner to get a nice single tone from your violin. Working with pastels is a bit the same .. it’s a faint color stripe, and it doesn’t matter how wide or narrow, or curved or straight it is.
Pastel looks a bit like working with oil paint, you also have to look at the result from a distance. That is also the case with Trinh’s drawings… with more distances they become more beautiful and interesting. The reason is that you are going to supplement what you see yourself with what you like to see.
The next time you are in a museum and you see a detailed painting from a distance. Very often it turns out that when you get closer, there are only smudges painted on the canvas.
Pastel chalk is essentially just paint pigments that are held together with gum. There are three common types of pastel chalk: Soft Pastel, has many pigments and little binder: colors very nicely but the drawing must be protected when finished.
Hard Pastel, has a lot of binder, can be used for sharper lines.
Pan Pastel is pretty much in the middle of it, comparable to some make-up.
Purposes of circle books:
The B&P – Art For Children wants to use art to encourage children to fantasize, to develop their creative capacity. Letting go of your imagination is difficult if you have to stay within the lines!
– To help chidren have more chances to be more creative, to be more wisdom in everything around them through arts.
– To help children have a good environment to develop themselves safely.
– To help children create their own network with another children.
Why not?
You can write down you stories or record them with FB or with your phone and send it to us. We will publish them on our Moon – Sun circle stories và Facebook B&P – Art For Children and/or on our YouTube – VNCE channel.
Vietnamese version is free for all Vietnamese, please contact;
lenakori.vnce@gmail.com – Lê Oanh / Lena
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