Leonardo da Vinci for Kids: His Life and Ideas, 21 Activities
Detail from Study for a Madonna and Child Leonardo da Vinci 1478 Uncle Francesco was only sixteen years older than Leonardo Though he was young he ran the family estate He supervised the work in the fields where they raised olives grapes and wheat Leonardo adored his uncle and followed him everywhere It seemed to Leonardo that Francesco knew everything As the boy and his uncle tramped through the vine yards and fields Francesco taught Leonardo the names and uses of plants and herbs the signs of approaching weather and the habits of the wild ani mals who lived in the hills around Vinci Francesco never tired of the curious boy’s constant
Tell me Leonardo would say where the river begins Tell me what makes lightning Tell me what happens to the caterpillar inside its cocoon Painting is born of nature Leonardo Setting Up Your Studio Set up a special place in your home for art projects Here's what you might keep there Paper There are many types s of paper all made for different uses For writing and sketch ing you can buy a sketch pad at an art supply store or make your own sketching notebook see page 33 Special absorbent paper is made for watercolor painting but construction paper also works well Try different kinds of papers for painting and see what suits you best Just be sure it's not shiny shiny paper won't absorb paint Canvas pads are available for painting with oils and acrylics Keep a supply of different colored construction paper available for art projects Pencils and Erasers Graphite drawing pen cils are graded with numbers and letters They range from 10H which is a very hard pencil to 1OB a very soft one A good pencil to start with is HB This pencil can make both
strong dark lines and more delicate lines Experiment with different grades of pencils from an art supply store While you re there buy a couple of erasers A kneaded eraser is handy It can be formed into any shape you need for erasing pencil marks A pencil sharpener is also a necessary item Paints Experiment with different types such as watercolor tempera acrylic and oil and start with a few basic colors Each type of paint has a different quality that requires different techniques Over time you might discover you prefer one type over another Many paints come in starter sets By mixing colors together you can make additional colors Paintbrushes Brushes also come in many sizes and types Again you might want to try several different kinds to find out what you like best There are round brushes and flat ones brushes for fine work and for broad strokes The numbers on brushes indicate their size the higher the number the fatter the brush Some paintbrushes may feel more comfortable than others Buy good brushes that have even thick bristles and be sure to clean them thoroughly with soap and water after each use Other Painting Supplies You can use old saucers as palettes for acrylic and oil paints For watercolors keep a couple of cups on hand to
hold the water You will want to have some old clothes or an apron handy Newspaper is useful for spreading out on your table surface or on the floor You will also want to have some old rags and paper towels to clean up messes Miscellaneous Supplies Ruler scissors glue stapler scraps of fabric old magazines card board and string are some of the things you will need to do the activities in this book Make your work space beautiful and decorate it with things that will inspire you The local priest taught Leonardo how to read and write and how to use an abacus but that was the only education Leonardo received Instead he spent many of his days wandering the countryside and studying nature He explored the rocky crevasses of the hills around Vinci He climbed along the banks of the river Arno and behind the crashing waterfalls He walked through the fields of red poppies and blue cornflowers He would jump on the bare back of one of his grandfather's horses and ride furiously down the dusty roads Sometimes he would lay for hours beneath a tree watching leaves move against the blue sky He envied the birds as they soared over the hills and vineyards Sometimes he would turn his horse past the home of his mother She had married since he was taken from her thatch and mud home With her hus
