I Am Plastic: The Designer Toy Explosion

Book Description

In barely a decade, the designer toy craze, which originated in Hong Kong, has taken the world by storm. Children and adults, celebrities and design aficionados now line up to pay anywhere from five dollars to thousands of dollars for these highly inventive designer creations.

I Am Plastic provides a colorful visual history of the phenomenon, which has energized not only the toy world but the global art community as well. Fashion designers, comic book artists, underground illustrators, graffiti and fine artists now lend their creativity to the task of coming up with innovative and striking new toy designs. Artists and toys featured in this stunning overview include Frank Kozik, Dalek, Gary Baseman, Bounty Hunter, Junko Mizuno, Jason Siu, Devilrobots, and Pete Fowler.

Customer Reviews:

Great book.......2007-08-23

I got this book for my husband, and he loves it. He is very much into these type of toys. Thank you Amazon!

A Guide to the Beginnings of a New Art Form.......2007-05-11

It wasn't enough to have regular dolls like Barbie or G.I. Joe. Some people had to go messing around with the dolls instead of leaving them as they were. They melted and remolded the limbs, or they substituted a speaker or a model of a radio for a head, or they gave G.I. Joe an orange afro. This was only about ten years ago, and the dolls were coming in from Asia. "It was as if artists were taking toys that I remembered from my childhood and imposing an adult aesthetic on them," writes Paul Budnitz, "They were cute, scary, hip, violent, scarce, expensive, and beautiful." Budnitz, a film-maker with a fine arts degree from Yale, was so taken by the strange dolls that he went to Hong Kong and started a toy company to manufacture more. In _I Am Plastic: The Designer Toy Explosion_ (Abrams), Budnitz has provided three hundred lovely color pages devoted to his obsession, both the designs made by his firm Kidrobot and by many others who are participating in a lively new art form. And if the prices for these items on e-Bay, for instance, is any indicator, there are lots of enthusiasts just as obsessed.

Budnitz asserts that these are true works of art, but that they have an unusual canvas, usually bright, smooth plastic assembled in parts. They come in limited editions, like prints, and many buyers are interested in collecting sets. Because there are so few made, the artists are free to take risks and make something very strange and otherwise commercially infeasible. The artists wind up putting their own money up for production, and spending their own time to sell their sculptures, when of course they'd be happier just being artists. It's a risk, and they want their customers to take a risk on buying, too, and buying just because the offered toy is "really, really weird." Weird they certainly are, and often laugh-out-loud funny; these are generally cartoonish creatures, although some are scary. Often they are beautiful, and the lovely pictures in this book will make anyone want to see the real objects. A set from Devilrobots inexplicably titled "Maffy Kubrick" looks like gumdrops of different colors with smiley faces. Devilrobots also manufactures cubes that come in mock tofu boxes, but the cubes of tofu have faces (usually unsmiling) and are driving around in little bumper cars. Lots look like they would fit into Japanese monster movies, for instance. There are bunnies here, too, mostly in the form of "Smorkin' Labbit", a puffy rabbit figurine whose cuteness clashes with the cigarette in its mouth. The labbit in each of its incarnations is physically identical, except for its paint job, which might be garish, pastel, plaid, or bondage-themed.

There is page after page of whimsical figures, full of color, with molding revealing fine detail. The people who produce these objects obviously love their work. The people who collect them, and pay premium prices, obviously love them, too. I certainly would be more interested in viewing a collection of these pieces than I would a host of items from the Franklin Mint. I didn't know a thing about designer toys before I opened this handsome book, but it is clear that this is a trend that will continue. Perhaps _I Am Plastic_ will be a foundation document for an established art movement in the future, to show the movement's Golden Age, but it stands on its own as a fine introduction into a very odd artistic and commercial endeavor.

Best Vinyl Toys Book ~.......2007-04-23

Vinyl Toys Maniac, this is the best complete book for you. Cool stuff & you'll want to read this book over and over again without gettin bore ~ 2 Thumbs up ^^

inspiring.......2007-03-14

inspiring, amazing , aesthetic value now change .
this book represent new aesthetic approach of toys

great book for toy collectors and enthusiasts.......2007-03-01

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys urban toys. Almost every page has very nice, large photographs of different single works and series. The book displays each toy very well; it includes different views of most of the works and some close-ups. It features artists from all over the world and contains some interviews as well.

Creative Cloth Doll Faces: Using Paints, Pastels, Fibers, Beading, Collage, and Sculpting Techniques

Average customer rating:

Another New Interest
Creative cloth doll faces.
What fun!
Creative Cloth Doll Faces
LEARNING NEW TECHNIQUES

Creative Cloth Doll Faces: Using Paints, Pastels, Fibers, Beading, Collage, and Sculpting Techniques
Patti Medaris Culea
Manufacturer: Quarry Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Toymaking | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 159253144X

Book Description

The face is the most important feature of a doll -- it is also the most challenging. So it is surprising that there is so little instruction available on creating doll faces. This book fills that void.

Author Patti Medaris Culea began her career in art as a portrait painter and she puts that experience to work when creating her doll faces. In this book, she shows readers a simple technique for easily creating faces using her step-by-step approach. She gives her tips for how to divide the face into quadrants, graft features together, and much more.

Every aspect of doll making is covered -- from the basics to detailed techniques for making the various faces to instructions for putting a pattern together. Readers will learn how to use watercolor pencils, acrylics, and fabric paints to color a face, how to create a face using collage techniques as well as stamping and beading, and tips for working with stretchy fabrics to create indented eyes, separate eyelids, and sculpted lips.

Customer Reviews:

Another New Interest.......2007-07-19

The book is very well written, has great diagrams & some good example to get a newcomer to doll making started. Recommend it highly. A good purchase.

Creative cloth doll faces........2007-06-10

Although I haven't had time to read and study the book fully as yet, I can see that is going to be a great help to me when I want give my dolls a face and personality...

What fun!.......2007-06-03

This is the first book I was included in as an artist and Pattis patterns are so inspirational! Her dolls are beautiful and creative and a joy to make. I got to do the collage version and after several days of planning, I gave up and just played! That was the ticket!

Patti is an amazing dollmaker and I am lucky enough to live in San Diego where we share a home town doll club. I recommend, in fact, I insist (!) that all of you creative doll creators go right out and buy it! You wont be disapointed!

Creative Cloth Doll Faces.......2007-05-15

Another must have book. Wow the faces you can make in there.It has patterns,hair ideas, clothes patterns,shoe patterns,3-d ideas,easy instructions for faces,my first doll is a hoot! I can"t wait to make more.
This book is filled with colored pictures and instructions. I wouldn"t sell My newly aquired doll books .LOve it LOve It!

LEARNING NEW TECHNIQUES.......2007-03-25

I loved this book for its overall view of face painting. I found it very helpful in learning and improving my skills. I would recommend this to anyone interested in making original dolls.

Average customer rating:

Felt Wee Folks
Felt Wee Folk
It's a keeper!
Best Craft Book!
Adorable Craft Book

Felt Wee Folk: Enchanting Projects
Salley Mavor
Manufacturer: C&T Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Decorative Arts | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Quilts & Quilting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Textile Arts | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Toymaking | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1571201939

Customer Reviews:

Felt Wee Folks.......2007-10-10

Love the book. And also loved the fact that it came in 3 days. Didn't have to wait long. thanks

Felt Wee Folk.......2007-08-23

This is just the sweetest and most informative book ever. I just can't believe that Salley Mavor shared this information with all of us. There are so many wonderful pictures of all different types of Wee Folk, with patterns to follow. And the directions to make the delightful little people are very easy to follow. If you need to make anything that involves little characters, please try this book. You won't be disappointed.

It's a keeper!.......2007-06-22

I have to admit that my usual MO involves perusing craft books in the store and NOT buying. I did that at first with this book too - and I was very happy with the results. BUT the book has so much in it, and so many different eye-popping designs, that it really is worth buying. I think it's worth it just to show you what you can accomplish with felt and embroidery floss - I haven't even tried the dolls yet!

There are so many cute projects to do with felt - little purses, pins, etc. I am inspired - now I want to try sewing felt designs onto shirts for my young daughters. I have so many ideas after reading this book!

Best Craft Book!.......2007-06-09

These little dolls are SO FUN!! I bought it to make them for my daugther and she just loves them. The instructions are easy and the pictures make you want to make little felt people all the time.

Adorable Craft Book.......2006-10-08

I just received this book as a gift after wanting it for quite a while. The wee little folk are not difficult to make and the directions are clear. The pages are inspirational and have simple little details that add to their charm. Wait until you see the pirate with the skull embroidered on his pirate hat... and the darling flower fairies.. It is all so wonderful!

Finishing the Figure: Doll Costuming, Embellishments, Accessories

Average customer rating:

A Wonderful Book
Susan Oroyan has done it again!
Great Artistic Inspiration
Another Must Have for the Dollmaker's Library!
Sheer Oroyan Magic - and rich with practical information!

Finishing the Figure: Doll Costuming, Embellishments, Accessories
Susanna Oroyan
Manufacturer: C&T Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Toymaking | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1571201211

Book Description

8 1/2 x 11 350 color and 300 black-and-white illustrations US Distribution crafts Brilliant doll artist Susanna Oroyan taught dollmakers the world over how to create figures with depth and imagination. Now she focuses on designing their presentations-from costumes and accessories to furnishings and embellishments! Finishing the Figure shows readers how to use several easy design elements to enhance a doll's figure presentation while reflecting a reader's own unique style. Covering every aspect from pattern drafting and the basics of costuming to settings, photography, and beyond, this innovative resource is packed with scores of step-by-step instructions, hands-on illustrations, and insightful tips that make each phase of the process easy and effortless. Plus, over 300 brilliant photos of dolls from the world's top doll artists give readers the courage to experiment, expand, and create dazzling new techniques of their own! Covers everything from pattern drafting and basics of costuming to photography and beyond Features step-by-step instructions and over 300 gorgeous color photos of dolls from the world's top artists Susanna Oroyan is an expert dollmaker, author, and authority in the field

Customer Reviews:

A Wonderful Book.......2002-06-13

Heavily illustrated with excellent diagrams and color photos, this book is not only for anyone learning the art of art-doll making but will also appeal to anyone who enjoys seeing what the creative, human imagination can devise. Just a joy to read from cover to cover and the beautiful photos will provide inspiration for many different types of artist.
Susanna Oroyan gives us the best contemporary information available from the art doll world while also providing the historical bones of costume design.

Susan Oroyan has done it again!.......2002-02-28

Susan Oroyan has done an excellent work. I bought both of her books "Designing the Doll" and "Finishing the Figure" If you own one of the books, you have to own the other one, they go together. The books have a great deal of information and details on doll making. The book is good for beginners or professional doll makers.You will love it.

Great Artistic Inspiration.......2001-11-12

I just picked this book up in a local bookstore and immediately got the itch to pick up some clay. I did not have time to read much, the photographs were what enthralled me. Oroyan picked some fine dolls to illustrate her book and it offers a wealth of imagination to the doll artist. The detail in some of the cosuming is fabulous and the characters of some of the dolls unforgetable!

Another Must Have for the Dollmaker's Library!.......2001-07-10

This is the fourth book I own of Susanna Oroyan's and each one is an absolute must for the libraries of serious dollmakers. This book goes into depth about accessorizing dolls and has great illustrations for making shoes, for fitting costumes to dolls, for creating doll-sized animals, etc. It's fantastic and very easy to follow. The best part of Susanna Oroyan's books are the photographs of dolls by a wide variety of artists. It's like going to a museum. Someday I hope that my dolls are pictured in one of her books. That's a definite goal to work towards! And with her books in my library, I feel I have a great teacher to help get me there!

Sheer Oroyan Magic - and rich with practical information!.......2001-04-02

How we have all waited for this! And what a gift this book is.

In this, her latest masterwork, this gifted and inspiring author and teacher shares with us a true cornucopia of thoughts, techniques and ideas to help any dollmaker to bring the creations in our imagination into reality. This book inspires, encourages and gives answers both to questions we have and to questions we didn't even yet know to ask!

The illustrations and crisp, clear photography, as usual, are superb! For me, an addittional delight of this book is that (as well as showing me new creations by doll artists I already know and love) it introduces me to some absolutely wonderful new artists!

I just LOVE this book and can see it being another one of Susanna Oroyan's works that is a springboard and catalyst for all of us to make 'real' our dreams, moods and flights of imagination!

Thank you to Susanna, the artists who allowed their work to be seen by us and all involved in bringing this book to us!

Average customer rating:

Spellbinding!!

Amazing New Biography

The Ultimate Man of the Delta

Phenomenally intriguing, accurate, and detailed.

AN AMAZING MAN

Holt Collier: His Life, His Roosevelt Hunts, and the Origin of the Teddy Bear
Minor Ferris Buchanan
Manufacturer: Centennial Press of Mississippi, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Roosevelt, Theodore | ( R ) | People, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1893062376

Book Description

On November 14, 2002, the 100th anniversary of the world famous Teddy Bear will be celebrated. The origin of the Teddy Bear stems from an occasion when President Theodore Roosevelt visited the wilderness of Mississippi in hopes of killing a black bear. He was guided on this hunt by Holt Collier, a former slave, Confederate veteran (yes-amazing though it sounds), Texas cowboy, Mississippi lawman, and noted pioneer. He is known to have killed over 3,000 bear in his lifetime, more than Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett combined. Roosevelt, who also hunted with Collier in Louisiana in 1907, called him "the greatest hunter and guide I have ever known."

Collier killed many white men, several in Mississippi. One exciting incident in his biography is a detailed description of the gunfight at Washburn's Ferry where Collier out-drew the notorious Louisiana outlaw Travis Elmore Sage. He was prosecuted only once-for the murder of a Union captain after the Civil War-but he was acquitted. Collier was famous nationally during his lifetime, but the racial atmosphere in Mississippi for the last eighty years kept his remarkable story from being told. There is no detailed and authoritative work on Holt Collier or the origin of the Teddy Bear other than this book.

Customer Reviews:

Spellbinding!!.......2003-07-15

This is a must-read book for anyone interested in any of the following topics: African-American History, hunting, Theodore Roosevelt, Southern History, the Civil War, and William Faulkner. As an avid Faulkner reader, I cannot help but conclude that Holt Collier is the real-life person upon which the pivotal character of Sam Fathers is based. Beyond this observation, the book is well researched and is an excellent read. You will not be disappointed. HOLT COLLIER deserves a wide audience and should be assigned reading.

Amazing New Biography.......2002-12-24

Brilliantly written non-fiction biography using countless primary sources. An amazing new character never before presented to the general public. If this book had not been sent to me as a present I would have never heard of it. Apparently it has been sold only as a regional book, but I can assure any reader, it will have a national following in due course. Very highly recommended. Well worth the read. You will come away from this book thinking about it for weeks, and frankly, you will soon pick it up to read it again.

The Ultimate Man of the Delta.......2002-12-10

As a history major in college I developed a taste for the truth that can only be found in biographies. Over the years I have kept a small library in my home and under my bed to read at night, prior to retiring. The book by Mr. Buchanan is a detailed, accurate account of this man and his relationships to the men around him and his world. Being a product of the Mississippi Delta, I can see Holt Collier in the deep bayou's of the old Delta, hunting the bears. I admire the writer's style in his ability to place me there beside Holt all along the way in this book. There, in the realities of Holt's world, the reader walks his paths, thinks his thoughts, and feels the anger he feels.

Finally I would like to thank Mr. Buchanan for this effort and look forward to seeing more of his work in the future.

Phenomenally intriguing, accurate, and detailed........2002-11-07

Minor Ferris Buchanan excells in this historical document of Holt Collier: an ex-slave, Confederate soldier, and excellent big-game hunter. I found the portrayal of this very accomplished individual more intriguing and inspiring than any other Afro-American biography I've ever come across (including those of Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois, Jackie Robinson, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X)
I loved it!

AN AMAZING MAN.......2002-10-19

I have never written a review before, but here goes....

I had never heard of his name before this book was recommended to me, but this fellow Holt Collier is one of the most amazing men to come out of the American scene in years. Just think, to have been born a slave, to have become a runaway--to seek out his master and fight for the confederacy--unbelievable. And then he out-fought his master during the entire conflict, and it is all backed up by detailed research. Amazing.

Then to become an independent hunter in the lower Mississippi delta where he made a small fortune every year, ultimately becoming a hunter of legendary status, a cowboy and a lawman as well. And those white men he killed in duels--and not to be prosecuted in Mississippi of all places.

Then, when he was getting pretty long in the tooth, to be selected to take Roosevelt on two hunts, arguably the most famous hunts ever on American soil, it seems like it must be fiction, but it is not.

And for this man to be the sole person responsible for the event that gave us the teddy bear. Why has his story not been told before?

Anyway, I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in southern history, hunting, Theodore Roosevelt, black history, teddy bears, and the civil war.

Average customer rating:

Designing he Doll by Susanna Oroyan

Gorgeous, thorough, downright addictive!

Would give it a 10

designing the doll

dollmaking in mostley known techniks

Designing the Doll: From Concept to Construction
Susanna Oroyan
Manufacturer: C&T Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Decorative Arts | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Dolls | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Reference | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Toymaking | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Anatomy of a Doll: The Fabric Sculptor's Handbook

Finishing the Figure: Doll Costuming, Embellishments, Accessories

Creative Cloth Doll Faces: Using Paints, Pastels, Fibers, Beading, Collage, and Sculpting Techniques

Creative Cloth Doll Making: New Approaches for Using Fibers, Beads, Dyes, and Other Exciting Techniques

Creative Cloth Doll Couture: New Approaches to Making Beautiful Clothing and Accessories

ASIN: 1571200606

Book Description

An in-depth guide to doll making from concept to "imaginative engineering," this book is for every collector and artist. A gallery of all of the important "art" doll makers today-a record for collectors and inspiration for doll artists. A wide variety of construction methods, the techniques for getting proportions correct, and ideas on how to develop ideas and then construct advanced art figures or dolls are covered. 250 color photos plus over 200 drawings. 160 pages.

Customer Reviews:

Designing he Doll by Susanna Oroyan.......2007-07-04

I own all of Susanna's books and think they are excellent. I would suggest that anyone interested in doll making invest in them, and this is a good one to start with. I honestly think this is 5 star all the way. I use this, and her other books, frequently while working. I am a serious cloth doll maker and usually buy every doll book when it comes out - some I resell immediately, but this one I am keeping!

Gorgeous, thorough, downright addictive!.......2007-05-18

The pictures in this book are incredible! The multitude of eclectic styles inspire, and while this is not exactly a how-to, it gets you thinking about the possibilities. In the book, Oroyan focuses more on the different options an artist has: planning ideas (and ways to do this), materials, questions to ask when thinking of the concept, elements of design (e.g. form, scale, color, etc), and she includes some sample sketches that illustrate these ideas, showing some do's and don'ts along the way.

While I have never made a doll, this book has been useful on a few levels. The discussions on scale, caricature (again, with do's and don'ts and how to achieve different goals there), creating abstractions of the form, trying different styles, working with faces and hands, gestures, clothing patterns for the dolls, different materials, anatomy...this book has so much to offer! The images alone earn Designing the Doll 5 stars--everything else is icing on the cake!

Would give it a 10.......2006-10-17

For any of you who believe that dolls are just children's toys or cutesy collector's items, you have obviously not seen this book. Oroyan's Designing the Doll: from Concept to Construction, is a very impressive book. While it is as advertised, a book on making dolls, it is first and foremost an art book. Throughout the book, the author is addressing the student as artist. She covers issues such as color, texture, drawing, abstract and impressionism, scale, etc. The details of construction are included as are some patterns, but the greatest value of the book is actually in the illustrations of finished dolls, some by the author and some by others. These are exceptional works of art. Some are actual portrait works, capturing in miniature the personalities of those portrayed. Others, while they may have had human models, are designed to capture an essence or spirit, an impression or meaningful event. When one sees dolls such as these, one understands instantly why a person would collect them: they are Michelangelos in miniature.

designing the doll.......2006-03-09

I enjoyed the book it has great inspirational color photos with lots of technique ideas

dollmaking in mostley known techniks.......2003-08-21

this book is recomanded for all dollmakers wich intends to make
realy serius work! the author is explaining in detail almost
evry way posible to create dolls. the text is easy and clear.
mrs. oroyan shows you the true path to your own creativity,
not just techniks. and that is the most imporyant think in
books!!!

Creative Cloth Doll Couture: New Approaches to Making Beautiful Clothing and Accessories

Average customer rating:

Creative Cloth Doll Couture
Another fine book
Creative Cloth Doll Couture
Creative Cloth Doll Couture
Excellent

Creative Cloth Doll Couture: New Approaches to Making Beautiful Clothing and Accessories
Patti Medaris Culea
Manufacturer: Quarry Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Needlework | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Toymaking | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1592532179

Book Description

This book is the third installment on making creative art doll clothing and accessories from successful doll artist Patti Culea, following Creative Cloth Doll Making and Creative Cloth Doll Faces, both from Rockport Publishers. This book builds on the previous two by delving into how to make exotic and beautiful garments and accessories such as hats, shoes, and purses for art dolls.

This is the only book available on making clothing for art dolls. Moreover, it not only includes a pattern for various wardrobe staples, but the author offers basic garment making techniques, as well as information on decorative fabric treatments and embellishments.

Culea provides tips and techniques for creating everything from a vintage 1940's ensemble to a 1960's type of outfit. There are techniques for dyeing, painting, and stamping to create a beautiful evening gown and how to drape a doll body to create your own pattern. Professional tips, ideas for embellishments, cutting-edge techniques, short cuts, pattern making ideas, and more are also included.

Customer Reviews:

Creative Cloth Doll Couture.......2007-09-29

This book is marvelous! Couldn't put it down until I read it from cover to cover. Has great instructions and illustrations to get the creative juices flowing. Highly recommend.

Another fine book.......2007-07-19

Patti has done it again! She has inspired me to improve embellishments in all my work.
This is yet another fine book by a fine artist, Patti Medaris Culea.
Thank you for your contributions to the art world!

Creative Cloth Doll Couture.......2007-05-15

This is a must get book! I am a beginner doll maker and you should see my first doll. I got so motivated,I want to make more .What a inspiring book and buying it from Amazon was the lowest price. I saved $10 from Amazon rather then getting it from other sites. Sherry Collier

Creative Cloth Doll Couture.......2007-05-14

Good book. I really love to see all the different dolls made by so many artists and it is nice to have ideas for clothes and embelishments to make them be truely unique. Patterns are nice to have and help to create some great dolls.

Excellent.......2007-03-09

This book is a must have as a dollmaker. I have taken classes with this wonderful author. She is a genius when it comes to cloth dollmaking. This book is a must. It is informative and has wonderful patterns and ideas.

Average customer rating:

Awesome book
Overall....pretty good
Directions for Waldorf-style toys and more...
Not just toymaking plans!

Toymaking With Children
Freya Jaffke
Manufacturer: Floris Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Crafts & Hobbies | Arts & Music | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Crafts for Children | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Toymaking | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0863153674

Book Description

The toys that surround children during their first five years are essential tools for awakening imaginations and creativity. From many years of experience as a kindergarten teacher, Freya Jaffke makes helpful suggestions for adults who wish to select age-appropriate toys for children. She also shows how to make a variety of toys. There are sections on the meaning of play, stages of play, outdoor play, and how to help children play.

This greatly expanded edition is an excellent handbook for all parents of young children.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome book.......2006-02-18

This is a really great book on how to mkae simple, and some not so simple toys for children. Most of them are just beautiful as well.

Overall....pretty good.......2005-08-16

This book gives good ideas for toys to make at home and gives some good description of children's play at different stages. The main problem I have is that I have never carved wood and there are no directions on how to actually carve. I would like to make some of the wooden toys, but I will need to do more research beyond this book to actually be able to carve the wooden toys. So, I guess I'm saying, if you have a base knowledge in sewing and carving, this book is very good....if not, you will need to do some other research in addition to this book.

Directions for Waldorf-style toys and more..........2000-11-24

This book is a revised and expanded edition of the original book titled "Making Soft Toys" which was published in 1981. The author is a Waldorf Kindergarten teacher. This book discusses the importance of play as seen through a Waldorf education perspective and explains that natural playthings from nature and toys made from natural products are important. The book opens with several essays on the subject of the value of play and the nature of (appropriate) play as seen through the eyes of a Waldorf educator. Simple toys that allow imaginative and creative play are defined as ideal and appropriate for the proper development of the child. The author states that toys made by hand are more appreciated by children and she urges parents to make toys by hand, with the child's help or the child watching. A listing of toys appropriate for different age groups is listed. Discussion about outdoor play, play with dolls, and clean up time is included. Full instructions for over 45 toys are provided. Toys include dolls and doll clothing, knitted animals, wooden playstands and cloths, wooden tree blocks, and carved wooden toys (bridges, animals, spoons, etc.). Using wool roving is explained and instructions for creating pictures with plant-dyed wool end the book. The book is 93 pages long and the instructions are detailed and illustrated with line drawings. If you enjoy crafts and want to make Waldorf-style toys, this book is a must and a good value. Of course you can buy many of these toys already made, but you would save a lot of money by making these yourself.

Not just toymaking plans!.......2000-06-28

I recieved this book and really couldn't be more pleased! It begins by describing the purpose of play, and shows us how to best implement positive play in children's lives. It lists some toys that are appropriate for each age group and goes on to describe how to make a number of toys. The ideas i found to be very enlightening, and I so look forward to making some of these wonderful toys! Oh and this book has a waldorf slant to it. An excellent find!

The Klutz Book of Paper Airplanes (Klutz)

Average customer rating:

I love The Klutz Book of Paper Airplanes
Great book for kids
Great fun for the whole family!
Great drawings, easy to follow
fun and educational

The Klutz Book of Paper Airplanes (Klutz)
Doug Stillinger
Manufacturer: Klutz
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

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Product Features:

Step-by-step guide to building 10 amazing paper airplanes
Comes complete with 40 sheets of flight-tested, ready-to-fold paper
Paper printed on both sides in a variety of patterns
2 month manufacturer's warranty

ASIN: 1570548307

Product Description

Discover the pure magic of building and launching your own paper airplanes! This step-by-step guide shows you exactly how to build 10 amazing paper airplanes. And, it comes complete with 40 sheets of flight-tested, ready-to-fold paper, printed on both sides in a variety of colorful patterns. What will you choose first – the leopard print or hot rod flames? Treasure map or backyard camouflage? Choose your paper, make your plane, and launch it into glorious flight!

2 month manufacturer's warranty.

Customer Reviews:

I love The Klutz Book of Paper Airplanes.......2007-06-27

I use this book as a year-end treat for the students I tutor in reading. The book touches on aerodynamics and science with fun-to-make paper airplanes as the theme. My students enjoy the challenge of folding, tweaking, and flying the airplanes. The paper that is included is sturdy and eye catching. Both boys and girls enjoy the projects in this book which range from simple to difficult. Each plane is different and demands that the student read and fold carefully. The vocabulary is stimulating.

Great book for kids.......2007-05-14

Looking for something to do with your child? This book is it! I got this for my son who is 5. My husband made these planes with him and they both had a lot of fun! Some of the planes are for indoors and some are made to be taken outside. Our 5 year old can not make the planes by himself but his cousin who is 11 can. The book comes with interesting paper to make the planes with, however any scrap book paper or regular copy paper will work.

Great fun for the whole family!.......2007-04-21

I bought this book for my five year old son, who has been totally into making paper airplanes lately. This book is great! It comes with clear, easy to understand instructions that are simple enough for a child to understand (he's still a bit young to do it himself, but he loves to watch them being made, and loves flying the end results!). The book comes with some great paper, too! It comes with ten different paper plane instructions, with a rating of difficulty on each. I also like how sturdy the book is- it's made of some heavy card stock material and comes with great pictures and illustrations on where to fold, how to fold, etc. The whole family has enjoyed this book- I highly recommend it!

Great drawings, easy to follow.......2007-03-21

Great pictures and diagrams of how to exactly build each airplane. My 5 year old son and I can really make some great airplanes with this book. The paper at the back is a bonus, but we haven't even used it yet and still love the book.

fun and educational.......2007-03-20

My son, 8 years old loves this book. The instructions are clear and made it easy for him to jump right in and start making airplanes. He even took the book to school and taught some friends how to fold different planes at recess. Having the paper, and a very good amount, included is great.

Average customer rating:

Quite a nice book
Clear directions and eye candy too.
A Good Buy for Beginning Builders
Excellent book! Great color pictures and diagrams
A Must for Automata Enthusiasts!

Automata and Mechanical Toys
Rodney Peppe
Manufacturer: Crowood Press, Limited, The
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1861265107

Book Description

A lavish guide to the ingenious design and beauty of automata and mechanical toys, including their history, an explanation of their mechanisms, a survey of the leading makers, step–by–step instructions for making mechanisms, and 160 color photos.

Customer Reviews:

Quite a nice book.......2007-06-13

The book certainly has nice and inspiring pictures of great automata. To a certain extent, some of the concepts of automata are defined. But largely, the chapters are devoted to eccentric and creative automata artists who inspire more by examples than theories.

Clear directions and eye candy too........2006-11-08

This is the best book on automata since Flying Pig opened it's doors. Peppe shows how to build your own test board of mechanical movement and provides examples of the best current automata for inspiration. The "test board" is finely crafted, covers a wide range of movements and it's fun to play with too.

A Good Buy for Beginning Builders.......2004-11-25

Depending on what your interests are, this can be a valuable addition to your library. It is not for collectors, in my opinion, and most of the examples are on the "folk art" side: crude, kitschy, and sometimes even made of junk. There are profiles of a few builders who make complex automata demonstrating fine craftsmanship, such as the wonderful Keith Newstead and John Grayson. I would have preferred to have some detailed explanations of how some of their automata work, though. The REAL strength of this book is if you are beginning to make your own automata and would like to have a "kit" to experiment with. The book contains full sized plans for an experimenter's "kit" which is really nice. I have Robert Addam's "How to Design and Make Automata" and CMT's book, but they both only have crude drawings with no dimensions. I made photocopies of the parts and then used Xylene to transfer directly onto plywood and cut the parts out on a scroll saw, saving a great deal of time and giving me a nice litte platform for experimenting. This alone makes the book a must have for the beginning builder.

Excellent book! Great color pictures and diagrams.......2003-06-10

This has got to be one of the best books on the subject of automata and mechanical theatre. There are lots of great color pictures and diagrams to build your own automata. Worth the money!

A Must for Automata Enthusiasts!.......2003-06-09

This book is everything you could ask for in book on contemporary artistic automata.

Each chapter has a brief summary of the topic in question -- say tools and materials. Next, each chapter moves on to showcase the work of two or three automata artists with many pictures and a page or two of information about each artist.

The photographs of automata in this book are outstanding. You can really get a sense for the devices, their construction, and most especially, their finishes.

If you love automata, want to see more of them, and want to learn about some of the top automata artists in the contemporary scene, this book is a must-have.

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