Let’s make a samurai helmet for Children’s Day

5 May 2020

On May 5th in Japan it is Kodomo no hi  こどもの日 – Children’s Day!

Origami is really popular in Japan just now with folk staying at home more, and this origami samurai helmet can be worn by children or adults alike, depending on the size.

Around the time of this day for children, families may display inside their homes a small helmet or samurai dolls symbolising bravery and strength, or Japanese iris flowers to keep evil at bay.

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Let’s make a samurai helmet for Children’s Day On May 5th in Japan it is Kodomo no hi こどもの日 – Children’s Day! Origami is really popular in Japan just now with folk staying at home more, and this origami samurai helmet can be worn by children or adults alike, depending on the size. Start with a square piece of paper, you can use any paper as long as it isn’t too thick, mark it into a square and trim with scissors. We used coloured paper, and also tried A2 sized newsprint (in the video) which was the ideal helmet size for Blair to proudly wear. You can use newspaper too, which is a good size for a samurai to be able to wear. The first part of the video is drawing the pattern, which is optional so you can skip ahead a bit for the folding. Have fun and send us a pic of you wearing your kabuto 兜 helmet! More of us are being at home now, so we are bringing you some regular fun and relaxing activities – Creative Time – to encourage you to have some creative enjoyment and stay in touch! It would be great if you would like to send us an image of anything you make, for us to show online if possible, please either 1. post on our Facebook page or 2. email us your image. https://drawingandpaintingstudio.com/samurai-helmet-children-day #art #craft #freedom #wellbeing #stressfree #relaxing #creativetime #origami #origamihelmet #paperfolding #indoor #creativity #折り紙 #兜 #かぶと #こどもの日

A post shared by Drawing and Painting Studio (@drawingandpaintingstudio) on May 5, 2020 at 1:31am PDT

Start with a square piece of paper, you can use any paper as long as it isn’t too thick, mark it into a square and trim with scissors. We used coloured paper, and also tried A2 sized newsprint (in the video) which was the ideal helmet size for Blair to proudly wear.

You can use newspaper too, which is a good size for a samurai to be able to wear.

The first part of the video is drawing the pattern, which is optional so you can skip ahead a bit for the folding. Have fun and send us a pic of you wearing your kabuto 兜 helmet!

Watch this longer 5 minutes video demo:

Here are some delightful photos of participants in Japan and UK looking lordly in their samurai kabuto helmets!!

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A post shared by Arthur The Bulldog (@bulldogarthurthe) on May 6, 2020 at 4:06am PDT

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We attempted this week’s art challenge today! It took me a couple of tries to get it right but finally made it! Maybe slightly too small but I thought the @toast fold out was just too cool not to use ♥️ I’ve put the link to @drawingandpaintingstudio tutorial in my bio ⬆️

A post shared by Parkhead Artist (@parkheadartist) on May 12, 2020 at 10:25am PDT

More of us are being at home now, so we are bringing you some regular fun and relaxing activities – Creative Time – to encourage you to have some creative enjoyment and stay in touch!

It would be great if you would like to send us an image of anything you make, for us to show online if possible, please either 1. post on our Facebook page or 2. email us your image.

Category: Art Tags: Community Groups, Creative Time, Origami, Young people's art

Fold your own origami sunshine – Creative Time

27 April 2020

The sun is becoming much stronger now and bringing life and colour. Can you make a sun out of paper only using origami folding? We folded a couple of versions, based on the youtube videos below.

Tip:
Start with square paper, or measure and cut to a square. It is much easier to fold lighter, thinner types of paper.

Try this easy sun origami:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJKq0N5qn0I

And if you fancy a more challenging paper folding, how about this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPvrr5LQ9EU

Thanks to these origami youtube paper folders for the inspiration 🙂
How about adding your own personal touch with patterns, colours or just some funky sunglasses?

Thanks Laura for sending your mysterious and geometric crescent moon. It is very spacy and points up to the heavens! 🌙

More of us are being at home now, so we are bringing you some regular fun and relaxing activities – Creative Time – to encourage you to have some creative enjoyment and stay in touch!

It would be great if you would like to send us an image of anything you make, for us to show online if possible, please either 1. post on our Facebook page or 2. email us your image.

Category: Art Tags: Community Groups, Creative Time, Origami, Young people's art

Write, type or doodle a few seasonal words – Creative Time

11 April 2020

The leaves and flowers are out and there is a green fresh feel outside and a seasonal spaciousness too. Although many of us are being inside more, there is still a different feel and atmosphere indoors coming from the change in the season, that if you slow down and notice you can really connect with. See if you can write even just literally a few words about it, here is some inspiration:

Flowery Dale

Narrowly a trail
Fades away into the flowers
Blooming in the dale

-Haiku by Fukoku

vast undulating waves
of being,
stillness

above, magnolia flowers
throwing open a way far beyond
into a new vista
of scoured whites and deep blue

light pouring in
heart opening

-three short ones by Shogen (Blair)

Spring brings surprises…
birdsong, sun showers, delight.
A fox’s wedding!

Laura

Thank you Laura for your lively haiku poem full of nature and happiness! We love your friendly (and slightly mischievous looking) fox with bushy tail which you have brushed nicely in ink 🙏🦊🌦❤️

Spring Haiku poem by Ken

Sunlight slants across the roof
seagulls call
cat to the window

Thank you, Ken 😊🐱

This peaceful poem is from Annabel

silence in the streets 
no church bells ringing today 
everyone is at home 

Thank you Annabel 🤫🔔

More of us are being at home now, so we are bringing you some regular fun and relaxing activities – Creative Time – to encourage you to have some creative enjoyment and stay in touch!

It would be great if you would like to send us an image of anything you make, for us to show online if possible, please either 1. post on our Facebook page or 2. email us your image.

Category: Art Tags: Community Groups, Creative Time

Try some springy nature photography Creative Time

25 March 2020

If you are able to do this take a photo which is spring or nature-themed, for example if you have any flowers (we were given some free by our local supermarket!), or if you have a garden, or you can see the sky and safely take a photo from your window. Of course it’s ok to use your older photos as well 😊

Laura’s shiny green house plant looks very sturdy!

Thanks Laura for your refreshing and light photo of someiyoshino sakura cherry blossoms, very peaceful 🌸

Here is a delightful and very feeling poem by Matsuo Basho from Laura inspired by cherry blossoms.

“Sunlight that gives nature its blessing.”, such a nice description of the rosy pink type of cherry blossoms. Thanks for all the info and inspirational photos Laura 😊

More of us are being at home now, so we are bringing you some regular fun and relaxing activities – Creative Time – to encourage you to have some creative enjoyment and stay in touch!

It would be great if you would like to send us an image of anything you make, for us to show online if possible, please either 1. post on our Facebook page or 2. email us your image.

Category: Art Tags: Community Groups, Creative Time

Let’s write Spring Equinox

20 March 2020

Try out writing spring (or vernal) equinox – Shunbun  春分 – using Japanese Shodo calligraphy, or in your own style in any language!

These two kanji on their own literally mean spring and segment/part/share.

March Equinox – this is the time equal day and night, when the sun is directly above the Equator. In the Northern Hemisphere it is the Spring Equinox, and it’s called the Autumnal Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere.

Find out more about the Spring Equinox https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/march-equinox.html

Laura, thanks so much for writing spring equinox, your piece looks great and we can see how much you’re enjoying the mizu de kaku water paper – you did well to photograph it before the watery brushstrokes disappeared into the mists! Love the poem, it is so tranquil and soothing 🍃🌱🦆

Nice one Ken thank you for sending your image to us by email, great idea to try out using the procreate app on your ipad, that’s interesting you told me you used abstract ‘Triangulum’ brush on the app, it gives a 3D marky feel 🥰

More of us are being at home now, so we are bringing you some regular fun and relaxing activities – Creative Time – to encourage you to have some creative enjoyment and stay in touch!

It would be great if you would like to send us an image of anything you make, for us to show online if possible, please either 1. post on our Facebook page or 2. email us your image.

Category: Art Tags: Community Groups, Creative Time, Shodo calligraphy

Join in our Creative Time fun activities to do at home

20 March 2020

More of us are being at home now, so we are bringing you some regular fun and relaxing activities – Creative Time – to encourage you to have some creative enjoyment and stay in touch!

It would be great if you would like to send us an image of anything you make, for us to show online if possible, please either 1. post on our Facebook page or 2. email us your image.

Category: Art Tags: Community Groups, Creative Time, Young people's art