School Writing Workshop: The Last Page

Last month I did a series of writing workshops with elementary students at a local Edmonton School during a 2-week artist residency. Throughout my visit, each class created a different story, collectively ending up with a series of 11 fully illustrated stories.

One my my favourite stories (actually, they’re all my favourites), is this one written with one of the grade 6 classes. Scroll down to read a bit of the backstory ad see why I love this on so much.

Last year I did a few writing workshops at this same school, where the students and I came up with an outline for a story, including introduction, the plot points, and the ending, and then I illustrate one page for the story. One story which has become somewhat legendary was Pancake vs Waffle, a story about two breakfast foods competing to see who is the best while making a big mess of themselves (and the kitchen) in the process. The page I illustrated featured pancake and waffle racing around the kitchen riding on cats. In the end, the family comes down for breakfast, and when they see pancake and waffle they say ‘Eww, we’ll just have crepes”.

For this residency, I gave this class the honour of writing the last story for the collection, and I thought it would be a cool meta thing to call it ‘The Last Page’. Other than the title, I had no other prompts for the students. Little did I realize that we would eventually end up paying homage to a piece of the school’s history, and writing a story about two siblings writing the story of Pancake vs Waffle.

This is what I love about doing these workshops; when I showed up last year, I never would have dreamed that I’d be drawing a pancake and a waffle riding cats, and when I showed up this year, I never would of guessed that I’d be seeing pancake and waffle yet again.

For more information about school writing workshops in the Edmonton area (and beyond), click here.

My First Colouring Wall

I was recently commissioned to make a colouring wall for the Calgary and Edmonton Renovation shows.

I loved the idea of creating a piece of art that would ultimately become a collaborative, interactive art project for kids, a piece that would evolve as people added their contributions.

Since it was for a renovation show, I came up with a colouring wall design of a messy workbench fill with tools, toys, and trinkets (partly inspired by my own workbench).

The biggest challenge was dealing with the size of the illustration. It was to be 4 ft x 8ft. A large illustration like this really slows down my drawing app, and greatly reduces the namer of layers I can create. I ended up making the sketch at a smaller size, and then doing the final illustration in two parts.

Another challenge was coming up with all of the things to add to the bench. I wanted there to be a lot of little things for kids to colour. I started with the tools, and then slowly filled in the spaces in between (a few of my favourite things I added are the treehouse illustration, Fischer Price toys, stickers, bird poster, and the stegosaurus).

I absolutely loved seeing kids interacting with the wall and seeing the collaborative transformation of the piece.

If you’re interested in creating an interactive art project for your event, I encourage you to consider a colouring wall. It is a fun and rewarding way to bring an audience together. And if you have questions about the creative process, or would like to commission a piece from me, feel free to use the contact page to get in touch!

Wings of Wisdom: IB Learner Profile posters for St. John's School

This year I had the delightful opportunity to create a series of IB Learner Profile posters for St. John's School in Vancouver. With their spirited bald eagle mascot as the visual guide, each poster set out to exemplify the core attributes of the International Baccalaureate Learner Profile. This creative journey was a joyous exploration of melding education with art. And the best part?

Let's take a moment to ponder the significance of using mascots. Much like a school flag fluttering in the wind, a mascot becomes a symbol that unites a community. There is a familiarity in these symbols, which have the power the ability to immediately connect to the school community. I love that students get to see their school mascot in a different style, showing the playfulness that is possible in everyday things.

I get a lot of enquiries from schools asking about creating their own set of posters, and its always flattering a exciting. If you’re part of a school and would love to see some inspiring custom artwork on your walls, please get in touch and let’s chat. Another example of fun IB posters I did for a different school can found here.

Downloadable IB posters are also available in my Etsy shop here.

Festive Fables Vol.1

This year, as the hustle and bustle of the holiday season took over, I took a creative detour from my annual illustrated advent calendar. Instead of 25 illustrations, I came up with concepts for ‘classic Christmas stories’, and created the cover illustration. So in leu of the Annual Land of Le Beef Christmas Advent Calendar, I present, ‘Festive Fables: 4 stories from the North Pole’. I’ve included a little blurb about each story, however Educators are welcome to use these illustrations and titles as creative writing prompts, and see what wonderful stories their students create.

Festive Fable #1: The Ninja Elves

Every year Santa Claus visits homes all over the world, delivering toys and Christmas cheer, but what most people don’t know (including Santa himself), is that Santa is hopelessly clumsy! He can barely go into a home without knocking over a tree, stepping on a cat’s tail, or accidentally smashing a priceless vase. Enter ‘the Ninja Elves’, Christmas’ silent saviours. Every holiday season this covert squad of stealthy elves silently follow the big guy around to every home, preventing countless catastrophes with every lightning fast move, ensuring a safe and silent night for all.

Festive Fable #2: Christmas through the Ages

Take a journey through time as the North Pole’s oldest elf shares stories of Christmases past, from ancient Rome to the Renaissance, and all the way back to the Stone Age and beyond. What kind of wrapping paper did they use in the Bronze Age? Where did cavemen hang their stockings? What did a stegosaurus want for Christmas? Every page is a yuletide delight that will keep you on the edge of your tinsel trimmed toes.

Festive Fable #3: The Christmas Beavers

The North Pole toy shop has changed a lot over the years; where there used to be a simple workbench and a few tools, there are now big machines, electronics, and even a few robots. But if step outside, walk through the forest, past the field, and follow the river down a little ways, you might see a little dome made of sticks, and you might hear the soft sounds of sawing and tinkering. Inside you will find the Christmas beavers. While toys become more and more convoluted, these beavers continue a tradition and handcrafting little wooden toys. They put a lot of love into each piece they make, and because each one takes so much time, they only give them to extra special girls and boys. So this Christmas, if find a wooden treasure under the tree, you will know that the Christmas beavers made it just for you.

Festive Fable #4: The Elf-Napping of Connor McDavid

Frustrated by their repeated losses in the North Pole Hockey Tournament, a team of elves hatch a bold plan to kidnap NHL superstar Connor McDavid. Though initially hesitant, McDavid is eventually persuaded to coach the elves, and their skills quickly improve under his guidance. But as they train, the elves discover that winning isn’t everything, and that the true spirit of hockey lies in the camaraderie and sportsmanship they develop along the way. With their newfound sense of teamwork, they approach the tournament with a fresh outlook and renewed determination, ready to show the world what they’re made of - not just as players, but as a team united in friendship and fun!

Happy Holidays :)

Darren

The Importance of Story Writing for Ages 4-6

Writing stories is an important tool for children's development. It encourages creativity, imagination, and critical thinking as they construct narratives and explore new worlds. Although the benefits crafting stories universal, different age groups encounter distinct challenges, and approach story writing uniquely. For the littlest ones, like kindergarten and grade 1, stories become delightful adventures, stimulating creativity and vocabulary acquisition. As children progress to grades 2-4, they embrace structure and character development, refining their storytelling skills. By grades 5-6, they delve into more complex narratives, fostering critical thinking and emotional intelligence.

In this first of a series of posts we’ll take a closer look at what story writing looks like for ages 4-6.

Why Story Writing for Ages 4-6 Matters

1.Enhances communication skills: Writing stories helps young students develop basic vocabulary and sentence structure, laying the foundation for effective communication.

2. Stimulates creativity: Storytelling encourages imaginative thinking and helps young children express their ideas and experiences.

3. Builds fine motor skills: The physical act of writing stories with pencils or crayons promotes fine motor skill development.

4. Boosts confidence: Creating stories allows young students to share their ideas and thoughts, boosting their self-confidence and sense of accomplishment.

Common Challenges that Young Writers often Face

By understanding the specific challenges that students may face at different age levels, educators can provide targeted support, guidance, and strategies to help students overcome these obstacles and grow as writers.

1. Limited vocabulary: Young students may struggle to find and use a wide range of words to express their ideas.

2. Sentence structure: Formulating complete sentences and using correct grammar may be challenging for early writers.

3. Spelling and phonics: Basic spelling and phonetic skills are still developing, which can make writing accurately a challenge.

4. Focus and attention span: Maintaining concentration for extended periods of writing may be difficult for young students.

Fostering Young Creativity: Encouraging Storytelling in 4-6 Year Olds

Encouragement is crucial to help students persevere and continue writing, regardless of their age group. Here are some strategies that parents, educators, and workshop leaders can use to help students build confidence and cultivate a lifelong love for writing.:

1. Provide positive feedback: Acknowledge their efforts and celebrate their accomplishments, emphasizing their creativity and ideas.

2. Offer praise for specific elements: Highlight specific details in their writing, such as a well-described character or an interesting event.

3. Keep it playful: Make writing enjoyable and fun by incorporating games, storytelling, and imaginative activities into the process.

4. Use visual aids: Incorporate visuals like illustrations, picture prompts, or storyboards to stimulate their imagination and provide inspiration.

Tales From Early Years: What to Expect in Ages 4-6 Writing

Here is a general overview of what one might expect from this age group:

1. Basic sentence structure: Kindergarten and grade 1 students may use simple sentences with limited complexity. They might rely on repetitive phrases or familiar story patterns.

2. Imaginative themes: Young writers in these grades often gravitate towards imaginative and fantastical themes, such as talking animals, magical adventures, or imaginary friends.

3. Emotions & experiences: Kindergarten and grade 1 students often draw inspiration from their personal experiences and emotions. Encourage them to express their feelings and incorporate relatable moments into their stories.

4. Simple plot structure: Stories from these grades may follow a basic structure of beginning, middle, and end. Help them identify characters, setting, problem, and resolution.

Young Minds in Motion: Story Writing Prompts for Ages 4-6

1. Imagine you found a magical object in your backyard. Write a story about what happens when you touch it.

2. Write a story about your favorite animal going on an adventure.

3. Create a story about a day at the beach using only pictures.

4. Write a story about a friendly monster that lives in your closet.

5. Imagine you could fly like a bird. What would you do? Write a story about your amazing adventure.

6. Write a story about a talking animal that visits your school.

7. Imagine you have a magic wand that can grant three wishes. What would you wish for?

8. Write a story about a lost toy that goes on a journey to find its owner.

9. Create a story about a silly character who loves to tell jokes.

10. Imagine you could visit any place in the world. Write a story about your incredible trip.