Pera Museum Learning Programs are organizing summer workshops for children aged between four and 12 as part of the "Out of Ink: Interpretations from Chinese Contemporary Art" exhibition. A selection from the creative works of the children that attend the workshops, which started on July 2, will meet spectators on Aug. 8 with the third edition of the "Summer Summer Summer" exhibition.
As part of the program, inspired by the "Out of Ink" exhibition, "Spin 'n' Paint, Blow up Bubbles!," "Dreams on a Fabric" and "Live Fairy Tales" events are being held for children between four and six years old. "Stop–Motion Animation: Ink Painting," "Shadow Figures Take Stage," "Colorful Paints Made Out of Fruits and Vegetables," "Light Painting: Photography" and "Color Loop: Pendulum Painting" are the workshops designed for children between seven and 12.
"Fantastic Short Story Workshop" and "From Chinese Contemporary Art to Illustration" are the other workshops in the program for the youth aged between nine and 12. While all the productions at the end of the workshops, which is on June 27, will be on display at the digital exhibition, a selection from the works can be also seen at Pera Learning workshop between Aug. 8 and Sept. 22.
Spin 'n' Paint, Blow up Bubbles!
At this workshop, scenery and abstract pieces from the exhibition that aims to show that there is more to ink than its traditional perception are analyzed first. In the first part of the workshop, experimental paintings are created via salad spinners and acrylic paints and the rich harmony of the colors are discovered. In the second part, colorful bubbly solutions with paints are prepared, and children blow them onto papers. Among the workshop's gains are causation, hand-eye coordination, and creativity.
Dreams on a Fabric
Which emotions trigger colors? If colors had scents, what would they be like? Children, at the workshop, will draw, on a fabric, abstract figures of our choice with felt-tip markers. Then, using water sprays, they will observe the interaction of color pigments with water and explore how water liberates drawings into new patterns.
Live Fairy Tales
At the Live Fairy Tales workshop, children go on a journey to the magical world of fairy tales. Inspired by the exhibition, this activity melds fairy tales and imagined space. The workshop also gives the opportunity to paint the picture of the fairy tale via a number of materials including watercolor and felt-tip markers. Children gain awareness on altruism and integrity, taking responsibilities, and restraining from marginalizing those we deem different.
Stop-Motion Animation: Ink Painting
Ready to shoot an animated film with ink painting? At this workshop, children experiment with stop-motion, an animated-film making technique which gives an impression that fixed three-dimensional objects are moving. They first add alternating amounts of water into ink to get various hues and use a soft brush to create lavi painting. Then, they take photos of the lines and spots, which are gradually added onto the paper, and produce an animated film.
Shadow Figures Take Stage
This two-phased workshop first takes children on an adventure with the young warrior who seeks ice at Tang Bohua's short animation "The Country of Summer Insects." They use recycling materials, cardboard, foam and paints to create animated shadow play characters. This will be followed by an analysis of the lights and shadows in the Xu Bing's installation "Background Story," unveiling the stage and backstage details. Through lights and shadow play trials with their own characters, they design their very own shadow play theater.
Colorful Paints Made Out of Fruits and Vegetables
We didn't have paint tubes back in the old days! Paints of various colors were produced from fruits, vegetables, plants, even insects. During this workshop, children start with how Chinese contemporary art uses the ink and go on to create a color palette of natural inks made out of lemons, strawberries, Japanese plums, and mulberries. These paints reveal not only a striking appearance but also a dazzling smell and great taste! In the making of both the paints and the paintings on canvas, they will use their hands a lot, and they will be able to taste them just as they wish to.
Light Painting: Photography
At this workshop, children replace paper with the air that surrounds us, and paints with colorful lights. As they paint, they learn about the basics of photography and light.
Color Loop: Pendulum Painting
At this workshop inspired by Liang Wei's works to adopt STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) as an alternative method to today's world of virtual reality created by cutting-edge technological tools, children apply the pendulum painting technique and learn about gravity. They observe a pendulum's repetitive, regular orbital motion.
From Chinese Contemporary Art to Illustration
Chinese artists from the "Out of Ink" exhibition reinterpret Chinese ink art with modern techniques. Inspired by the artists, this workshop aims to reinterpret illustration.
Fantastic Short Story Workshop
Children start this workshop by defining story and inspiration, and then they discuss how to acquire the habit of writing. Following a discussion on the creative works from Chinese contemporary art, which appeared in the exhibition, and a couple of globally renowned examples from children's fantasy literature, they write their very own fantasy short story. Lastly, they take a look at several book covers and design a cover for their story with colored pencils and papers.
