| HSS Forum HSS Blog Ami's Blog - Walking By The Way HSS on Facebook | ||||||
| about us |
what's new
|
unit studies | unit study helps |
fiar resources
|
indexes | lapbooking |
Hana in the Time of Tulips
| Author: Deborah Noyes Illustrator: Bagram Ibatoulline ISBN: 0763641316 Summary: It is the time of the tulips, and little Hana misses the attention previously given to her by her now much-distracted, dejected, tulipomaniac father. These days, he is interested only in wealth and trade, bulbs and business; Hana and her dog are banished from the North Garden where Papa's flowers, which once brought pleasure, grow. Noyes's unaffected child's-eye view of the baffling turn of events that drove Holland's economy to collapse focuses on family and on the innocent concern of a child for her father: he is sad, and her simple and fondest wish is to make him smile again. unit and lapbook prepared by Wende |
Tulip Mania Word Problem Flaps
Tulip Ups and Downs Simplefold
Baroque Border Fold and Sepia Accordion Fold
Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates by Mary Mapes Dodge Free e-book
"The Pink Tulip" excerpted from Boys and Girls of Colonial Days by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey
Stories of the Pilgrims by Margaret B. Pumphrey (especially chapters 6 – 15 which describe 1600’s Holland in detail)
Discovering Great Artists by MaryAnn Kohl and Kim Solga
Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists, Rembrandt by Mike Venezia
Greed is having a selfish or excessively eager desire to gain more money or possessions. Ask your child who it was in the story that demonstrated greed. It was Papa who devoted himself to wanting riches and more riches. Sometimes people get so focused on making (or keeping) money that they lose focus of the blessings right in front of them. And sometimes people trust in their riches instead of in God. Ask your child to tell you in his own words what this verse means:
1 Timothy 6:10 – For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Explain that money in and of itself is not evil, but loving money to the point that you forget about God or your faith in God is evil.
Now read this verse to your child:
Mark 10:24 - 25 – Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Explain that it is wrong for a person to trust in his riches instead of God. This verse does not mean that a rich person can’t get into heaven, but rather a person trusting in his riches will lack the faith in God necessary to enter the kingdom.
Ask your child if there was ever a time that he felt greedy, maybe wanting more than his share of dessert, or maybe striving so hard to get something he wanted that he sinned in order to get it. Maybe you can share a time that you yourself demonstrated greed, and what you learned from that experience.
When Papa asked for a cure for dark thoughts, Hana prescribed fireflies. While fireflies may bring a temporary smile, the real cure for keeping away dark thoughts is found in the Bible.
Dark thoughts could be sad, scary, and/or sinful thoughts. The Bible has a lot to say about what we think. Dark thoughts come from Satan, who wants our minds to be filled with bad things that dishonor God. Satan hates God, and he hates that we are made in God’s image, so he tries to hurt God through us. God wants our minds to be filled with good things that honor Him, because He knows that these things will bless us and help us live fulfilling lives. So how do we get rid of dark thoughts and make them good?
First, we need to remember that everything Satan says is a lie, and he will work hard at getting us to believe them. God hates lies, and will help us sort out the lies from the truth if we just ask Him.
2 Corinthians 10:5 says:
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
So if we have bad thoughts, or even thoughts that we are not sure about, ask God to first take it captive, and then to confirm whether or not it is a lie from Satan. God will then replace it with a truth.
Second, we need to replace the dark thoughts with light.
Philippians 4:8 says:
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
These are the things God wants our minds to be filled with, not dark thoughts. In the beginning, it may be hard to change the dark thoughts to Godly thoughts, but with lots of practice and prayer it will eventually happen!
This story takes place in Holland, also called the Netherlands. The people of Holland are called “Dutch” and so is their language. Have your child locate Holland on the world map, on the continent of Europe, in the lowland region near the North Sea. Most of Holland is below sea level, so all kinds of dykes and dam systems have been built to keep the waters from flooding the country. The capital is Amsterdam, and the seaside town of Haarlem can be found to the west of it. Haarlem has been the center of the bulb-growing industry for many years. Other important industries are cheese, especially Edam and Gouda, as well as radios, textiles, and pottery. One of the first things children often think of when Holland is mentioned is a windmill. Windmills were once used to pump water out of the low-lying areas. They are not as common today. Another thing children often relate to Holland is the wooden shoe. Have child complete lapbook components about Holland:
This story takes place between1634 and 1637, during the Renaissance, which was between the Middle Ages and modern times. The Renaissance began towards the end of the fourteenth century, after approximately ¼ of the European population died from the Plague and people rethought their priorities. This period in history is marked by a renewed interest in spirituality separate from the State Church, learning, exploration, and fine arts. It began in Italy and gradually spread to the rest of Europe, including Holland.
During the late 1500’s and early 1600’s, the tail end of the Renaissance, Holland was under the control of Spain, then the principal European power. The Dutch did not like the oppression of Spain. They did not like how the Spanish treated the Dutch, especially Protestants living there who did not agree with the Roman Catholic Church. The reading of the Bible was forbidden, as were all gatherings for devotion or religious discussion. The Spanish Inquisition, as it was called, brought to their deaths thousands of Dutch. So, in 1568 Holland revolted against Spain to loosen its tyrannical grip. This led to a war lasting eighty years, save 1609 to 1621 when Spain and Holland had a Twelve Year Truce. Finally in 1648 (about 12 years after this story takes place), Spain signed a treaty and Holland finally gained both political and religious freedom. The Dutch government was different than any Europe had ever seen, called a Republic among all the European monarchies. Show your child Rembrandt’s “Night Watch”, painted in 1642, showing the Dutch Army.
Your child may recall that it was in 1620 that the Pilgrims came to America from Europe. Ask her if she remembers where they had first visited, Holland, just 10 or so years before Hana was born. This was during the Twelve Year Truce with Spain. The Pilgrims felt safe there, because the Dutch people believed in freedom of religion. What they didn’t expect to find was a country where without the laws of religion, there were many who felt licensed to do as they pleased. While freedom is a good and necessary thing, there will always be people that think they have freedom to sin. Much good comes out of a free society though, prosperity, education, and invention being among them. It was this freedom that propelled the Dutch into becoming great merchants and starting the historical economic phenomena called “Tulipmania”.
Complete Timeline Accordion. Key dates are as follows:
1300’s – Renaissance Begins
1568 – Holland Revolted Against Spain
1600-1750 – Baroque Period
1606 – Rembrandt Born
1609-1621 – Twelve Year Truce
1609-1620 – Pilgrims in Holland
1634 – Beginning of Tulipmania
1637 – End of Tulipmania
1648 – Holland Gains Freedom
1669 – Rembrandt Died
There are many different kinds of workers throughout this story. The job somebody does for a living is called his or her occupation. Some of the occupations mentioned or pictured were physician, merchant, nurse, artist, cook, and gardener. Discuss with your child which of the occupations he finds most appealing and why. Older children may want to conduct an interview with someone working in the various occupations, either in person or on the phone.
Hana and her father have a special relationship. They play pretend together, they feel each other’s pain, and they love each other very much. Bedtime every night was a special, anticipated time for Hana. Ask your daughter (or son) if she has any special games or routines that are reserved for just her and her father. Review Hana’s bedtime throughout the story. Does your daughter have a similar routine? Maybe a special memory of a specific bedtime tradition? If so, describe it in Bedtime Memory Shutterfold. If not, try to start a routine for some special Daddy-Daughter time.
Science
Tulips –
Tulips are popular spring-flowering bulbs. They are often associated with Holland, and are frequently imported from there, but they actually originated in the Middle East. Tulips come in just about every color except blue. They have cup shaped flowers that can be double or single, fringed or twisted, perfumed or non-scented. They can grow up to 2 ½ feet tall and have broad, smooth leaves that will quickly fade in summertime heat. Tulips bloom in April and May, and the flowers are short lived, lasting only about a week.
Tulips grow from bulbs. Inside the bulb is a solid stem, flower bud, and leaf bases where the plant’s food is stored. Roots will grow from the bottom of the bulb, to hold the plant in place. The flower bud will push up through the top of the bulb and grow into a beautiful blossom.
The flower has four parts:
Petals - the lovely, colorful blossom that attracts bees, insects and birds to help with pollination.
Pistils - the female reproductive part, which stores the egg cells.
Stamens - the male reproductive part that produces the pollen that is needed to produce seeds.
Sepals - small green leaf-like petals that surround the flower to protect a young flower.
When a bulb grows into the flower, the original bulb will disappear, but a small bulblett forms in its place, as do several buds. Properly cultivated, these buds will become bulbs of their own. Bulbs can be uprooted and moved about from June to September. Tulips need a cold winter in order to go dormant and store up enough food for their spring blossoms. If you live in a warmer area, you can purchase pre-cooled bulbs that can be planted. If you are sharing this book during the fall months, it would be fun for your children to plant a tulip garden to bring some beautiful color to your spring yard.
Tulip Components (includes bulb flapbook, tulip graduated book, and tulip parts bi-fold)
Hana’s family had an herb garden. Herbs are plants that sometimes grow wild and can also be cultivated. They have been used since the beginning of time to season foods, for medicinal purposes, and for products such as soap, shampoo, lotion, and perfume. One herb grown in Papa’s garden was Rosemary.
Hana prescribed rosemary to help Papa’s memory. There has always been much superstition surrounding this herb. Ancient Grecians used to wear the herb around their necks to improve their memories. During the Middle Ages it was believed to ward off evil spirits. The rosemary branches were burnt to prevent the Plague. What exactly is this wonder herb?
Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis, is a pretty evergreen perennial grown from seed or cuttings that grows to 72” and spreads up to 24”. The needle-shaped foliage is gray-green. The plant likes a sandy soil in full sun. The leaves and flowers can be used either fresh or dried. As a seasoning, the herb goes well with fish, chicken, tomatoes, eggs, and bread. The dried leaves are also used for facials, lotions, potpourri, and hair rinses. There has been much advancement in the medical field since the 1600’s, and while there is no medical proof that rosemary aids memory, it is known to help arthritis, and minor wounds and bruises when used externally. Recent studies suggest that a dietary supplement of rosemary extract greatly decreases the occurrence of mammary tumors (breast cancer).
Fresh rosemary can often be found in the produce section of the grocery store, and dried can be found in the spice section. Encourage your child to smell the leaves, and maybe even wear some to see if it helps the memory!
Hana thought fireflies may chase away Papa’s dark thoughts. Fireflies, also called lightening bugs, are not flies at all but rather beetles. They add to the pleasure of a warm summer’s night. Complete Firefly Components as you learn more about this interesting insect.
Classification –
Kingdom – Animal
Phylum – Arthropoda (jointed foot)
Class – Insecta (3 body parts, 6 legs)
Order – Coleoptera (Beetles - sheathed wing, chewing mouth parts)
Family - Lampyridae
Habitat –
Fireflies are found on every continent except Antarctica. They only come out when it is warm. The larva live underground or in rotted wood or rubbish. The adults live in vegetation.
Anatomy –
Like all insects, fireflies have three main body parts, the thorax, head, and abdomen. They have six legs. Adult male fireflies have two sets of wings, while the females have only one, or sometimes none at all. They are usually a dark brown or black, with red or orange markings. They are about a half inch long.
Reproduction –
Using their lights to attract a mate, the female will lay eggs that are fertilized by the male. A metamorphosis takes place with the egg changing into a larva, then a pupa, and then an adult.
Diet –
The larva and pupa feed on small insect. The adults eat the same, but not as much.
How do they light? –
A firefly’s light comes from two juices that it makes inside of its own body. Neither of the juices glow by themselves, but when they are mixed together a chemical reaction takes place and they begin to glow. The light is cool, like the light of a fluorescent bulb. Ask your child if he has ever had a glow tube, which he had to break and shake to get it to glow. This is the same basic principle. In some species, the eggs and larva of the firefly can also glow. They are often referred to as glowworms.
The Gardener recommended putting worms in the earth to give it life. Worms are constantly burrowing and tunneling through the earth, gobbling up bits of dead leaves, insects, and other debris as they go. They then digest this mixture and the waste they cast out is loaded with minerals and nutrients that plants love. Worms also improve the soil by loosening up the dirt so that roots can spread easily, and the castings retain rainwater that the plants need to thrive. For many, many years, gardeners around the world have known the power of the worm in garden soil. Worms are intriguing animals to study, so share as much or as little information as your child finds interesting. Child can complete Worm Components as desired. If your student wants to learn more about worms, try the Earthworm Lapbook at HSS.
Classification –
Kingdom – Animal
Phylum – Annelida (segmented worms)
Class – Oligochaeta (“few long hairs”; having setae)
Order – Lubricum (earthworm)
Species - Scientists believe that there are up to 8,000 different species of segmented worms.
Habitat – Worms live anywhere in the world where there is moist soil. You won’t find them in dry deserts or places where the ground stays frozen most of the time. Some varieties, usually the smaller ones, tend to live near the surface of the soil, while the larger ones can make tunnels as far as 6 feet down.
Size – While most worms are just a few inches long, there is a type living in the Pacific Northwest that grow up to 3 feet long, and a humongous type living in Australia that grows to 11 feet!
Anatomy – A worm’s body is divided into rings, or segments called annuli. Each segment has four pairs of hair like hooks, called setae, used to help pull the worm forward. Worms have 2 muscles, one running lengthwise and one running around the worm. These muscles expand and contract to help the worm inch through the soil. Worms have no eyes, ears, or lungs. The find what they need through temperature and touch and they take in oxygen through their skin. They do have a mouth at one end, and an anus at the other.
Reproduction – Worms are asexual, meaning that they are both male and female. Two worms still need to mate to reproduce, and they do this by exchanging sperm cells, which are secreted along with the eggs into little cocoons. About three months later new worms wriggle out.
Food Chain – Worms are an important part of the food chain. Plants are eaten by worms that are eaten by birds that are eaten by cats. Worms are even part of a human’s food chain! We eat fowl such as chickens that eat worms, and in some South American communities, worms are actually cooked up for a special treat!
Activity – Make a worm compost bin! You can then add this compost to your garden to “give it life”. You will need:
A plastic storage bin, at least 8 inches deep
Bedding materials such as shredded newspaper, fallen leaves, and peat moss, soil
Worms (red worms will work best but any can be used)
Plastic garbage bag
Food scraps
Step 1: Put small drainage holes in the bottom of the bin, less than ¼ “
Step 2: Fill the bin halfway with bedding. Mix the different materials and moisten the bedding evenly.
Step 3: Add at least a dozen worms (about a pound of worms if you are ordering them special for this project)
Step 4: Cover the bin with the plastic bag. Put the bin in a cool, shady spot where it won’t be disturbed by any critters.
Step 5: Check your bin daily, adding fruit and vegetable scraps to the bin. They could be peels, wilted lettuce, tea bags, stale bread, coffee grounds, etc. Don’t use any meat or dairy products.
Step 6: Don’t let the bin dry out. Spray it as needed with cool water/
After a while you will find that your worms multiplied and need more food. You will also find, in about 3 months or so, that most of the bedding was used up and turned to a rich compost. At this time you can either dump your whole bin, worms and all, into a nice garden bed, or you can take out half of the compost and worms, and add in new bedding material, continuing your worm compost bin.
Anatomy (Human Heart) -
When Hana played doctor she listened to Papa’s heart. Is your child familiar
with the function of the human heart? It is a strong muscle about the size of
your first, and never stops pumping. Your heart is actually two pumps that work
side by side. The right side pumps blood to your lungs, where it picks up
oxygen. The left side pumps the oxygen filled blood out and through your body
more than 1000 times a day. Your cells need oxygen to keep you alive. Each side
of your heart has two chambers, called auricles and ventricles. A fun and
informative book about the human body is Blood and Guts by Linda Allison.
It includes many experiments as well as instructions for dissecting a lamb
heart, which is very similar to a human heart. Maybe your child would like to
create a model heart or draw a sketch to add to your lapbook. Complete
Heart Chambers Lapbook
Component
if desired. Answer key:
1. Left auricle.
2. Left ventricle, 3. Right auricle. 4. Right ventricle.
Lots of info and printables about the heart
Language Arts
Renowned – famous
Merchants – one who buys and sells items for a profit
Associates – a business partner or colleague
Prescribe – to order a remedy
Means – resources or wealth
Guilders – Dutch coin (now called a gulden) used in 17th century Dutch colonies of the New World. Six guilders equaled one English pound sterling
Stuivers – Dutch coin. 20 Stuivers equaled a guilder.
Broadsheets – a large sheet of paper printed on one side
Bedchamber – bedroom
Parcel – a package that is wrapped up
Peddling – traveling about selling wares
Vixen – turbulent, quarrelsome
1. Why did Papa stop walking in the garden with Hana? (Because he devoted himself to wanting)
A simile is a figure of speech comparing two unlike things to each other using the words “like” or “as”. This is usually done to give the reader a better visual idea of the subject being written about.
“And tulips in those days were as precious as gold.”
“Hana tried to concentrate on his question, but her eyelids drooped and closed like petals.”
Language Arts Components (includes Simile tri-fold, Perspective simple fold, and Italics three flap)
Personification is a literary device in which the author elevates an animal, object, or idea to the level of a human such that it takes on the characteristics of a human personality. In many of the HSS and/or FIAR stories you may have read, you may have come across animals or machines that were personified (such as Stuart Little or Katy and the Big Snow) In Hana, the tulips “bowed their gorgeous, heavy heads, shy for once, in the dark.” Do tulips have heads? Do they have the emotional ability to be shy? Of course not, but the author was personifying the tulips, giving them human characteristics, bringing the reader to imagine a shy tulip. If your child doesn’t bring up this literary term on his own, just make mention of it.
The perspective is the position or angle from which a story is told. This story is told from the perspective of Hana. The author, Deborah Noyes, said, “…I started to wonder how the phenomenon might have looked from a child’s-eye view. Children have always witnessed history in the making, even if they aren’t often invited to comment on it.” Throughout the story we read how Hana saw her father, sad, forgetful, unwell. As a child, she doesn’t understand the complexities of tulipmania, or the financial situation of her father. She just knew she missed their games, jokes, and bedtime routines. Discuss the different ways Hana thought she could help her father. Ask your child if there was ever a time when he felt like Hana. Sometimes parents get caught up in the rigors of life and forget to look at the “child’s eye view”. If you are one of those parents, try to reconnect with your child, seeing life from his perspective, and follow the author’s advice: “I hope the book encourages families to pause more, to value each other and their time together, which is – like the tulip – fleeting and precious.”
You will see many words printed in italics throughout this story. Italics are a style of type that is slightly slanted. It is used to indicate a foreign word that has not been adopted in the English language. Such is the case with Semper Augustus. They are also used for poems, such as the one Hana sang about the daisies. Italics are also used to bring emphasis to a word, examples being her, the tulip, all, and frown. As you read through the story with your child, point out this printing style.
People paid a lot of money for the tulip bulbs during Tulipmania. Oftentimes items were traded for the bulbs. Using the following values, figure out just how much each bulb cost. (g. = guilder) (Note: prices are estimates. Keep in mind the average craftsman made only 300 guilders a year)
|
1 lb. Cheese |
1 g. |
Oxen |
50 g. |
Pig |
15 g. |
Sheep |
20 g. |
|
Load Wheat |
500 g. |
Load Rye |
400 g. |
1 ton butter |
250 g. |
1 bed |
800 g. |
Problem 1:
One man paid for just one Viceroy tulip bulb with one thousand pounds of cheese, four oxen, eight pigs, twelve sheep, and one bed. How much did the bulb cost him?
Cheese - 1000 guilders
Oxen 200 guilders
Pigs 120 guilders
Sheep - 240 guilders
___________________________
Total: 1560 guilders
Problem 2:
Another man bought a bulb with two loads of wheat and four of rye, four fat oxen, eight pigs, a dozen sheep, four tons of butter, a thousand pounds of cheese, and a bed. How much did the bulb cost him?
Wheat - 1000 guilders
Rye - 1600 guilders
Oxen - 200 guilders
Pigs - 120 guilders
Sheep - 240 guilders
Butter - 1000 guilders
Cheese - 1000 guilders
Bed - 800 guilders
________________________
Total: 5960 guilders
Problem 3:
The average cost of a bulb was around 3000 guilders. Show the items a man may have traded totaling 3000 guilders.
Tulip Mania Word Problem Flaps
November, 1635 – 200 guilders
November, 1636 – 380 guilders
February, 1637 – 750 guilders
April, 1637 – 1100 guilders
June, 1637 – 1500 guilders
August, 1637 – 5900 guilders
December, 1637 – 1 guilder
Between what two time periods was the largest peak?
Between what two time periods was the largest drop?
Using Tulip Ups and Downs Simplefold, graph the tulip prices during Tulip Mania.
The tulips grew beyond a fence in the North Garden. The direction “North” is pointing towards the North Pole. Discuss a compass rose with your younger child, pointing out the cardinal directions, north, east, south, and west. A good mnemonic device to remember the order of the directions going clockwise is “never eat shredded wheat”.
For older children, explain that the directions can get more specific than just north, south, east and west. The distances between each of these cardinal points is measured in degrees, separated by quadrants. Print Compass Quadrant Fold on cardstock. Show your child how a circle is 360 degrees, and each quadrant is 90 degrees. This system of measuring is especially needed for navigation and surveying, when very specific locations are needed. Instead of just saying “south” you would say specifically “190 degrees south”, or simply “190 degrees”. The top of the compass, will say either 360 degrees or 0 degrees, and will always point north. 90 degrees is east, 180 degrees is south, 270 degrees is west.
Look with your child at the picture of the estate. Can he find Hana and the dog playing? (SW corner) Have your child give you directions from the gate where Hana is playing to the bed of tulips, and then back again. For the younger child they may sound something like: Go northwest. Turn east at the first road. Take that until the road splits. Make a left, going north until you come to the next road. Turn right and travel northeast until the road ends. Etc. etc. For the older child they may sound something like this: Leaving the gate, go 315 degrees till the road splits. Go 90 degrees east until road splits again. Travel 360 degrees north and make your first right, etc. etc. Complete Corner Flap Direction Fold.
Read the Author’s Notes in the back of the book. It gives further details of the phenomenon called “tulipmania”. Some of the terms may be difficult for your child to understand, so here are some definitions to help you:
Imported – when a product is brought in from another country. The tulip bulbs were originally imported to Holland from the Middle East. Ask your child if he can think of any items that are imported to this country. Today, many of tulips sold in America are imported from Holland.
Supply and Demand – The demand for tulip bulbs skyrocketed. Introduce to your child the law of supply and demand. There was a demand for the tulips, as people thought of them as status symbols. The supply, however, was lacking, which made the prices go up even further. Had the supply been plentiful, the demand would have decreased and so would have the prices.
Capital Resources - Capital resources are machines and tools used in producing a good or service. The growers scrambled to perfect methods for cultivating and transporting their tulips.
Speculation – Speculation is an investment involving risk with hopes of a large profit. Speculators would sell bulbs that were not in existence yet, on the promise that they would be produced. When the bulbs did not produce, the speculators had to refund the money, and became poverty stricken in doing so.
Loan Collateral – Tulips were used as collateral for loans. Collateral is an object of worth that is used to secure a loan. Often times land and/or cars are used for collateral on loans. During tulipmania, the bulbs were worth as much and more than land!
Crash – A crash in the business world is a complete collapse. The tulip bulb business crashed in 1637.
Bankruptcy – When a person is unable to pay his debts, even after exhausting all his resources including his property in an effort to pay his creditors, he is considered bankrupt.
Tulips should be planted 5 inches apart. If a tulip bulb is 2” wide, how many tulips will it take to plant a row 35 feet long? 35 x 12 = 420 inches; 420 / (5+2) = 60 bulbs needed
45 tulip bulbs cost $19.95. How much is each tulip? 19.95 / 45 = .44 each
If you have a bulb catalog, have your child make up his own word problems.
Art –
Hana’s art assignment was to draw eyes. Eyes are one of the most important parts of the human body. Besides performing the functions of sight, they are a reflection of a person’s emotions, personality, thoughts, and expressions. Artists take great care in how they draw eyes, as the mood of the whole work can be altered by the expression of the eye. Have your child look at various eyes. They may be the real eyes of family members, photographs of eyes, or paintings that show expressive eyes. If you have a book including works of Rembrandt, especially show those eyes. Ask your child what he can tell about people, just by looking at their eyes. Are they happy or sad? Are they young or old? Are they dreamy or deep in thought? What are they thinking? Have your child choose his favorite eye and use it as a model to draw from.
Step 1: Study what the eye really is. Rembrandt got good at drawing portraits by studying live (and dead) models. Look at the pupil (the black area in the center), the area that contracts in size when light hits it. Look at the iris, the area that gives us our eye color. Look at the white of the eye. Look at the overall shape of the eye, with its curves, its depth, and its sheen. Look at the skin on the eyelids, and the eyelashes. All eyes are different.
Step 2: Draw an outline. Lightly sketch the basic oval shape of the eye.
Step 3: Draw the eyeball within the oval shape. Fill in the inner and outer corners.
Step 4: Draw the pupil. Place it to be looking in the direction you want it to.
Step 5: Draw in skin texture details around the eye such as lids, lines, wrinkles, etc.
Step 6: Look at the reflections and shadows on your model eye. Shade in the left and right curved areas of your eye to give it roundness. Leave some spots on the eyeball white to show reflections.
Step 7: Examine
the model eye’s eyelashes and eyebrows. Look at the direction the hair grows,
and the thickness of each hair. Carefully add eyelashes and eyebrows to your eye
drawing.
Drawing eyes takes a lot of practice, but the more you practice the better you will get. After you practice these basic steps with your child, she may be ready to try her hand at more complex shading techniques such as those in this tutorial.
Hana always looked forward to Rembrandt’s visits. Rembrandt Harmensz van Rivn was a great painter born in Leyden, Holland in 1606. He was the son of a miller and studied in the Latin school of his birthplace. His parents knew he had talent and wanted him to learn with the best artists out there. In 1630 he moved to Amsterdam where he became a portrait painter and gained many pupils. During the 1600’s cameras weren’t invented yet. If a person wanted a picture of himself or his family he would hire an artist to paint a portrait. Rembrandt was very good at painting these portraits.
It was in Amsterdam that he met and married his wife, Saskia, with whom he had one living child. When Saskia died nine years after they were married, Rembrandt married Hendrickje with whom he had a daughter. Rembrandt had used both Saskia and Hendrickje as models for his paintings.
In addition to painting portraits, Rembrandt enjoyed painting pictures of Bible characters and scenes, mythological characters, and groups of people. He painted many, many self-portraits, often practicing for an upcoming job. Still life paintings, such as the Semper Augustus, were actually not his favorite subjects. He made a good living as an art teacher and by selling his paintings. However, he went into great debt by buying a large house and many famous works of art for his personal collection. All of his furniture and art, and even his house, were sold at auction. He died a poor man in Amsterdam on Oct. 8, 1669.
Rembrandt created over a thousand works during his lifetime. His paintings are in museums and galleries all around the world.
Sepia –
The insides of the front and back covers, as well as the smaller inset illustrations found throughout the story, are done with a reddish brown pigment. This style of art is called sepia. Originally, these colors were obtained from the secretions of the cuttlefish, found most often in European waters. The secretions were made into a pigment that could be used straight, to make the fine, dark lines, or could be watered down to use as a filler color. Today, sepia artwork can be done using synthetic pigments. Many computer programs also can change any picture to “sepia”, giving it only the reddish brown hues. Encourage your child to make his own sepia illustration, either with brown paints or on the computer.
Rembrandt’s works in sepia here and here
The illustrator of Hana in the Time of the Tulips, Bagram Ibatoulline, studied the paintings of seventeenth century Dutch artists in order to duplicate the style and tone. After you have examined numerous works of Rembrandt, compare the works to the illustrations in our story. How did he do? Encourage your child to make a masterpiece of his own, duplicating the same style and tone. Use it for the cover of lapbook, if desired.