Ready for another summer theme? It is a good one--artists. Art and artists are a fun summer focus. You can read books, watch videos, do crafts and visit museums. It is so fun!! Today we are going to focus on the Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai. At the end of the post will be a roundup of resources on Hokusai as well as a roundup of resources on other famous artists. Today's products are not completely books. The first is Hokusai Prints Sticker Book: A Collection of Over 160 Removable Color Stickers by the Great Artist compiled by Tuttle Studio and illustrated by Katsushika Hokusai.
About the Book:
The 160 stickers of woodblock prints and iconic art in this book span the full range of Hokusai's subjects—from serene landscapes and intricate nature studies to lively scenes of Kabuki actors, Samurai in battle and Yokai monsters and demons. These stylish stickers are perfect for decorating journals, scrapbooks, note cards, and adding an elegant touch to gifts of any kind!Katsushika Hokusai's works are celebrated for their dynamic compositions, vibrant colors, and innovative use of perspective. His most famous series, "Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji," includes the iconic "The Great Wave off Kanagawa," showcasing his mastery in capturing the power and beauty of nature. Hokusai's oeuvre spans a wide range of subjects, from serene landscapes and intricate nature studies to lively scenes of daily life and detailed portraits of kabuki actors. Blending traditional Japanese techniques with Western influences, Hokusai's art remains influential and admired worldwide.
The dramatic Hokusai subjects included in this deluxe hardcover volume are:
- "Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji" — Hokusai's greatest work, featuring unusual views of Japan's sacred mountain, including the iconic "Great Wave off Kanagawa"
- "A Tour of Japan's Waterfalls" — Depicting Japan's scenic mountain waterfalls in dramatic compositions
- "Snow, Moon, and Flowers" — Sensual beauty and natural landscapes including
- "Kabuki Actors" — Leading actors of the day, depicting iconic characters from Japanese history
- Plus many more!
About the Artist:
Katsushika Hokusai was deeply dedicated to his craft, leading a life marked by continuous exploration and reinvention. Born in 1760 in Edo (now Tokyo), he began his journey in art as an apprentice to Katsukawa Shunsho, where he mastered the ukiyo-e style. Throughout his career, he created over 30,000 works, ranging from woodblock prints to sketches and book illustrations. He passed away on May 10, 1849, but his legacy endures, influencing countless artists and movements globally. (Source)
From Me:
Ok, I am going to admit that I am really excited for this sticker book because they are the perfect size to be artwork in my dollhouses!! Yes, my dollhouses and booknooks are going to have Hokusai hanging in them!! I love the variety of them. The book has a double page spread about Hokusai. Did you know he created 30,000 pieces of artwork and inspired artists like van Gogh, Monet, Manet and Degas? I remember seeing a van Gogh (I believe) show at a museum that said van Gogh actually owned Hokusai prints. After the information the pages between the sticker pages have full page images of some of Hokusai's artwork. It is beautiful!!
I love the variety of subjects and sizes there are in this sticker book. Some fun ideas to do with the stickers are to make cards and gifts, to use stickers to keep track of Hokusai artwork you have studied or seen, or just to reward the kids for learning about him. I remember Hazel coming home from first or second grade telling me all about him and his Great Wave, you probably have seen a picture of it. I don't think I have ever seen his flowers and more nature settings besides the wave or more typical looking Japanese art. I love how this book shares more than just his popular or famous work. It also tells you the name of the work and the time it was created. The smaller stickers are details from the larger pieces. This book is perfect for looking at his amazing artwork from the comfort of your home. You will be able to check out some of his pieces with these stickers and then see some of the details from the smaller ones. I wonder what your child's favorite will be. What will yours be? Mine is "Peonies and Butterflies." It is the top right sticker on the picture above.
Our next product is a jigsaw puzzle of Hokusai's famous wave print. This is the one Hazel came home years ago to tell me about. Now I consider myself somewhat knowledgeable on art but most of my knowledge is about the Impressionists and a few modern artists. So her coming home to tell me about Hokusai was really interesting. The puzzle is called Hokusai's Great Wave - 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle.
About the Puzzle:
- 1000 pieces
- Finished puzzle is 29 x 20 inches (74 x 51 cm)
- Quality design & easy to handle pieces
From Me:
Now when we go to Cape Cod, I love to bring a puzzle to work on. This one seemed perfect for our "beach" vacation. Like all of Tuttle Publishing's puzzles this one is high quality and fun to work on. The colors and design of the artwork make it challenging. I am really enjoying working on it. I had a friend join me at the Cape and we worked on the puzzle together. One thing to note is some of the pieces fit together but aren't always as tight as with some puzzles. Otherwise it is a great puzzle!
When school starts again this puzzle will be in my classroom. I like to have a puzzle station where the kids can take a break from schoolwork. It is also a great way to talk to kids about different subjects including ones they are hesitant to discuss. Since both you and the child/student is focused on the puzzle it can ease the awkwardness of some topics.
I love that this puzzle also brings in a bit of culture as well as artwork to my room. I love when puzzles add to lessons. This is a perfect hands-on way to look at some of Hokusai's art and of course it is one of his famous pieces! Here is the picture of how far we got in our week at the Cape. I boxed it up in pieces hoping to be able to quickly put this part together so I can finish it this summer!
Hokusai Resource Roundup:
Now to go with these two great products are some more resources involving Hokusai. It is actually amazing to me how many times I have discussed him here at Crafty Moms Share.
2) Hokusai's Daughter great biography and bilingual picture book to learn about another artist
4) An Artist's Alphabet not completely a Hokusai resource but some of the artwork is inspired by him
5) Beautiful Women: Japanese Prints Coloring Books (yes, his work is in here)
6) Stitch a Masterpiece this one has his great wave to be embroidered but also many other famous artworks!!
More Artists to Study:
And of course, the summer theme is artists, so you get to check out more than just Hokusai and his work! Here are some resources about different artists (and some different art types) that we have reviewed in the past. There is a variety from different times and different cultures! The first collage is more about groups of artists.
2) Anna Atkins
4) Chinese Art
5) Andy Warhol
7) Why Is Art Full of Naked People? shares lots of interesting things about art!!
8) Modern Art Adventures with hands-on activities exploring various modern artists.
2) Ruth Asawa
3) Illustrator and Author Jim Marshall great discussion topic--Is a book illustrator an artist? Why?
7) Anna and Johanna is a fictional story made up about the subjects in Jan Vermeer's artwork. Challenge your kids to make up stories about their favorite artwork or ones you see at a museum.
8) Edgar Degas (the illustrations are his work, but the fictional story is about being a ballerina)
