Making Magic Windows: Creating Cut-Paper Art With Carmen Lomas Garza [Paperback]

Carmen Lomas Garza (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Author Carmen Lomas Garza is a pioneer in popularizing the traditional Mexican craft of papel picado in the United States and developing it into a sophisticated art form. This workbook shows children and their families how to create these beautiful papel picado designs and banners by simply folding and cutting tissue paper. Children will learn how to craft eight different traditional designs, including The Four Cardinal Points, a design reminiscent of the four points of a compass; Tiles, echoing the colorful hand-painted tiles that decorate many Mexican buildings; and The Fan, one of the artist's favorite designs, consisting of leaves, hummingbirds, and flowers.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Children's Book Press (January 25, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892391596
• ISBN-13: 978-0892391592
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 9.1 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #665,908 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CREATIVE MAGIC FOR ALL AGES, March 31, 2000

By	Tj Reilley "PhilosopherGal" (New Mexico) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Making Magic Windows: Creating Cut-Paper Art With Carmen Lomas Garza (Paperback)

Absolutely one of the best how-to, interactive books I've ever had the pleasure of working through - and I'm not exactly artistically gifted. Carmen Lomas Garza has compiled a series of papel picado/cut-paper art projects with excellent instructions on folds and cuts, the elements of design, and the tools and materials needed to make successful papel picado banderitas/banners. Strong on helpful hints and technique, this book allows you to learn as you go through so that you can add real variety to any cut-paper project whether it be the simpliest or the most complex. My sister and I got together a small group - 3 adults & 2 youngsters - and totally enjoyed creating several papel picado projects. Hands down, The Fan, was the overwhelming favorite of our little group of novice banderita makers. Filled with 8 great scissor projects and several challenging X-acto knife picados, Making Magic Windows is creative, interactive fun for the whole family! Explore it for yourself.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful how-to book, July 3, 2006

By	teachergirl - See all my reviews

This review is from: Making Magic Windows: Creating Cut-Paper Art With Carmen Lomas Garza (Paperback)

I am a teacher and used some of the examples from this book to teach a class of kindergartners the art of papel picado. The instructions are easy to follow, and the results are just beautiful. It's fun for the children and adults alike.
It's good idea to show children examples of actual papel picado before you read Lomas Garza's other book called Magic Windows.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Resource & Wonderfully Explained Activities, January 9, 2007

By	J. Camargo "perpetual student" (Nebraska) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Making Magic Windows: Creating Cut-Paper Art With Carmen Lomas Garza (Paperback)

This book is a very good resource to begin understanding or beginning to work with papel picado. My students and my children loved the activities and enjoyed learning about papel picado. I strongly recommend this book for the classroom and for the home. The activities are best for older children age 8+, but you also could adapt for younger children. We made almost all the patterns in the book and had great fun doing these projects. I wish there were more patterns for specific holidays or special occasions.