humands + our diy painted hands

 

 

Have you ever seen this book? It’s amazing, hands down! Two thumbs up!

Humands by Mario Mariotti (1982).

 

 

 

Really, it’s wonderful. I found it at L.A. store, Reform School, and it was new to me, but it’s likely familiar to many other children of the 80s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mario Mariotti, genius of fun, invention, and creativity, no?

 

 

 

 

 

 

(And there are two others in the series I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing yet: Hanimals & Hanimations.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Here’s  Mariotti from the introduction to Humands:

“Use our ideas as springboards for your own creativity. Take water-based paint—dip it, daub it, brush it on … Play with your hand and the materials. From your play there will arise a new world. Step into it.”

So of course my talented guy and I had to try some hand creatures ourselves! Behold hand-painted portraits of me, my dude, and Muffin the Cat.

All you need is some tempera paint and a brush or two to make your own be they family portraits like this or wherever your paint and play takes you.

The process/hands at work:

And then we spontaneously went a little nuts. We played. Just as Mariotti instructed us to.

Could this be the most fun I’ve ever had? Quite possibly.

100% of painting credit goes to Todd Davis; photos by us both.