Puzzles for Young Children

Designing and illustrating a children’s book for intelligence tests was a unique experience that requires creativity, innovation, and expertise. As an art director and illustrator for the team at Central Park Tutors, I was proud to be a part of the process of creating “Puzzles for Young Children” a groundbreaking book of puzzles aimed at preparing young children (ages 4 to 6) for intelligence tests. The book features over 100 illustrations, inspired by the styles of more than 50 of the greatest artists, and focuses on key reasoning skills tested in kindergarten and first-grade admissions tests.

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Designing the book was not without its challenges. One of the biggest challenges was to create illustrations that would be visually stimulating and engaging to hold the attention of young children while also being educational. Additionally, the puzzle format had to be large enough to allow children to observe and consider the puzzles at length, but also simple enough for them to solve independently. The puzzles also had to be ordered by skill level and reasoning type to ensure children could progress through the book as their skills developed. To provide immediate support, the book needed to include hints and guidance for parents and teachers to help children understand and solve the puzzles. Balancing the artistic aspect with the educational aspect was crucial in ensuring children learned while having fun.

One of the most important aspects of the design process was the influence of different artists and art history on the creation of the illustrations. The book features over 100 illustrations inspired by the styles of more than 50 of the greatest artists ranging from illustrators to sculptors. Artists such as Picasso, Miro, Murakami, and Kusama, to name a few, had a significant impact on the design and style of the illustrations.

I was able to draw upon my knowledge of art history to create illustrations that were both visually stimulating and educational. The diverse styles of the artists were combined to create illustrations that were unique and eye-catching, capturing the attention of young children while also teaching them important reasoning skills.

In conclusion, my role in the design process of “Puzzles for Young Children” was an incredible experience. The influence of art history and different artists on the creation of the illustrations was a key aspect of the design and one that I am proud to have been a part of. The end result is a visually stimulating and educational book that prepares young children for intelligence tests while also fostering their innate brilliance and curiosity.