#MetKids—How to Make a Mixed-up Beings Book

Follow along to learn how to make a mixed-up beings book with your friends.

Draw in a Book

Materials:

• blank notebook
• pencil
• colored pencils

Instructions:

1. In your book, draw a head and neck on the upper flap. Connect the neck to the guide marks.
2. Draw a body on the middle flap. Connect the body to the guide marks.
3. Draw legs or a tail (or both) on the lower flap. Connect them to the guide marks.
4. Color your mixed-up being.
5. Invite your friends or classmates to draw in the book.
6. Once the book is filled, flip the flaps to create new mixed-up beings!

Make a Book (ask an adult for help)

Materials:

• multiple sheets of paper (all the same size)
• stapler
• ruler
• pencil
• pen
• scissors

Instructions:

1. Stack the paper sheets and fold them in half the short way. Crease the fold.
2. Staple the fold three times to create the bind for the book.
3. The outer paper will become the front and back covers. Open the book to the first page. Use a pencil to divide the first page into three equal horizontal sections for the flaps.
4. Hold all the pages between the covers together and use scissors to cut the flaps.
5. Turn to the last set of flaps in the book. Use a pencil to mark drawing guidelines that will show the width of the mixed-up being’s neck, where the top flap meets the middle one, and the width of the being’s hips, where the middle flap meets the bottom one.
6. Once you are happy with the position of these drawing guidelines, mark them with pen. The drawing guidelines should extend slightly above and below the cuts for the flaps.
7. Turn to the next set of flaps and mark drawing guidelines in the same position as the ones behind it. Repeat for each set of flaps, until every set has drawing guidelines.
8. Now that you’ve made your book, follow the instructions above to create your mixed-up beings!

Credits

#MetKids is a digital feature made for, with, and by kids!
http://www.metmuseum.org/art/online-features/metkids/credits

About #MetKids
http://www.metmuseum.org/art/online-features/metkids/about

#MetKids Contributors: Anouk, Kailey, Kenneth, Konstantin, Nina, Ruby, Veronica

Inspired by “Arch with Beasts.”
http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/473682

Closed captioning for this video is available in ten additional languages:

#MetKids – اصنع كتاب رسومات مخلوقات مختلفة
#MetKids—制作一本混搭生物的书
#MetKids—Créer un livre d’êtres mêlés
#MetKids—Ein Buch mit vermischten Wesen basteln
#MetKids—Fai un libro di personaggi componibili
メットキッズ—キマイラの本を作ろう
#MetKids— 혼합된 생물책 만들기
#MetKids—Faça um Livro com Seres Misturados
#MetKids—Сделай книгу с перепутанными существами
#MetKids—Crea un libro de mezcla de figuras fantásticas

Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies.

© 2015 The Metropolitan Museum of Art