LEARN
ABOUT ART
Art is an important and treasured mode of human expression through history and plays many important roles in our lives, It captures memories, communicates ideas, values and evokes emotions.
Art exists all around us in different forms; from the colours, shapes and patterns in nature to everyday images and designs on magazines, products and media which help us to connect with the society and culture.
Through Learning Journey at MINT Museum of Toys, we aim to enable every child to enjoy art, communicate visually and make meaning by encouraging creative and innovative self-expression via three domains: see, express and appreciate.
The students will explore one basic genres of visual art – Landscape through Outerspace, Still Life through Characters, Portraits Through Childhood Favourites or Real Life and History through Collectables.
By learning these art genres through toys, we enable the students to appreciate art in their daily lives, such as in nature, household items, photos and events, as well as providing artistic inspirations to complement their techniques in school.
LEARN ABOUT DIFFERENT GENRES OF ART
FROM OUR 4 TRAILS
OUTERSPACE
Museum Level 5
LEARNING ABOUT LANDSCAPE
Mountains, valleys, forests, rivers and sunsets! These are the popular themes in landscape art. Today, buildings and structures are also featured landscape art. Why?
Look at the background images and the details of our toys! How do they make you feel about our city landscape today? Can you imagine what the landscape behind the toys should look like? Nature or buildings?
In this outerspace trail, the students will be introduced to landscape art and explore the changing ‘landscape’ through toys. Using the three domains of seeing, expressing and appreciating, the children will identify the materials used in the process of toymaking, experiment with the artistic elements (form, colour, line, texture and space) through toys such as The Floating Satellite, Two-Stage Rocket Launching Pad and Buck Rogers.
The programme will end with each child going through an interactive hands-on activity featuring ‘The Martian in the Sky’ AR Story-Colouring Book.
HIGHLIGHTED TOYS
BUCK ROGERS
MAKER : UNKNOWN
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN : JAPAN
YEAR OF MAKE : 1960s
TWO-STAGE ROCKET LAUNCHING PAD
MAKER: UNKNOWN
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: JAPAN
YEAR OF MAKE: 1960s
THE FLOATING SATELLITE
MAKER: UNKNOWN
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: JAPAN
YEAR OF MAKE: 1960s
CHARACTERS
Museum Level 4
LEARNING ABOUT
STILL LIFE
Fruits, flowers, canned food, lamps and toy cars! These are the common objects in still life art! Many young artists spend lots of time painting these objects to practice painting accurately! Why do artists find it interesting to paint everyday items?
In this characters trail, the students will be introduced to still life art and discover the similarities between the still life and toys. Using the three domains of seeing, expressing and appreciating, the students will identify the common objects in still life art, understand how to create a scene in a still life painting, and discuss the artistic elements (form, colour, texture, shape and space) through the toys of The Batman Car, Popeye Spinach Can and Tetsujin 28 Bicycle Lamp.
The programme will end with each student going through an interactive hands-on activity featuring a ‘Super Puppy in Me’ AR Story-Colouring Book.
HIGHLIGHTED TOYS
TETSUJIN 28 BICYCLE LAMP
MAKER: UNKNOWN
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: JAPAN
YEAR OF MAKE: 1960s
THE BATMAN CAR
MAKER: UNKNOWN
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: JAPAN
YEAR OF MAKE: 1960s
POPEYE SPINACH CAN
MAKER: UNKNOWN
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
YEAR OF MAKE: 1957
CHILDHOOD FAVOURITES
Museum Level 3
LEARNING ABOUT PORTRAIT
One, two, three, cheese! Long before cameras were invented, the rich will invite artists to paint portraits of themselves to capture their appearances. Now that we have cameras on our phones to take selfies, portrait painting can feature just about anyone – your loved ones, your pets or your favourite cartoon characters! Just like photo portraits, portrait paintings focuses on the person’s looks and facial expressions. What can you tell from the facial expressions of our toys?
In this childhood favourites trail, the students will be introduced to the elements of portrait art through toys. Using the three domains of seeing, expressing and appreciating, the students will explore the relationship between the expressions and the personality of the toys through the Toys Mr Punch, Sea View Hotel Chef and Manchu Lady.
The programme will end with each child going through an interactive hands-on activity featuring ‘The Grizzly’s Bear New Home’ AR Story-Colouring Book.
HIGHLIGHTED TOYS
MANCHU LADY
MAKER: DOOR OF HOPE MISSION
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: CHINA
YEAR OF MAKE: 1920s-1930s
SEA VIEW HOTEL CHEF
MAKER: UNKNOWN
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: SINGAPORE
YEAR OF MAKE: 1940s
MR PUNCH
MAKER: UNKNOWN
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: UNITED KINGDOM
YEAR OF MAKE: 1930s
COLLECTABLES
Museum Level 2
LEARNING ABOUT REAL LIFE AND HISTORY
Imagine clicking pause in your everyday life or an event in history! What would you be doing? Would you be eating a burger or playing video games? What would Queen Elizabeth or the President of the United States be doing? Real life paintings (also known as genre art) and history paintings capture the story behind these moments.
In this collectables trail, the students will explore the difference between the real life and history paintings through toys. Using the three domains of seeing, expressing and appreciating, the students will identify the elements of art (colour, lines, shapes and form) present in the toys, discuss the medium used in the toys, as well as exploring the narratives of a ‘captured moment’ through the Toys of Fleissige Kulis [Busy Coolies], J.F.K & Rocking Chair and Coronation Series – Box D Procession.
The programme will end with each child going through an interactive hands-on activity featuring ‘A Singaporean’s Dream’ AR Story-Colouring Book.
