KadirNelson:An Artist and anInspiration

A Creator Report by Dorothy M. SmailGrade Levels: Intermediate (3-5)

Content Areas: Reading, Writing, and Art

Kadir Nelson: An Artist and an Inspirationhope

beauty

courage

integrityhealing

nobility

A picture is worth a thousand words.

strength

Early Life He began drawing at age 3, painting at age 10, and painting with oils by age 16.

His uncle, an art teacher, inspired him to become an artist and provided him with supplies and training.

He graduated from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York with high honors.

Artistic Style Kadir usually uses oils when he

paints.

His works focus mainly on African American culture and history.

His works are easily recognized because of the strength and emotion portrayed in his characters.

His subjects seem to “come to life”.

He likes to draw about “everyday people doing everyday things in extraordinary ways” (Nelson, 2009).

What Inspires Him?

“My work is about healing and giving people a sense of hope and nobility. I want to show the

strength and integrity of the human spirit” (Kadir Nelson)

Artistic Highlights Mr. Nelson has created works for Sports

Illustrated, Coca-Cola, the United States Postal Service, and Major League Baseball.

Early in his career he created works for movie studios. He was the lead artist for Stephen Speilberg’s Amistad and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimmaron.

Children’s Books In 1999, Kadir began working with notable

authors to illustrate children’s books.

So far, he has illustrated 21 books.

He is the winner of many book awards including the: Caldecott Honor Award in both 2007 and 2008 for Henry’s

Freedom Box and Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom

NAACP Image Award for Just the Two of Us

Coretta Scott King Award for Thunder Rose, Ellington was not a Street, Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, and We are the Ship: The Story of the Negro Baseball League

Influential Leaders

Athletes

Musicians and Dancers

Extraordinary, Everyday People

How Does He Do It?

When Kadir illustrates, he does not follow a strict set of rules.

He believes it is important to be relaxed so that the ideas will flow freely.

“You got to let it do its thing” (Kadir Nelson)

He starts with an idea inspired by such things as music, news, and his surroundings.

Then he researches the idea and begins sketching.

The Making of A Change Has Come

Click on the video below to learn more about the author’s book A Change Has Come and how he creates his illustrations.

The Making of We Are the Ship:The Story of Negro

League Baseball Click on the video below to listen to Kadir Nelson talk about Negro League Baseball and the making of his book.

A Letter from Kadir Nelson

Click on the link below to read a letter written to you by Kadir Nelson:

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=38913_type=Contributor_typeId=2437

Remember to watch the slide show! Mr. Nelson explains how he illustrates a

book.

More Informatio

nTo learn more about

Kadir Nelson, visit the following

websites:

Author’s Website: http://www.kadirnelson.com

Reading Rockets biography and video: http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/nelson

Interview with Author: http://bwibooks.com/articles/kadir-nelson.php

Image Resources All images were copied from Kadir Nelson’s Website @ http://www.kadirnelson.com except the following:

Slide 2: Basketball Players @ http://www.thecollectionshop.com/Image_Resize_Medium.asp?MiscImage=the1

Slide 2: Baseball Players @ http://attachments.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=541213&stc=1&d=1229348900

Slide 2: Henry’s Freedom Box @ http://www.1stedition.net

Slide 2: Girl @ http://www.blackartdepot.com/gallery/kadirnelson/crops/nelson32.jpg

Slide 3: Washington, D.C. @ http://www.grosvenorfund.com/images/mapdata/dc.jpg

Slide 3: Pratt Institute @ http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2173/2201499030_52942d9a11.jpg?v=0

Slide 4: Artist’s Palette @ http://art-supplies-plus.com/images/palette_with_paint.gif

Slide 4: Harriett Tubman @ http://www.blackartdepot.com/gallery/kadirnelson/crops/nelson27.jpg

Slide 5: Kadir Nelson @ http://www.thegrio.com/assets_c/2010/01/Kadir Nelson 3x4-thumb-400xauto-5902.jpg

Image Resources cont.

Slide 5: Shirley Chisholm @ http://blog-aroundharlem.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/shirley-chisholm.jpg

Slide 5: Man with Banjo @ http://www.blackartdepot.com/gallery/kadirnelson/crops/nelson28.jpg

Slide 5: Family @ http://llovely.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/kadir-nelson-family-tree.jpg

Slide 6: Caldecott Medal @ http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/mediapresscenter/presskits/youthmediaawards/caldecott.gif

Slide 6: NAACP Image Award @ http://tmottgogo.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/award_naacp3.jpg

Slide 6: Coretta Scott King Authors’ Award @ http://www.franklin.lib.oh.us/files/corettascottking.jpg

Slide 12: Author Illustrating @ http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_aPqQlYrsm8M/R6ILlFYatWI/AAAAAAAAA8U/ln3IVa5a3yo/s1600-h/KadirNelson1.jpg

Slide 15: Author in his Office @ http://www.kadirnelson.com/images/press/unionTribune6.jpg

References and WebsitesReferences

Music: Swamp Goo by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra and Russell Procope from the album The Greatest Jazz Concert of All Time. Released 1975 by Pablo Records. Downloaded from iTunes.

Biography Information: http://www.kadirnelson.com/

Author Quotes About Art: http://www.thegrio.com

Websites

Scholastic Site for Author’s Letter: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=38913_type=Contributor_typeId=2437

Author’s Home Page: http://www.kadirnelson.com/

Reading Rockets Biography and Video: http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/nelson

Author Interview: http://bwibooks.com/articles/kadir-nelson.php

BBC Video downloaded from YouTube.