Jason Logan on How to Be a Color Wizard: Forage and Experiment with Natural Art Making

In this post, we feature artist and author Jason Logan. You can hear him speak about his new book for young people, How to Be a Color Wizard: Forage and Experiment with Natural Art Making. You can also try his “invitation to imagine” activity and find other resources to explore. Thanks for joining us, and let us know what you think in the comments below!

Jason Logan and the cover of How to Be a Color Wizard

How to Be a Color Wizard: Forage and Experiment with Natural Art Making

Written and illustrated by Jason Logan
Published by MIT Kids Press, an imprint of Candlewick Press
Release date: September 10, 2024

What colors might await in a leafy forest, a berry-stained back alley, a seaweedy beach, or even the dark corners of an ordinary fridge? With this book as a guide, curious young wizards can make natural confetti, unlock the hidden color power inside a leaf, and craft a paintbrush wand. They’ll brew magic potions from beets and acorn caps to produce their own colors, from the darkest black to the palest pink to invisible ink, then share their discoveries with friends, family, and the whole color-hungry human race. With whimsy and infectious enthusiasm, master ink maker Jason Logan explains the science of color while presenting “quests,” recipes, and hands-on activities using materials kids can find in their own homes and neighborhoods. Featuring both photographs and the author’s own gorgeous homemade-ink illustrations, How to Be a Color Wizard is an ideal blend of art and science—plus a little bit of magic.

An interior spread from How to Be a Color Wizard showing a whinsical portrait of the tools that a color wizard needs to collect materials (wand, boots, eyes), as well as a metal pan filled with foraged natural materials for ink-making, including berries and acorns.

An interior spread from How to Be a Color Wizard showing beautiful circles of different colors created with natural inks.

Explore How to Be a Color Wizard: Forage and Experiment with Natural Art Making

Listen to Jason Logan talking with TeachingBooks about creating How to Be a Color Wizard: Forage and Experiment with Natural Art Making. You can click the player below or experience the recording on TeachingBooks, where you can read along as you listen, and also translate the text to another language.

Invitation to Imagine

TeachingBooks asks each author or illustrator on our Virtual Book Tour to share a writing prompt, a drawing exercise, or just an interesting question to spark curiosity and creativity. Enjoy the following activity contributed by Jason Logan.

Imagination Activity with Jason Logan

Transform a scribble. This is a simple 2 person creative activity. You will need a partner, some paper and a pen or marker. One person makes a scribble on paper. Their partner then has to turn that scribble into some kind of recognizable thing by drawing with the pen. When you are done switch positions. You will be surprised how even the most seemingly meaningless scribble becomes, with just a few modifications a dragon or a duck, a shopping mall, an underwater scene or whatever else may be hidden in the randomness. It’s fun, funny, passes the time, and sometimes ends up being the beginning of a short story, some other visual adventure, or a new friendship.

Finish This Sentence . . . with Jason Logan

As part of our Virtual Book Tour, TeachingBooks asks authors and illustrators to complete short sentence prompts. Enjoy Jason Logan’s response.

“A surprising thing that helps me work is…”

Finding some other work that I want to do even less and procrastinate that instead.

“While working on this latest project, I was surprised to learn that…”

Baby flamingos are born grey and turn pink by drinking pink milk barfed up by mom.

“You may not know that I can…”

Peel an orange all in one piece every time.

“A favorite question from a young reader was…”

Can I make ink out of cigarette butts?

“I knew I would be a writer/illustrator when…”

I knew I would be an artist when my sketchbooks filled up a whole bookshelf.

“A strange topic I had to research for my books is…”

How people used to use pee and lichen to make a really bright purple color.

“Where I work is…”

Jason Logan in the woods collecting Sumac and other materials from trees and bushes for ink-making.

Jason Logan in his studio with a jar of natural materials that appear to be acorns. A painting above his head shows ink swatches made from a beautiful red color.

Jason Logan's ink-making workbench underneath a window.

More Connections to Jason Logan and How to Be a Color Wizard: Forage and Experiment with Natural Art Making

Explore all of the titles featured in the TeachingBooks Virtual Book Tour: one link with author interviews, lesson plans, activities, and more!

All text and images are courtesy of Jason Logan and Candlewick Press and may not be used without expressed written consent.