block printing, that is something i would dig. or pottery.

non toxic mediums like watercolor or a arts program with a tablet?

block printing would be interesting for sure, shes very craftsy as well... i should mention shes 20, if that makes a difference.
im gonna look into block printing supplies...

anyone ever use those screen printing kits you cant get at blick for like 100$ or so? are they worthless? fun? can you get anything good out of them?

maybe get her a little portable kit so that she can do some field studies? Watercolor pencils, or something else that is easy to pull out anywhere.

I was in Jerry's Artarama a few weeks ago and they had a display set up near the register with a kit and video for block printing.

i've thought about silk screen, but the chemicals and process leave a little to be desired, plus i think it's money$$. linoleum, paper, rollers, and ink - can't go wrong there. i've been wanting to use this technique in architectural representation....seems like fun.

Is she interested in photography? You could get her a Holga or Diana (the Diana F+ has a cool flash with color swatches included) which are always fun to mess around with and take some great medium format pictures.

thats a really good idea phuyake...those dianas are pretty affordable and the images are so interesting... can the photographs be developed at regular photo shops? or do you need to send them away or bring them to specialty shops?

better than a holga, how about pin-hole photography?

letdown, you can take the film anywhere that develops medium format, which is most places. I would highly recommend the Diana F+ over the Holga, while a little more expensive (around $90, the Holga is around $40), the kit it comes with is really cool and includes a large flash, a mount for any other flash you might have, gel tabs that let you take color flashes, and a book on the history of the camera. If you want to keep it simple (no flash), then the Holga is probably a better option then just the regular Diana.

Beta, in the Diana manual there is actual instructions on how to modify the camera for pinhole shooting, though I've never tried it myself or know how well it works.

what exactly is the difference between the diana and the holga? which is more flexible? which is easier to learn? again thanks for all the help

The Dianas have a couple extra settings that give you more control over your pictures then the Holgas, but by the same token they're not as easy to use. The Dianas offer more options for add-ons and attachments as well, and the flash that comes with the F+ is superior to that of the Holga. The pictures from the Diana always seem to come out a little more dreamy and filtered, but I'm being a little biased here because I have more experience with the Diana.

Either way, they're both "toy" cameras, so for simplicity and price point, the Holga is probably a better option. If cost isn't as much of an option, I would say the Diana F+, but here's an article written by someone who knows more about it then I do that could help make the decision easier. good luck.

how bout the arshile gorky do it yourself artists suicide kit? very popular this time of year.

montana gold spray paint.
no canvas needed, just use the environment

lomo?