Wizard of Oz iPad App / Giveaway!

Congratulations to lizardek and komnatachista, the giveaway winners!

Jackie Huang is a university grad student who is studying illustration and enjoys paper sculpture, paper cutting, and classic children's books. Recently she brought all of these interests together in a very clever way... as an iPad app. More about that in a moment, as first I'd like to show you a few of Jackie's other paper projects.


She likes to quill too! Here's a fairy tale scene... check out Rapunzel's long hair.


A lovely graphic Jackie designed as her website logo... she also made a quilled version - not easy to do!


Now, about that new iPad app...

Jackie's latest semester project synched her illustration and paper talents with the very latest in technology. She and two contemporaries teamed up to create what must be the first of its kind... a Wizard of Oz iPad app [edit: link no longer available] featuring interactive paper art.


On every one of the colorful Oz-related pages, a child will be able to enjoy a variety of activities.


From the website: ...interactions have a cause-and-effect action, creating a sense of discovery and strengthening problem-solving skills. For instance, tossing water on the witch causes her to melt, and oiling the Tin Woodman’s joints frees him from rust. These unique interactions make the audience an active part of the storytelling, while delightful animations and sound effects fully enhance the immersive experience.


Because I have two young nephews who are just the right ages to enjoy the story, I was very interested to see the paper art version on my iPad. Thanks to Jackie for giving me the opportunity to preview the app. You can watch a sneak peek on YouTube here.

The Wizard of Oz app is available from iTunes for $5.99, but two lucky readers will each receive a free app... just leave a comment to enter. The winners will be chosen by a random number generator at the end of this Thursday, January 27th. A code and instructions to download the app will be emailed. If you don't have an iPad personally, but know someone who would enjoy the app, you'll be able to forward the details to them.

Last but not least, here's something very timely that caught my eye. Amna Al Fardh of the United Arab Emirates created Wizard of Oz characters in fabulous rolled paper detail!