Help us find talented pupils
THE search is on for three Cardiff primary school pupils whose cartoon characters are to be used in a new app – seven years after they drew them.
Academic and entrepreneur Richard Weston has launched an appeal to find a trio of former students from Albany Primary School seven years after wowing him with their artwork.
Created and launched by the architecture professor, art app Molly’s World will be launched across the UK this autumn.
It is hoped the educational programme will enable children to “combine creativity, imagination and digital technology to draw, colour and create professional standard designs”.
To prepare for the app’s launch, Mr Weston used three drawings from the Roath primary school to create the characters in Molly’s World.
Now, he wants to find the artists responsible for drawing Molly the cat, Patch the dog and Thumper the rabbit.
“I would like to track down the originators of these characters, as they have proved to be immensely popular with the children who use them,” said Mr Weston.
“The three characters are exceptionally charming and endearing, and children engage with them so readily.”
It is thought the three artists behind the characters will now be in their early teens.
The Cardiff University professor added: “Working with the children who used the app to draw and colour in the characters taught me so much.
“Not only did they create delightful images, they demonstrated to me that children learn visually – seeing precedes naming things – and they love intricacy and detail.
“Children do not see a web site as somewhere to retrieve information, but a place in which they can linger and explore. As one child said to me recently, ‘I could live in Molly’s World all the time.’”
Using the app children can listen to stories, read flip-page books and learn about food in the kitchen – with a link to “Farmer Tom’s” weekly video diary.
Work with academics is also underway to develop a laboratory in the app to give children an introduction to biology, chemistry, physics as well as a bank where users can buy credit to learn how to manage money.
If you remember creating Molly, Patch or Thumper please contact info@createforall.com.