Lecture task. Good/ bad examples

Last week's task offered some analysis of typography and composition in picture book spreads:

A positive example, executing the composition so well, the dynamics is still detectable, although there is no sudden action in the scene. The typography creates the mood, the dynamics and the sound.

The composition and the way its drawn are absolutely wonderful, nevertheless the typeface is used is is inappropriate: too small, the spaces between letters - too narrow, compared to the spaces between words. The text should be at least slightly larger, though not too large in order not to overwhelm the picture.

CBeebies' 'I Can Cook'

Following the last session's task and lecture about typography in children's book design, the double page spread for CBeebies' 'I Can Cook' programme, is as follows:

The double page spread is about baking Fig and Fudge biscuits, for children and their adults. The design offers a fun experience, when following the recipe, with some characters involved, dressed as fruit and vegetables. The colour scheme is chosen according to the colour of fig, following with a fresh looking green to make the page look more energetic and dynamic. 
Considering that the book would be used by children at age 5-7 along with their parents or guardians, the text is broken up to ease the reading experience, going stage by stage to the final one. The first page (left) is dedicated to the preparation stage, image of the outcome and additional information. The second page continues the experience by offering the information needed to proceed with the cooking. The stages go from left to right, top to bottom, offering the easy eye leading with arrows. Nevertheless, if the arrows make the page look cramped, there is a version of the double page spread without the latter.

Without the eye leading arrows, the page looks more spacious, though the arrows do help children to comprehend the order of the stages.

Task 2: Appropriateness of genre

What 'art-style' would be appropriate for:
• Information/Reference title - aimed at 9-11 years olds.
   Information books aimed to children at age 9-11, I believe, should have a more realistic art-style, or even have photos.
Children at the age of 9 to 11 are not yet at the adolescent zone, hence they are still exploring the world and its mysteries. At this age it is likely that children still have their heroes, favourite stuffed animals and best memories of stories and tales from the earlier years. Moving on from that age means exploring he outside world and making sure, that everything they have been told is still true (pirates, etc.) Curiosity is the main drive during those years, that is why information children's books could be a mixture of illustration (to satisfy their playful side) and photography (to satisfy their curious side).
Playfulness of illustration in these books is relatively important. Although there might not be any storytelling as such, the books have to look dynamic and interesting. Information about any subject is quite important, keeping the facts straight, though in a light and happy mood.

• Baby/Toddler - First Objects Book.   
Primary colours, simple shapes and figures. Developing knowledge of names, objects, etc.
It is an appropriate art style for a first object book, because it introduces children to colours, objects and their names at early age. These books are only introductory for kids to develop their recognition skills.

The most important criteria for First Objects Books is focusing attention: there should not be a lot going on the pages, only the most important aspect closely in the middle, so teachers, parents or baby sitters could interact with children using the book. Moreover, the colours should be primary, although not too bright or edgy.



• Picture book - aimed at 3-6 year olds.
Interactive (or just more interesting with its layout) picture books, containing a few more details, so the attention, curiosity and imagination of the child could be stimulated, while reading it. The imagery, I believe, should still be in light, pastel colours, with more intricate details than books for toddlers/babies.

I consider the art style to be appropriate, because it usually represents love, happy, nice life/ friendship/ relationship with others, has links to animals, family and friends. Illustrations should be nice to explore and look at, this way curiosity is stimulated.
The most important elements of picture books are the story, the moral of the story and the dynamics of illustrations, so children would not be only interested in their parents or guardians reading for them, but reading on their own.

Children's Illustrators

 1. Elin Kelsey and Toronto-based Korean artist Soyeon Kim seek to inspire in kids in You Are Stardust.

2. The Dark. Daniel Handler — beloved author is perhaps better-known by his pen name Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Jon Klassen.

In a conversation with NPR, Handler echoes Aung San Suu Kyi’s timeless wisdom on freedom from fear and articulates the deeper, more universal essence of the book’s message (Popova: 2014):
"I think books that are meant to be read in the nighttime ought to confront the very fears that we’re trying to think about. And I think that a young reader of The Dark will encounter a story about a boy who makes new peace with a fear, rather than a story that ignores whatever troubles are lurking in the corners of our minds when we go to sleep."

3. Thomas Docherty illustration

Thomas Docherty was born in New Zealand but has spent most of his life in England where he went to school and university. He studied metalwork and sculpture at Art College and has always liked drawing, especially whilst on his travels, which have taken him all over the world.

After leaving Art College, Thomas lived in Madrid for six years, where he wrote and illustrated his first book Pip and the Lost Dream which has been published in Taiwan, Spain and South Africa.

4. Shaun Tan (The Arrival)

Shaun Tan is an Australian illustrator and author of children's books and speculative fiction cover artist. He won an Academy Award for The Lost Thing, a 2011 animated film adaptation of a 2000 picture book he wrote and illustrated.

Tan's rendering skills are completely astonishing, in terms of accuracy and shadowing every right part at the right place. Rendering an intricate picture only with one kind of  pencil/pen, makes it quite difficult to manage the gradient and shades, but Tan mastered it by probably constantly sharpening his pencil.

Moreover, his amazing character development skills manifest into loads of little dynamic and beautiful creatures from other worlds, making the whole thing more than interesting to children to explore. The intricacy of the illustration makes the imaginary world so vast, its almost impossible to explore it all.

Architectural and design skills Tan possesses are probably perfect, given the difficulty of the compositions and perfectly correct angles that he uses. It is probably the most dynamic picture book I have ever gotten my hands on, that is suitable for kinds and adults.

 

Additional illustrators

5. The Garden of Abdul Gasazi, written and

illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg.

6. Flotsam, written and illustrated by David Wiesner.

7. East of the Sun and West of the Moon: Old Tales From the North, illustrated by Kay Nielsen.























8. The Great Paper Caper, written and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers.