Cheryl Blackford
  • Home
  • About Me
  • My Books
    • Fossil Hunter
    • Hungry Coyote
    • Lizzie and The Lost Baby
  • Teachers&Parents
    • Hungry Coyote Resources
    • Lizzie and The Lost Baby Resources
    • School Visit Information
    • Creativity Resources
  • Contact Me

Putting the Pictures in Picture Books: Part 1

8/28/2015

0 Comments

 
I paint with words, trying to conjure images in the mind. A skilled illustrator, such as Laurie Caple, creates the physical images that add an extra dimension to a picture book. 
Picture
Whenever I show “Hungry Coyote,” people comment on Laurie Caple's fabulous illustrations. The next thing they ask, unless they’re associated with children’s publishing, is how I found the artist. I explain that most writers have little or no say in the choice of an illustrator – that’s up to the editor and art director. After selling my story, the next best thing was anticipating who my editor would choose to illustrate the book. I wasn’t disappointed! As soon as I saw her artwork at her web site I knew Laurie would create gorgeous illustrations.

In Laurie’s words, the illustrations in a picture book “expand and enrich” the text. Each spread is viewed as a single unit but must flow with the whole and must “pique and sustain a child’s interest.” Color palettes, style, and medium enhance the mood. Visit any children’s bookstore and the sheer variety of art on display will take your breath away, ranging from Michael Hall’s bold, simple shapes in “My Heart is Like a Zoo” to the carefully researched detail of Sophie Blackall in “A Fine Dessert,” and the sweet whimsicality of Lori Nichols in “Maple.” Laurie used watercolor to add a sense of flow and washes of color to her paintings for “Hungry Coyote,” and touches of pencil “for punch.” She varied the color palette to reflect the seasons - the change from the icy blues and whites of winter to the warm yellows of spring is particularly affecting. On the spread showing a summer storm, two thirds of the illustration is painted in gray tones, reflecting danger and darkness, but in the corner where coyote herds his pups to safety the colors are warm and fresh, focusing us on the “heart” of the scene. 

“Hungry Coyote” describes a year in the life of a fictional urban coyote and, as Laurie says, is often “somber and serious.” To give the book a touch of humor, she interpreted the “greasy feast” picnickers leave behind as a string of sausages. The rest of us might have thought of burgers, hot dogs, or even steaks, but the sausages add movement and humor and children love the resulting spreads (one is shown above).

Directional movement in a picture book is often from left to right – that’s the way we read English text - and it leads the reader naturally to the page turn. So how can an artist slow things down, keep the reader on a page to think about a particularly dramatic moment? By creating the directional movement from right to left. In “Hungry Coyote,” the spread where coyote chases a canada goose does just that. By facing coyote and the goose to the right Laurie makes us pause and dwell on the dramatic image. We wonder if coyote will succeed or the goose will escape. We ponder the life-and-death struggles in nature. 

Painting  oc yote chasing a goose.
Original painting by Laurie Caple.
Page from Hungry Coyote.
Page from "Hugnry Coyote" with text added.
I’m grateful for Laurie's expertise and artistry. In my next post I'll talk a little bit about her process.
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Cheryl Blackford

    Children's fiction and non-fiction author. Lover of travel, hiking, and all things bookish.

    Archives

    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    January 2017
    August 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014

    Categories

    All
    Alitas Program
    Asylum Seekers
    Coyotes
    Diversity
    Hungry Coyote
    Immigrants
    Kidlit
    My Books
    Nature
    Peru
    Writing Craft

    RSS Feed

    Writing Sites

    Kidlit 411 A one-stop place for information about children's literature.
    The Brown Bookshelf A blog promoting and celebrating African American authors/illustrators of children's books. 
    Reading While White A blog promoting diversity in children's literature. 
    Nerdy Book Club. A site for anyone who loves books written for young people.
    ​
    Inkygirl. Debbie Ohi's web site with information for children's authors and illustrators.


Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.