How to study a picture book
On training with a purpose.
On Training for the job…
I believe in continuous learning. Call it training.
Over the past 8 Months, I’ve gone from aspiring picture book illustrator to have my picture book illustration work start to amount to a full time job. As a consequence I’ve had to rethink my learning schedule… instead of learning for some imagined future use, I’m spending my learning time to focus on things that can immediately benefit my most immediate project.
I’m learning for the sake of the project.
How to study a picture book (Advice)
Just before working on storyboards for a picture book, I studied a couple of picture books to see how the illustrator turned the text into words. How I did that was I would look at each page and ask one question;
“How did the illustration interpreted the text?”
The answers were so varied and surprising. A few favourites were:
With an ironic drawing
By emphasizing the text with visual metaphors
By Showing HOW it happened when the text described WHAT happened.
By ignoring the text but drawing it in the following spread.
Literally.
PROMPT
Discover how your favorite picture-book artist interpret text.
Pick a favorite picture book.
Get a post-it pad.
Read the text on each page of the picture book, then ask; How did the illustrator interpreter the text?
On each page ask: “How did the illustrator interpreter the text?” write what you observe, on the post it notes and paste it on the page. You will find interesting patterns and unique ideas you might have never thought of.
By doing this, you can learn hidden lessons from everyone of your picture-books.
Reply and tell me what you learned, and I’ll swap you a few more of the lessons I learned from this week’s studies!
Lastly…
I’m happy to be able to share the announcement for an upcoming project that’s deep in production.
