Saturday, March 18, 2017

Illustrating Words


Illustrating Words
This weeks post is a lovely “cross blog guest post”, by SCBWI Midsouth's own Randi Lynn Mrvos, the intrepid editor of the ezine Kid's ImaginationTrain and you can find her at: http://www.childrenswritersworld.blogspot.com

  I love to see how children’s illustrators bring scenes and characters to life. Their choices of color and media unite with the text of a manuscript to turn a story into a book. This made me wonder about the choices the artist would make to illustrate my upcoming book Maggie and the Summer Vacation Show and Tell. I’m curious to see how the artist will capture the essence of my words.

The book contract indicated that I would have some say in the illustrations. I wasn’t sure what that detailed, but when the creative director approached me about my vision for the story I felt privileged. The best way to explain to her how I felt about the story was to show her two of my favorite picture books.

The art in Because of Thursday by Patricia Polacco and Winfred Gordon McDonald Partridge illustrated by Julie Vivas conveyed a whimsical abstract realism with a muted color palette.

http://www.patriciapolacco.com

 
https://www.amazon.com/Wilfrid-Gordon-McDonald-Partridge-Mem/dp/091629126X/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1489851211&sr=1-3


This would be a good fit for Maggie, a Charlie Brown-like character who’s down on her luck and for her rescue dog Trooper.
 
After sending the director my thoughts and the covers of these books, she asked three illustrators to come up with a sketch of a kid. Two were nicely drawn, but a bit cartoony.
The third artist captured the quirky characteristics of Maggie. He used a water color wash to create a curly red-haired Maggie.

Waiting to see the completed art is like wondering what your baby will look like when it’s born. I’m nervous, but excited. If the illustrations are anything like the preliminary sketch, the artist’s choices will engage young readers and get them in the mood to meet Maggie and Trooper.

Randi Lynn Mrvos

                                                      ___________


To see the blog that I "cross blog posted" on Randi's blog just  go to:   http://childrenswritersworld.blogspot.com/2017/03/three-tips-to-help-your-picture-book.html

 I have really enjoyed playing this "cross blog posting" game,and so appreciate Randi playing along with me!


 

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