Studying up and some wips

 I've got a ton of art books. Like, a ton. Seriously. It's a problem. Anyway, another problem I have with them is that I often don't read them. I skim them, especially ones that are concept artwork from games. But some are instructional too. And it just so happens that I have one called 'How to be a children's book illustrator' that I've never gotten around to actually reading. 

It's kind of late in the game for me to be reading about it, since I have been a children's illustrator for the last decade, but I've decided that instead of just winging it like I always do, I am going to take advice from other illustrators/authors. Because I want this idea to be greenlit. 

Mostly I'm looking for advice on the story crafting side of things, which this book touches on a little, but the other info I'm taking notes on regardless. 

Below are the notes I took this evening:

Audience

The age range determines the complexity of the story and the illustrations respectively. 

The younger they are, the more simple the story, the shapes, the bright colour palette etc, gradually increasing in complexity as the age range increases.

My stories are probably around the 2-4/4-6 age range, but check with Bright when submitting the story. Also see page 10 and onwards of ‘How to be a children’s book illustrator’ for reference on the specifics. 

Notes for my chosen age range - animals with big heads and small bodies (2-4), but the more complex narratives lean towards 4-6, in which there are fewer anthro kids. Bodies larger than heads by 3/5s (estimate).

Orlaith may be of help, though her age doesn’t necessarily reflect what she finds interesting. I know she’s into Paw Patrol and Bluey (I think. That dog thing) but also Peppa Pig, which definitely has a board book style of presentation.

Use colour palette to convey mood/tone, but don’t go too serious on them. They need to be excited and engaged, not afraid.

Research plants and animals to reflect the setting of your story. Since mine are mostly set in the woods, I should gather research in the woods. Pictures of the kinds of trees, the paths, the flowers that grow, etc. Make a note to visit the woods and take lots of pictures of stuff there. Not just nice pictures, close ups of the bark, the flowers, the kinds of rocks etc.

Also consider different body types, ethnicities (not a problem when using animals), able and less able bodied kids etc to be inclusive.

Tone

In scenes where the character is having a bad time, consider the colour palette. It can be darker but try to allow hints of hope using light, and a pop of colour to the main character that stands out among the less bright palette. Also use scale and perspective. So in my autism story, when she feels embarrassed by her behaviour, depict that through the colours and lighting, but also show how she feels by portraying her as small (maybe). 

Different interpretations

Make sure that you convey the right emotions in your characters. For instance, my owl character needs to somehow be expressive enough in her face without the use of a mouth. This actually might be worth considering and changing her from an owl to the chameleon that has been floated before. Use reference to help here. Animations are a good source.

Don’t half arse the backgrounds. Research and make the environment feel lived in or alive. Use bugs and birds and objects that would be found in the area. Don’t half arse it like you always do, Dan. Yes, you!

Illustrating an ongoing Narrative

Interpreting a story

Pick out and map out the key moments of the story. For example, my autism Book:

Mia is introduced with a brief showcase of her skills

Mia goes to the park (tbc) to attempt to make friends

Mia experiences perceived rejection when her autistic traits confuse the others.

Mia leaves the situation and returns to playing alone.

The animals show up at her home to play with her, because they actually liked those elements of her.

Side note - I should read some picture books (online, I’m not made of money) about rejection and making friends, since I don’t see it often.

Side note, maybe Mia does well for awhile and only later becomes overwhelmed and has to leave. This way I don’t have to show her being rejected, just her being exhausted from masking with them.

‘Sometimes Mia forgot to mask. She would talk and talk and talk some more. She would flap her hands when she got excited. Etc

I also got out my art book for Broken Age for inspiration when designing characters.

And finally, here are some very early wips for my autism book. In doing my research I've decided it actually is worth exploring the idea of a chameleon being the main character, since it fits the theme and can be more readable when it comes to expressing emotion, as opposed to owl. The beak means I can't express sadness or happiness as easily. I could, but it would all be through the eyes and eyebrows, whereas a creature with a mouth should be easier to comprehend for a kid.

I'll explore the chameleon more tomorrow, as well as continuing my research. See you tomorrow!