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The Fine Art of Picture Book Illustration
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From: Ginny Moore Kruse <gmkruse_at_wisc.edu>
Date: Mon, 08 Nov 2010 11:57:04 -0600
Exposure to a wide variety of picture books offers children glimpses into many ways narratives and ideas can be expressed visually. Perhaps it was once UW-Madison Professor Gertrude Herman who told me that such glimpses can be the equivalent of trips to art exhibits and museums. (Can this be why I'm attracted to just about every book by Maira Kalman, Stian Hole and M. B. Goffstein?) Certainly picture books aren't substitutes for experiences such as a visit to the Carle or the Chicago Art Institute's ongoing exhibits for families, but most families don't or can't take their children on such trips.
There are more elegant ways than mine of expressing the importance of the visual elements of picture books. I'm bringing it up because most of the CCBC-Net messages so far have focused upon reading to children. I'm sure it's been unintentional to overlook the importance giving children opportunities to think for themselves about all they see and imagine while a picture book is being read to them. Lisa came very close in her splendid blog entry. Actually it isn't only our CCBC-Net discussion where comments about the importance of visual elements in - ahem - Picture books have been rare. Few reviewers today refer to the visual dimensions of picture books. I grow weary of plot summaries of picture books with little or - usually - no reference to the visual elements of the books being reviewed. Though we all use words on a daily basis, few of us paint, draw or make photographs to express an idea or experience. As a result it's easy for us to claim that although we know about words, we're not all artists. Thus we
're unable to express reliable opinions about illustrations in picture books. I agree that it isn't easy to learn that language new to most of us, but it's possible - and necessary - to communicating why picture books are essential in bookstores, libraries, classrooms and families.
As to personal book gifts to families, I usually give several books to the same child, or a pile of books to the entire family, leaving the child or the family members to sort out which and what will be read and reread or maybe even enjoyed by more than one person.
Cordially, Ginny
Ginny Moore Kruse gmkruse_at_wisc.edu
Received on Mon 08 Nov 2010 11:57:04 AM CST
Date: Mon, 08 Nov 2010 11:57:04 -0600
Exposure to a wide variety of picture books offers children glimpses into many ways narratives and ideas can be expressed visually. Perhaps it was once UW-Madison Professor Gertrude Herman who told me that such glimpses can be the equivalent of trips to art exhibits and museums. (Can this be why I'm attracted to just about every book by Maira Kalman, Stian Hole and M. B. Goffstein?) Certainly picture books aren't substitutes for experiences such as a visit to the Carle or the Chicago Art Institute's ongoing exhibits for families, but most families don't or can't take their children on such trips.
There are more elegant ways than mine of expressing the importance of the visual elements of picture books. I'm bringing it up because most of the CCBC-Net messages so far have focused upon reading to children. I'm sure it's been unintentional to overlook the importance giving children opportunities to think for themselves about all they see and imagine while a picture book is being read to them. Lisa came very close in her splendid blog entry. Actually it isn't only our CCBC-Net discussion where comments about the importance of visual elements in - ahem - Picture books have been rare. Few reviewers today refer to the visual dimensions of picture books. I grow weary of plot summaries of picture books with little or - usually - no reference to the visual elements of the books being reviewed. Though we all use words on a daily basis, few of us paint, draw or make photographs to express an idea or experience. As a result it's easy for us to claim that although we know about words, we're not all artists. Thus we
're unable to express reliable opinions about illustrations in picture books. I agree that it isn't easy to learn that language new to most of us, but it's possible - and necessary - to communicating why picture books are essential in bookstores, libraries, classrooms and families.
As to personal book gifts to families, I usually give several books to the same child, or a pile of books to the entire family, leaving the child or the family members to sort out which and what will be read and reread or maybe even enjoyed by more than one person.
Cordially, Ginny
Ginny Moore Kruse gmkruse_at_wisc.edu
Received on Mon 08 Nov 2010 11:57:04 AM CST
