{"id":1253,"date":"2014-09-26T14:51:10","date_gmt":"2014-09-26T14:51:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/nclc\/?p=1253"},"modified":"2014-09-26T14:51:10","modified_gmt":"2014-09-26T14:51:10","slug":"janet-lawlers-blog-post-2-looking-at-layers-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/archives\/2014\/09\/26\/janet-lawlers-blog-post-2-looking-at-layers-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Janet Lawler’s blog post 2: Looking at Layers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Looking at Layers<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

A picture book starts with a great story told in words (and in the sound of words read out loud). Illustrations accompany the author\u2019s story. In the best picture books, the illustrations actually expand<\/em> the story. The adult reader, as well as the child listening, feast visually on these layers that enrich the text in delightful and often unexpected ways.<\/p>\n

As a picture book author, I focus my drafting and revision efforts on the story I want to tell. An illustrator\u2019s considerable contribution to the final product most often comes long after I am done with my personal revision process (and any revisions guided by an acquiring editor). The publisher\u2019s editor and art director usually select, guide, and supervise the artist. So the illustrator\u2019s role seems a bit remote to me as I ply my craft. But remembering that layers can and should be added via art will help me create opportunities for an illustrator to deepen and expand my stories.<\/p>\n

As I study the NCLC author\/illustrator archives, I am examining the layering of art in picture books created by author\/illustrators, whose creative talents allow them to tackle the words and art together. Author\/illustrators don\u2019t forget to leave room for layers\u2014they create them as the picture book progresses in a unified way. They revise both words and illustrations to create balance and get it \u201cjust right.\u201d<\/p>\n

What does one find in the layers added to a picture book by illustration? Here are some thoughts, based on examples from author\/illustrator archival material.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Emotion<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Anita Riggio writes and illustrates from the heart. Emotion is the starting point for her wonderful stories. In Smack Dab in the Middle<\/em><\/strong>, Rosie Roselli is \u201csmack dab in the middle\u201d of her large, busy Italian family. Her many joyful accomplishments at school are ignored when she tries to share them at home, and she starts to wonder if maybe she isn\u2019t the center of her loving family universe after all.<\/p>\n

As I reviewed Anita\u2019s process for Smack Dab in the Middle<\/em><\/strong>, I studied the text and illustrations on each spread, comparing what each separately communicates to readers. A particularly touching spread contains these words on page 20:<\/p>\n

Rosie Roselli<\/em><\/p>\n

really needed a hug.<\/em><\/p>\n

She needed a hug<\/em><\/p>\n

right this minute,<\/em><\/p>\n

but her mother\u2019s arms<\/em><\/p>\n

were full of Rosie\u2019s sister.<\/em><\/p>\n

Rosie Roselli couldn\u2019t wait.<\/em><\/p>\n

She stepped up close.<\/em><\/p>\n

She breathed in.<\/em><\/p>\n

Talcum powder<\/em><\/p>\n

and lavender water.<\/em><\/p>\n

It smelled like a hug.<\/em><\/p>\n

But it didn\u2019t feel<\/em><\/p>\n

like one.<\/em><\/p>\n

Then and there,<\/em><\/p>\n

Rosie Roselli decided<\/em><\/p>\n

just want she<\/em><\/p>\n

must do.<\/em><\/p>\n

Anita\u2019s evocative words tell us of Rosie\u2019s need; they give the reader an expanded sense of story by dwelling on the scents (which can\u2019t be illustrated) that she associates with her mother.<\/p>\n

The related illustration (see below) shows Rosie\u2019s mom\u2019s back turned; she is attending to Rosie\u2019s sister. Rosie\u2019s head is bowed, her eyes are closed. The text doesn\u2019t say, \u201cRosie felt disappointed, ignored, and rejected.\u201d Those emotions are flowing from the illustration, creating a strong emotional layer to add to and support the text. (Even Anita\u2019s placement of text and art emphasize Rosie\u2019s loneliness here; the text snakes down the left page of this spread; there is empty space continuing onto the right page, where mom is facing away, almost out of the picture at the far right margin.)<\/p>\n

\"lawler<\/a>Riggio, Anita. Smack Dab In the Middle!<\/em> (New York: G.P. Putnam\u2019s Sons, 2002), 21. Photo taken from CLDC776, Archives and Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut Libraries.<\/p>\n

Plot expansion<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Sometimes, illustrations take readers to places not even mentioned in the text. In Mabel the Tooth Fairy and How She Got Her Job<\/em><\/strong>, Katie Davis had some ideas about what might happen to a tooth fairy who works in the dark. The starting point for such an opportunity (to take the reader places) is text that is spare and full of possibilities. Here are three variations of a line of text Katie entertained (the third is final text):<\/p>\n

After a few false starts, Mabel was considered an expert in the field.<\/em><\/p>\n

After a few false starts, Mabel got to really like her work.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0Working in the dark presented its own challenges.<\/em><\/p>\n

All text versions support the three scenes shown below, although the final version perhaps is the funniest, with its spare understatement. The illustrations show the tooth fairy being accosted by the household mutt, slipping and falling on spilled \u201cmarbles,\u201d and making noise by stepping on a toy horn.<\/p>\n

The pictures transport the reader; the text does not<\/em> say, \u201cThe dog of the house attacked me. I stumbled over a jar of spilled eyeballs\u2026\u201d Another whole layer of action\/plot (with humor\u2014the marble jar reads, \u201cSlimy Eyeball Game\u201d) has been added to the story through these illustrations.<\/p>\n

\"lawler<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Davis, Katie. Mabel the Tooth Fairy and How She Got Her Job<\/em> (Orlando: Harcourt, Inc., 2003), 16. Photo taken from CLCD1438, Archives and Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut Libraries.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Humor<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Author\/illustrator Tomie dePaola also shares humor via his illustrations. His creative process for Strega Nona Meets Her Match <\/em><\/strong>began with a handwritten story accompanied by parenthetical notes to his editor. In this picture book, Big Anthony (Strega Nona\u2019s loyal lunk of an assistant) \u201cdefects\u201d to work for the competition, Strega Amelia. When Strega Amelia is away and Big Anthony is left in charge, he messes up the magic big time. Tomie\u2019s earliest draft includes pertinent text (italicized) as well as his illustration ideas set forth in parentheses:<\/p>\n

Big Anthony was in charge!<\/em> (Series of pictures showing Big Anthony reading instructions and making big mistakes on the Husband and Wife wheel \u2013 mismatched couples \u2013 confusing wart cream and hair restorer \u2013 hair falls out, warts increase.)<\/p>\n

Things weren\u2019t going too well. (<\/em>Source:Tomie dePaola Papers Box 41:125K).<\/p>\n

Tomie then created illustrations (see below example of mixing up wart cream and hair restorer) to develop the humor of Big Anthony\u2019s bumbling efforts.<\/p>\n

\"lawler<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Illustration for Strega Nona Meets Her Match<\/em>, folder 125Y, Box 41 of Tomie dePaola papers. All rights reserved. No reproduction of any kind allowed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What is interesting, however, is that Tomie\u2019s editor suggested adding text to provide more at this point in the story, explaining that \u201cfor read aloud purposes it was important to have a few words.\u201d\u00a0 (Source:\u00a0 Letter from Margaret Frith, Tomie dePaola Papers: Box 41:125L).\u00a0 Ultimately, the spare text was revised as suggested, and lengthened to:<\/p>\n

Big Anthony smiled. He was in charge. <\/em><\/p>\n

The first day he ran the husband and wife machine backwards.<\/em><\/p>\n

The second day he confused the wart cream with the hair restorer.<\/em><\/p>\n

Things weren\u2019t going well. <\/em><\/p>\n

As an author, I suspect that this lengthier text is where I would start my writing process for the same story action. How else would a reader know of the funny mishaps I envision? One possibility would be to include brief illustration suggestions to go with spare text. However, unlike an author\/illustrator, who can write such notes to him or herself or to the editor (as Tomie did), an author must tread carefully when making suggestions for art so as not to be directing or limiting the illustrator\u2019s creativity.<\/p>\n

The right balance of text and art is achieved on pages 21\u201323 of the published book (see below). The complexity of Tomie\u2019s illustration panels benefit from the added text that helps communicate his intent and humor regarding Big Anthony\u2019s bumbling. The added text also nicely paces the story, allowing the reader to dwell on these silly mishaps.<\/p>\n

\"lawler<\/a><\/p>\n

[text: Big Anthony smiled. He was in charge.]<\/p>\n

\"lawler<\/a><\/p>\n

[text: The first day he ran the husband-and-wife machine backward.]<\/p>\n

\"lawler<\/a><\/p>\n

[text: The second day he confused the wart cream with the hair restorer.]<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

dePaola, Tomie. Strega Nona Meets Her Match<\/em> (New York: G.P. Putnam\u2019s Sons, 1993), 21\u201323. Photo taken from CLDC776, Archives and Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut Libraries.<\/p>\n

Authors as well as author\/illustrators must be mindful that there is a balance to be found between the read-aloud component and the illustrations in a picture book. However, an author who writes minimal text (even though he or she has a vision for what an illustrator might add) may run the risk of creating a manuscript that seems too slight or unclear to an editor, or perhaps, to young readers who may need some words to decode illustrations.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

As I write and revise stories, I\u2019ll keep thinking about layers. I\u2019ll remember that my words need not dwell on emotions that an artist can convey with illustrations. I will deepen stories by words that can\u2019t be shown in the art. I\u2019ll choose words that may give an illustrator opportunities to take my protagonist to places (literally) other than those I may have had in mind. And if I am writing \u201cfunny,\u201d I\u2019ll strive for spare text that will encourage a clever artist to add visual jokes and hyperbole. I shall have trust to let an illustrator help tell my story\u2014so that \u201cour\u201d story will marry text and art in a truly memorable picture book.<\/p>\n

\u00a0About Janet Lawler:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

A recipient of a 2014 Billie M. Levy Research grant, Janet Lawler of Farmington, CT, is studying the relationship between art and text in picture books at the Northeast Children\u2019s Literature Collection. Through studying the work and process of author-illustrators, she hopes to better understand how a story\u2019s text interfaces with the art. She is searching for a deeper comprehension of why the best picture books are those where the final product is \u201cgreater\u201d than the sum of the parts (text + illustrations). She looks forward to applying knowledge gleaned from her research to her own work process as a children\u2019s author.<\/p>\n

Ms. Lawler\u2019s picture books have been published by major and specialty publishers. Two have been Children\u2019s Book of the Month Club main selections, and two have been licensed into the Scholastic Book Clubs.\u00a0If Kisses Were Colors<\/em>\u00a0has been translated into Spanish, Japanese, Hebrew, and Korean.\u00a0Her recent credits include\u00a0Ocean Counting\u00a0<\/em>(National Geographic, 2013 (named a 2014 Outstanding Science Trade Book by the National Science Teachers Association)) and\u00a0Love Is Real<\/em>\u00a0(HarperCollins, 2014). National Geographic will publish\u00a0Rain<\/em>\u00a0Forest Colors<\/em>\u00a0in November of 2014.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Looking at Layers A picture book starts with a great story told in words (and in the sound of words read out loud). Illustrations accompany the author\u2019s story. In the best picture books, the illustrations actually expand the story. The … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[351,353,369,6,360,1,9],"tags":[205,397],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1253"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1253"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1253\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1253"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1253"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs-dev.lib.uconn.edu\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1253"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}