Destination ‘Crabtree’: it’s all about the journey (and a few other things)...

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Destination ‘Crabtree’: it’s all about the journey (and a few other things)

(Disclosure: I received a review copy of this beauty.*)    Not only do I have a scrumptious picture book to talk about, I also had the added pleasure of chatting with the makers of this delight. Brothers Jon and Tucker Nichols not only made Crabtree (their debut picture book) together, but they both wrote and illustrated it. Yes. It reads like the creation of one genius mind. But it’s actually two. Published by the wonderful McSweeney’s McMullens, this book is a work of art that I’ve been tempted to cut up and paste all over my ceiling to just lie down and stare at. Luckily to avoid such sacrilege, they very thoughtfully created a dust jacket that opens out to a giant poster you can pin up. See? They really did think of everything. Crabtree is named after its...

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Not what they seem: playing with perception in picture books...

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Not what they seem: playing with perception in picture books

The most encouraging sign in the exploration of a form is when people really begin to think outside of its set definitions. It’s not every day you find a picture book that plays with readers’ expectations and takes them on a completely unexpected journey. Today I thought I’d talk about two books published this year that managed to do just that. Count the Monkeys is yet another example of the fabulous Mac Barnett‘s work. Anybody who is trying to be a picture book author, I think, should really do a study of his work to see just how creatively he thinks as an author. He understands that the medium is more visual, but he always comes up with witty and intelligent concepts that illustrators can then work with, which ultimately create a winning combination of both...

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Experiments in papercutting – II...

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Experiments in papercutting – II

I’m working on an idea for a new book with paper-cut illustrations. Even though my concept is for a digital book, I like the idea of using paper-cut pictures because it gives it a more 3D feel than the flatness you sometimes get with digital art. Doing it this way, I also have the freedom to move the pieces around, like a puppeteer. It’s a little time-consuming, but entertaining process. Looks like somebody’s angry, huh? I was a little scared myself, when I finished. Poor kid! What do you think? Let’s see what comes out of it.  Stay tuned for more! P.S If you’re curious about how the first papercutting experiment went, go here....

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New picture books, old stories: folktales and fables...

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New picture books, old stories: folktales and fables

The danger in re-telling old stories is that if they don’t bring a fresh perspective, they can seem tired and uninteresting. Especially because folktales are  more ‘moralistic’,  re-working them in a way that makes them more creative and engaging is important. Making picture books out of traditional stories is a great way of adding fresh visual appeal, and if the text is written well, it can give new life to an old story.  When looking at folktale re-tellings, I think keeping in mind how the text flows is crucial. Traditionally all these stories were told orally, and they had a certain rhythm and lilt to them because the storyteller would be narrating them to his/her audience. Two picture books I found recently were  good attempts at re-telling popular folktales. I don’t know how much...

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