Picture Books

Chapter 4 Definitions of Picture Books
1. Picture Books- They convey message through a series of pictures with only a small amount of text. The Illustrations are as important as the text conveying the message.
2. PIcture Storybooks- Picture books with plot. Text and illustrations equally convey the story line.
3. Illustrated Books- for older children. Illustrations are extensions of the text and may add to the story, but not necessarily to convey its meaning.

Picture Storybooks (chapter 7)

Storytelling Elements

• Plots- simple and fast-paced. Rely on repetitive patterns.
• Characters- identified by clearly outlined traits.
• Character motivation is singular.
• Rely on dialogue
• Comic in tone, and have excitement or suspense.
• Protagonists are usually animals or children.

Conventions of Picture-Book Art

• Line- Used to define features and suggest emotional response. Examples: curves and circles suggest warmth and security, while zigzagging lines suggest excitment and rapid movement.
• Space- This is what draws our attention to objects on the page.
• Shape- Help to elicit emotional reactions such as comfort and security or agitation and confusion.
• Color- One of the most emotional artistic elements. Evokes emotional responses or cultural distinctions. Also, black and white is becoming more popular.
• Texture- Gives a flat surface the characteristics of three-dimensional surfaces.
• Composition and Perspective- Composition is the arrangment of details in the picture, or organization of the shapes. Perspective is the vantage point from which we see the objects on the page.

Design and Meaning in Picture Books

• Rhythm and Movement- There is rhythm as we move from page to page. Movement creates a starting and stopping pattern which the text must accomodate.
• Tension- Tension between what the words say and what the illustrations depict results in our interest.
• Page Layout- Pages that are wider than they are tall give more room for narrative illustration. And books that are narrow focus on character and diminish the setting.