Monday, July 27, 2009

Pictures Worth a Thousand Words

A number of things have sparked my interest in writing this post, but it's mostly meant to be a visual. I was just reminiscing about some of my favorite books as a child and why they were my favorite books. As is well-documented here, I'm a major pushover for a good story, but I'm equally swayed by a moving illustration or picture. So often, pictures tell parts of the story that words or our own imaginations cannot...or they simply enhance our own imaginations. So w/out further ado, here are some of my favorite illustrators. Who are some of yours?

P.J. Lynch
Hands down my favorite illustrator. I will buy just about anything if he has illustrated it. Plus he's Irish. Plus I heard him speak at a BYU Symposium for Young Readers a few years ago and he's delightful!


As if his rich and beautiful use of color and detail isn't enough, he also alluded to one of my all-time favorite paintings (Gustav Klimt's "The Kiss" - picture on the right) in his illustration of my all-time favorite fairytale, "East O' the Sun, West O' the Moon"(picture on the left).












Is anybody swooning yet? Because you really should be.


Marilee Heyer

Heyer also illustrates a lot of really wonderful folk and fairy tales. The cover below is of a book that I bought purely for the pictures and ended up loving the story. I've also had a long love affair with Asian books/stories, so it had me at hello. I love how her pictures are sweeping, graceful and intensely intricate. I love detail. LOVE IT. Some of her books beg for you to spend hours just staring at her pictures...which I will neither deny nor confirm doing. Another book of hers that I'm fond of is The Girl, The Fish, & The Crown. Simply lovely illustrations.


















Trina Schart Hyman

Hyman's illustrations evoke something of the 70s to me. I can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe it has something to do w/ her pictures being somewhere in the middle between sketch and painting or the heaviness of her lines...but it just feels like my early childhood. Hm...not that I think of my early childhood as being somewhere between sketch and painting, nor did it have heavy lines...but well...her pictures just make me feel that way, okay? She also has lovely, graceful lines and delicate details. Her style is distinctive and memorable. I love it. I own this copy of Snow White, which was also purchased solely for the illustrations.
















Maurice Sendak

How could I have a list of illustrators without mentioning Sendak? Some of the most vivid images from my childhood originated in his imagination. Where the Wild Things Are & Outside Over There are two of the most vivid for me. Sendak is so talented at evoking a sense of fantasy and mixing in a bit of melancholy, eeriness and something uniquely beautiful. In short, I love his artwork and I love his stories. What more do I need to say, really?

















Leo Lionni/Eric Carle

I combine these two because something about their affinity for collage-ish/cut-out artwork makes me want to group them together. Also, I'm getting tired of writing, so I just wanted to make this go a bit faster. Also...they kind of look a little alike, don't you think? Lionni's character, Frederick, is one of my very favorite characters from my childhood. Perhaps I loved him so much because I was a daydreamer too. And what's not to love in such a sweet, adorable, unique little mouse made of paper?

Carle's pictures aren't quite as dear to my heart, because he didn't create actual characters, just illustrations. However, there is no denying that his illustrations are bright, cheerful and very memorable, which is why I've included him here.


















Dare Wright

Who says that illustrations always have to be paintings or drawings? These books have been stuck in my subconscious for as long as I can remember. My mom checked them out from the library for me when I was a little girl and I must have asked for them a thousand times after that. I was at least 80% convinced that because they were photographs, they were real. This little doll lived alone in a house w/ two stuff bears...and I was totally enamored with the idea. There is melancholy and loneliness in a lot of these pictures. (I'm noticing a trend w/ my attraction to illustrations/stories...) Being separated from my parents as a little girl was my greatest fear, so I think I was both horrified by the visual reality of such a thing and enchanted by the thought that even if that were to happen, someone/something might come along to care for and love me. Like a couple of teddy bears. Don't judge. They're special books, okay? And I still love them.
















So what books do you remember most from your childhood (or after) because of the illustrations?

5 comments:

Amanda said...

Ah! Such a fantastic post! And oh my goodness did I ever swoon at that Lynch picture. Holy moly it is gorgeous.

Some of my favorites:
Rien Poortvliet
He's Dutch. He draws gnomes and things. He writes AND illustrates. And I recommend his book about the Savior called, "He Was Once One of Us." Exemplary illustration: http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=425942&stc=1&d=1217540982

N.C. Wyeth
I grew up going to the Brandywine Museum each year to see the HUGE model train setup, but loved Andrew (aah!! love Andrew!!) and N.C. Wyeth's art even more. His illustrations are so vivid and wind swept and lovely. I have a copy of Rip Van Winkle by N.C. that I lo-o-ove. Exemplary illustration: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2202/2224824765_722f69b974.jpg?v=1201503479

Cabeza said...

Maurice Sendak was the first one that came to mind when you asked the question at the beginning of the post.

Recently I also discovered Mo Willems, author of the brilliant Knuffle Bunny books and Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!. I love his blend of photographic backgrounds with drawn characters in Knuffle Bunny. And his books are delightfully fun.

Asian Keng said...

This is a great post. I unfortunately do not have much more to add as my brain froze when coming up with great children's illustrators you haven't already mentioned... there is a difference between great illustrators and great authors. I shall ruminate some more...

Christina said...

Amanda - Thank you for appropriately swooning. It's gratifying to know that others also rejoice in P.J.'s brilliance too. :) Also - I have long been an admirer of the entire Wyeth family, but sadly didn't realize that N.C. was an illustrator! I appreciate the enlightenment, because that picture is beautiful!

Poortvliet! Of course! I must have spent years of my life poring over The Secret Life of Gnomes as a kid! Sigh. I love, love, LOVE him!

Jared - Mo is genius. Anyone who can produce as much expression as he can from his near-stick-figure drawings of a pigeon AND is hilarious to boot = genius!

AK - Your ruminations are always welcome - early or late. :) I'm sure you've got some good ones in there!

Ani B said...

Totally approve and love your selections! Where are some San Fran pictures? Miss you.