Picturebook Illustration Styles

1. Children’s Literature

2. Objectives
 Identify the parts of a book and different types of
format & design
 Differentiate the styles of illustrations found in
picturebooks
 Analyze picturebooks in terms of illustration style

3. Parts of a Book
 Cover (front & back)
 Spine
 Jacket
 Endpapers
 Copyright page
 Title Page

4. Format of Picturebooks
A picturebook conveys its message
through a series of images bound
together within 2 covers.
Impact of a picturebook lies in the
total format of the book

5. Different Formats/Design
Think of the format in terms of:
 Book Size & Shape
 Cover (front & back)
 Jacket
 Endpapers
 Copyright page

6. Styles of Illustrations

7. Style
• Artistic properties
associated with
the eras in art
history
• “Manner of
expressing”
• Primary decision of
the artists how to
create visual images
that will harmonize or
enhance the meaning
of the text

8. Historical Eras in Art
 Realism
 Impressionism
 Expressionism
 Surrealism
 Naïve/ Folk
 Cartoon

9. Realism
Characteristics:
Represents subjects in a realistic manner
Subjects portrayed with detailed accuracy
Three-dimensional and proportional

10. Examples in History
Portrait of Juliette Courbet as a Sleeping Child
By Gustave Courbet

11. Examples in History
Arrangement in Grey
and Black, No.2:
Portrait of Thomas
Carlyle
By James Abbott McNeill
Whistler

12. Examples in Children’s
Literature
“My Chinatown” by Kam Mak

13. Impressionism
Characteristics:
• Artist’s impression of the subject
• Large brushstrokes, lots of color and reflections
• Not concerned with precise details
• Shows effects of light on the subject
• Colors are often blended by the viewer’s eyes

14. Examples in History
La Promenade
Claude Monet
A Girl with a Watering Can
Pierre-Auguste Renoir

15. Examples in History
Maison et arbres
Paul Cezanne

16. “Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present” by Charlotte Zolotow

17. Characteristics:
Emphasis on artist’s own emotions and self-
expression
Subjects often distorted or out of proportion
Uses unusual or shocking colors
Uses rough rapid brushstrokes
Expressionism

18. Examples in History
The Starry Night
Vincent van Gogh

19. Examples in History
Self-Portrait with
Burning Cigarette
Edvard Munch

20. Examples in Children’s
Literature
“When Sophie Gets Angry- Really, Really Angry…”
by Molly Bang

21. “Chato’s Kitchen” by Gary Soto

22. Surrealism
Characteristics:
Appears dreamlike and fantastical
Imaginative details and bizarre images
Emphasis on positive expression of the
subconscious

23. Examples in History
The Ship
Salvador Dali
Time Transfixed
Rene Magritte

24. Examples in Children’s
Literature
“Jumanji” by Chris Van Allsburg

25. “Tuesday” by David Weisner

26. Naïve Art or Folk Art
Characteristics:
Represents folk cultures from parts of the world
Techniques handed down through generations
Includes simplified lines, color and space

27. Examples in History
Autumn
Grandma Moses

28. Examples in Children’s
Literature
“Strega Nona” by Tomie
dePaola

29. Cartoon Art
Characteristics:
Playful distortion of subjects
Gross exaggerations
Simple lined drawings or flat painting

30. Examples in History
Auugghhh!!
Charles M. Schulz

31. Examples in Children’s
Literatrure
“The Mysterious Tadpole” by
Steven Kellogg