Picturebooks format & media

Children’s Literature

Objectives Identify the parts of a book and different types of

format & design

Differentiate the media used in illustrations found in

picture books

Parts of a Book Cover (front & back)

Spine

Jacket

Endpapers

Copyright page

Title Page

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

Different Formats/Design

Think of the format in terms of:

Book Size & Shape

Cover (front & back)

Jacket

Endpapers

Copyright page

Media Used in

Illustrations

Print Process of cutting into metal or wood, applying ink to

the surface, and pressing on paper (Kiefer, 2014, p. 72)

Example: Philip Stead’s

“A Sick Day for Amos McGee”

Collage and Construction Pictures are created by building up a variety of

materials and textures onto a surface (Kiefer, 2014, p.

72)

Example: Steve Jenkins’

“Actual Size”

Sample page from “Actual Size”

Paints, Pen, and Ink Applying pigments mixed with a binder and medium

such as water or oil to a surface (Kiefer, 2014, p. 72)

Example:

Judi Barrett’s “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs”

(see a sample page from the

book in the next slide)

The parallel black lines drawn on top of the painted images are in pen &

ink.

Watercolor An example of a somewhat transparent paint that is

light and water-based that creates a washed look

Example: Barry Moser’s illustrations in “Sit, Truman!”

A page from “Sit,

Truman!”

Gouache Paint that is more opaque and thicker that gives an

intense look, which is watercolor with added chalk

(Kiefer, 2010)

Example: Molly Bang’s

“When Sophie Gets

Angry-- Really, Really Angry”

A page from

“When Sophie

Gets Angry-

Really, Really

Angry”

Scratchboard Scratchboard is a medium made of white paper coated

with a thin layer of black ink, The illustration is done by

etching away the design until the image is “revealed” or

formed.

Example: Lisa Wheeler’s

“Mammoths on the Move”

(see next page

for an example)

Sample page from “Mammoths on the Move”