Artist Research

Oliver Jeffers

Oliver Jeffers works as an artist and children's book illustrator.

His website: http://www.oliverjeffers.com/

His work includes titles such as Lost and Found, Incredible Book Eating Boy, and How To Catch A Star.

Below is a brief video in which he explains the process he goes through when creating one of his children's books - something very useful and informative to myself.

Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter was an author and illustrator of many children's books.

Her most famous creation is the much loved Peter Rabbit.

As I am creating a story using animals, Beatrix Potter is a perfect example of someone who can draw an anatomically correct animal and turn it into an anthropomorphic character.

Like me, she uses sketches of a real life environments and animals, then characterizes them into illustrations

Sketch - 'Lettuce bed in the garden at Fawe Park'

I presume that the above sketch influnced the illustration below of Benjamin Bunny and Peter Rabbit  

'Benjamin Bunny nibbling lettuce leaf'

Tina Macnaughton

Here are some photographs of a book called 'Time For Bed Little One', which was illustrated by Tina Macnaughton.

I've used this book as an example as I think it covers a variety of different ways to layout illustrations in a book page - from full page spreads, to double page spreads, to smaller action shots.

It also displays a good example of how to layout text alongside or within an image - something I will look back on once I'm at the stage of adding in the text to my book.

Caroline Pedler

Here are two different layout examples of Caroline Pedler's work for Little Tiger Press.

This first image, a character sketch for the book 'Little Bear's Big Jumper', demonstates a stand alone image (no background) - much like my illustration of the Hedgehog for Page 1 of my book. I must also consider where to place my text alongside my image, like in this sketch.

Character sketch from 'Little Bear's Big Jumper'
Illustrated by Caroline Pedler

The image blow is a double page spread for the book 'A Friend Like You'. This is a good example of how a page layout can be kept interesting by mixing a full page illustation alongside a half page illustration.

Each page has a different angle that the characters are viewed from - this again makes for an interesting composition for the audience to look at, something I too must consider for my own book!

Page spread from 'A Friend Like You'
Illustrated by Caroline Pedler

Lauren Child

Lauren Child is probably best known for her characters Charlie and Lola, and Clarice Bean.

Her work is very decorative in comparison to some of the above illustrators that I have looked at.

Even though her drawings are simple, I like the idea of experimenting with collage or decoration in my work, just to see if it can have a positive effect on it..





'Clarice Bean, That's Me'
Illustrated by Lauren Child

'Clarice Bean'
Illustrated by Lauren Child

Sara Fanelli
Sara Fanelli works mostly in collage. Even though her books are for children, he illustrations can appear quite abstract and 'grown up'.

Again, looking at her work gives me another example of a creative outlet to explore - collage.





'First Flight'
Illustrated by Sara Fanelli

'Pinocchio'
Illustrated by Sara Fanelli