Final Pieces Background

For each of my 6 final pieces, that I will include in the six illustrations inside my book of drawings, I would like to include a background. The background that I believe will fit more with the illustration style that I have chosen, is the style of 50's children's illustration theme, coupled with elements of my own personal style, in order to create something that appears unique.

I was thinking something like using simple colour backgrounds, with a combination of other various items, such as small 'doodle' like illustrations to 'split' the background up a bit, and to make the image seem a bit more appealing for the eye.

http://comps.canstockphoto.com/can-stock-photo_csp6488475.jpg < image reference at this link.

As you can see in the image above, the piece includes a background, that is consisting of colour, split into 4 parts. This piece is a bit too cartoon like for the pieces I will be creating, but it shows that such a simple style, can have such an effect on the entire piece. In this case, it allows the characters to stand out more, and also I have noticed, that the colours used in this background, go well with the faces that are in the piece. So background colour matching is an important thing to keep in mind, with an illustration in colour.

http://wolfandwillow.typepad.com/.a/6a0120a6a93724970b012876221bb6970c-800wi < image reference at this link

Some illustrations using 50's style, use simple colours as backgrounds. Like for example this illustration above, that is more like the drawing style I wish to create in my finals. I have noticed this style of background use a lot, with pieces in this genre. I could for example place an illustration onto a coloured background, and simply add other drawings alongside them, for example, drawing a rattle next to a rattlesnake, a ball next to a dog, or a carton of milk next to a cow. This idea is very fun and quirky, and will make my pages that bit more interesting

For my first draft, (which was of the snake I created two days ago), I will be adding some colour tomorrow, so I will also experiment with background colour and styles then.

I will update this blog then.

Update:

I have decided to go with using simple colour backgrounds, and using 'quirky' illustrative doodles and drawings, that are themed to the animal(s) on each page. The doodles will of course also be in 1950's children's illustration style.

An example of illustrations, against a themed simple colourful background, with some leaves.

My Cat illustration, with some themed items around it. (Unfinished)

My Canine illustration, again with themed items around it. You can see the colourful background behind.

Thomas.

Barbara Firth (Children's Book Illustrator)

Barbara Firth (multi award winning illustrator for the 'little bear' series), was a children's book illustrator, who developed sketches for her clients. She claims on her page, that she has been drawing plants and animals from a very young age. After her education at school, she enrolled herself on an fashion and pattern course, at the London college of fashion. She has worked with Vogue magazine, and here she produced illustrations for such things as step by steps.

Years later, she became a freelance illustrator, and after she began working for the book company, Walker Books, she was able to illustrate in the field she was most interested in, this was natural history. This brought her a lot of joy, and she enjoyed drawing such illustrations as bears.

Her first book, in her series of Big and Little bear books, was called 'Can't You Sleep Little Bear?' and she went to the zoo often for research, sketching the anatomy and movement of live bears, in order to create her images. This type of research is great, for an illustrator to do.

Her form is very much so on the cartoon side, but with some realistic elements in there, and that's why I am including her. Her work is not like some of the cartoon/realistic artists that I researched, however it has its resemblances. It seems to (in my opinion) be exactly between the two genres. There are simple colours and textures, but with a realistic anatomy.

http://www.imagesofdelight.com/view_illustration.php?id=953 < image reference at this link.

The image above is made using watercolours and pencils, and is from the book, 'Well done, Little bear'. and was published in 1999 by Walker Books Ltd.

http://www.imagesofdelight.com/view_illustration.php?id=976 < image reference at this link.

The main reasons as to why I decided to produce research on her, is because she 1) Draws animals,

2) Has produced work for children's books, 3) Uses a cartoon like style, with a hint of realism, 4) Also adopts a 50's like style in her images, which I really like.

I can also tie this research into my professional studies blogposts, as I have been researching the themes of  children's book illustrators.

Sadly, Barbara died early on in 2013.

I will use her as part of my inspiration, for making my book, and it's illustrations. I like the effect of using watercolour paint, so I think I will try doing so. Also, I love her simple, yet interesting minimalist cartoon/realistic style of drawing. I will take some influence from Barbara Firth, for my final illustrations.

Thomas.