Secondary research / How to create book for a children / what should children’s book be like

 Elements of a good children's book:
- Enjoyable to read aloud 
- Appealing illustrations
- Memorable and different
- Satisfying Ending
- Distinctive and memorable characters
- Strong plot
- Action and Suspense
- Believable Dialogue


There are many types of books for children: board books, picture books, young readers, and chapter books. Most of them have illustration to help children with understanding the story. The role of illustrator is to design pictures which will tell the story in interesting way. These books have to grab attention of both parents and children. The key elements to consider when creating appealing illustrations are: characters, setting the scene, storyboards, technique and the cover. 

Characters have to excite children and evoke a reaction. It is important to remember that Children prefer when there character is young but it doesn’t have to be a person, it can be a elephant, cat or car. 

The style and the tone of background should fit the character what is more we should remember that time period and geographical location have to be chosen correctly. 
 
Storyboard is significant stage in designing a book because it allows to plan and see the whole story step by step. An  illustrator can decide how to show each moment and page. 
 
Nowadays illustrators use mainly digital medium but that doesn’t have to mean that drawings look like made on the computer. Artists design their own digital brushes which imitate watercolour, gouache, pastels, or oils. The advantage of using these techniques is that editing is quicker, and corrections are easier.   
 
The last element which excellent book has to have is eye-catching cover. The cover should encourage child to read it and tell them about content.  (Shelly Laslo, )

Olivia, by Ian Falconer



Diverse characters, illustrated by Shelly Laslo for Usborne’s Questions and Answers about Growing Up



Character study done with The ShellyBrush Kit digital brushes






Captain Rosalie, written by Timothee De Fombelle and illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault.


Character study by Shelly Laslo. Layering digital brushes and adding brushstrokes create a hand-drawn feel.


Creating the brush marks that would later become The ShellyBrush Kit Vol. 1 and Vol. 2



Hand-lettered title for Here We Are, by Oliver Jeffers.



Thumbnails sketches for Roller Coaster, by Marla Frazee







Reference: 

https://www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk/how-to/illustration/how-to-illustrate-a-childrens-book/

https://getyourbookillustrations.com/what-makes-a-good-childrens-book/

https://getyourbookillustrations.com/understanding-childrens-books-age-groups/

https://getyourbookillustrations.com/types-of-illustrations-for-childrens-books/

https://www.thebusybirds.com/blog/2020/3/12/how-to-write-a-childrens-book

https://www.creativebloq.com/features/how-to-illustrate-a-childrens-book

https://creativemarket.com/blog/how-to-childrens-book-illustrations

https://selfpublishedwhiz.com/how-to-illustrate-a-childrens-book/

https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/want-to-illustrate-picture-books-heres-how-you-start/



Comments

  1. Sam DarganMay 2, 2022 at 10:42 PM

    You have identified the important elements of what you are going to be doing this term. One thing about the character type you mention - it doesn't HAVE to be any specific thing as you say, but the experience of the person/animal in a story such as this is important - in my experience of reading to small children, they are more interested in the emotion in a story, how it makes them feel.

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