Unit 8; Big Family Press Research
- Ryan Mckendrick
- Apr 21, 2020
- 5 min read
This post follows the initial research stages of this project, addressing the brief, composing a project proposal and conducting secondary research into theories of loose play and children's book illustrators.
Task:
Create a loose-parts illustrated resource based on prompts from a year 4 primary school child:
Greyscale suitable for Riso-print, using interesting tone/texture/pattern.
Single sided A3 copy of template provided, with minimal blank space.
Compromised of 'loose parts' illustrating the prompts given.
Individual elements clearly distinguishable and able to be cut out by children under 10.
Appropriate for primary school aged children and easily distinguishable by assigned child.
Each illustrated element must be around A6 in size in order to be used on an A6 8-panel.
Theory and Context:
Create a sheet which can be used for collaging without having to rely on magazines which may not represent the child or their interests, able to be collaged and created in a zine format. Here's an example of the kind of stuff BFP create:
Previous year's examples:
Theory of Loose Parts The theory of loose parts was originally thought by a British architect, Simon Nicolson, in the 1970s, who believed that: Every human being has the potential to be creative and that loose parts in an environment invite immense imaginative play possibilities. Education guidelines suggest that loose parts can be combines in unlimited ways allowing for unlimited imaginative play. Loose Parts is not: a model which is limited to the idea of a start and a finish, which is achieved through the instruction of a relatively similar pathway. Solid characters which have particular roles, often insisted by various forms of media, books and television. Play which is already prescribed, with characters who are already developed. Loose parts is: a model which is based on unlimited possibility, each element can be constructed and perceived in a different way based on the child, not the toy. Each part must have no definitive use, and the play facilitator must encourage any possibility the child suggests. What are the benefits of encouraging loose parts play for children? Every element of loose parts play is 'open-ended' this allows child-centred problem solving, allowing for this experience to occur naturally, instead of be directed by an adult. Loose parts enable imaginative thinking, natural problem solving and critical thinking methods, and the ability to make a child work. In turn this encourages a child's creativity as well as functional skills. How will I apply this to my work? When creating my own loose parts sheet I must constantly consider how to best allow for a range of possibilities, keep every element of my sheet neutral, with nothing defining of the characters, instead allowing for these elements to be entirely adaptable for the intended child.
Project Proposal:
My assigned child, Kiren, has provided me with a list of prompts, most of which are animals or food based. He claims he travels around Camberwell by donkey, that is Peckham were an animal it would be a giraffe, and his favourite place is a zoo. I therefore want to focus on providing a collage resource sheet for Kiren to make his own zoo, or animal centre. I want to allow for unlimited possibilities, thinking of food, habitat, animals and clothing.I will be using illustrations to ask Kiren how the animals live, if they are friends, what they eat, what they wear, allowing for him to create a realistic or imaginative creation. I plan to create this piece using hand drawn illustration and digital editing in preparation for mass-printing.
Artist Research; Creating animals for children
My conducted artist research aims to explore different styles and approaches which can be taken with children's illustration. I've found its important to consider age range when thinking of style; younger children would require simple illustrations, with easily recognisable shapes, older children would want something more detailed, and perhaps more personified for them, simple illustrations and too advanced illustrations would bore them, so its important to find the balance.
Ashley Percival I really like the nature of Percival's work illustrating animals, he takes a playful approach experimenting with colour, clothing and style. He uses an interesting range of line-work and pattern-work, creating characters for his animals through how they are drawn. Its interesting as although they are unrealistic representations of animals, they are easily recognisable for what they are. Drawing the animals human-like would allow for more imaginative play as the animals are not restricted to their behaviour in nature.
Find Ashley's work at: https://ashleypercival.com/illustration-for-children
Quentin Blake Perhaps most well known for his collaborations with Roal Dahl, Blake is a children's illustrator who takes a playful and sketchy approach to his illustrations. I like his recognisable rough sketch style, I think the lack of specific detailing allows the child to be more imaginative, interpreting the characters in different ways. If done skillfully, children don't seem to care about the illustrations being anatomically correct, which allows the artist to be even more playful with their work. His work is perhaps legendary in the Illustration world, and I imagine any British adult would find a sense of nostalgia in his works.
Find more of Quentin's work at: https://www.quentinblake.com/
Dr. Seuss Again, Seuss is one of the most well known children's illustrators, his characters and stories are timeless classics which have lived through generations. This is something which is integral to children's illustration if you want the work to last, avoid adding detailing too time-specific or too trend-specific. Like Seuss many children's illustrators focus on humanising the animals and creatures they create making the creatures both recognisable and relateable.
Find more of Suess' work at:
Axel Scheffler
Scheffler is an award-winning children's illustrator, perhaps most well known for his work with Julia Child with books such as The Gruffalo. Scheffler relies on a distinct and recognisable style that children can identify easily. His work is perhaps a little too immature for children of an 8-9 range.
Find out more about Axel's illustrations here:
Laura Carlin
Carlin's work is very simple and childlike, but her mature use of shape, colour and texture suggests its for older readers. Her style is a combination of different drawing approaches and collages, which I think is similar to the aim of the brief.
Find out more about Laura's work here:
Richard Scarry
Scarry is a childhood favourite of mine, although he is aimed at children a lot younger than my target audience I think its appropriate to consider him through artist research. He manages to fill pages beautifully without overwhelming the child, allowing them to be able to pore over a short book for a number of hours. This is something to consider when making my A3 piece, with further consideration as to ease of cutting and sticking! - think about notes of texts to spark the child's imagination.
Find out more about Scarry here:
Key Notes From Research
Consider the way the child will relate to my illustrations, think about personifying inanimate objects and animals.
Don't create a set motive for any of the elements of the final illustration, to encourage the idea of loose play keep every element completely open-ended.
Think carefully about age range, don't create illustrations that are too basic as an older child may reject it if it seems too 'babyish'.
Combine text and image, try to crowd the page so the child has more inspiration from the different elements and sustains a continued interest, combine basic shapes with more detailed ones HOWEVER remember the elements are to be cut out easily by a 8/9 yo child.
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