![\"Light\"](\"http:\/\/gawrimanecuta.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Light.jpg\")
<\/a>Illuminate my words (Illustrators Paint A Horror – Part 2)<\/strong><\/p>\nDo you know that the word illustration is derived from the Latin word illustrate<\/i> meaning to make clear or to illuminate?<\/p>\n
Out of desperation I designed and created Bunica\u2019s Tomatoes\u2019s cover and illustrations. I\u2019m glad I took control and fixed the situation.<\/p>\n
A good illustrator knows that great illustrations compliment<\/span> and radiate<\/span> an excellent story. Pictures<\/span> alone may be left to the reader\u2019s interpretation but text with pictures will leave the reader ruminating upon the author\u2019s interpretation of the story.<\/p>\n As a children\u2019s book self-publisher I have to pay extreme attention to detail. There is a stigma attached to self-published books out there, you know. The Canadian Children\u2019s Book Centre doesn\u2019t accept self-published books for any of their awards but they will send your book out for review and they don\u2019t publish bad reviews. I was told, \u201dWe only accept books from publishers, not self-publishers.\u201d<\/p>\n My hometown newspaper The Oakville Beaver doesn\u2019t do features on self-published authors because they have a policy to adhere to. To quote the exact words of a certain editor at the newspaper, \u201cThere are too many of you out there.\u201d<\/p>\n A good friend of mine once said, \u201cIf they don\u2019t let you in, start your own organization.\u201d Well, I don\u2019t want to start a new organization, I want to be a part of the existing ones so, please let me in.<\/p>\n Now, let me take you into my illustrative<\/span> process.<\/p>\n Firstly, I write the story. During the writing process I can usually imagine how the pictures are going to be. The story, the setting and the characters will be running in my head during the entire writing process. It\u2019s like watching a story on television; the only difference is it\u2019s my production.<\/p>\n Secondly, I make the thumbnail dummy, which can be drawn on a single 8.5 by 11 inch white printing<\/span> paper. The thumbnail dummy is excellent for an overview of the whole book and the pictures. It brings the entire illustrative process together at a single glance.<\/p>\n Thumbnail sketch template<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Thirdly, for the storyboard I like to use a bulletin board, q cards \u2013 32 plus 4 cards for the covers, and push pins. (For the double page spreads, you can use 2 q cards) The q cards are numbered, the text is written on the cards and the pictures rough sketched.<\/p>\n Q cards<\/p>\n The mock book comes next \u2013 take 9 printing papers and fold them in half. Voila, you have your mock or dummy book.<\/p>\n Fourthly, for a more realistic look at the finished book I use a three-hole punch binder and clear folders. Cut the pages to the actual size of the book. Type and cut out the text for each page. Each clear folder holds 2 pages making it a sheet of paper. This is useful if there is a need for the text to be altered to accommodate the flow of the pictures and the story. I like 32 or 48 pages as the book\u2019s signature.<\/p>\n Binder and cut out text strips.<\/p>\n I do my research thoroughly on the theme I\u2019ll be using on the story and go back and forth between the storyboard, thumbnail and the mock book until I get the pictures and text perfect. I will be in my zone with my story to get the illustrations perfect. I lay out the pictures and text so the story flows and a rhythm is achieved. I get into the story and give my characters in the story character<\/i>.<\/p>\n The heirloom tomatoes from my garden I used for the dedication page.<\/p>\n For instance, Bunica, the grandmother in Bunica\u2019s Tomatoes<\/i> is 56 years old. Her name is Maria. She loves to garden, read and knit. She loves the outdoors and keeps her grandchildren busy. She takes great care in their well-being yet she is strict in their upbringing. In one of the scenes she lets her granddaughter jump in the puddles and her grandson pick worms in their pristine white outfits. This grandmother\u2026 has a secret.<\/p>\n I have to be connected to the manuscript, feel the story and be part of the story. If I can see it in my mind, it will materialize on paper. I do take some feedback from my husband and children. I don\u2019t ever show my pictures to anyone else or ask for their opinions.<\/p>\n Giving the characters, character<\/i> helps me visualize and bring out the story they way I want the reader to see and read the book. I can clearly see the printed book in my head, which makes the illustrative<\/span> and writing process<\/span> that much easier. I decide the page-by-page view of how I think the book should look. I visualize my own idea of the story.<\/p>\n I alone handle the entire creative process.<\/p>\n Fifthly, I choose the layout, the fonts, font size and finalize everything. This would be the editorial and proofreading stage.<\/p>\n I also like to work on the design of the cover last. Usually, after working through 30 odd pages of illustrations, new and different ideas come to my mind to complete and sum up the story on the cover<\/p>\n Cover page progression<\/p>\n No.1 \u2013 initial sketch \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0No 2 \u2013 pencil sketch<\/p>\n No. 3 \u2013 digital drawing \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0No. 4\u00a0 the frame<\/p>\n Lastly, I engage the help of a graphic\u2019s company i.e. my<\/span> team to speed up the process professionally in<\/span> Photoshop. At this stage, I pay attention to the color, shading and texture. Some detail and effects will have to be changed when taking the sketches into<\/span> color. Sometimes, a beautiful pencil sketch will look less appealing going into color.<\/p>\n I have total control over the illustrations and the graphics team does exactly as I want. They are the professionals and they can Photoshop the illustrations, faster and in a very professional way. I was lucky to have found a team that specializes in this kind of work. Never did they question me once as to my changes or comments. The pictures were done to perfection.<\/p>\n Page 4 pencil sketch<\/span>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Page 15 pencil sketch<\/span><\/p>\n If you ask 100 people for their opinion, you will get 100 different opinions and views. Your book will not be your original creation anymore. You can\u2019t ask someone who doesn\u2019t read children\u2019s books to comment on a children\u2019s story. If you must, be precise as to whom you ask for input.<\/p>\n This reminds me of a situation where I showed my book to a local librarian who was in charge of the adult novels section. She took one look at my book and said, \u201cOh, it\u2019s a book about tomatoes.\u201d I said, \u201cNo, it\u2019s not.\u201d And gave her the 15 word sum up of<\/span> my story.<\/p>\n While she was flipping the pages she found out I was Malaysian and without hesitation pointed out that she could see the Malaysian architecture in the drawings.<\/p>\n I could only hold my comments back at her ignorance. I had to tell her that the architecture was Romanian; carved wooden gates, which are preserved in a region of Romania called Maramures. Immediately, to my dismay I noticed the librarian\u2019s defenses go up. She said, \u201cDid you know Transylvania belonged to Hungary?\u201d<\/p>\n Well I do know the history but I am a children\u2019s book author. I chose an interesting theme for my fun book. The last thing I want to do is get into an archaic argument; whose land is it anyway? I don\u2019t think I would have valued her input anyway, had she given one. This librarian was not a person who could help anyone in terms of children\u2019s books.<\/p>\n However the children\u2019s book manager at my local library purchased two of my books for the library\u2019s collection as soon as my book was published. She was indeed very helpful with her suggestions.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Title page progression<\/p>\n The unfinished watercolor. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Final digital art used for the title page.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Drawing inspiration from nature\u2026<\/span>my garden.<\/p>\n I love writing and illustrating children\u2019s books and I am proud of Bunica\u2019s Tomatoes<\/i>.<\/p>\n Pictures of family and friend\u2019s children were used for the facial expression of the boy and the girl. As for Bunica, she is indeed someone\u2019s grandmother.<\/p>\n If you are planning on writing, illustrating and self-publishing your own children\u2019s books, there is a really good book that you should read. It takes time, effort and detailed planning in putting together a professionally<\/span>\u00a0published children\u2019s book.<\/p>\n Writing With Pictures (How to write and illustrate children\u2019s books)<\/i> by Uri Shulevitz one of my favorite illustrators.<\/p>\n Then again, if your artistic talent is a little bit rusty, get some practice by<\/span> reading Drawing On the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards.<\/p>\n Trust me, you will be surprised<\/p>\n Do judge my self-published children\u2019s book by its\u2019 cover.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I\u2019m proud of it. I bought the first book.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/a><\/p>\n