writer/artist collaboration in comics vs. children's picture books
RussDalton
children's books handle collaboration between writers and artists.
I get the impression that, since the "Marvel style" came into being, comic book
creators are quick to realize that comic books are a visual medium and
collaboration between writer and artist is encouraged. Since there are
elements of the story that are visual and not put into words, it helps if the
author explains to the artist what she or he has in mind, even if it does not
show up in the script. Likewise, the artist may have some insight into how to
tell a visual story that effects the script. So collaboration makes for a
better story.
On the other hand, if an author is submitting text for a children's picture
book, they are advised that they should not presume to suggest anything about
what the illustrations may look like or even what is to be illustrated.
"Writer's market" books advise you that suggesting visuals is a sure way to
turn off a submissions editor. A friend of mine has illustrated several
children's books, and says that her editor strongly discourages her from having
any direct content with the author of the book she is illustrating.
Any thoughts or insights on why this is the common practice in children's
literature?
Russ Dalton
wonkycyber The Dark Revolutionist
It's simple, really. What the author's words suggest and what the author
herself envisions can be totally different. If I had a line that said 'the duck
was awash in blood' , *I* may have envisioned a duck decapitated with chunks of
bones and flesh laying in a puddle of blood. However, the words themselves
connotate a duck being 'washed' by a stream of blood.
By disconnecting the author and the artist, the artist gets to draw what the
*words* suggest, not what the author. Comics, however, are more cinematic -- if
the author and artist don't know *exactly* where everything is, what it's doing
and what it looks like, the comic tends to come out very poorly.
_______________________
~wonkycyber/ANDREW Ingle
afu no movie akio -- with his Planeterium Playset!
http://members.tripod.com/~dark_revolution/ -- The Dark Revolution
"Isn't it surrealistic and good?" ~Suzaku, Yuu Yuu Hakusho
RussDalton
>books
>From: v9cyb...@aol.comMiracle (wonkycyber The Dark Revolutionist)
>Date: 4/19/01 7:35 PM Eastern Daylight Time
>Message-id: <20010419193520...@ng-fj1.aol.com>
This is an excellent point. As the New Critics would say, we are more
interested in the text itself, than the intention of the author. (Or as
reader-response critics would say, the artist's reading is as valid as the
author's) On the other hand, I think this approach fits better if we are
talking about illustrating a prose text. I would contend that picture books
are a bit different, a more visual medium where you know that the words will be
working together with pictures on each page. In some cases the words are not
designed to stand alone, but created to resonate with certain visuals. At the
very least it seems like some picture books would benefit from this
collaboration.
Russ Dalton