front cover concertina book design-children's illustration-secondary school resource

Starter Activity – DO NOW IN YOUR BOOK

Use your own information in your book and the sheet that is on your desk (stick into book)

Add to your mind map the key aspects of your chosen childhood story:

• The Synopsis of the story (the basic outline)• The characters• The visual imagery (objects, clothes etc) associated

with the story (i.e. Cinderella’s glass slipper)• Colours associated with the story• Shapes and style of the imagery• Feelings that you have towards the book

These are the key aspects for your concertina book (watercolour, photos etc)

Can you judge a book by it’s cover?

Aim/Objective:

• How can the front cover design tell the story in the simplest possible terms?

• Students use prior understanding of composition (visual reading) for the placement of the simple book cover design.

• Students use the batik method to create simpler (less fussy) front cover designs. Text can be added afterwards if need be.

All; create a ‘simple’ book design that acts as guide for where the wax is to be placedMost; create the wax outline using a Tjanting tool for their book cover designSome; Complete the dye and water process over their wax resist ‘simple’ book cover design. Students have carefully considered the composition - how the image will be read.

Which Assessment Objective does this activity cover?

AO2 (20 marks out of 80)Refine their ideas through experimenting and

selecting appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes.1–4 Minimal ability = F/E5–8 Some ability = D9–12 Generally consistent = C13-16 Consistent = B/A17-20 Highly developed = A/A*

Book Cover DesignBold New Looks for ‘The Secret History’

The United Kingdom division of Penguin Books in 2009 challenged design students to ‘design a fresh and bold new look’ for Donna Tartt’s 1992 novel The Secret History. Their mission: to create a striking, imaginative cover design that

would bring the cult classic to a new generation of readers.

The original covers for the book – What visual clues are given for the story?

The Secret History – basic synopsis

- Set in New England, The Secret History tell s the story of a closely knit group of six classics students, at a small elite Vermont College. - The story is an inverted detective story, rather a ‘Whodunit’ but a ‘whydunit’ - The narrator Richard Papen reflects, years later, on a situation that led to a murder within the group. - The impact on the students is ultimately destructive, and the potential of many young lives is lost to circumstances. - The story parallels, in many ways, a Greek Tragedy with fate dictating the very circumstances that lead to an escalation of already fermenting issues.

Which cover works the best?

Ben Cain

2009 competition

Ben Cain - commendedWe particularly like Ben Cain’s typographical approach. Inspired by Ancient Greek tablets, he aimed to capture ‘the potential to lose control. As the structure of the type gets closer to the spine it becomes increasingly unstable, attempting to communicate the descent form order to chaos.’

Peter Adlington

Peter Adlington – WinnerThe Stockport College student won for this abstract cover design, in which we detect a distinct Saul Bass vibe.

“It’s beautiful, and the infinite regress doorway tells the story, gives you the mystery in the simplest possible terms, and that’s what graphic design at its best can do,” said novelist (and design enthusiast) Hari Kunzru, one of the judges. “ Just a few shapes and you have the whole concept”.Alas, Adlington’s design won’t be produced - as far as we know – but he does get £1, 000 and a six- week internship at Penguin’s London design studio.

• Create your own front cover for your concertina book (the essence of your favourite childhood story).

• Remember to tell the story in the simplest possible terms. That is what a graphic designer/illustrator at its best can do.

Batik is a “resist” process for making designs on fabric. The artist uses wax to prevent dye from penetrating the cloth, leaving “blank” areas in the dyed fabric. Batik is especially unique due to the way certain wax blends will “crackle” during handling, where fine cracks through the wax resist allow lines of color on resisted areas. Batik originates from Indonesia and the Tjanting tool acts as the vessel for the hot wax to be transferred from the hot wax pot to the material.

Step 1– Draw your design onto paper. Go over the outline in felt pen (this acts like tracing paper).Step 2 – Place the Tjanting tool in the hot wax. Wipe the bottom of the tool, so there is no dripping wax. Practice onto some sugar paper or newsprint before you try your design, to ensure your are confident with the flow of the wax. Note – the more horizontal you hold the tool the slower the flow of the wax.Step 3 – Draw onto the material, ensuring the wax completely goes through. Remember that where the wax goes this will remain the colour of the white cotton.Step 4 – Using the dye and water paint over your design. Use the dye like you would water colour. The more concentrated the colour the darker it comes out. Note where the wax is the dye resists.

Examples of Batik – Wax resist

Illustrator - Vera SouthgateThe Three Little Pigs1965 (Ladybird books)

The second little pig met a man carrying some sticks

The third little pig saw the wolf at the window

The wolf blows down the straw house in a 1904 adaptation of the story. Illustration by Leonard Leslie Brooke

Three Little Pigs is a fairytale featuring anthropomorphic pigs who build three houses of different materials. A big bad wolf is able to blow the first two pigs houses down but is unable to destroy the house made of bricks. Printed versions date back to the 1840s, but the story itself is thought to be much older (folklore). Ringing proverbial phrases:"Little pig, little pig, let me come in.""No, no, not by the hair on my chinny chin chin.""Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house down.”

E H Shepard (illustrator)– Winnie the Pooh

Winnie-the-Pooh, also called Pooh Bear, is a fictional bear created by A.A .Milne. Milne named the character Winnie-the-Pooh after a teddy bear owned by his son, Christopher Robin Milne, who was the basis for the character Christopher Robin. Christopher’s toys also lent their names to most of the characters in the book.

Nick Sharratt, collaborating illustrator with Jaqueline Wilson (author) comments: “When I was asked to draw the pictures for The Story of Tracy Beaker in 1990 I had no idea that illustrating Jacqueline’s books would form such a large part of my career, that we’d still be working together all this time later and that it would be the start of a wonderful friendship too!

Tracy is put into foster care because she's been neglected by her mother. Tracy fantasises that her mum's a glamorous movie star and that one day she's coming back to get her, but that never happens. Wilson was dealing with really intense issues in her books. Wilson's characters always aspired to something better – they knew they were destined for more.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (commonly shortened to Alice in Wonderland) is an 1865 novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Godgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells of a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world.

Sir John Tenniel – Original illustrations for Alice in Wonderland

The Gingerbread Man (also known as The Gingerbread Boy or The Gingerbread Runner) is a fairy tale about a Gingerbread Man’s escape from various pursuers and his eventual demise between the jaws of a fox. The Gingerbread Boy makes his first print appearance in the May 1875 issue of St Nicholas Magazine.

The Gingerbread Man, Illustrations by Bonnie & Bill Rutherford, 1963

Little Red Riding Hood, also known as Little Red Cap or simply Red Riding Hood, is a European fairytale about a young girl and a Big Bad wolf..

1927 Story anthology

Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper” is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Cinderella lives in unfortunate circumstances that suddenly change to remarkable fortune.

How can a lonely little polar bear find a friend to play with?The snow cloud tries to help by making animal shapes out of snow, But they're not real and the little bear is all alone. Then just as he is about to give up hope, he spies another little polar bear,But maybe he is not real too?Reviews:"Cabrera uses bold strokes and dramatic colours to create a dramatic snowy landscape in this gentle tale of friendship."Junior magazine

Angelina Ballerina is a fictional mouse, created by author Katherine Holabird and illustrator Helen Craig, who is featured in a series of children’s books. The series is set in Chipping Cheddar, a place similar to 1920s London , UK. The first book in the series was published in 1983, and since the ther have bee n over twenty books in the series.

Keywords.

• Tjanting tool, wax resist, shape, line, mark-making, hot wax pot, trace, outline, cotton material, water, brush

• Extended key words; Negative/positive space, compositional elements (rule of thirds etc), concentrated colour, horizontal, vertical.

Self Assessment & Plenary

Objective• All; create a ‘simple’ book design that acts as guide for where the wax is to be

placed• Most; create the wax outline using a Tjanting tool for their book cover design• Some; Complete the dye and water process over their wax resist ‘simple’ book

cover design. Students have carefully considered the composition - how the image will be read.

Like; What is the most successful element? Dislike; What is the least successful element?

Connections; (what does it remind you of? Are there connections to the artist?

Challenges; What did you find most challenging about the process?

If you were to attempt the process again, how would you change your work?

Can you judge a book by it’s cover?Plenary –

Self Assess (written) Peer Assess (oral)

Aim/Objective:

• How can the front cover design tell the story in the simplest possible terms?• Students use prior understanding of composition (visual reading) for the

placement of the simple book cover design.• Students use the batik method to create simpler (less fussy) front cover designs.

Text can be added afterwards if need be.

• All; create a ‘simple’ book design that acts as guide for where the wax is to be placed

• Most; create the wax outline using a Tjanting tool for their book cover design• Some; Complete the dye and water process over their wax resist ‘simple’ book

cover design. Students have carefully considered the composition - how the image will be read.