September 30, 2013

Say Cheese!

So I was actually going to post on something totally different this week, but I pushed the post back because I came across a few books this past weekend that must be discussed immediately.

I stopped by The Blue Bunny in Dedham, MA to grab a book for a girl turning 4, and naturally I came across some amazing books. As luck would have it, two of the books I bought were both of a similar aesthetic style, and thus comes this week's topic of photograph illustrations. The depth the illustrations create because of their style really makes you believe you're in the illustration with the characters, making the character's world and story that much more magical.

The first on the list (and possibly my new favorite book ever) is Rebecca Dudley's picturebook debut Hank Finds an Egg. This book took my breath away, and the moment I was done reading I flipped it to the front to read it again. This wordless picturebook follows Hank, a bear-like creature, who finds an egg on the ground. Despite multiple attempts to place the egg back in its nest, he is too short to reach and ends up caring for the egg until it can be returned to its mom. It's a lovely story with breathtaking illustrations that Dudley created by staging the entire story and photographing it. Check it out:





The other book I bought on the same day is My Father's Arms Are a Boat by Stein Erik Lunde and Øyvind Torseter. The book came out in Norway in 2008, but was only translated into English last year. The text is a little long-winded and very heavy, following a young boy's journey to understanding his mother's sudden death. Torseter has won several awards across the world for his beautiful artwork, and it's clear why. Like Dudley, the world he has created for his characters has a feeling of collage and photography. Torseter works in both traditional and digital media, and it has a magnificent effect.


Last on the list, and it's only last because I didn't buy it at the same time I bought the others, is The Mighty Lalouche by Matthew Olshan and Sophie Blackall (a fabulous, fabulous illustrator). For this book Blackall created her illustrations with Chinese ink and watercolor on Arches hot press paper, then cut, collaged in layers, then photographed the final product. It turned out absolutely lovely, and you can read all about her process here.



The endpapers

That's all for this week! Enjoy the rest of your Monday, and keep the requests a-comin!

Cheesily yours,
Mel

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