Reading Pictures 2

Elements of Design

Elements of Design

Visual literacy =

ability to describe picture books in terms of elements of design

Elements of Design

colour light line shape texture layout media style

Colour and light suggest emotion

strength transparent or

opaque high or

low contrast

Colour and light suggest emotion

tone strong

or soft warm

or cold bright

or dark

Colour and light suggest emotion

Colour and light suggest emotion

range full limited

Line suggests direction, motion, energy, or mood

vertical, diagonal horizontal

Line suggests direction, motion, energy, or mood

straight curved

Line suggests direction, motion, energy, or mood

thick or thin

static or fluid

Shape emphasizes mood

organic or

geometric balanced or

unbalanced realistic or

distorted

Texture suggests depth and appeals to the sense of touch

Rough Smooth

Page design and layout affects how illustrations are experienced

size of page shape of page placement and

arrangement of text use of frames or

borders

Page design and layout affects how illustrations are experienced

page spreads--double or single

page turns typeface

Media refers to materials used to create illustrations

paint chalk or pastel woodcuts collage pencil photographs mixed media

Media refers to materials used to create illustrations: (coloured) pencil

Media refers to materials used to create illustrations: watercolour paint

Media refers to materials used to make illustrations: oil paint

Media refers to materials used to make illustrations: mixed media

(pencil, coloured pencil, coloured ink, watercolour)

Media refers to materials used to create illustrations: pastels

Media refers to materials used to create illustrations: fabric

Media refers to materials used to make illustrations: collage and cut paper

Media refers to materials used to make illustrations: woodcuts

Style refers to total effect of elements of design

Realistic Impressionistic Expressionistic Surrealistic Comic Primitive

Realistic art accurately reflects the external world

Primitive art appears raw, untutored, naive

Expressionistic art distorts colour and form to convey inner experience

Comic art (or cartoon) provides a humorously simplified view of life

Impressionism uses colour, shadow, and light to convey life in a glimpse

Surrealistic art uses images and symbols to depict subconscious mind

Surrealistic art uses images and symbols to escape the rational world

Problem for Discussion

“After several generations of elevating our expectations of children’s literature, a growing chorus of voices seems to be calling instead for its degradation, for what might be crankily described as its ‘dumbing down,’ … by decreeing that the kind of artistry we used to look for is suddenly too arcane to be apprehended by young readers of the MTV generation. And therefore, instead of being a hallmark of excellence, art is now considered an impediment to readers’ appreciation”

Michael Cart, School Library Journal (1993)