What artists need to know to break into picture books

Picture this The rise of image-led books presents artists with unique opportunities – Dominic Carter discovers how to enter their world

- By Dominic Carter

Until relatively recently, the craft of making a picture book has been somewhat overlooked. Despite the enduring popularity of greats such as Maurice Sendak, Beatrix Potter and Raymond Briggs to name but a few, the medium has fought an uphill struggle to shake off a historically uncool reputation.

Thankfully, their fortunes are on the up. Agile publishers and champions of the form have raised the profile of picture books to new heights, and the stunning works of contemporary authors such as Shaun Tan, Beatrice Alemagna and Jon Klassen have been exposing audiences of all ages to their incredible potential.

For artists, picture books allow them to tell stories in a way that no other medium can match. Combining the dual disciplines of art and writing, the life of a picture book maker may be precarious at times, but its rewards far outweigh the challenges.

DEFINING THE FORM

Illustrated books come in all shapes and sizes, so defining exactly what a picture book is will help out aspiring artists on their journey.

Prof. Martin Salisbury, the illustrator who founded the renowned Children’s Book Illustration masters course at Anglia Ruskin University’s Cambridge School of Art, is perfectly positioned to clarify.

“In a picture book, the words and pictures combine to deliver meaning,” the academic explains. “Typically, neither word nor image would make sense if experienced in isolation from the other. It's a sort of duet really, or perhaps the picture book maker ” can be closely compared to a singer-songwriter.

"By contrast, in illustrated books the words would usually make perfect sense when read on their own. The images are there to augment or enrich the reader's experience, giving them a visual accompaniment or backdrop that avoids duplicating what the words are saying."