Exe 4.3: Children's book cover for a reference book

BRIEF: You are asked to produce a cover illustration for a natural history book for children (age 7–11) entitled Animals from Around the World. The image is to be used as a full colour front jacket to encourage children to choose this book from the library shelf. 

I started by researching current reference books for ages 7-11 yrs. Many of the covers have photographs on but a handful of them were illustrated:

As this was for a cover for a reference book I was unsure of how realistic/naturalistic the image should be, so I decided to experiment with three styles. 

a.) I decided to try my hand at a woodcut again.

b.) I tried a version inspired by the method that Alexis Deacon uses.

c.) I decided to do a version in watercolours and gouache.

a.) Woodcut Version: 

I printed the woodcut on a number of two types of paper i.e.  white sketch paper which I then painted yellow with gouache and green tissue paper. I used Gouache to paint the in-between bits of the animals on all the prints.

In the end I decided to use the yellow one for the final cover: 

2.) A more naturalist approach: 

For the next experiment I decided to research the methods used by Alexis Deacon. I read a small interview in which Alexis reported that in order to maintain the freedom of his initial sketches and studies, he photocopies his images onto sketch paper and then paints on the sketches using gouache + linseed oil. I decided to give this a go:

Rough sketch, photocopied and painted with gouache+linseed oil

Additional animals added to adjust composition. Pencil crayon vs gouache

               

My only problem was that I hadn't really planned to do this until after the drawing was done and therefore hadn't really thought about composition or even leaving myself enough space on the page which meant that I had less flexibility when it came to adjusting the image. 
Then I started to experiment with putting the animals in context and adding text and it was all going HORRIBLY WRONG!!! In theory I like the fact that I was using a rough image and basically using it to literally develop the final image by photocopying and enlarging the image BUT because it was a rough drawing and I hadn't been thinking of things like composition closely or thinking about a colour pallet in really I found that I was working around these thinks and getting myself into a bit of a sticky position! Nothing seemed to be working! The animals I chose only because I thought they sort of covered the big continents and so although I think they worked alright in black and white, I don't think they are as effective in colour ESPECIALLY with the background. Perhaps a unicolour, flat-colour background would have been better but I'm not sure if even this would be right! : ( 

I finished in inspite of my reservations:

I still managed to miss out on cropping the image as well which is an error and because of the lack of planning (and digital skills) I wasn't quite able to ensure that the image took up half of the double spread and it therefore seems to take up more then it should....mistake!

I decided to go crazy and choose a bit of a retro 70's-type font because I sort of felt that the image reminded me a little of something done in the 70's for seem weird reason....

On the whole, I was disappointed with the final image outcome but still enjoyed the photocopy,gouache-linseed technique so perhaps more practise is needed and perhaps I need a bit of balance between planning preparatory images before if I am thinking of using this technique! 

3.) The 'in-betweener'! 

For the final experiment I decided to use more 'traditional' media i.e.: gouache and watercolours and create an image that was 'in-between' being naturalistic or realistic and slightly personalising the animals. 

                 

        

           
These are the preparatory studies above. I still had a bit of a struggle working out the composition, colour combination and how to incorporate the text. In the end I decided to collage handwritten text on.

Photo of final image

I feel that it may have needed a dash of a light-orangey colour, perhaps from one more bird on the monkey's head but I ran out of time to include this.  I also didn't quite get the facial expression of the monkey as I envisaged because initially I drew it as is from the internet image and then when I was painting it I decided to try make her look like she was smiling....and this didn't quite work alas! 

I tried to use my very basic digital skills and managed to add a few sparkles! big steps for me I tell ya! ; ) Part of me thinks the image works and then part of me is concerned that maybe it's a little boring. I didn't personalise the animals' expressions as I'd hoped because I had wanted this to be subtle but perhaps they're a little too subtle?...I haven't quite decided myself! I do like the tissue paper to add the text because I was just NOT winning on this front. I would welcome feedback and advice!