Client Concepts

After refining some already drafted sketches, I felt it was time to move on to the client concepts for Gyles at Naturesbase. Below show my concepts of my children's book:

Front Cover for '#1 Explorer!':

Although this photograph doesn't show up the colours I've used particularly well, I decided to use water colour pencil over thick, rough water colour paper to give the book an earthy look and feel (rather than plastic, laminated). I've used rough, earthy greens and browns. 

After I'd created the cover, I realised that I could of perhaps used some brighter, more intense colours (such as berry purples and deep reds), however, it was important to me to keep every element of this book interactive. So let the child draw on the book, give them the opportunity to write there name with mud, moss or berries on the front of it. I'm currently playing with the idea of encouraging them to doodle over it, stick leaves to it etc. (Perhaps by drawing dots in the shape of a leaf, so they search for a leaf and stick it to the cover).

Back Cover for '#1 Explorer!': 

Who said back covers have to plain and boring? Throughout the book, the children will have an opportunity to collect, draw, paint, stick and create in order to become a #1 Explorer. Here I've played with the idea of giving them the well-deserved confirmation that they've completed the book and become a #1 Explorer. I've been considering the use of badges and stickers - however I want to keep this design as eco-friendly as I can. This way a child doesn't even technically need a pen!

A double-page spread example for '#1 Explorer!': 

Here I've taken two activities I am aware that children can take part in at 'Naturesbase' and I've translated them into book format. I wanted the book to be informative, while also encouraging the children to use their own imagination and creativity. All pages in the book will be a selection of "How to make..." pages, "Create your own..." pages, and a variety of different information pages, tracking pages, and areas to stick down leaves, sticks, grass etc. that you will find during your adventures at 'Naturesbase'. It was really important to me to remain true to my original goals of making the book interactive and colourful, while also adhering to the information that comes hand-in-hand with this genre of children's book (Non-Fiction/informative). I've taken the idea of a 'detective' for the age range I'm working for (7-11) and transformed into 'explorer' instead, as I found this gives the child the opportunity to become a part of nature and explore it rather than try too hard to figure it out - enjoy it!

Possible art style?
Textured
Water-colour
Mixture of intense and blended colour
Layered paper techniques (not quite collage)

Type style?
Current typeface - "Brain Flower"
Choice of a thin, hand-written typeface to give a further 'earthy' feel
Rough, earthy pencil texture in typeface

What look and feel am I going for?
Earthy, hand-rendered, colourful design
A happy medium between colourful patterns and visual aesthetic elements (for the younger children) and the informative fact-file style elements (for the older children)
Giving the child control
To encourage enjoyment of nature and taking it into their own hands, rather than being told what to do and what not to do

What age range am I aiming for?
Although I'm definitively aiming for the age range 7-11 years old with an 'explorer' theme, it's certainly not out-of-bounds for 5-7 year olds, as it's full of colours and patterns, involves information about other cultures (such as 'Aboriginal Paintings') and has plenty of different finding, creating and sticking activities which they may also appreciate.

The main influences that have informed my work to date?
A book which has really given me some great inspiration is a book that I own myself called 'Wreck This Journal' although the book, created by Keri Smith, is more of a diary theme with plenty of activities such as "Pocket Lint" (stick pocket lint to the page), "Do a really ugly drawing", "Cover this page using office supplies", "Fill this page with circles" and "Bring this book in the shower with you" - all outrageously unique ways to disable the fear of not messing up your books, this particular book actively encourages readers to take it into their own hands and do whatever they want with their book - to make it their own. I wouldn't even consider the readers actual readers, as I believe they are just as much a part of creating their own book as the creator, Keri Smith is.

Although this book (along with her other works; 'How to be an Explorer of the World' and 'Finish This Book') have certainly been influential to be, I've also taken in all of the art styles and approaches to children's book design given by the other examples of writers and illustrators shown on my blog (such as Ed Emberely's works and 'There Was an Old Lady' by Simms Taback). Again, although 'Wreck This Journal' by Keri Smith I feel has possibly been my main influence, I have definitely subconsciously taken on ideas and elements shown in other writers/illustrators.

What changes or improvements do I anticipate from this point?
At the moment I'm really happy with how my design concepts and ideas are coming along, I definitely feel as though I've gained a real direction with my work. I still feel there are some improvements to possibly be made along the way, for example, how I use my typeface (not particularly the typeface itself, as I'm very keen on the hand-rendered typeface style) but how it looks on the page - I'm looking for the most earthy and rustic looking texture as possible.
I may also, at this point, be looking towards adding some richer colours into the front and back cover of the book. Although I really like the earthy greens and browns I've used, I may find that using some berry purple and red tones may spruce the design up a little and further it's aesthetic appeal to children.

I look forward to the client meeting and discussion, as I feel this will give me a great opportunity to present my work to Gyles, share some thoughts and ideas, and give myself an opportunity in which to better improve my concepts.

Refining Ideas Sketches

When I first began sketching out ideas, I wasn't entirely certain on a direction (art style, typography style, or target readership age). I merely began sketches ideas of what I could display in the book. After compiling some research into what elements come together to make an 'ideal' children's book for reader age groups of 0-5, 5-7, 7-11 years old, I felt I was ready to give my ideas a little more direction.

Since I began research into this brief, and beginning to generate ideas of my own, it's always been important to me that the child should be able to feel like they're a part of the book - not just that it was written for them. I want them to be able to feel involved with the story as much as I do writing/illustrating it. 

Here are some further ideas I've sketched out:

Idea 1) Aimed at: 0-5 year olds. This was one of my initial ideas, I felt it didn't really matter whether or not the story was Fiction/Non-Fiction/Reference, as the character is attached on a long piece of string and journeys through the story (through small slats in the pages). I felt this would involve the child reader and give them some control (especially if their parent/carer is reading the story to them).

Idea 2) Aimed at: 0-5 year olds. This I felt may have been a little too generic - a tactile picture book for young audience to engage with their senses as the book is being read to them. Although I relish the idea of tactile children's book, I felt it didn't really have much personality. Which made me question whether or not the earliest age group was really the group I wanted to design a book for.

Idea 3) Aimed at: Between the two earliest age groups. As previously mentioned, involvement of the child reader is certainly important to me - and since the beginning I've always wanted to include a way to make them feel like a part of the story. This would include lift-the-flap elements. I tried to think of a way I could involve this child-like notion, while also including facts the child would pick up on. I began to think at this stage that I should be looking towards the older age groups, as I wouldn't feel so restricted in what I was creating - knowing the child could understand terms and facts I would use. At this point, the 5-7 year old age group was suiting my ideas a lot more than the younger age group, as this gave me the 'best of both worlds' - they would revel in the colours and shapes used, but also begin to understand terminology, facts and instructions given as a part of the book.

Idea 4) Aimed at: 7-11 year olds. After I felt my age group was changing to older children, I felt like my ideas were gaining much more direction. I felt I could include instructions, facts and terminology without having to worry too much about whether or not the child could understand it. I could make it more text-based and design the page around that. I could vary my art style a little more, rather than remaining solidly on an art style bright colours and simple shapes. I could even experiment more with typeface!
I still felt it was important to keep the book fun and interactive - I didn't want to drain it out with facts and figures. After reading that if I was designing a children's book for 7-11 year olds, it could be focused around tracks and trails, a 'detective' style book, I became really excited about furthering my sketches. I could create an explorer's manual for 'Naturesbase'!

Considerations and Suggestions for Brief

Early Years (0-5 Year Olds)

Concept:
• The importance of creative play in nature for child development when we are young.
•  Guidance for parents/adult carers/nursery staff with activities to further support children's creative learning and play.

Key Words:
•  Very active, doing, looking touching, pointing, brain development, creativity, nature deficit disorder, visual spatial learning, child development, feeling.

Size and type:
•  A4. Digital format (Kindle, iPad etc) is highly recommended.

Type of Learner:
•  Adults across the ability and experience spectrum. Needs to be accessible and applicable to early years workers/specialists.

Example Page:
•  How we first find our way in life (early route finding).
•  How we begin to develop language through seeing, hearing about and remembering environmental features (development of visual spatial thinking).

Other Notes:
•  What we can do when taking children to parks, the supermarket.
•  Developing play opportunities in the garden and nursery settings.
•  Link to web resources.

My Thoughts?

I'm really drawn to the idea of creating a children's book for both the parent/carer and child to read together, and I feel like I could be really creative and playful, while also adding some wildlife and nature facts, although I do feel like a young child could pass these facts by and may be more interested in the colours and shapes, rather than the actual content. I feel as though I'd prefer to stretch out to a slightly older audience, but I'm certainly not crossing this idea out.

5-7 Year Olds

Concept:
•  For children and adults to use and read together.
•  Designed to encourage the reader to get outside and try some of the age related activities which they can see illustrated.

Key Words:

•  Countries, India, China, Peru, Australia, Norway and UK, landscape, vocabulary.

Size and Type:
•  A4. Digital format (Kindle, iPad etc) is highly recommended.

Type of Learner:
•  Offer support in terms of readability to those younger children who learn well through visual learning styles
•  Will probably have a section at the back which supports parents on how to use the book with their child.

Example Page:
•  Very colourful and diverse landscape to include rural and urban, coastline, weather clothes.
•  Try not to conform with stereotypes of countries.
•  Focus on games and activities - things to make and do at home.

Other Notes:
•  The book should try to be interactive.
•  Involve digital format.

Influential Books:
•  Once Upon a Time Maps
• Where's Willy?
• Great Global Puzzle Challenge with Google Earth

My Thoughts?

5-7 year olds are a brilliant age group to design a book for, as they're young enough to be swept away by colours and shapes, but are growing and becoming old enough to understand facts, examples and instructions. This age group could quite potentially be the one I end up designing my 'Naturesbase' children's book for, as age group, I feel, is the best of both worlds, in the sense that they appreciate both the younger and older elements of the book I will be creatring.

7-11 Year Olds

Concept:
• Encourage 7-11 year olds to investigate their environment with their friend.
• They should not need adult help.

Key Words:
• Adventure, explore, collect, clues, evidence, excite, search, create, solve mystery.

Size and Type:
•  A4. Digital format (Kindle, iPad etc) is highly recommended.

Type of Learner:
• Visual Active.

Example Page:
• Trail and tracks - tribal tracks from around the world.
• History.
• Animal tracks.
• Examples of tracks to follow.
• Arrows.
• Circles with stone in.
• Grid to draw on tracks.
• Go out and make a trail for others to follow (parents, friends etc).
• "Did you know?"
• Geocaching
• Using a digital camera.
• Nature detectives.

Influential Books:
• Durrell
• Amatuer Naturalist
• Play Wild
• Forling Kindersley Type Publication
• Geography Fun
• Atlas of Experience
• Lord of the Rings Mystery Map

My Thoughts?

7-11 year olds may be a slightly tougher audience to adhere to, as they're certainly old enough by this point to make up their own minds and decide for themselves that they either 'understand and enjoy something' or they 'simply do not'. Although, this age group could be an interesting age group to create the 'Naturesbase' children's book for, as they will understand instructions and facts and pick them up a lot easier than younger audiences. This age group could certainly work for my children's book design.

Potential Genres

Here begins some further research into all of the potential genre possibilities for my 'Naturesbase' children's book.

'Wreck This Journal'

Written by: Keri Smith

'How To Be an Explorer of the World'

Written by: Keri Smith

'Finish This Book'

Written by: Keri Smith

Keri Smith specialises in activity books for people of all ages. The reader becomes involved in the creation of the books, filling in spaces, sketching, sticking things they find outside in the book - making each book individual and directly unique from that of any other. This idea would be great to involve in the creation of my book for 'Naturesbase' as it gives the child perhaps a guide to follow during their adventure outside.

'Easter Bunny Flap Book'

Written by: Sam Taplin

Illustrated by: Rosalinde Bonnet

'The Bedtime Bear'

Written by: Ian WhyBrow

Illustrated by: Axel Scheffler

'Maisy at the Farm'

Written and Illustrated by: Lucy Cousins

'Easter Bunny Flap Book', 'The Bed Time Bear' and 'Maisy at the Farm' are all lift-the-flap or pop-up books aimed at children of a younger age. These book designs are a happy medium between simple picture books for children and (those similar to the above examples) activity books (which are perhaps slightly too advanced for children of this age). I'd love to involve some lift-the-flap elements in my children's book for 'Naturesbase'.

'The Seashore Book'

Written by: Charlotte Zolotow

Illustrated by: Wendell Minor

'Eddie's Garden and How To Make Things Grow'

Written and Illustrated by: Sarah Garland

'Isabella's Garden'

Written by: Glenda Millard

Illustrated by: Rebecca Cool

Although the above examples of fictions books have references of non-fiction/elements of realism (for example, being set in a garden/at the beach while the protagonist is being advised on activities to take part in outdoors), the stories themselves have been generated by the author. This not only creates a captivating story for young minds to become enthralled with, but also gives them a sense that they, too, can take part in the activities these characters are - encouraging them to have fun outdoors.

'Fun With Nature Take Along Guide'

Written by: Mel Boring, Diane Burns, Leslie Dendy

'Hungry Plants'

Written by: Mary Batten

Illustrated by: Paul Mirocha

'First Nature Encyclopedia'

Published by: DK Publishing

'The Tiny Seed'

Written and Illustrated by: Eric Carle

'If Rocks Could Sing'

Written and Illustrated by: Leslie McGuirk

Non-Fiction and Reference books have their differences in the way that Non-Fiction literature uses real situations in which to present information factfully, but perhaps with added illustrations and elements to create an interesting story for children (For example, books such as 'Horrible Histories' show real life events, however crafted into stories and illustration to further the content). Reference books are more like fact-files and Encyclopedias, displaying the information exactly how it is (However these, too can be illustrated in a fun way - however photographs are advised). My children's book for 'Naturesbase' will involve facts about wildlife and the environment, while giving the children an opportunity to not only learn, but actually involve themselves with their surroundings.