Have you ever seen a duck swimming smoothly on a pond? It glides along gracefully, but beneath the water, its feet are paddling like mad.
Visually simple to the eye, complex below the surface.
A manuscript can be that way too. If the narrative consists of two people having a conversation, it may appear to be a simple story on the face of things. But when the emotional arc is elaborate, involved, and integral to the plot, illustrations need to demonstrate that complexity.
In my current project, the emotional arc is essential to the storyline. I’m depicting ups and downs with the color script—different colors representing varying moods, but also with the weather. As the main character becomes increasingly disappointed and dejected, the storm clouds literally roll in. My hope is the combination of these visual cues will communicate the complicated emotional quality of this picture book.
Check out this time-lapse video of storm clouds forming that will appear in the #NotFinishedYetBook written by Sharon Brown, coming out in 2024 from IVPKids.
jessica linn evans 