Narelle Oliver: Hands on Writing/Illustration Workshop: Planning words and pictures from two points of view

Session description:

This session follows on from or includes a 30 minute version of Narelle’s Creation of a Picture Book Demonstration which introduces her two picture books, The Hunt and Home which feature ‘decalage’ – where text is written from a different point of view from than shown in the illustrations. Narelle also uses picture books by other author/illustrators to demonstrate this concept.

Using the characters and setting of one of these picture books, students plan the words and pictures, (as pencil roughs), for 1, 2, or 3 double page spreads for a plot variation, but maintaining the two different points of view established in the picture book text and illustrations.

A template for words and pictures is provided which follows the design established by the original picture book. The design of the illustrations is examined and students are encouraged to maintain the design structure of the illustrations already established in the picture book.

Topics:

How words and pictures can express different points of view Decalage: when words express a different point of view to pictures Drawing skills Close-up drawing and attention to detail Use of dialogue A writer’s bag of skills: attention to five senses in description, effective similes, effective movement words, use of short sentences and sound effects, dialogue and speech marks, attention to detail rather than generalisations Writing confidently: taking out unnecessary clutter words