Looking at Picture Books

A valuable resource for anyone wishing to understand the relationship between art and text! This clearly written review of art and design principals provides background information and aids in the evaluation of art in picture books. Extensively illustrated with color and black & white illustrations from many award-winning and notable children's books, the author defines each of the pictorial elements used, such as line, shape, space, color and texture, and addresses compositional components such as balance, rhythm and unity. Also identifies the role of the medium the artist selects, critical elements of book design and the influence of the major art movements in children's book illustration. Includes annotated bibliographies, author/illustrator and title/subject indexes and a summary of picture book genres.