Drawing inspiration from Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s artistic style and Julia Donaldson’s signature writing style, the final picture book will be a juxtaposition of the past and present. The combination of both styles will aid in creating a fresh narrative with a timeless illustration style to complement the story. Strategically combining the two will ensure the overall message of sustainable practices is communicated in a meaningful manner that thoroughly engages the readers. Developing a new story with an equal balance between the two influences will encourage the progression of a whimsical experience.
Meaningfully developing a limited yet vivid colour palette will ensure Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s artistic style shines through in a contemporary way, combining this with his use of bold outlines will pay tribute to the minimalistic style of contemporary design. The colours and linework will emphasis pivotal moments in the narrative, ensuring the reader seamlessly engages in the visual journey from start to finish. Experimentation with unbalanced compositions will aid in creating dynamic and engaging scenes that may not adhere to traditional artistic laws, communicating Toulouse-Lautrec’s humorous style.
The final story will adopt Julia Donaldson’s signature rhyming style, weaving the past and present together to create an engaging story that encourages children to actively participate in predicting the messaging throughout the book. This technique will also aid in boosting children’s confidence in English language lessons. Combining Julia’s writing style with Toulouse-Lautrec’s typographical style will help depict atmospheres, sounds, and visual stories throughout the book. Experimenting with hand-drawing lettering at certain parts of the story will also pay a crucial part in communicating dynamic scenes, acknowledging Toulouse-Lautrec’s style. Utilising various strokes and weights will enrich the storytelling experience.
References
Au concert; Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (no date) The British Museum. Available at: https://www.britishmuseumshoponline.org/au-concert-henri-de-toulouse-lautrec.html (Accessed: 27 October 2023).
Grandidier, G., Grandidier, A.G. and founder, G. is T.B. (2021) The Gruffalo Book Review: Why is my favourite business book, Official Tidy Books UK Store. Available at: https://uk.tidybooks.com/blog/gruffalo-favourite-business-book/ (Accessed: 03 November 2023).
Henri Toulouse Lautrec artworks (2019) RetroGraphik. Available at: https://retrographik.com/henri-de-toulouse-lautrec-artwork/ (Accessed: 27 October 2023).