As I began to consider the rules of design presented in this week's readings and video posts, I immediately began to consider the visual exposure within our classroom each day. Instead of thinking about digital exposure, this time I simplified a bit and began to think about the children's books that we work with in the classroom. I began to wonder how the visual design in children's books impacts the experience of emergent readers?
One of the best examples I can think of when it comes to design of children's books is the work of Eric Carle. Before becoming a children's author and illustrator, Carle was trained in graphic design at art school in Germany. For this assignment, I decided to look closer at his work, and truly consider the ways in which he translated his design background into picture books. In addition to considering the ways in which he is successful from a design perspective, I took into account the ways in which the design supports emergent reading behaviors for young children.
Audience:
Carle shows his awareness of his readership as he uses simple images to evoke feelings of familiarity and safety. In the illustration here, he conjures up connections to healthy foods and basic needs being met. Carle supports emergent readers as they try to make meaning from text by connecting to background knowledge.
Space:
The eye is drawn directly to the fruit images in the picture. There are no additional surrounding images, thus the young reader can focus solely on the main idea of this page. Young readers can begin to "read the picture" as the meaning is visually direct and clear.
Shape:
The image presents a balance of inorganic shape (circles) and organic shape (fruit). The precisely geometric circle in the center of the pear appeals to the young child's development of knowledge as they shape identification is a task often presented to young children. The familiar shapes of the fruit provide connection to experience. The clear circle in the middle again supports the young reader to recognize that a part of the fruit is missing. Reading the picture is again supported.
Pattern:
The pattern in the picture creates a sense of visual order. It also creates a sequence for young children. Retelling of stories is a critical emergent reader concept. The clear pattern in the picture supports visual retelling.
Texture:
All of Carle's books are created by using a variety of materials to provide texture. Collage techniques are those that can be mimicked by young children. For example, the familiar paint strokes that can be seen when looking closely at the pear help the young child to relate to his/her art experience. This creates a sense of importance for the young child as they see their own work reflected in the illustration.
Color:
In order to look closely at the color value, I used the Aviary app to convert the picture to black and white. The color value is clear as the picture remains crisp and communicates the message even without color. Even young children without the ability to see color can clearly make meaning from the visual images.
Focal Point
Carle places the tallest fruit in the middle with the leaf of the plum reaching the highest. In order to see the particular importance of this choice, one may consider the text that goes along with the images. Each fruit is correlated to a day of the week when the caterpillar eats that particular fruit. The plum represents Wednesday, or the middle of the school/work week for young children. This visual cue helps them make a subtle connection to the way in which they experience time.
Balance:
The five fruits on the page provide clear visual balance with the plum in the middle, and two fruits on either side. Here the young reader is given the subtle cue that the world is made up of things that balance, helping to provide order and structure to developing schema.
Movement:
The horizontal movement of the picture allows the readers eye to move from left to right. This is a particularly important skill that is developing for young readers. Training the eye to move from left to right when looking at print is an emergent reader concept.
Unity:
The cohesive design of the page allows young children to process the meaning behind the text. Through this one pictures children are reminded of: healthy foods, order of events, days of the week, and shapes.
After completing this task, I realized the underlying complexities of Eric Carle's work. Through use of graphic design technique he has created deceptively simple books that convey many messages to his young readership.
Sources:
Carle, E. (1979). The very hungry caterpillar. Cleveland: Collins Publishers.
Golombisky, K., & Hagen, R. (2010). White space is not your enemy: A beginner’s guide to communicating visually through graphic, web and multimedia design. Amsterdam: Focal Press/Elsevier.
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