A STORYBOOK, ABOUT WHAT A BOOK MEANS TO EACH OF US
Written by Lavanya Karthik | Published: Tulika Books 2017
An ocean of sounds, a view from the top, a different journey or a new place to explore, a forest of visuals - each book unfolds a new world before us. It creates a passage from reality into a parallel world where readers migrate from written words to visuals through layered narratives.
This poem by Lora Daunt sums it up very well . What is a Book?
A book is pages, pictures and words, A book is animals, people and birds.
A book is stories of queens and kings, Poems and songs-so many things!
Curled in a corner where I can hide, With a book I can journey far and wide.
Though it’s only paper from end to end, A book is a very special friend.
I wanted to capture the wonder filled eyes of children when they read words and dive into the visuals through them. I collaged pencil drawn sketches with pressed leaves, photographs of seeds and inky washes to depict water. I also layered the images with undercurrents of the narrative itself. Since it was written in India I ensured that my visuals were contextually accurate through patterns and styles woven into the clothes, hair and background elements.