Picture Books: three artists talk about their creative processes

Author(s)

Hanna T. G. P Araújo

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Artes
• Defense date: 2010-08-16

Examining board members

Lucia Helena Reily; João Francisco Duarte Junior; Regina Lara Silveira Mello

• Advisor: Lucia Helena Reily

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the creative processes of three visual artists that produce picture books, in order to understand how poetic production and visual narratives are engendered. Picture books, geared, usually, towards children, are works in which the narrative is developed through a sequence of images. In this study, three renowned artists who have won several prizes in the picture book category (namely André Neves, Angela Lago e Graça Lima) participated in the study, discussing their creative processes in narrative construction. The study is founded on the sociocultural approach (Lev S. Vygotsky being the main exponent of this theoretical construct). Othercontributions came from the writings of Fayga Ostrower and Ernst Gombrich in the field of visual arts. The data was collected using semi-structured interviews that were filmed and transcribed. In this study, we were able to uncover characteristics that permeate these artists' creative processes for making visual narratives. The artists draw on the own artistic experiences, childhood memories, and visual references, in order to structure their compositions, though this process may not always be a conscious one. As they Interact and negotiate with publishing houses, the artists reported that their aim is to broaden the visual repertoire of their readers, contributing to children's aesthetic development (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 08/02237-0 - The process of artistic creation of the wordless picture book artist
• Grantee: Hanna Talita Gonçalves Pereira de Araújo
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master