introduction.

For This project I want to produce about seven illustrations for a storybook I wrote for children. I aim it at the 8-10. My story is very short at just under 5000 words on Microsoft word.

I have always loved looking at illustrated children’s books. Ones that are popular with children, tend to have a timeless feel and also can be enjoyed by adults. Illustrations are meant to be as magic as the text.
The book I have written is a Storybook. There can be less images in a storybook, because you would assume children have a good reading ability, will not need pictures to explain words, or even words to explain the text. The reason I have picked storybook over picture book, as it enables a freedom in the art, where as to me a picture book you have to keep to the existing text a lot more.

My imagination is a little too spontaneous and I like to elaborate and exaggerate. Yet to also explain a world that further explains the story. Writing and illustrating my own work is always something that has been a passion of mine. In previous projects over the years it has been about experimentation. For this project I want to work on something that is of high interest as hopefully it will show in my images.


My story is not a factual book, its really just a fun imaginative book. That is created and to be enjoyed. I came up with the idea that Mantis bugs evolve and are running the planet and basically. It is probably comparable to ‘Planet of the apes’ or ‘Wall-e’

The magic elevator is actually a time machine. So really I am just acting as if I am actually one of the children coming up with my own concept of the future. Loosely looking at Futuristic Architects a suggestion made by Joel Lardner on a tutorial. This lead on to thinking of how a lot of intelligent contemporary and futuristic buildings are often inspired by nature. Good example is futuristic architect ‘Gregg Lynn’.

If mantis bugs evolved, how would they live and what would the buildings look like?.

Termites make intricate mounds out of mud. Bees make amazing beehives. Buildings created by bugs tend to be made from organic matter. So this lead me to thinking I wanted to keep ideas of organic forms when producing art work for storybook.