6 CHAPTER 2 THEORITICAL FOUDNATION 2.1 Theories of Picture Book A picture book combines visual and verbal narratives in one medium which is in a book format. The illustration can be made with different range of media, digitally or manually (Sipe,1998). Picture book is called a picture book, because the illustrations dominate the text and they are both equally important (Summer,2013). Yet, there are several picture books are told completely by pictures only. For this particular project, the use of a well-balanced text and illustrations to introduce young readers about animals is necessary, because it will be an educational picture book for young readers not just a story book. 2.2 Theories of Picture Book Roles Picture book is written to help children discover about their surroundings, it is also a written artifact that transmit cultural information and values their surroundings. Books that children read and learn with, including used in classrooms for educational, can impact their self-awareness (Chaudhri & Teale,2013) and help them to establish a positive self-identity (Hall,2008; Levin,2007). Picture book can be an educational tool, most children can interact with it. Consequently picture books contents are matters (Koss,2015). Therefore, picture book is chosen as the main media to educate and raise young readers early awareness toward endemic animals of Indonesia. This picture book will include colorful and contemporary illustrations to gain young readers attention. It will also include fun facts about each of the endangered animal with simple words and short paragraph to help young children 7 understand the information easily. 2.3 Theories of Importance of Picture Book Picture book always comes with illustrations. According to Segun, picture book’s illustrations are literature in their own right and, whether used by themselves or combined with written text. They sharpen the perception of children, stimulate their imagination and increase their sense of observation. Picture book creates an entirely different communication between parent and child, picture book allows parents to spend more time talking and discussing with children about the stories, characters, pictures and words. Picture book also can be one of effective tool for teaching the concept of cause and effect (Calabrese,2010). Especially, when it comes to this particular issue to inform young children that todays extinction is not caused by natural process anymore, but it is mostly caused by human. Therefore, picture book can be one of the main medium to raise their awareness about current Indonesian animal’s situation. 2.4 Theories of Writing Children’s Picture Book Picture book needs to have extended illustrations and enhanced the written text. It provides young readers with an aesthetic experience that is more than the sum of the book’s parts. And an outstanding picture book seamlessly combines words and pictures together, to form a rich and rewarding reading experience, where both illustrations and text take an important role in this medium and text inspire the illustrations (Picturing Book,2004). 8 2.4.1 Text Text in picture book should be organized into simple explanation and short paragraphs, usually each page only contains 1 to 4 paragraphs and consist about 2000 words. Using active verbs, will keep the story vivid for the young readers. To help the author to make a vivid story, they employ literary tools. Such as, rhythm, alliteration, repetition, refrains, onomatopoeia, simile, personification, rhyme, and imagery are commonly used devices. One of the thing to be considered is ending each page of the book with elements of surprises to raise reader’s curiosity. Repeating phrases will also help to hold young reader’s attention (ReadWriteThink,2006). Figure 2.1 Owen Davey, Mad About Monkeys. Based on the references above, Owen Davey succeed to create a simple and well written facts about the animals, he also included humorous phrase to engage children. This project will also include fun facts about the endemic animals of Indonesia, and hopefully by using simple and fun phrases help to attract young readers to read this book. 9 2.4.2 Illustrations Whether it complements with text, or as wordless picture book, illustrations always play an important role in a picture book. According to Nikolajeva & Scott (2000), there are three basic ways to describe the relationship between illustrations and the text in a picture book: - Symmetry, a closed correlation between the text and illustration. The illustrations simply describe what is told in the narratives, without adding any new meaning. - In augmentation, illustrations enhance or extend the text, or give a new meaning that are not expressed in the text. The illustrations are contradictory with the narratives, or the illustrations is a continuation of the story. - As for contradiction, illustrations present a contrary meaning to the text. The text convey different perspectives with the illustrations. For instance, the text described the character as a tough and scary man, but the illustrations pictured as a kind and loving man. As for some picture books use front cover as the presentation of the main conflict or main point of the story (ReadWriteThink,2006). 10 Figure 2.2 Ben Newman, Professor Astro Cat’s Frontiers of Space. Example for a symmetry picture book. Figure 2.3 Drew Daywalt & Oliver Jeffers, The Day The Crayons Quit. Example for an augmentation picture book. Figure 2.4 Peter Brown, Mr. Tiger Goes Wild. Example for a contradiction picture book. From illustrations in a picture book, children can understand and get to know many different styles of illustration and enriches their sensitivity. With different kinds varieties of illustration styles, can deliver different experience and also influence children’s feelings (Tunnel & Jacobs,2000). Based from the type of relationship between illustrations and text, this project will use a symmetry picture book, where both text and illustrations are equally important, since it is a educational picture 11 book. As for the illustration’s technique, this project will use digital techniques, because there is no limitation when it comes to digital technique to produce the illustration itself, there are different kind of brushes, texture, and variant of colors that can be used. The goal of this project is to produce a good and fun illustrations, since they will play an important role to help children to understand better and to have a slight hint of what the animals look like. 2.4.3 Developing Character There are different kind of characters in picture books, such as, aliens, monsters, dinosaurs, children, safari animals or domestic animals. All the characters are needed to be developed enough to keep readers hooked and want to read more (Blackbrun,2013). There are three elements of characterization, first is physical appearance. What does the character look like? Second is actions, speeches, and behavior. What does the character do? How does the character behave? What does the character say? And third is interactions with others, How do other characters in the story react to this character (ReadWriteThink, 2007). This project will involve more or less fifty to sixty animals, that do no need for characterization, since it is an educational book for young readers, character development is not necessary. 2.4.4 Plot A solid and a well-developed plot is essential to create a good picture book (ReadWriteThink, 2006). According to Wallin & Gordon (2011) picture books are easy to read and love, but they are not easy to write. The text might be simple and short, but that is misleading. Since, space is limited when it comes to write for picture book, every single word need to be carefully chosen. Children tend to have 12 short attention spans, in order to capture their attention the text need to be constantly moving. Every page should contain playful words, including the very first page. This picture book will consists fun facts and the uniqueness about each animal. This is a way to engage young reader to keep reading the book and memorize the information that are given. 2.5 Theories of Principles of Design Fundamental principles can help designer to manage the process of design, guided their sense of intuition, reason, and aesthetic judgment. Principle of design acts as a guideline to come up with their creative decisions and it is really fundamental for a designer. (Evan & Thomas, 2013). This guideline help them to elaborate visual elements of art in the picture book that artists will use. 2.5.1 Unity and Variety Variety is controlled by unity. Variety is the usage of several elements of design in one artwork that capture viewer’s attention, and guide viewer’s eye to see through and around the artwork. (Paul, 2011). Combination between this different elements need to create a unity to form a harmony between all element of the work of art. Therefore in order to make a well-designed picture book a well-balanced between unity and variety is needed. 2.5.2 Hierarchy Hierarchy is organizing different kind of elements to differentiate the levels of importance. Hierarchy establishes patterns of movement and flow, and it is also create a centers of interest on designer page (Bradley,2009). The main goal of this 13 thesis project is to inform young readers about endemic animals in Indonesia. It is important to organize and prioritize different elements to guide children’s reading flow in order to help them to understand each story on every page 2.5.3 Balance Balance is an equal distribution of visual elements, weight of objects, colors, textures, and spaces. Each element need to be balanced between each other to make the design feel stable (Paul,2011). In symmetrical balance, the arrangement of elements are equally distribute to the left and right, or top and bottom of center.