How Do the Illustrators, Wolf Erlbruch and Tim Burton

Rosemary M Barlow

Creating Controversial Art: How do the Illustrators, Wolf Erlbruch and Tim Burton, deal with the sensitive subject of ‘Otherness’ in relation to mortality within their work, Duck, Death and the Tulip and Corpse Bride?

I feel a particular kinship to the art and illustrations produced by Wolf Erlbruch in Duck, Death and The Tulip (Erlbruch and Chidgey, 2011) and Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride (Corpse Bride, 2005) and how they approach subject of ‘Otherness’. They do this through looking at the mortality, fragility and the suffering that comes with living in order to craft a believable atmosphere within their narratives. They create a world that lingers behind the shadow of reality and pulls the viewer through subtle technics of colours, challenging traditional stereotypes, and making the viewer question their own morality. Children as a whole are inquisitive beings who are continually wishing to find out more about the world that surrounds them. This natural curiosity is particularly apparent when the subject may be verging on taboo or they are aware that certain subjects, like death, can makes people uncomfortable. As a child, I always enjoy things a lot more when I know I shouldn’t being doing it, such as touching a hot iron simply because I had been told not to touch it, and suffering. Tim Burton and Wolf Erlbruch indulge their inner child by focusing on the taboo subject of death. This fondness for the ‘Otherness’ has carried through into my art, I have continuously been pulled towards darker subjects and I believe this to be my inner-child, craving the thrill of being scared or surprised. Jenny Colgan stated that given the opportunity ‘Children will always risk a nightmare as long as there is somebody there to soothe them when they wake.’ (Colgan, 2013). By allowing children to read about subjects such as death and isolation, not only do we give them space and freedom to roam in their imaginations but also make literature relevant to them and therefore preventing them from feeling as alone in their experiences. As Erlbruch states:

No child is ignorant. That’s only what adults like to think, they like to have the edge on them. But it is in fact the other way round. Grownups live with so many restrictions, they just can’t fathom the intellectual depth of children. (Erlbruch, 2006:2)

Erlbruch’s beliefs are clearly portrayed in his German published picture book Duck, Death and the Tulip (Erlbruch and0 Chidgey, 2011) where he presents the reader with a unique and simplistic

1 Rosemary M Barlow characterisation of death- making it more relatable to a child reading the book (See Appendix A for image of Death). The text is clear and does not patronise its readers but instead is thought provoking with the philosophical dialogue between Duck and Death. The text remains ambiguous about religious beliefs and thus reflecting the reality that no one knows what follows death, a concept which many adults struggle with. I find that within my own work, my language register often seeps through into my writing, causing the narrators voice to sound more adult. Erlbruch is not concerned with pandering to the readers level but expects them to simply have intelligence and does not undermine this. I write as I wish to read and would much rather be overestimated and struggle then be underestimated and be disappointed. The storyline follows the last days of Duck’s life and how she gradually becomes aware of someone with a skull for a head and a worn tartan robe following her. ‘‘Who are you? What are you up to, creeping along behind me?’’ (2011:1) Duck asks at the start of the book, ‘‘Good,’ said Death ‘you finally noticed me. I am Death.’’ (2011:2), suggesting that death has always been present and that it is an essential part of living. The Duck eventually befriends the companionless Death and talks to him about the common mythologies of the afterlife that is central to our human delusion of immortality, ‘‘Some ducks say that deep in the earth there’s a place where you’ll be roasted if you haven’t been good.’ ‘You ducks come up with some amazing stories, but who knows?’’ (2011:14). Unable to resolve the existential perplexity of the nonexistence, they return to the simple joys of life and climb a tree. When Duck dies it comes unannounced, except for ‘a chill’ (2011:21) in her feathers that represents the chilling new awareness of one’s own mortality, placed between an unredeemable yesterday and the inevitability of the morrow. Death carries her down to the river and watches as she floats away (See Appendix B). It is the visual equivalent to Elizabeth Alexander’s The Light of the World, ‘Perhaps tragedies are only tragedies in the presence of love, which confers meaning to loss. Loss is not felt in the absence of love.’ (Alexander. E, 2016) Meg Rosoff suggests because of ‘Erlbruch’s eloquence in the face of life’s most monstrous inevitability’ (Rosoff, 2009) the book will ‘occupy an important place in the literature of childhood long after today's bestsellers have been forgotten’ (Rosoff, 2009). What first enticed me to the book was how extremely aesthetically beautiful it was and is pleasing to smell and touch. The pages with their economy of words and white background, frames the minimalistic yet incredibly expressive illustrations; this is to ensure the reader is largely focused on the text (See Appendix C). Through the minimalistic style, Erlbruch also conveys the gentle and gradual ease that develops between the two characters, Duck and Death as they relax into their unlikely friendship. The tulip, visible as Death carries Duck down to the river (See Appendix A), offers a warm splash of colour in an otherwise neutrally book. Despite my own

2 Rosemary M Barlow work being composed of traditionally ‘bright, primary colours [that] are [preserved as the] most effective for the very young’ (Salisbury and Styles, 2012:113) (See Appendix D for own work) and which has been so disregarded in Duck, Death and the Tulip (Erlbruch and Chidgey, 2011), I feel drawn to Erlbruch’s ‘old fashion’ technic of cutting his characters and landscapes out of cardboard, wallpaper and brown wrapping paper. The characters themselves, Duck and Death are drawn using crayons and pencils, the same medium a child would use, once cut out and placed on their white pages the combination of different textures help to creates a completely unique experience for the viewer (See Appendix A-C for Images). I enjoy working with a wide range of materials, in particular textual mediums; mixing plaster and acrylic paints to create large impasto paintings and making 3D models to help me to understand my characters, bringing them to life and making the settings more visually engaging (See Appendix E). It could be argued that Duck, Death and the Tulip could be viewed as a form of vanity; that Erlbruch through denying the traditional vibrant colours from entering his book is drawing to please himself, rather then what might be deemed alluring to his younger readers. As a writer and illustrator, I am aware of the importance of specifying a target audience for marketing purposes but I am also equally just as reluctant to aim my work at one group in particular. For I believe that picture books and the illustrations within should be able to communicate and reach a wider readership, helping to guide adults and adolescents alike through difficult subjects, like death. Erlbruch argues that if a book’s illustrations and subject matter is able to ‘initiate a dialogue between parents and children […] in a more or less speechless society’ (Salisbury and Styles, 2012:123) then it has helped to create a freethinking individual with an imagination. Another artist that brings eloquence and subtle humour to life’s most monstrous inevitability is Tim Burton, who’s preoccupation with death and the need to engage with the ‘Otherness’ has generated him global acknowledgement. Mircea Cantor stated, ‘we look for transparency and predictability in everything these days. There is a lack of trust […] we want to prove, to know, to be certain […] we need the opposite.’(Cantor, 2008:21), Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride (Corpse Bride, 2005) creates the unexpected and uncertainty that we as the viewer secretly crave. Corpse Bride is a gothic stop-motion animation that uses heavy romanticism, stunning visuals and embodies Gothicism, in ways that force the viewer to confront uncertainties and creates a norm in the realm of ‘Otherness’ (death). The tale, Corpse Bride follows Victor Van Dort, whose family wishes to rise above their social class by marrying him to the Everglots (aristocrats whom are secretly bankrupt) daughter, Victoria. Victor upon bungling up his vows at rehearsal, goes to the woods to practise them; and upon saying them correctly, places the ring on a hand

3 Rosemary M Barlow shaped branch, which is the real hand of the corpse bride, Emily. Emily finding herself wed to Victor transports him top the underworld. I adore the controversial juxtaposition of colours Burton uses to separate the land of the living and the underworld, which I would like to apply in my own illustrations to help create atmosphere. His visual style is utterly unique and he knits together nineteenth and twentieth century European art aesthetics and American kitsch with perfect precision. The Gothicism is immediately prominent in the European Victorian influence styled town of the living through the use of washed out grey, black and white images. The colour palette consists of greys varying into pale cold blues, blacks and browns, which helps to create a negative, oppressive ambiance (See Appendix F for selected images). Contrastingly, Tim Burton’s world of the dead is shockingly vibrant, comprising of oranges, greens and purple colour palette. Green is a continuously present throughout the Underworld, helping to highlighting the lack of it in the land of the living and contributing a sense of irony, for the underworld is full of life and joy. For example, upon entering the underworld, bright green under-lighting is used in the Jazz Bar to create a joyful atmosphere, while still giving the image an eerie gothic appearance that is in keeping with the rest of the animation (See Images Appendix G). After viewing Burton’s masterful use of coloured lights to create certain atmospheres, I would love to experiment with them in my own work. I practically relished the complex character of Emily, who is the only exception within the world of the dead for her colour scheme; a torn wedding dress revealing blue skin and bones, mimics the same gothic coldness of the living world (See Image Appendix H) and is the first clue the viewer receives that suggests she has not finished living and that her life was taken to soon. Like most American Gothic monsters featured in films, she is in fact a victim. The beautiful overtones of blue that run through her hair, skin and dress help to generate a dark sadness that clings to her like a veil. Emily embodies the gothic components completely; she comes from a wealthy aristocratic family and was betrayed by love while alive. In death she is angry and vengeful but is also capable of deeper emotions, love for Victor and sadness, lamenting her fate and is self-sacrificing, for she steps aside to let Victoria marry Victor. Burton also installed more modern characteristics in the protagonist Emily; her character is barefaced, at time unruly and impetuous. The juxtaposition to Emily is Victoria (See Image Appendix I), Victors intended bride, she is fragile, optimistic and pure; a traditional archetype of a gothic woman reminiscent of Emily Bronte’s character, Jane Eyre (Brontë, 1994). The static meek layers of Victoria’s personality only start to disperse once she has seen Emily (Corpse Bride, 2005: 37:59) at which point she starts to rebel, breaking free of her home (prison) and attempting to warn the Pastor Galswells of Victors

4 Rosemary M Barlow predicament (2005: 44:03- 45:48). We also see part of Emily reflected in Victoria near the end when she replies proudly, ‘Did thing not going according to plan, Lord Barkis?’(2005: 1:04:00), reflecting Emily’s own hotheaded nature and Victoria’s growing independence. The characters, Emily and Victoria are both opposites of each other but both are compatible; Emily is the strong, powerful woman that dwells within Victoria, a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde phenomena, ‘Man is not truly one, but truly two’ (Stevenson, 2016). Furthermore, Tim Burton’s preference to use abstractionism in his animation allows him to show the viewer the true internal form of a character. Victoria, Emily, and Victor are the only characters that look similar to true human like forms, while Lord and Lady Everglot and the Pastor Galswell are fractured, inaccurate in size and aesthetically alarming (See Images Appendix J). Mark Salisbury stated that Burton’s films are like being in ‘the inside of somebody’s head, like an internalized state externalized’ (Nicholls, 2016). Within my own work I have always leaned towards the abstract, for I believe it to be more conducive in portraying emotions and personalities to the viewer and therefore, allowing them to understand the role of each character almost instantly. Moreover, the unusual camera angles that Burton deploys in his animation, generates an unusual visual experience that only emphasizes the characters deformities. Burton implements a high-angle roaming camera in his opening credits of Corpse Bride (Corpse Bride, 2005) that follows the sight line of a released butterfly as a way of maximizing the cinematic potential and diving the viewer straight into the oppressive world of the living (2005: 00:56- 2:00). This technique also allows him to show off the wonderful European gothic set and sub- characters with their individual deformities and kinks. Another camera angle that is applied in this animation, which I particularly enjoyed is the below long shot of the skeleton jazz band (See Appendix K for camera shot), which helps to create a feeling of claustrophobic excitement by placing the viewer in unexpected places and keeping the scene moving. Tim Burton’s ability to work interdisciplinary is what makes his creations so successful, for he is able to follow and be part of all stages of production and therefore permitting him to create a true representation of his thought process. For he creates the drawing, preparatory sketches, the scale models, and production, allowing him to be able to view his work in a cohesive, liner fashion that really appeals to myself. The Gothic theme that runs throughout the setting and main characters has also been expertly applied to minor characters, such as Pastor Galswell. This allows Burton to manipulate the conventional God serving man to advance the narratives plot and introduce mockery at the Catholic Churches expense. This is a typical technique that Gothic works regularly exploits and then criticize the subject (Pastor Galswell) as a weak, cruel individual, who enjoy ridiculing people

5 Rosemary M Barlow for the mistakes they make. One such example of this being applied in Corpse Bride is at the wedding rehearsal where Pastor Galswell torments Victor for forgetting his vows. However, later the viewer see’s the Pastor’s ignorance about life after death when he is attempting to drive the dead away from the church:

‘Be gone thee demons from hell! Back to the void from whence you came! You shall not enter here!’ [to which a corpse responds,] ‘Keep it down, we’re in a church.’ (2005, 1:04:45- 1:04:45)

Burton, by rebuking the cliché of a horde of dead wanting to rip the living apart and making them a reflection of the living, with the same morals and same respect for religious monuments, he successfully embarrasses the Church. For it is the Church, who claim to know more about the afterlife then anyone else but on reflection knows no more then the normal man, and due to their beliefs may be more stubborn to accepting an alternative. Both Wolf Erlbruch and Tim Burton address the theme of death and the fear of this ‘Otherness’ to create through their art and pros an ironic reflection that not even Death is the end. In Duck, Death and the Tulip (Erlbruch and Chidgey, 2011) it is visible in the moment when Death fails to answer Ducks remark that Death doesn’t know what happens after death (2011:14), this remark subtly placed, is a spark of hope for the reader and Erlbruch’s reluctance to push any religious belief onto his reader. While in the animation of Tim Burton’s, Corpse Bride death is romanticised, in keeping with Gothic romanticism and that in dying the characters become better people, who lead better lives. This is reflected in the exuberant celebration and unique story that each ‘dead’ character has, while in the world of the living, with their drab colours, the characters remain almost entirely unmemorable and unnoticed. The viewer does not realise until the very end of the animation, that Burton’s world of the dead is more of a hotel waiting room used to contain the dead till they have moved on. This ‘moving on’ is symbolised in the transformation of Emily when she finds peace and alters into a kaleidoscope of stunning luminous blue butterflies and disappears (See Appendix L). Both Illustrators have dealt with the sensitive subject of ‘Otherness’ in completely different styles and disciplines; Tim Burton through gothic surrealism, tragic humour, and unusual perspectives has produced a world that shocks and inspires its viewers, while making subtle connotations at the Catholics Church’s expense about its belief system. This refusal to acknowledge a ‘higher being’ in the illustrations/creations is also shared by Wolf Erlbruch, who

6 Rosemary M Barlow uses subtle humour and philosophical thinking in his illustrated picture book, Death, Duck and the Tulip, making no reference to a omnipresent, omniscient being. Burton has used colour and minute detail in his gothic surrealist animation, Corpse Bride to generate a strange realism for his viewer, for death is surreal and no one knows what comes after it. While, Erlbruch’s depiction of death is economical and minimalistic upon a blank white page, the white frames the image and creates a feeling of endlessness. A silent tribute to the unknown ‘Otherness’ that is death. In both pieces we are left with a sense of ambiguity, for we still don’t know what ‘Otherness’ is awaiting us when we finally do depart. However, both artists do bestow upon the viewer is a kind of peace, that there is no need to fear the ‘Otherness’, that death is both inevitable and essential and should not be held at arms length but accepted.

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Appendix A.

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References Primary Sources:

Erlbruch, W. and Chidgey, C. (2011). Duck, death, and the tulip. Minneapolis: Gecko Press, distributed in the United States by Lerner Pub. Group. p. 1,2,14,21.

Corpse Bride. United Kingdom: Warner Home Video, 2005. DVD.

Putlocker, (2005). Corpse Bride. [video] Available at: http://putlockers.ch/watch- corpse-bride-online-free-putlocker.html [Accessed 1 Nov. 2016].

Secondary Sources:

Alexander, E. (2016). The Light of the World: Elizabeth Alexander on Love, Loss, and the Boundaries of the Soul. [online] Brain Pickings. Available from: https://www.brainpickings.org/2015/06/01/the-light-of-the-world-elizabeth- alexander-memoir/ [Accessed 26 Nov. 2016].

Brontë, C. (1994). Jane Eyre. 2nd ed. London: Puffin Books.

Brown, J. (2016). A Gothic Pop Surrealist | ARTnews. [online] Artnews.com. Available at: http://www.artnews.com/2009/11/01/a-gothic-pop-surrealist/ [Accessed 17 Nov. 2016].

Burton, T., Magliozzi, R. and He, J. (2009). Tim Burton. 1st ed. Ostfildern, Germany: The Museum of Modern Art.

Cai, G. and Bradley, F. (2005). Cai Guo-Qiang. 1st ed. Edinburgh: The Fruitmarket Gallery.

Cantor, M. (2008). The Need For Uncertainty. Manchester: Modern Arts Oxford, Arnolfini, Bristol, Camden Arts Centre, London, distributed in United Kingdom by Cornerhouse, p. 21.

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Colgan, J. (2013). Children's book illustrations depict a glorious, dangerous world | Jenny Colgan. [online] the Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/06/childrens-book- illustrations-dangerous-world [Accessed 1 November. 2016].

Erlbruch, W. (2006). Nomination for the Hans Christian Andersen Award 2006. Illutrator’s Award German Section, International Board on Books for Young People, p. 2.

Fliphtml5.com. (2016). The Magic of Tim Burton Pages 1 - 42 - Text Version | FlipHTML5. [online] Available at: http://fliphtml5.com/zscb/doea/basic [Accessed 26 Nov. 2016].

McMahon, J. (2016). The Philosophy of Tim Burton. [online] Google Books. Available at: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=9KkaAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA70&lpg=PA70&dq=ti m+burton+the+need+for+uncertainty&source=bl&ots=iakXLRG4aR&sig=BCbnrPya YL9TNC6DUV-0MKYz0Fg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiVuab- hc7QAhVJC8AKHW37DPMQ6AEILjAE#v=onepage&q=tim%20burton%20the%20ne ed%20for%20uncertainty&f=false [Accessed 13 Nov. 2016].

Nicholls, C. (2016). German. [online] prezi.com. Available from: https://prezi.com/vd64rlz-25u2/german/[Accessed 27 Nov. 2016].

Nodelman, P. (1988). Words about pictures. 1st ed. Athens: University of Georgia Press.

Salisbury, M. (2004). Illustrating children's books. 7th ed. Hauppauge, NY: Bloomsbury.

Salisbury, M., Styles, M., Alemagna, B., Smy, P. and Riveros, I. (2012). Children's picturebooks. London: Laurence King Pub, p.113, 123.

Seger, L. (1990). Creating unforgettable characters. 1st ed. New York: H. Holt.

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Simic, C. and Cornell, J. (1992). Dime-store alchemy. 1st ed. New York: New York Review Books.

Stevenson, R. (2016). 10. Henry Jekylls Full Statement of the Case. Stevenson, Robert Louis. 1886. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. [online] Bartleby.com. Available at: http://www.bartleby.com/1015/10.html [Accessed 26 Nov. 2016].

Styles, M. and Bearne, E. (2003). Art, Narrative and Childhood. 2nd ed. Stoke on Trent, U.K.: Trentham.

Rosoff, M. (2009). Duck, Death and the Tulip by Wolf Erlbruch | Book review. [online] the Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/dec/19/wolf-erlbruch-children- picturebook-review [Accessed 2 November. 2016].

The Imagination of Tim Burton. (2016). Aesthetics, (32), p.22-25.

Williams, I. (2014). A child’s eye view of death: the power of picture books to explain. [online] the Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2014/oct/21/-sp-children-death- books-explain-bereavement [Accessed 1 November. 2016].

Images:

Appendix A: Erlbruch, W. and Chidgey, C. (2011). Duck, death, and the tulip. Minneapolis: Gecko Press, distributed in the United States by Lerner Pub. Group, p. 25.

Appendix B: Erlbruch, W. and Chidgey, C. (2011). Duck, death, and the tulip. Minneapolis: Gecko Press, distributed in the United States by Lerner Pub. Group, p. 26.

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Appendix C: Erlbruch, W. and Chidgey, C. (2011). Duck, death, and the tulip. Minneapolis: Gecko Press, distributed in the United States by Lerner Pub. Group, p. 1,2.

Appendix D clockwise (own work): Barlow, R. (2016). Stained Glass Girl. [Oil on Canvas]. Barlow, R. (2016). Aerial view 1. [Mixed medium on plywood]. Barlow, R. (2016). Aerial view 2. [Mixed medium on plywood]. Barlow, R. (2016). Aerial view 2. [Mixed medium on plywood]. Barlow,R. (2016). Two Dogs. [Ink on watercolour paper]. Barlow,R. (2016). Bee in Flight. [Ink on watercolour paper].

Appendix E clockwise (own work): Barlow, R. (2016). Character Model. [Modeling clay]. Barlow, R. (2016). Beehive Mask. [Paper mashe]. Barlow, R. (2016). Bee Models. [Clay]. Barlow, R. (2016). Fox Mask. [Paper mashe and plaster].

Appendix F: Burton, T. (2005). Corpse Bride.[Film still] From: Corpse Bride. United Kingdom: Warner Home Video, 2005. DVD. Time Film still taken: 00:50. Burton, T. (2005). Corpse Bride.[Film still] From: Corpse Bride. United Kingdom: Warner Home Video, 2005. DVD. Time Film still taken: 01:25. Burton, T. (2005). Corpse Bride.[Film still] From: Corpse Bride. United Kingdom: Warner Home Video, 2005. DVD. Time Film still taken: 01:45. Burton, T. (2005). Corpse Bride.[Film still] From: Corpse Bride. United Kingdom: Warner Home Video, 2005. DVD. Time Film still taken: 01:54.

Appendix G: Burton, T. (2005). Corpse Bride.[Film still] From: Corpse Bride. United Kingdom: Warner Home Video, 2005. DVD. Time Film still taken: 20:47. Burton, T. (2005). Corpse Bride.[Film still] From: Corpse Bride. United Kingdom: Warner Home Video, 2005. DVD. Time Film still taken: 21:13.

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Burton, T. (2005). Corpse Bride.[Film still] From: Corpse Bride. United Kingdom: Warner Home Video, 2005. DVD. Time Film still taken: 22:56.

Appendix H: Burton, T. (2005). Corpse Bride Emily.[online]Rose Vebstone. Available at: http://vebston-rose.tumblr.com/post/120421086011 [Accessed 26 Nov. 2016].

Appendix I: Burton, T. (2005). Corpse Bride.[Film still] From: Corpse Bride. United Kingdom: Warner Home Video, 2005. DVD. Time Film still taken: 09:11.

Appendix J: Burton, T. (2005). Corpse Bride Priest Galswell.[online] Vignette 2. Available at: http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/villains/images/e/eb/Pastor_galswells_corpse_ bride_by_vint1k-d7t46ox.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140923041329 [Accessed 25 Nov. 2016]. Burton, T. (2005). Corpse Bride.[Film still] From: Corpse Bride. United Kingdom: Warner Home Video, 2005. DVD. Time Film still taken: 03:45.

Appendix K: Burton, T. (2005). Corpse Bride.[Film still] From: Corpse Bride. United Kingdom: Warner Home Video, 2005. DVD. Time Film still taken: 22:05.

Appendix L: Burton, T. (2005). Corpse Bride.[Film still] From: Corpse Bride. United Kingdom: Warner Home Video, 2005. DVD. Time Film still taken: 1:12:56.