The making of a mini book...Part 1
I'm a book addict...so what is the best thing to do when you are addicted? MAKE YOUR OWN!
Step 1: Choose a story:
I decided to make a 16 page mini book of the story, "The Seven Ravens" by the Brothers Grimm. I chose this story because it was dark and very visual. I thought it had an unusual twist because the hero in the story was a young girl. Instead of the familiar damsel in distress story, the girl was the one sent off on a dangerous journey to save her brothers. She finds her courage, takes some big risks and succeeds. One of my favorite parts of the story is when the girl visits the Sun, the Moon and the Stars to ask for help. It will be so fun to illustrate. Another reason I chose this story to illustrate is because is part of the public domain, this means there won't be any copyright issues to deal with. In the end, I will probably rewrite it a bit to make the tale a bit more contemporary.
Step 2: Starting a Book Dummy
I began laying this story out in Adobe InDesign. You need to made sure there was enough space for the text to fit in the format. I chose a 5in x 7in page document. Working with the layout will give you an idea of where to place your illustrations and if you need to play with your type. Here is a basic example of a good mini page layout. Of course, all of this can be adjusted later. But it gives you an idea of all the pages that should be included in a mini book.
I always think it is easiest to create a tiny book out of paper to get a feel of how the book will actually feel in your hands.
Step 3: Start laying out the illustrations.
This is what I am working on right now. I am currently making the sketches for the final illustrations. I started by first making thumbnail sketches, then drawing larger more detailed sketches and now I am starting the final sketches. I'm creating the illustrations about 4 times the size of the final book(19 x 13) so that I can create a lot of details within the illustrations.
I'll post these sketches by the end of next week...
This will be a multi-part series...ending with a finished book dummy and 3 full illustrations, one book cover and 2 to 3 spot illustrations. Due Mid-October...
Step 1: Choose a story:
I decided to make a 16 page mini book of the story, "The Seven Ravens" by the Brothers Grimm. I chose this story because it was dark and very visual. I thought it had an unusual twist because the hero in the story was a young girl. Instead of the familiar damsel in distress story, the girl was the one sent off on a dangerous journey to save her brothers. She finds her courage, takes some big risks and succeeds. One of my favorite parts of the story is when the girl visits the Sun, the Moon and the Stars to ask for help. It will be so fun to illustrate. Another reason I chose this story to illustrate is because is part of the public domain, this means there won't be any copyright issues to deal with. In the end, I will probably rewrite it a bit to make the tale a bit more contemporary.
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| Amazing book full of insight... |
Step 2: Starting a Book Dummy
I began laying this story out in Adobe InDesign. You need to made sure there was enough space for the text to fit in the format. I chose a 5in x 7in page document. Working with the layout will give you an idea of where to place your illustrations and if you need to play with your type. Here is a basic example of a good mini page layout. Of course, all of this can be adjusted later. But it gives you an idea of all the pages that should be included in a mini book.
I always think it is easiest to create a tiny book out of paper to get a feel of how the book will actually feel in your hands.
Step 3: Start laying out the illustrations.
This is what I am working on right now. I am currently making the sketches for the final illustrations. I started by first making thumbnail sketches, then drawing larger more detailed sketches and now I am starting the final sketches. I'm creating the illustrations about 4 times the size of the final book(19 x 13) so that I can create a lot of details within the illustrations.
I'll post these sketches by the end of next week...
This will be a multi-part series...ending with a finished book dummy and 3 full illustrations, one book cover and 2 to 3 spot illustrations. Due Mid-October...