Lindsay Barry
Picture Book Assignment
February 20, 2008
EN 292
There are many artists who have contributed greatly to children’s picture books. When choosing a specific artist, which I thought was both interesting and unique; the first person that came to mind was Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss.
Dr. Seuss never won the Caldecott Medal or the Newbery. He had three of his titles chosen as Caldecott runners up, but never quite made it. He first started his drawing in cartoon form, and then incorporated it into his children’s books. His early work used many pencil drawings with shaded areas or watercolor. In his postwar period books he usually used the medium of black and white pen and ink, throwing in one or two colors into the drawings. You can see such work in his popular book The Lorax. In his later work, he began to use a variety of colors and new styles of drawing. His characters all seems to have a certain same resemblance to them. They are very striking and unique looking, and really add to the feel of the story. Another factor which is a strong part of Dr. Seuss’ drawings are his architecturally elaborate objects. He would incorporate many palaces, ramps, platforms, and free-standing stairways in his pictures. Seuss also drew elaborate imaginary machines, of which the Audio-Telly-O-Tally-O-Count, from Dr. Seuss' Sleep Book, is one example.
In conclusion, Dr. Seuss was a very talented artist, and had a way of bringing fun to every book he wrote and illustrated. Without his colorful and beautiful art, every child’s book collection would be missing a little something.