The Importance of Artwork

Nigel Wild says in a comment on Jos’ Reading Strategy https://pensaroundtheworld.com/weewis/reading-strategy/ “If choosing a library book – and we have an English-language library here – I look at the title, the cover and the blurb on the back.”

Oh, my! I made such a boo-boo in presenting a cover picture for my first published book! Being a collection of short stories about cellos and cellists, I thought immediately of the drawing my father had made of me playing the cello when I was five years old. It shows an unmistakeable influence of the Dick Bruna ‘Miffy’ series of illustrations, with which I was familiar, not only through having come across the books, but also through the brother of a Dutch cellist friend, who worked in the department in Amsterdam dealing with those illustrations. I loved the fact that my father visualised in these cartoon terms, it was a natural choice, for my father who is no longer alive.

But it was also a big mistake.

One of my stories is set in the historical setting of Terezin, or Theresienstadt, a Nazi concentration camp in the Czech Republic.

which was used to show the Western Allies that they were giving its Jewish inmates a rich cultural life, with an orchestra and performances of music. One story was set aboard the Titanic. So I was surprised to be asked if the collection was suitable for a present for an eight year old cellist. I guess Nigel is right, and many will not look beyond the cover! This collection is hopefully having a second edition this month, with some corrections to errors that crept in due to its rapid initial publication, and a new cover, which won’t give that false impression of its contents. One learns from such things.

Art work has always been important to me. I think of my father as a frustrated artist. He left school, his parents could not afford to keep him on once he reached the end of compulsory schooling at 14, and it was during the years of the Depression. He took the first job he was offered, working in a library. He did all his work towards qualifications, in evening classes. Once he became chief librarian at his large London library, he was able to indulge his artistic skills in making a show-piece for the large display case with some form of art or craft he had designed, and books placed to illustrate a theme. These were changed at least once a fortnight, and showed his considerable artistic range and talent.

John has used an origami sculpture of the three kings that my father made using then current dot matrix tractor feed paper, as a Christmas banner here, colorising my father’s all-white wise men. Then there was a magnificent peacock, crafted out of silver foil and transparent coloured sweet wrappers. For Queen Elizabeth’s coronation there was a magnificent model of the queen with the coronation clothing and long train he sewed at home in the evenings. But week after week he would employ his skill so that people would make a special trip to walk up the grand Greek-modelled staircase between fluted pillars, and stand and look at the latest wide display case he had created.

So my collections have to be illustrated where appropriate. I found free-to-use illustrations of a poster for the opera Brundibar, and the chilling slogan over the gate with its “Arbeit macht frei” for my story Terezin, a picture of the Ospedale della Pietà accompanies a story about the children of that orphanage, and so on. For my collection of stories about Orkney and Orcadians I have enlisted the help of artistic friends both here in Orkney, and in Wales where I lived for 40 years before moving here.

It may seem strange from someone who prefers reading the book to seeing the movie, that illustration is so important to me, but I do visualise when I write. Also many of my stories are based in historical surroundings, and then I want to keep them true to the period or place. With cover design it is even more crucial. If no-one ever picks up your book, because the cover does not send the right message, then you are sunk before you can even sell. I shall have to see whether the new cover on my second edition portrays its contents more clearly, and gauge that from the book sales.

So select the illustrations and cover designs for your work carefully, or many, as Nigel indicates, may overlook your masterpiece. Even unillustrated books use their cover design to attract readers. Think about the image you want your work to portray.

John’s Christmas post using my Dad’s origami 3 kings photo
https://pensaroundtheworld.com/weewis/wishing-you-a-very-merry-and-peaceful-christmas-and-a-happy-and-productive-new-year/
Kimberly wrote about taking chances with art and writing at https://pensaroundtheworld.com/weewis/getting-sloppy-with-it/
and Miriam talks about the importance of art in
https://pensaroundtheworld.com/weewis/colour-theme-practice/