I've written a YA futuristic novel that I'm putting final polishes on. I'm also an artist, so I'm experimenting with doing ten illustrations for this novel. No can do, you say? Not for YA? I'm happy to report this is no longer the case! The age of the illustrated YA is coming of age. Pictured here is a peek at my image of a scary cult that my main characters run into in the Great Chihuahua Desert. Yup, these cowled creeps are raising the net on my guys. Oh, and those rock formations that look like... well, stay tuned. In fact, stay tuned in general, as I may post another picture soon.
Examples of lushly-illustrated YAs are popping up all over the place. Scott Westerfield's Leviathan, with art by Keith Thompson comes to mind. A Monster Calls, inspired by Siobhan Dowd, written by Patrick Ness and illustrated by Jim Kay is another shining example. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, a novel by Ransom Riggs and chock full of vintage photos, takes the already eerie novel about a 16 year-old boy sent to a crumbling, abandoned home for dangerous youth to a whole other layer of strange. Beth Kephart, a YA author posted on September 29th about this very subject, and she's excited to say that an upcoming book of hers will be illustrated.
So, who says teens shouldn't enjoy evocative images! There's no reason that gorgeously illustrated novels should only exist for the picture book and middle grade set. N. C. Wyeth and Albrecht Durer are two classic picture-makers for adult and crossover novels. With the rise of the graphic novel and the text art hybrid that Brian Selznick introduced with The Inventions of Hugo Cabret, this is fast-changing, and I, for one, am hugely excited about it.
That said, I do think that illustrations for teens need a sophistication that allows for one's imagination to paint in the main characters. Good illustration, as good fiction allows for this breathing room.
That's why, in my pictures, I'll have no images of the main characters (Or maybe one, from the side view??) and precious few of the other players. That's why I won't be giving away any big gun surprises in them either. No spoilers, only images that fuel a sharper, more fierce imagining.
I firmly believe that images in YA novels can enrich and elevate prose. Seems like the perfect time to break away from old formulas and invent fresh, new templates. What do you think? (Should I do my main players in profile?) Please share any more good examples of this phenomenon. What kinds of illustrations would you not want to see, or really love to see? Dish here.
Just checking that one can post without a problem as someone on she writes just said they couldn't. So, please ignore this silly test!
ReplyDeleteI love this idea of enriching with illustrations in YA. That's a great sample that you gave us.
ReplyDeleteI think teens would invite illustrations. Why not? Good for you Catherine, and it's great that you can do them yourself.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if this could counter the rise of e-books. I think illustrations are always more awesome on paper. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds awesome! I'm an artist (and of course writer) myself, but I focus mainly on YA and MG. Illustrations are not just for kids. This could be a wonderful idea and I think it will be reflected well. Profile views are always the best, but hey, I don't see too much harm in actually drawing your main characters. Some people would find it helps them to picture them. Who knows.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone heard of the completely illustrated band The Gorillaz. All their music videos are illustrated to the point where you really don't know what the actual band looks like, but it made quite a stir a few years back.
I LOOVVVE Gorillaz!!! My boys turned me onto them. Their Plastic Beach album is great (as is all of their playlist). Yes, for a long while, they existed only in cartoon form. But last year, they finally played live onstage. I wonder if that affected their popularity?
ReplyDeleteAmy, hmmm, interesting thought. Paper illustrations rock. But online, they look good too, with the pixelated light shining through. It's all good. Books will hopefully always be around, in addition to eBooks.
Elizabeth, are you really encouraging me to do a main character(s) portrait? That could be very tempting...
ReplyDeletethat's awesome. I'd love to see more illustrated novels!
ReplyDeleteLol Catherine...you never know. A main character's portrait could be great. I know I have friends who would read and I swear they sat their wishing they could get a look at the main character. That's why a lot liked the illustrations in Harry Potter and on the cover. As long as you keep them sophisticated. I think you'd have an audience. And really who isn't curious to see the main characters illustrated? I know I'd love to see mine!
ReplyDeleteIn fact, I originally wanted to do some pen and ink ones for this MG I'm revising.
I agree. An occasional picture never hurt a story. I'm a fan. I thought it ingenious how they have a little picture to start each chapter of Harry Potter, like you said.
ReplyDeleteLucky for us artists this is becoming the 'in' thing. I think it helps the imagination along for those reluctant readers too.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely love how you've captured the concept in black and white. Not always an easy thing. I think the way you're not showing to much of your characters offers a topic of conversation to an audience.
I tend to say a bit much, so this is something I can learn from as an artist myself.
www.totsymae.com
Thanks, Tosh, yes, it's a good time for the author/illustrator. I'm going to head on over and check out your drawings.
ReplyDeleteLips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor and illustrated by her husband is one of my favorites. I've got a story in it's infancy that I'd love to see illustrated too. Can't wait to see more.
ReplyDeleteOh, this is so cool! I am all for it. Consider Wonderstruck by Brian Selznik. It's time to bring this to the YA audience.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to hear that people are starting to open up to illustrations in the YA genre. I've been toying with the idea for a while now but haven't had the guts to follow through.
ReplyDeletePictures are worth 1000 words, after all. I feel like illustrations add a whole new dimension to a project.
ReplyDeleteSarah Allen
(my creative writing blog)
What a fabulous idea. My YA novel, Monkey's Wedding, set in Africa, would rock with illustrations. I'm going to check out Wonderstruck, suggested by Jenny, see how it works. Love your illustrations.
ReplyDeletewww.rossandrawhite.com
I'm loving the illustrations, Catherine! Keep going, what fun!
ReplyDeleteRossandra, I love the title Monkey's Wedding! And thanks, Candy.
ReplyDeleteCatherine, I love the illustrations and agree that teens do love to see them. Think of the popularity of graphic novels. I read comic books way into my teens too.:) Thanks for posting this on SheWrites. I like your blog.
ReplyDeleteThese illustrations are incredible! You are one talented lady and I love what you're doing.
ReplyDeleteLOVE that illustration! And yes, there are illustrated YAs starting to come out. One very recent one is: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making. Good luck! I think this has amazing potential. :)
ReplyDeleteI just found this post of yours and want to say that the look of your illustration is gorgeous. I'll be so eager to watch this book of yours evolve.
ReplyDeleteThanks Beth, et all! Your encouragement is very inspiring to me. I love this community.
ReplyDeleteThe addition of images to YA is a great innovation. I won't be surprised if it moves to adult fiction, too. With enhanced ebooks, it's already there, but let's hear it for a long and healthy life for print books, too!
ReplyDeleteAn offspring of the graphic novel? Wonderful. The illustration above is unexpected, creepy, and scary, and just a little bit twit-twit-twitchchchy with a pinch of deviance thrown in for good measure. If the illustration was a part of speech, it would be an adrenaline-secreting, sharp, edgy verb!
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