Experiment 002

Intent: to examine how mood is communicated in visual narrative, particularly from one extreme to another, i.e. Depression/Elation

Reference point: The Highwayman (illustrations) Charles Keeping (1981)

Facial Expression

Bess, the landlord's daughter

This narrative relies heavily on facial expression, perhaps due to the age and traditional values of the illustrator? The images are also more directly linked to the text, conveying the descriptions closely.

Original - Charles Keeping (1981)

Experiment - Facial expression

perception |pərˈsepSHən|nounthe ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses, the combing in of sensations into a recognition of an object.

perceptionnoun1 our perception of our own limitations:recognition, awareness,consciousness, appreciation,realization, knowledge, grasp,understanding, comprehension,apprehension; formal cognizance.2 popular perceptions of old age:impression, idea, conception,notion, thought, belief, judgment,estimation.

Original

Facial expression changed

Original

Facial expression changed - Ha! Love this one, "What do you want!!!?? No, p**s off!!"

Response

From Birdwoman by Kitty Skye

Exploring the use of facial expression

Thumbnails

Thumbnails

The Birdwoman's mother's anguish on hearing the capture of her daughter - compressed charcoal rough

The Birdwoman's mother's anguish on hearing the capture of her daughter - Indian ink rough

Subsidiary Conclusion

In this book Keeping has relied on the face to communicate the melancholy narrative of two lovers. When I responded using my own content I realised that this is and will continue to be a  fundamental method of communication used by an illustrator. Like Keeping I worked in black and white to add to the drama of the passionate feeling I was intending to deliver.