Noticias
At Parque Bicentenario, HQ of the International Children and Youth Book Fair
"The game of forms is the essence of all my books": Anthony Browne, children´s books illustrator
November 15, 2016Between selfies and book signings, author and illustrator Anthony Browne, arrived at the Auditorium of Parque Bicentenario (Bicentennial Park) to teach his master class about illustration A life among books. It was an intimate talk that the artist offered, at the 36th International Children and Youth Book Fair (FILIJ, for its acronym in Spanish), to 24 people, including illustrators, graphic designers, artists and students.
The artist born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England (September 11, 1946), gave a brief review of his career and shared with the audience his particular way of understanding the art of creating children's books.
“Hello everyone”, the illustrator said before starting his class in which he revealed that all people can and have the ability to draw naturally, because a drawing, he said, is to communicate what you feel or think.
“Sorry to interrupt the talk to drink water, but only here in Mexico my throat gets very dry”,the illustrator said before commenting that his job is to write and tell stories inspired by a memory of childhood, stories that his children tell him, paintings, a dream, the newspaper, movies, books and even the work of other authors he likes.
Have you ever practiced the game of forms? Anthony Browne asked the audience, who replied no, but that it would be interesting to find out what it is.
In response to the question, the graphic designer also explained that it is a game that is the essence of all his books, which he performs in his talks, with the purpose of living together and being closer with the public, and consists in he or a participant draws a shape and from that they build a fantastic character.
The author of more than 40 titles detailed that he always wanted to be a painter or an artist of fine arts, who from the age of six discovered his passion for drawing and this arose thanks to his parents encouraged him.
Anthony Browne revealed that all his books have a very intrinsic relationship between words and images, they tell simple but interesting stories, show how children see the world, have backgrounds with mysterious images, reflect their dreams, illusions and obsessions about their legs and boots, and have a fun perspective.
In addition, his characters (child-adult) almost always discuss about what happens and they are weak or vulnerable people outside the place where the story is told.
The writer emphasized that his first works were developed in the university, when he studied graphic design but they were misunderstood, because they were illustrations and not works of design.
He added that before the books, he worked in an advertising agency where he made Christmas and birthday cards, which were never sold, but allowed him to experiment with techniques, styles and colors.
The illustrator also talked about his most significant books: Through the magic mirror, which was his first volume made in the university; A walk in the park his first professional work; Gorilla, which is the most fun; Alice in Wonderland, a version of his favorite story of childhood, and Voices in the park, which allowed him to experience and narrate for the first time, a story from his characters different points of view.
The class, after almost two hours of talk, concluded with the play of shapes, where Anthony Browne drew, from a circle, a bird, and four assistants drew, from abstract figures, a stroller with a child, a robot, a pilot in an airplane, an ant and a cockroach.
Mexico,Distrito Federal
