Symbiotic Relationship Between Text and Imagery

A picture book should not simply use illustrations to repeat what the text says. Instead, the art and words should work together to tell a more complete story than either could achieve on its own.

Here is a breakdown of what that looks like in practice:

1. Avoiding Redundancy

If the text says, “The boy was sad,” and the illustration shows a boy crying, the art is merely repeating the words. To make the art “do more,” the text might simply say, “It was a long afternoon,” while the illustration shows the boy sitting alone by a window with a broken toy, effectively showing the sadness and the context without the words needing to state it.

2. Providing Subtext and Emotional Depth

The art can convey the mood, atmosphere, and interior feelings of a character. For example:

• The Text: Focuses on the dialogue or the action.

• The Art: Uses color palettes, lighting, and facial expressions to show how a character truly feels about that action.

3. Adding Parallel Narratives

Often, the art tells a “side story” that the words never mention. An example is a pet following the main character through the book, performing its own funny actions in the background. This rewards the reader for looking closely at the pages.

4. Solving the “Gaps” in the Story

In a well-written picture book, there are intentional “gaps” left by the author. The illustrator fills these gaps.

• The words provide the “hook” or the “beat.”

• The art provides the “punchline” or the “environment.”

5. The “Wordless” Storytelling

If you were to cover up the words, a reader should still be able to follow the emotional arc of the story just by looking at the pictures. This is why “visual narrative” techniques like vignettes (multiple small images on one page showing a sequence of movement) and two-page spreads (for big, silent moments of awe) are so important.

Summary

The magic of a picture book happens in the reader’s head when they see something in the picture that contradicts, explains, or expands upon what they just read in the text.