Picture This: How Pictures Work by Molly Bang

1. Bibliography
Bang, Molly. 1991. PICTURE THIS: HOW PICTURES WORK. New York: SeaStar Books. ISBN 1587170299.

2. Plot Summary
Illustrator Molly Bang examines how the structure of images affects viewers’ emotional responses.

3. Critical Analysis
Molly Bang takes the reader on a metacognitive journey through art and basic composition principles that influence the emotional reactions of viewers by “thinking aloud” her process in creating an illustration for the story of Little Red Riding Hood.

Using only basic geometric shapes and four basic colors, she builds the illustration for the reader, pausing at each step to explain why she chose particular shapes, colors, and positions for objects in the illustration. She shows alternate versions of the same image to effectively demonstrate how the viewer’s reaction, and therefore the meaning of the image, changes according to various composition differences. For example, diagonal lines are dynamic, implying action or motion; horizontal shapes make us feel stable and secure; and pointed shapes elicit more fear, while rounded shapes create a sense of comfort.

Between her articulate text and simple geometric illustrations, she makes the principles easy to understand, unlocking the code inherent in the art. The target audience of older children and adults is bound to be fascinated by how pictures work.

4. Review Excerpts
Horn Book— “Picture This extends the imagination, encourages creativity, and helps readers reexamine their world and themselves from different perspectives. One senses that it has the power to change anyone wiling to admit its magic.”

5. Connections
*Other books about picture book illustration and picture book illustrators:

For Children
Cummings, Pat. TALKING WITH ARTISTS VOLUME 1. ISBN 0027242455.
Marcus, Leonard. A CALDECOTT CELEBRATION: SIX ARTISTS SHARE THEIR PATHS TO THE CALDECOTT MEDAL. ISBN 0802786561.
Marcus, Leonard. SIDE BY SIDE: FIVE FAVORITE PICTURE BOOK TEAMS GO TO WORK. ISBN 0802787789.
Marcus, Leonard. WAYS OF TELLING: CONVERSATIONS ON THE ART OF THE PICTURE BOOK. ISBN 0525464905. (Young Adult)

For Adults
Nodelman, Perry. WORDS ABOUT PICTURES: THE NARRATIVE ART OF CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS. ISBN 0820312711.
Styles, Morag. CHILDREN READING PICTURES: INTERPRETING VISUAL TEXTS. ISBN 0415275776.

*Other books written and illustrated by Molly Bang:

GOOSE. ISBN 0590890050.
TEN, NINE, EIGHT. ISBN 0688149014. (Caldecott Honor book)
WHEN SOPHIE GETS ANGRY—REALLY, REALLY ANGRY. ISBN 0590189794. (Caldecott Honor book)