House Book

Since I had a bit of a change of direction for this project, I thought it might help to revisit the research stage and find some prints better suited to this format and see how I can take inspiration.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/46/4c/a3/464ca378ff4f71f1c70dbf82f47227e5.jpg

Not the same tone as my publication since this is much more upbeat (high key colours, twee/kitsch scene), but the actual content of the houses is what I wanted to look at. Mark-making to describe the different materials (wooden pannels, steps, pavement, glass windows, tiles, brick). Simplistic shapes - long oblong houses, symmetry, varying forms.

No suggestion of life from the windows. Black, doesn't overcomplicate the image and keeps things simple but does make the houses lack life/homeliness.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/75/3f/d8/753fd8bec17947dd45717f4cac1c0746.jpg

A look-inside-the-house cross section illustration. Doesn't make much architectural sense but is charming in that it gives you a glimpse into the home. Consider wallpaper, furnishings, flooring etc.

CAN JUST ONE SCENE LIKE THIS tell a WHOLE STORY? There's a lot going on in that house just in this illustration! The mouse is asleep in the bed, but it's obviously day time. The Rooster is sleeping too, in a room without any windows and the little red hen is cooking something. Add text/narrative around/inside the building?

More info under flaps - more interaction!

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/71/1f/4d/711f4d1509ebc6101097d063409b816b.jpg

This one excited me because it's a similar SPOOKY tone to what I'm going for. It's for kids but focuses on haunted house/ghosts. Maybe a little more toned down than what I'm intending (Ghosts don't smile!)

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/6a/47/04/6a4704741f5f840bfc53c24ab9299fbf.jpg

It's a screen print but they've printed black on red paper! I hadn't thought of that before, I just thought of the stock being white (and this is the third colour). The WHITE of the ghosts is achieved through a final layer of white printing, and adds much more depth/interest to the scene. Ghosts are supposed to be transparent, so by mixing a lot of printing medium with less ink, the bulk will be slightly less opaque, especially with it being a light colour on top of dark colours like red and black.

I think this is so clever and I would really like to have a go at printing onto coloured stock with white like this.