Abstract:
Wordless picturebooks are texts that convey a narrative through a series of
images with little or no written information and have gained popularity among
academics, readers, and illustrators. These books have evolved from purely
educational tools to complex and experimental works, attracting prominent
artists and addressing challenging themes. Described as “crossover”,
wordless picturebooks frequently defy traditional age, addressing and
attracting readers of all ages.
While research on wordless picturebooks is growing, literature generally
focuses on wordless picturebooks as educational tools for a younger
readership and the aesthetic qualities of the finished picturebook – rarely
examining the complex process of creating a wordless, visual narrative. In
this article we reflect on the creation of a wordless crossover picturebook
to gain insight into this process from Maria van Os’s perspective as a
practising illustrator and illustration lecturer. The practice-based approach
sheds light on the wordless crossover picturebook as an artefact and the
process under taken by an author-illustrator when creating a wordless
narrative. A framework for creating wordless narratives was conceptualised
by distilling the findings from the practice and framing them within narrative
theory. The framework is intended to aid students, lecturers, and practitioners
in creating and analysing wordless picturebooks.
