| |
The Characters Through The Author's Eyes
|
A story is
nothing without memorable characters, and this story has a
few. Each has a distinct voice, behavior, intention
and purpose. The artwork adds further dimension. Character descriptions
and small portions of the 8 1/2" X 13" illustrations are below.
|
 |
Click on images to enlarge.
Snailsworth |
Snailsworth
is the main
character. She learns many things about the world on her
journey. Perhaps best of all is what she learns about
herself and about "destiny" (it's all in the slime!)
Snails have extremely small features, barely visible,
in fact, so in order to give Snailsworth character, I
greatly exaggerated her eyes and gave her a very colorful
and detailed shell.
The idea for Snailsworth came to me one evening as I
sat on my back steps...looking at my garden path and gate
and at snail trails crisscrossing the stepping-stones. The
setting in the artwork looks very much like that scenery. (At
the time I
was also pondering upon my destiny.)
|
|
|
Supporting characters are very important to a
story. They challenge and motivate the main character and prompt
reactions and dialogue. They also can cause the main character
to think... which is something Snailsworth does a lot of.
Rickety Cricket
warns Snailsworth about
both known and unknown dangers in the world. Rickety is a
nervous character. He is afraid of his own shadow and tries to talk Snailsworth out of leaving familiar
territory.
I gave Rickety springs on his joints, since
he's always so jumpy! |
Rickety
Cricket |
Huey Hop-toad |
Huey
Hop-toad reaches for Snailsworth who, luckily, has
climbed out of reach. Toads are known for eating snails.
Snailsworth is very smart and stays out of his way.
There are plenty of bullies in the world (just like
Huey), and we have to learn to face up to them.
I think that Huey has particularly mean-looking eyes.
Or it could be that all toads look that way. They couldn't
all be mean, could they?
|
|
|
Snivly Snake,
like Huey Hop-toad, does not mean Snailsworth well. Thank
goodness she's too sleepy to act! And Snailsworth is quick
to think and get herself out of there fast (fast for a
snail, that is).
Snivly is sneaky. She tries to go behind
people's backs and do them harm.
A common garden snake, the garter is
really a friend to humans. But just the way they slink
around makes them look suspicious. I don't find them
particularly threatening, but I know that snails do!
|
Snivly
Snake |
Millie Moth
|
Millie Moth
is on a quest to
find her "destiny." But she doesn't know where to find it, so she constantly flutters in
search. Snailsworth
knows, deep inside, that she creates her OWN destiny!
Some people just do not know where
they are going...or why. Thank goodness people like
Snailsworth think about their choices. When someone
really looks around, he or she can see some amazing
sites!
On the tops of its wings, the
polyphemus moth has large spots that look like eyes.
When Millie springs into the air, this startles
Snailsworth. But Snailsworth learns something important
about her own destiny. |
|
A host of other
incidental characters adds
interest throughout the book (especially in spread 1, in
which they can all be found). They add more nature as
well as character to the scene, even though they don't
have any "lines."
Many are half hidden in the scenery, adding another
dimension to the artwork. The insects below are a few.
|
|
Be sure to visit the
Setting
page. After all, the
scenery is a character, too!
|
|
|
