Pardon Me!: The Story Behind The story
Making a picture book to me is like putting on a play. You have a script, a stage, actors, and an audience. Each of these components plays a different but equally important role in bringing a story to life.
Without the script, the story doesn’t go anywhere. Without a stage, you have no context. Without an actor’s performance, you don’t feel anything; but perhaps most important of all, without the audience there is no one to enjoy it.
The Script: The story for Pardon Me! is largely based on my own inclination to cling to the “safe” and comfortable spots in my life (sometimes to my own detriment). A polite back and forth dialogue seemed to be a good way to gradually unfold the little bird’s failing quest for quietude.The Stage: Throughout Pardon Me!, the story is set in a swamp, and a steady parade of animals play the antagonist role. In the end, though, the stage itself becomes the biggest antagonist of all. The Actors: For this book it was important that the main character be able to deliver a range of emotions. Above is an example of how I created the different versions of the surly little bird on one canvas. Working this way helps me to ensure character continuity and clear and appropriate emotional states. The Audience: Like I mentioned before, to me the audience is the most important part of the process. The reader should be invited into the story. In Pardon Me! some examples of this are the regular dialogue breaks and the bit of foreshadowing from the neighborly fox at the end. These things allow room for the reader or viewer to anticipate what’s going to happen next. It helps them get invested.