Illustration

Objectives

Translate text into visual form using symbolism, composition, and style

Develop a personal interpretation rather than literal illustration

Strengthen concept development and visual storytelling

Explore media and stylistic choices intentionally

Select a piece of writing such as a poem, short story, song lyrics, book excerpt, or nursery rhyme. The final artwork should visually interpret the text, capturing its tone, theme, or narrative in a unique and personal way.

STEPS

Text Selection & Analysis

Choose a meaningful text. It should be meaningful to you.

Identify mood, symbols, key phrases to understand tone, theme, and imagery

Concept Development

Generate visual ideas, try to move beyond literal illustration

Do some thumbnail sketching (at least 6–10 ideas)

Brainstorm visual metaphors and symbolism

Explore different approaches:

Narrative scene
Symbolic composition
Abstract interpretation

Prompts (Choose One or Combine)

These are starting points, not limits.

Mood & Atmosphere

Illustrate the feeling of the text rather than a scene
Focus on color, lighting, and composition to create emotion
Ask: What does this text feel like?

Symbolism & Metaphor

Represent ideas using symbols instead of literal imagery
Combine objects in unexpected ways
Ask: What objects could stand in for the main idea?

Narrative Moment

Choose a powerful moment from the text
Focus on storytelling through gesture, setting, and composition
Ask: What is the most important moment to capture?

Zoom In / Zoom Out

Show an extreme close-up or a distant, expansive view
Play with scale to emphasize meaning
Ask: What happens if I change the viewer’s distance?

Abstract Interpretation

Use shapes, color, and movement instead of recognizable objects
Let the text inspire rhythm and visual flow
Ask: How can I show this idea without showing it directly?

Character Transformation

Show change, conflict, or growth in a character
Use distortion, layering, or transformation
Ask: How does the character change, and how can I show it visually?

Setting as Meaning

Use environment to reflect the theme or emotion
Let the setting carry the message
Ask: If the setting could speak, what would it say?

Personal Connection

Connect the text to your own experiences
Combine imagery from the text with your personal symbols
Ask: How does this relate to me?

Media & Style Exploration

Experiment with materials and visual styles. Test different media

Match media to concept

Plan your color scheme and color palette.

Artwork Creation

Here is what expected:

Strong composition and craftsmanship
Clear connection to text
Personal interpretation (not copied imagery)