Die kinderboekillustreerder as kunstenaar : 'n evalueringstudie aan die hand van enkele Suid-Afrikaanse kinderboekillustreerders

Abstract

The question of whether the illustrator of children's books is an artist, is the subject of this study. To this end the degree in which the illustrations in children's books play a primary role in making the aesthetic experience of the book possible, is established. This impacts on its role in conveying a visual-aesthetic message to the child. It also entails that communication between the illustrator of children's books and the child takes place in an unique way. This visual-aesthetic message is determined by the evaluation of the illustrations of Cora Coetzee and Alida Bothma. Communication has been taking place through the centuries and the importance of this has not diminished in the twentieth century; daily communication takes place by means of advertisements, television, films, the computer and other multi-media. The illustrated children's book is also of importance as a carrier of a visual message and is often the child's first experience of art. The visual-aesthetic message of children's books is therefore relevant for this study. The visual communication in the illustrated children's book is studied in depth in the literature study with regard to the child's experience of art, the artistic value of the illustration as well as the artistry of the illustrator. By means of the questionnaire it is established that opinions differ regarding the artistic value of these illustrations. This also indicates the diversity in establishing the artistic value of these illustrations. Criteria according to which the artistic value of the chosen illustrations are determined, were first established within the context of this dissertation. This was done by means of both a literature study and a questionnaire. After the chosen children's book illustrators had been evaluated, the following conclusions were made: The illustration in the children's book does indeed contain a visual-aesthetic message. The artistic value of children's book illustration can, as is the case regarding other works of art, be determined by an analysis of the aesthetic form language. The possibility that these illustrations offer towards aesthetic experience by the child, should be developed within the context of visual literacy. Because the children's book illustration is regarded as a work of art, the illustrator of the book is an artist. His artistry is expressed in the manner of creativity. He is also an artist because of his technical ability and the expertise by means of which he conveys and enriches the message within the children's book.