Remember, there was some conversation about changes to the end of Jungle Grumble? We had a slight problem pleasing the German publisher, who is doing a co-edition. Julia came up with alternative possibilities, but they were all rejected.
Above was the original rough for the final spread. In the end though, I created the final spread with just the lion asleep. No thought-bubble joke. The thinking is, we can have two different versions. This slightly boring end was what the German publisher wanted (along with altered text that, for our market, rather over-explains the moral). For the UK edition though, we can have our own text and add back the visual joke.
Of course, we can't have a different piece of artwork for the final spread - that would be prohibitively expensive. But there is an answer - there is an extra, single page available, after spread 12. The plan is to add back the joke for the British version, as an extra piece of artwork, on this final page.
Of course, we can't have a different piece of artwork for the final spread - that would be prohibitively expensive. But there is an answer - there is an extra, single page available, after spread 12. The plan is to add back the joke for the British version, as an extra piece of artwork, on this final page.
But my Art Director asked me to do a re-draw: she felt that Lion's fantasy multicoloured mane / stripy coat idea was not enough, that it would be better if Lion was made up from parts of the other animals instead, showing that he too has a secret desire to swap.
I tried out various possibilities, narrowed them down to these three and have sent them off:
There is something bothering me though: the actual 'thought-bubble' has been removed from around the fantasy lion. Without it, I worry that the reader will be confused. Now that the sleeping lion is no longer on the same page, there is nothing to suggest that this is a dream / daydream. It looks as though somehow he has actually swapped. Which doesn't make sense with the rest of the story. I have passed on these concerns. We'll see.
At the moment I am still working as best I can from an armchair, with my foot up, wedged under a bag of frozen peas, but next week I have the dressings off my foot and my stitches snipped. Come Monday afternoon, I will be able to put on a shoe (and have a shower!) for the first time in 2 weeks. I should be able to sit at my drawing desk too, at least for part of the day, so I can get on with the front cover artwork.
There is something bothering me though: the actual 'thought-bubble' has been removed from around the fantasy lion. Without it, I worry that the reader will be confused. Now that the sleeping lion is no longer on the same page, there is nothing to suggest that this is a dream / daydream. It looks as though somehow he has actually swapped. Which doesn't make sense with the rest of the story. I have passed on these concerns. We'll see.
At the moment I am still working as best I can from an armchair, with my foot up, wedged under a bag of frozen peas, but next week I have the dressings off my foot and my stitches snipped. Come Monday afternoon, I will be able to put on a shoe (and have a shower!) for the first time in 2 weeks. I should be able to sit at my drawing desk too, at least for part of the day, so I can get on with the front cover artwork.
3 comments:
Totally agree Lynne - it needs the bubble to make sense.
I agree that it would be easier to understand with the bubble.
However, I don't agree with your art director. I liked the simple stripes you had planned in the original thought bubble.
It shows that the lion only dreams of little fun changes, unlike the ideas which suggest more fundamental changes to his nature.
That's interesting. I think you are right Beliza, that this new end does require a major shift for sensible Lion and a greater level of hypocrisy than before.
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