Upon my arrival to university, my initial goals were to illustrate narratives intended for children. In current times I feel that I would enjoy creating narratives for all age groups, though my preference still harks a younger audience. In my level five course I had the luxury to solely work in narrative format. Beginning the second year with the Interpretation of Text and Professional Contexts unit, I chose to work on the texts, The Arabian Nights [1400], a folktale in it’s own right. I found that the project got me very involved and excited, as I especially enjoyed doing the research on the story’s cultural identity and trying to interpret the story through my eyes. The following brief received was the narrative unit, where students had the freedom to choose any narrative and narrative format they wished to render. I had been earnestly looking forward to this scheme of work and went with the ancient Japanese folktale, Urashima Taro [745 AD]. Again, I found my main interest in studying the different cultural works. I would say that I leaned more towards the narrative side of illustrating the story rather than appeal to a more decorative symbols-based theme. I also went out of the illustration field and composed my own retelling of the classic tale. I found much enjoyment in both processes of this project. With my research focused upon folklore and its delicate systems, I feel that my awareness of how stories function, and how universal and helpful it’s teachings are not only pushes my interest in illustrating folktales, but also to enrich and strengthen my illustrations in narratives.
“The tale offers more possibilities of play, its permutations are comparatively freer, and with time they acquire a certain arbitrary character.” (Levi-Strauss, 176)I feel that this quote by Strauss is certainly true, and marks as a perfect answer to anyone who questions my particular interest in imaging out folklore. With a tale, there are so many ways of interpretation, so many functions to focus on and so many lessons to be learned out of one story. Thus the illustrator stumbles with few boundaries and is allowed to delve into their personal understandings and indulge the curiosities that come with folklore.
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