 An
Illustrator for All Seasons
Zelinsky
proves himself painter, illustrator, engineer
When the Greenville
County Museum of Art presents its annual exhibition on children's
book illustration, parents and teachers can often decide the the "age"
most suited to the show by evaluating one or perhaps two books by the
artist.
Paul O. Zelinsky:
Angels to Ogres defies that easy compartmentalization. For Zelinsky,
who has won both awards and honors in the Caldecott competition, offers
both high art and high ingenuity in an exhibition that looks as if it
might have been assembled from the work of multiple creators.
Zelinsky's classic
fairy tales are illustrated with richly-painted scenes that he researched
and conceptualized with the care of an historian. The Renaissance-style
illustrations were carefully built using live models, layered from sketch
to watercolor, then painted in acrylic and finally oil. The resulting
works are rich in patina and detail. Zelinsky admitted it took him almost
three weeks to finish one of these Renaissance illustrations, which
celebrate such characters as Rumpelstiltskin, Rapunzel,
and Hansel and Gretel.
Zelinsky admits he
makes up some of his creatures and settings. Study the house in Hansel
and Gretel to find a roof of pancakes, breads, Twinkies™, and pieces
of candy.
 The
artist may be best known for a very different kind of illustration.
He adapted two popular children's songs—"Knick-Knack Paddywhack"
and "The Wheels on the Bus," the latter as a pop-up
book. If you enjoy seeing how things come together, study the steps
to create a pop-up book. You'll discover that the artist decided what
parts would move he created each panel. There were decisions about which
arms had to go where, how to keep the puppy whole, how to place the
driver. In all, it was a feat of engineering as well as art. The process
was similar to the onion-skinning in old-fashioned animation. Now that
The Wheels on the Bus has been release in animation, the steps
in that project will be even more fascinating for children of all ages.
Different as these
two types of work might be, they represent only a portion of Zelinsky's
work. The whimsical Ogre in Awful Ogre's Awful Day carries readers
through a fantastic journey using pictures and pictorial poetry. There
are chapter books for written and illustrated with older children in
mind. In fact, it's an exhibition that will appeal to older children
and to adults, whether they remember the stories or not.
Tours Available for
School Groups
 Free
tours are available for school groups (including home-school classes)
from October 16 until January 6, offered Tuesday through Friday at 9:15,
10:30, 11:30, and 12:30. Reserve a spot now for your class by calling
Museum Educator Terri Steck at 864/271-7570, extension 17; or, contact
her by email: tsteck@greenvillemuseum.org.
Enjoy, Learn Together
The annual exhibition
on children's book illustration is also a wonderful opportunity for
parents and children to discuss art together, and Zelinsky's work offers
that and much more. Take an excursion to the art museum and use gallery
activity sheets to build a tour for your children. For tips on talking
about art with your children, click here.
Here are links to
other information about Paul O. Zelinsky, including a link to the National
Center for Children's Illustrated Literature, which arranged this exhibition.
The
Paul O. Zelinsky site
Internet School Library Teacher Resource Page on Paul O Zelinsky
The
National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature
Art
© Paul O. Zelinsky
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County Museum of Art
420 College Street, Greenville SC 29601
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