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Illustrators depict their perfect self-isolation scenario
When you were very young, you probably enjoyed a good picture book now and then, and there’s nothing wrong with that! In this lesson, we’ll talk about how readers of all ages use illustrations and words to understand text.
Illustrations Are Helpful
Have you ever rushed to read the words in a book without slowing down to look at the illustrations? Don’t! They’re actually meant to be there. Writers, illustrators, and publishers pay very careful attention to the kinds of illustrations they include with text. That’s because they know readers can use both the words and the illustrations to gather information about the texts they read. And it’s not just true for beginning readers. Illustrations are helpful to readers of all ages and abilities.
What Is an Illustration?
The dictionary defines an illustration as ”a picture or diagram that helps make something clear or attractive,” but that leaves room for further investigation and explanation. For starters, what is a ”picture”? In the broadest sense, a picture could be any visual image of something described in the text. This could be a drawing, painting, computer graphic, sketch, or photograph.
Writers can place any of these alongside a text to help readers understand what the text is trying to communicate, or say. Illustrations work together with the words in a text to help readers comprehend, or understand.
Illustrations and Words
Illustrations and words work together in several ways. Good readers visualize, or create mental pictures of what they read about. When reading fiction texts, illustrations can help readers to visualize the people, places, and events in the story.
Not only do the illustrations help readers see what the words describe, but they can also help readers understand the words themselves. Finally, the medium, or what the illustration is made with (such as watercolor paint), the illustrator uses can help communicate a tone that matches the story.
Last updated Monday November 29, 2021
