I was particularly struck by his textural and imaginative illustrations for Art & Max, a children’s book exploration of painting and the creative process that features lizards who paint. I had the opportunity yesterday so see some of Wiesner’s originals as part of an exhibit at the Brandywine River Museum of Art in Chadds Ford, PA - “ Get the Picture! Contemporary Children’s Book Illustration” - that is on display until October 9, 2016. The also have enough detail to invite the reader to linger over the images. Wiesner’s illustrations have the much-desired characteristics for children’s books of being both visually engaging and thought-provoking. He works primarily in watercolor and gouache there is a page on his website devoted to his materials, and some of the posts about individual titles have some work in progress images.

Wiesner varies his approach somewhat to be in keeping with the framework of the story.

His website doesn’t have a straightforward portfolio of artwork, but is instead arranged as archived articles, some devoted to a specific title, that include artwork. While I am always blown away at how wordless storytellers can convey such intricate plotlines and ranges of emotion using only pictures, Wiesner’s illustrations in Flotsam set it apart from almost any other wordless wonder I’ve ever read. Did you even know it was possible to have colors this rich and vibrant using only watercolors? I’m not sure I did until I read Flotsam! I love his use of vignettes, small illustrations set inside larger illustrations, double spreads, and more, to effectively draw our attention to various aspect of the story and move the plot along.David Wiesner is a children’s book illustrator and author, known for titles like The Three Pigs, Flotsam, Mr Wuffles, Tuesday and Art & Max. This underwater camera, it turns out, had captured some absolutely magnificent ocean scenes– as well as some scenes that might make your wildest oceanic dreams come true! But, the part that makes this story a true wonder, in my opinion, is how Wiesner tells a “picture in picture in picture” story without using any words! This story compels the boy to leave his own mark on this camera before he throws it back to the ocean, for the next curious explorer to find!

Flotsam weisner