Alphabet Picture Book
Each picture shows the emotions of a common childhood situation. The alphabet letter may
represent the emotion, the situation, or something in the picture. In some cases, the
letter has several references.
Each picture was created during class in under 30 minutes after discussing picture books, and Molly Bang’s picture principles.
Think about each picture
• Before we talk about each picture, – Think about the mood of the picutre and how that
mood is created.– Consider the colors, shapes, sizes, composition,
and other elements of design.– See if you can identify the situation.– See if you can guess the word.
A - Angry Mom is screaming and scolding at her kid. Huge head of mother show that her words are most powerful, like fire. Child is small
and helpless. Dark blue blends into background. No connection between mother and child. Neither is really paying attention to the other.A
B - BombChildren are curious about the box (gift) and its from the bad guy. Curiosity and danger they don’t know of.
Red background.Contrast between smooth, rounded shapes, and angular, threatening shapes.
B
C - CrisisThe cat wants to eat the mouse. Cat is huge and unseen by mouse. Red teeth like electricity or lightning. Mouse
seems afraid, low, small, innocent, exposed. Trying to hide in the corner.Perhaps like a child feeling vulnerable in a crisis situation.
C
D - DangerThe situation: The big fish means the danger that a child faces playing in a river. The small
fish is the child, and the color is his mood, happy and innocent. Emotion: tension.
D
G – God Governs the
GlobeEmotions: Glad & Glory.Christian symbols. Red color: cross, G, triangles symbolizing glory. Green head and arm of God associated with the continents. Blue of God’s body is the whole earth. Yellow background makes cheerful.
H - Happy
Laughing face from seeing candy in a candy shop.Green eyes are pieces of candy. Picture implies face is larger than the page.
H
J- Joy The Cricket makes children happy I liked small insects when I was a child When the insect jumped, I enjoyed the jumping with them. When the insect made sounds, I imitated them. I treated them as my friends, and I liked them a lot.What makes the cricket look funny and like it is trying to entertain someone? Green background looks peaceful and natural.
J
M - MiserableThe student in the corner is bullied by other classmates and feels miserable. Student is black & round in the bottom corner. Triangles
represent aggressive bullies in overwhelming numbers. Dark blue background emphasizes blue mood. All evil eyes focused on him. He looks away Different eyes.
M
N - NurseThe nurse is giving a shot. She is nagging. The child is nervous. Nurse’s spittle, child’s sweat, and syringe all blue. Red
medicine is like poison and the uncaring eye of the nurse. Syringe is huge an in the middle. Border breaking.
P - PainA boy is beaten by his father and feels like he is on fire.The boy is small and black and alone and diagonal, falling into the fire. Father and fire are the same color. Eye and rod and wood for fire are the same.Father and fire are and sticks are angular. Child is rounded. Notice the heart, too.
P
Q - QuickA student staying up late, hurries to finish the homework before the due date. All the colors are warning that danger is coming.
Feeling: Anxious and panic. It looks like the student has stayed up all night, and is out of time.
S - Shadow Nobody want to play with the little rabbit. Therefore, it walks home by itself, It feels lonely. The loneliness is as great as its shadow.
But then, the shadow becomes a cape, and the rabbit becomes a superhero, bringing hope to the lonely.
T - TeacherThe Powerful and strict teacher is lecturing on the stage. He is stern, strict, and consistently nagging to his students. The
students feel bored, powerless, weak, and under great pressure from the teacher. He is on them. No care between them.
T
Z – Zoo, ZebraChildren see the zebra running in the zoo. Emotion is joyful and relaxed. Green & blues are relaxing. Blue
bubbles floating, feel relaxed. Zebra seems floating too.
