| "Illustration is a form of communicating an
idea." - Sara Van Hamme
| Ostrich |
What is Brown |
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| From the Anthology: "The Ostrich in Love"
Van Hamme delicately illustrates the tender innocence of
love through the character study of an ostrich. The artist
directs the character's passion by carefully crafting his
inquisitive expression, crooked beak, eyelid droop, starry
eyes and deer-caught-in-the-headlights stare. The artist
uses mixed media to contrasts crisp, fine details and blurred,
hazy atmosphere to visually interpret the character's sincerity,
fervor and weakness. Van Hamme's includes her signature
clarity to draw texture into one dimension, fabricating
his crisp bow tie and fuzzy fur. |
Van Hamme creates a rich "brown"
marshland without ever repeating a colour. Her composition
is active, engaging and warm with earthy shades from chocolate
to cocoa, chestnut, hazel and khaki. Each character is depicted
in its natural, comforting habitat, from the enchanted turtle
to the leaping, spotted toad. Van Hamme's magical illustration,
like her entire collection, finds strengths in its fine
details and rich texture; from a flock of distant
birds in flight to a pair of turtles in love. Van Hamme's
use of watercolor communicates the moist and rich atmosphere
of the swamp. The artist visually expresses the wonder,
companionship and brotherhood of the poem. |
| Ants |
Dog, Ball & Penguin |
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"Ants" centers on a fresh red apple balanced by the delicacy of black ants below. The artist is able to capture the various textures with subtle contrast - from the glossy fruit to the scratchy, sugary sand and magical atmosphere. Van Hamm silhouettes each ant offering a crisp centerpiece highlighted by a luminous, white backdrop. This work, intended for paper plate medium, plays on the picnic-food-walking-away theme. The artist also asks the viewer to expect the unexpected and reach for your full potential. Instead of dictating, Van Hamm encourages the young viewer to use their vast imagination. "Ants" beautifully offers a plethora of interpretation.
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Van Hamme emphasizes motion in her character study of Penguin, a scholarly pet psychologist who guides dogs through play, not punishment, toward appropriate behavior. The artist fabricates the joy and buoyancy of the dog's character by using angles and strategic positioning of red and orange hues to guide the viewers' eye downward, extending the ball's action off the boundaries of the page. Penguin's wing and eyes follow the action. Even the sky forms a downward arrow of light. Van Hamme encourages her airy vision with Penguin's inflated pedestal, the dog's bouncing ball and the ground's animated fluff. |
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Caution: Do Not Open Until Puberty! Cover Page
Van Hamme artistically characterizes the mysterious yet private topic
of puberty. Working with the author's cute and friendly intent, Van
Hamme conceives a curious Pandora's Box or Genie-in-a-Bottle personification.
The artist captures reader interest in the often tucked-away topic,
metaphorically expressing the struggle between biological sexual impulses
and social restraint. The lock also illustrates the personal and private
nature of one's body and sexuality, yet suggests the contents are
well overdue for release. The chest broaches enchanting teenage secrets
like diaries and exclusive clubhouses. The artist gracefully builds
texture through various mediums in her whisker-like offshoots and
the chest's glossy surface. |
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