[bksvol-discuss] Re: Image Descriptions in Children's Books
- From: "Estelnalissi" <airadil@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2010 14:48:01 -0400
Dear Scott and Booksharian Friends,
Regarding the thread on picture description.
Though my low vision precludes me from describing the pictures in some
books, I am able to interpret pictures in others well enough to write
descriptions. Naturally I'm composing these descriptions myself in books I
proofread. I do my best to edit my original descriptions, but like most
writers of original material, I tend to overlook some of my own errors and
would benefit greatly from having Booksharians proof and edit my original
text.
The Lottie Project is the book for middle school aged children I'm currently
describing. I would give anything for someone to volunteer to go over my
descriptions to catch grammatical errors I make, and to point out
descriptions which are unclear, etc. This is a function blind readers with
good writing skills would be particularly equipped to perform. They would be
in a position to advise me if my descriptions clarify or confuse.
Describing pictures is a slow process for me. First, It is painstaking for
me to visually study a picture and identify details not already described in
the text that I can describe. Then I write and rewrite the description
trying to be clear and not too wordy. Then I reread the text making sure
nothing in my description contradicts it. Of course I spell check. Last,
when I've finished proofing the book, I go over the descriptions once more
to catch any mistakes I missed on the first go-round.
As examples, Here are some descriptions I wrote this afternoon. I haven't
gone over them with a fine tooth comb so you can see the raw material they
are. I call them drawings instead of illustrations or pictures because they
are meant by the author to be drawings of the main character she makes as
she tells her story in first person. In children's For most children's books
I write picture, for adults I write illustration and when appropriate I
write photograph, graph, chart, map, etc. I'm in the second half of the
book. All characters whose names I use have been introduced early on and the
reader is very familiar with them. I don't name individuals until the author
does so.
*
[Drawing of Lottie with Angela on her left and Lisa on her right. Lottie is
the only one frowning. She's the tallest and is wearing a flowered top, a
jacket, knee socks and a short, straight skirt. Angela is black, is wearing
jeans, a T-shirt and short jacket. Her hands are in her jeans pockets. Lisa,
the shortest girl has short, straight, blonde hair that curls up at the
ends. Her skirt is short, straight and dotted with flowers. over her dark
T-shirt she has on a long open jacket. Her hands are in her jacket pockets.
She's wearing nylons.]
*
[Drawing of Charlie and Jo frowning as they stand at the table. Jo is
clutching her wrist. The bowl of eggs is on the table with the masher beside
it.]
[Drawing of everyone in the car. Mark is driving and Jo is looking at him.
In the back seat, Charlie is frowning and Robin is holding Birdie.]
In this case there were two drawing on one page
**
[Drawing of everyone in a rectangle shaped car on the ride. It has a top
with zig-zag trim. The side is decorated with a pattern of a flower, a leaf,
a flower, a leaf, etc. in a straight row. Below the car are the treetops.
Charlie is frowning, holding her head. The adults look worried. Robin is
clutching the side of the cart. He's just tall enough to look over the side.
His mouth is wide open. The jagged edged word bubble over Robin's head says,
AAAAAH!.]
*
[Drawing of robin sitting in a car with a smiling face on the front. He is
holding on tight and his face looks frozen in worry. His mouth is a short,
straight line.]
Often our sighted and partially sighted volunteers scan books and add the
descriptions which are then corrected when necessary by proofers.
I am a proofer so currently nobody sees my descriptions until they are in
the collection when it's too late to fix them.
Are there any thoughts from volunteers or staff on this?
I'm willing to continue working as I am. It's just that I worry that I may
be overlooking mistakes in my own writing, or confusing readers with some of
my descriptions.
Always with love,
Lissi
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