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Mark Dye is an artist and illustrator who hides words and images into the intricate detailing of his ink drawings. He has found that children especially love to search through his pieces, and so he is currently engaged in adapting his art style to Picture Book Illustrations.
The Treasure in the Forest - Picture Book
Story:
Written as a contemporary origin myth of colors, The Treasure in the Forest appeals to lovers of books like The Legend of the Bluebonnet and The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses, with their emphasis on both bold aesthetics, and the elements of fable.
Dara’s village sees the world in black and white, and they have accepted the problems that make life so difficult.
But not Dara.
Dara has learned that the trick to solving problems is to try and see things differently, and when her little brother grows sick, she ventures into the forest to find a way to help him.
With each step along her journey, Dara solves a problem and releases a new color into the world, but it isn’t until she finds some berries to heal her brother that her eyes are opened to the new world around her. She returns home not only to cure her brother, but also to show her village how to see the world in color.
Below you will find the manuscript, concept art, and book dummy, showing how earlier illustrations will be in black and white, and with each part of Dara’s journey, a new color will be added until the final pictures are fully saturated:
About Me:
I am a professional artist, dealing largely in the intricate ink drawings you see here that draw people in with the hidden words and images I work into the detailing. I am also a novelist who has been a member of a small writing and critique group for nine years, and a member of the DFW Writers' Workshop for three. Thank you for your time.
