Art and Literature in MacLachlan’s Arthur For the Very First Time and Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad Together :: Compare Contrast Comparison

Art and Literature in MacLachlan’s Arthur For the Very First Time and Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad Together When it comes to an artist, the perspective of the environment will be very different from individual to individual. This leads to the difference in technique and style When art and literature are put together the picture adds to the words and shows what the literature is describing, rather than just something to look at. Although Lloyd Bloom’s illustrations of MacLachlan’s, Arthur For the Very First Time and Arnold Lobel’s, Frog and Toad Together can not compare to the famous Leonardo, the art in each is very unique. Bloom gives very sharp, detailed drawings, almost like a photo, where as Lobel gives loose, cartoon like drawings. These two books are very different in terms of reading level, which allows Bloom to create more detailed and real life drawing, where as Lobel can get away with a less life orientating, rounded picture, almost like a cartoon. Bloom’s illustrations stay consistent throughout the book with vibrant, life oriented drawings. The black and white, pencil drawn pictures, create almost an exact replica, like a photo, for an older audience which leaves little to the imagination. In the book there is a picture of two children sitting by a pond. There is so much detail in the picture that you can see underneath the water if you look hard enough, along with both children’s reflection in the water. There is an incredible amount of detail which is put together by small amounts of shaded sections and very fine touches of the pencil. This all brings the realism of the picture in order. Realism shows through when the text is read. This book is fiction but very well could be non fiction. It isn’t a pretend book, there aren‘t people with blue hair or even frogs that talk. The amount of detail in the book’s words go along well with the amount of detail in the pictures. The pictures bring and add to the real life situations of the story, and complement the realism of the words. Lobel’s pictures in comparison, are poor drawings and weak in technique. They lack specific detail , like small markings and create an overall round picture. This book was intended for an audience of grades 1-3, much different from the upper level MacLachlan book. Its use of colors and earth tones are dull.