Say "No" to Michangelo?!

The art direction for One Perfect Plan

In the early brainstorming stages for One Perfect Plan's art direction, my immediate thought after reading Nancy's manuscript was to say "No." Michelangelo. Don't get me wrong. I have a profound appreciation for Michelangelo and the Renaissance period. I owe a lot of my artistic training as I spent years learning anatomy, drawing, and iconography from studying all the grand masters’ work. However, I have to veto Michelangelo and the general classical depiction of religious themes for the project.

I want to create an art style that integrates visual symbolism and languages from history and cultures in the stories while keeping the overall design approachable for contemporary young readers.

I collected hundreds of images during the research phase. These included pages from ancient manuscripts from different regions, archaeological and historical documentation, and contemporary art. Below is a short summary of the "vision board" for One Perfect Plan.

Religious art and history inspiration

Architecture form and design inspiration

Visual artsymbolism inspiration

Design and art style inspiration

One of my favorite paintings by John Singer Sargent is his mural, Triumph of Religion, at the Boston Public Library. Although I didn't use it as a direct reference for inspiration, the painting's majestic and mythical “feel” provided me with raw inspiration for approaching the project early on.

The first time I saw the painting, I was intrigued by how Sargent used recognizable symbols and iconography to go beyond the "canvas" and include design elements that enhanced the artwork. This thought process inspired me to think about how to create a visual narrative of a lengthy story within a single "canvas."

The research phase of this project took longer than sketching the initial first draft. The Biblical subject is a topic that is very important and sensitive to many people, so I want to ensure that I respectfully and accurately depict the religious, historical, and cultural aspects of the stories. At the same time, I aim to bring in contemporary, kid-friendly visual designs. While many wonderful children's Bible storybooks are out there, I hope to create an illustrative Bible storybook that will bring something slightly different to the readers.