When asked to produce a series of work based on classic children's stories, artist Thomas Allen decided he would take things a step further by including the physical books into the project. Though troubled at first, he came up with a way to do justice to the beloved characters and stories he was communicating: cut-book illustration. By creating and manipulating his own illustrations on actual pages and covers of books, Allen managed to tell the story of cherished classics such as Stuart Little, The Phantom Tollbooth and even The Merriam Webster Dictionary.
Some of the works, such as the pieces based on Walter Dean Myle's more contemporary Hoops, focus on conveying the personalities of the main characters. By writing quotes on their imagined silhouettes and drawing their names on the books on which they stand, Allen communicates the voices behind the famed books beautifully.
Creative, innovative and with a knack for the nostalgic, Thomas Allen has managed a meaningful task with style.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Cut-book Illustration Art
- The trend of cut-book illustration art is disrupting traditional book art and providing an opportunity for artists to create unique 3D artwork.
- Character-centric Illustration
- The trend of character-centric illustration is providing an avenue for artists to communicate the personalities of stories’ main characters and is disrupting traditional book art.
- Book Art Nostalgia
- The trend of creating art using beloved classic books is disrupting traditional book art and is providing an opportunity for artists to tap into people’s nostalgia and emotional connections to literature.
Where This Applies
- Art Industry
- The art industry can use the trend of cut-book illustration art to provide unique and innovative artwork to their customers.
- Publishing Industry
- The trend of character-centric illustration is disrupting traditional book illustrations and providing an opportunity for the publishing industry to experiment and provide fresh takes on classic stories.
- Gifting Industry
- The trend of book art nostalgia can be leveraged by the gifting industry to create sentimental and emotional gifts that tap into people’s love for beloved classics.
