Double page layout of the illustration with text. All illustrations were placed on the recto side with the text on the opposite side set in one column.
All illustrations were created using a monoprint process with minimal colour added digitally (background beige with accents of orange & pink).
The original monoprint illustration before colour was added digitally. This illustration shows the moment after the puppet's arrival & the girl played with the puppet the whole day, falling asleep and so forgets to visit the birds on the hill (the symbol of her sadness).
The original illustration seen with water damage on the left. This is when the puppeteer completed the work on the puppet & a piece of His heart is sown into the puppet.
Sy was 'n stil kind. Die kere wanneer sy wel geluide geuiter het, het die eienaardigste klank, soos die kwaak van 'n padda, oor haar lippe gerol. Die dorpsmense het met fluisterstem en wysvinger gerig na die heuwel vertel van die meisie-met-die-padda-in-haar-keel aan enige vreemdeling wat gewillig was om te luister.
Dokters was sprakeloos. Niemand het geweet hoe die padda in haar keel beland het nie. Dit was eers in haar hart, maar het spoedig in die keel gevestig. Die pa was radeloos, want geen kuur was bekend nie en hy het nie geweet hoe om sy dogter te help nie. Daar was darem die voëls, wat verligting blyk te bring alhoewel dit nie genesing is nie.
(Excerpt from the book).
I wrote "Die meisie wat kon kwaak" as a story dealing with the difficult illness of depression and how it is difficult for most people to understand and have compassion for people suffering from it. It also illustrates the love of fathers - earthly and heavenly ones - and the role they can play in healing & mending that hurt.
The illustrations were made with a monoprint technique, then scanned in and limited colour added digitally in photoshop. Many of the original monoprints were unfortunately destroyed by flood damage in the studio (another good reason to create this online portfolio of my work and also why I upload recent and also older work.) Unfortunately there is no surviving bound book anymore, only some dps layout pages.
Author: Estè H du Plessis
Illustrator: EH du Plessis
Type of book: Art book
Print run: 1
Original size of monoprints: 248x248mm
Size of book: 160x160mm
Published (date it was created): 2002/2003
