Visual Narratives: Research Summary

Here is a recap of everything I have researched so far:

• Buttons as therapy (touching them)
• Buttons as gifts (charmstring)
• Inheritance / keepsakes

• Collecting buttons

• Proudly exhibiting collection

• Counting buttons

• Meditating with buttons

• Organising and sorting buttons

• Playing with buttons

• Buttons are memories

• Charity (Pearly Kings and Queens of London)

• Meeting new people / making connections and friends

• Arts and crafts with buttons

• Sleeping with button under pillow (good luck token)

Reflection
I feel slightly at a crossroads as there are 3 books that I seem to want to make here - a book about the benefits of buttons, a book about the fear of buttons and exploring phobias, and a book about the Pearly Kings and Queens of London. Which would be more interesting to read? Which do I have more extensive research on to inform my illustrations and content?

After some thought, the Pearly Kings and Queens of London is the definite route I want to explore with a picture book. They have such a striking aesthetic, ties to historic Britain, they are relatively unknown in today's multicultural London and represent things that are important to me - family, locality, heritage and charity. The prospect of creating this picture book excites me greatly and I'm now anticipating the New Year!