I recently blogged about Lauren Child’s Dolls’ House at The House of Illustration. I focused solely on the dolls house, but the exhibition also includes original sets made for The Princess And The Pea, a book illustrated with three-dimensional miniature sets. These collages were framed in perspex and due to reflections from windows and daylight rather difficult to photograph, but I just wanted to capture some of them and show you.
I’m a huge fan of illustration and and it’s potency for storytelling as many of you know from my Mapology Guides venture. There’s something about collages though that inspires me no end. I studied graphic design, but years later I wished I had studied textile or surface design. The richness and three dimensional aspect of a collage with paper and textiles is so rich and exciting.
This part of the exhibition explores the way that Lauren Child’s collage techniques reference the experience of playing with and making her dolls’ house.
She recycles materials for her collages. The smallest scrap of fabric is used to create new patterns to “wallpaper her characters’ rooms”. Some of the wallpapers in these collages also appear in the dolls’ house.
The collaged interiors conjure up such atmosphere. Lauren arranges collage pieces on paper in the same way she arranges furniture in her dolls’ house. In these illustrations she placed the elements precisely to tell the story.
Aren’t these absolutely charming? Now I’m obsessing about making collages. I used to. Maybe I will again. Do go and see this exhibition. It’s utterly charming.
House of Illustration
Lauren Child’s Dolls’ House
2 Granary Square, Kings Cross
London N1C 4BH
Until 7 February 2016
This post will stay life until Monday 16th November 2015
