Exercise: Reading an image

We had to look carefully at this image:

Mark Oliver

What is the image about? What is it saying?

.  a story with two kids, characters: a girl and a boy dressed like avatars in games, or like adventurers/pirates in children stories

.  a dragon red and asleep - protecting a treasure: throne, gold coins, a chalice
.  heat seems to radiate from dragon
.  'dumped' weapons near dragon --> defeated previous warriors attempting to take the treasure from the dragon
.  girl has a torch in her hand ( => dragon is in a cave) and points to dragon with other hand.
.      boy: crouching posture, mouth open => scared, seems to point away from dragon "Let's get out of here!"

Identify the story: 
This image is from

Tom's Clockwork Dragon 

by

Jonathan Emmett (Author)
and Mark Oliver (Illustrator) http://www.illustrationweb.com/artists/MarkOliver


a successful children's story. 

Use of the Palette and elements in the image 



Hot colours:
Red dragon, coins, throne (near dragon = redder)
Heat coming from the dragon: textured effect like dripping
--> melting?
Hot = danger
Dangerous beast, hell fire protects the treasure
The children are safe if they keep away


Cool and detailed: children clothes, weapons (not dangerous compared to the dragon)
     and textured: background, ground, smoke effect coming from the dragon's nostrils (his breath is not a danger as long as he stays asleep)

Hierarchy: which are the most important elements?

1. The Dragon
a mythical beast with wings
teeth, horns (warning stripes), huge claws
   The Dragon is resting
but it's red and breathing --> imminent danger
very dangerous - heat ripples (capable of melting the cavern's roof), defeated opponents

2.  Children
shadows in front of them --> entering the lair
position of arms: diagonals - dynamic and leading towards dragon
small size compared with the beast
on left - we read from left to right --> they're taking us there