Save the Children: Contextual Research

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u05C7bIkYm8

In this animation I like how they have used time and a motif of a clock to draw the audience in with a sense of urgency whilst portraying the message that these girls are running out of time. I also like how they have gone back in time after showing one negative route for the girl and then juxtaposing it with the positive future - what the charities aims are for. I could incorporate this into my work; before theyre 11 you should read 10 mins a day with your child to ensure they leave school with a good level of literacy and a positive attitude towards reading.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_SAtk6qOy8

This is a hugely moving piece with a strong message. I will need to think about the emotional aspects of both the pride and love that comes with reading to your child and the embarrassment/awkwardness and rehabilitating effects that not being confident in reading could bring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkLmhU1lwXc

They have used illustration to convey their message to help Syria via a reliable registered charity. They succeeded in this by moving through the steps slowly, clearly and simply; they did not over complicate the imagery so everything could be taken in and understood in the first viewing of the advert,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Orb6xXPPBKo

This is the official Save the Children Read on Get on advert and I think it's really effective in showing how important it is that we learn to read when young. Some people I have spoken to think that it is unrealistic and over the top however I think this makes it more effective and engaging to the viewer as it has some shock factor involved, I also don't think it's that over the top as I believe having parents encouraging their child to read is a massive help in improving reading skills and confidence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN33vilOTbg

This advert is good as it targets moving the audience by showing the emotions from the children and how theyve improved. Nobody wants a child to feel ashamed (of being unable to read) knowing you can help- what stops you from helping them. This advert is a good child's perspective on learning to read.

I decided to research into authors quotes about reading...

Roald Dahl: “I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers, to become comfortable with a book, not daunted. Books shouldn't be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful; and learning to be a reader gives a terrific advantage.” 

“The books transported her into new worlds and introduced her to amazing people who lived exciting lives. She went on olden-day sailing ships with Joseph Conrad. She went to Africa with Ernest Hemingway and to India with Rudyard Kipling. She travelled all over the world while sitting in her little room in an English village.” - Maltilda

“So Matilda’s strong young mind continued to grow, nurtured by the voices of all those authors who had sent their books out into the world like ships on the sea. These books gave Matilda a hopeful and comforting message: You are not alone.”

'I find that the only way to make my characters really interesting to children is to exaggerate all their good or bad qualities, and so if a person is nasty or bad or cruel, you make them very nasty, very bad, very cruel. If they are ugly, you make them extremely ugly. That, I think, is fun and makes an impact.' I like this quote for inspiration for my illustrations in general!


Dr.Seuss - The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you will go.

Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!'


Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope, and that enables you to laugh at life's realities.

You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child.

I start drawing, and eventually the characters involve themselves in a situation. Then in the end, I go back and try to cut out most of the preachments. - good inspiration for the process of image making.