Pigs by Paul Galdone Paul

¶ … Pigs by Paul Galdone

Paul Galdone's illustrations in "The Three Little Pigs" is reminiscent of Beatrix Potter's books. His work is simple, yet detailed. The illustrations are line drawings with pastel watercolors that provide softness to the work. Galdone's style is a combination of Expressionism and Realism, as each illustration is a realistic representation of the narrative, however, there is a focus on feelings and emotional states. His use of line and color creates specific moods.

For example, the cover depicts the three pigs framed in a picture frame hanging from a wall. The pigs are round and plump, happy and rosy. One pig has an arm full of turnips, representing nourishment and life, another has an arm full of apples, representing fruitfulness and prosperity, and the middle pig is carrying a bouquet of flowers, representing joy and peace. The flowers and the foliage on the fruit and vegetables are yellow, as well as the background of the illustration, all representing cheer and goodwill. The entire illustration portrays one happy family.

The back cover depicts the wolf in the foreground leering into the window of the house made of sticks. His teeth are snarling, his tongue is hanging loose, and his eyes are bulging. Inside is the little pig, who looks frightened and sorrowful. The wolf is portrayed as large and menacing, while the pig is smaller, representing his emotional state of fear. From the cover and back illustrations, one is able to tell that this story begins happy and involves danger in the end.

Number 2 illustration is very dramatic, as it shows a pig weeping at the fence in the center of the composition. The roof of the house peeks above the trees, and in the bottom right foreground are two logs, perhaps representing obstacles. In the bottom left foreground, a pig with nap-sack is walking into the frame, heading down the lane. In the distance are hills, representing adventure and perhaps the unknown.

Illustration number 4 depicts the pig building his house of straw. He is on a ladder adding the finishing touches to the top. Behind him are hills, perhaps representing distance from his friends. A bird is flying across the background, representing freedom and independence. It also may represent an omen of a potential visitor. The entire scene is framed in a frame of straw, much as the cover illustration was framed.