Abstract:
Objective of the study: The purpose of this study was threefold: to survey the viewpoints of Thai illustrators concerning drawings to suit the themes of childrens books illustrated; to study the history and trends of the illustrations in Thai books for children from the early period to the present; and to study the lives and works of contemporary illustrators who illustrated Thai books for children. The instrument used was a questionnaire set constructed by the researcher from extensive analysis of related literature and consultation with experts prior to the actual distribution and collecting process to thirty illustrators sampled. The data were analyzed through the use of arithmetic means and standard deviation. Moreover one way analysis of variance and the test of difference between pairs of means were employed to compare the difference of the illustrators viewpoints at .01 level of significance. The following conclusions were based on the findings of the investigation :- 1. The viewpoints surveyed were discovered that cartoons were most suitable to signify humorous contents and more suitable in poetry for children and Mother Goose rhymes. Line drawing style was more suitable with historical fictions, biography, fables and also suitable to folk tales theme on an average level. Watercolor drawings were most suitable to use in fantasy and more suitable in realistic stories, animal stories but for informational books and adventure stories they are suitable at the average. 2. From the history and trends of the pictorial illustrations in Thai books for children it concluding appeared that:- The historic and developmental span could be classified into five periods. In the first period (B.E. 2364-2430) illustrations had not yet begun. The accordion-like folded manuscripts were hand written in ancient Thai letters with no decorations. The illustrations had just appeared during the second period (B.E. 2430-2471) after the Ministry of Education had been established in B.E. 2430. The illustrations were black and white woodcuts created by the illustrators employed by Ministry of Education. The main illustration themes signified animal stories, realistic stories, informational books, folk tales and adventure stories. The third period (B.E. 2471-2490) was the ending of woodcuts and emerging of black and white line drawings. Cartoons also came out in this period. The illustrators who produced the pictures were independent artists. Their works mosly served along the line of fables, realistic stories and folk tales. In the fourth period (B.E. 2490-2515) watercolor drawings were used in Thai pictorial illustrations. It was the period of applying new tools and machines for the reproduction on the printed pages. Particular themes illustrated were folk tales, fantasy, animal stories and adventure stories. The illustrators were private publishers artists and governmental publishers artists. During the fifth period (B.E. 2515-2522) illustrations were used with all types and themes of childrens book. They were created in modern styles of drawings using new ideas and technology for the best results in order to be competed in an annual award contest initiated at that time. A great number of illustrators were independent artists, private publishers and governmental publishers artists. 3. The study concerning lives and works of the illustrators resulted that :- About one-third of the illustrators (35.00 percent) were private publishers artists. Their ages averaged between 31-40 years (45.00 percent). Almost half (47.50 percent) graduated from the college of Fine Arts. The illustrators drew pictures through their own specifically skillful styles. Of the total forty illustrators studied their skills were almost equally divided: cartoon drawings, 30.00 percent, line drawings, 37.50 percent and watercolor drawings, 32.50 percent. Half of the illustrators (50.00 percent) had illustrated up to 6 books and one-third (30.00 percent) had already won awards in the annual children books contest. Recommendations: As for the recommendations for further research, it is suggested that:- 1. There should be a study concerning the suitability of various types of illustrations other than cartoons, line-drawings and water-coloring pictures which are art prints, collages, photographs and so forth, to be used with the same themes of childrens books represented in this research. 2. There should be a thorough examination and classification of the contents of recently published illustrated Thai books for children and the artists characteristics and styles of illustrations to match the contents. 3. Should there be a consideration to redo this work, it is suggested that a wider number of population should be collected for more solidly proportionate groupings of the samples. The research instrumentation and other statistical procedures should be tried so as variables are adequately controlled.