Project ‘Zoom in and summarise’ started during the autumn of 2016 and is a joint venture between the English School in Halmstad, Art in Halland/Art Express and artist Hanna Hallén.
The English school has for a few years worked on a short-story project with author Camilla Jönsson. Back in 2016, they wanted to develop this project further and had a desire to work with a local illustrator so that the pupils can enhance and embellish their stories even more. The English school contacted Art in Halland/Art Express asking for tips and inspiration. Art in Halland were also supporting the project during the developmental phase.
The pupils in year 6 and 9 got to meet Hanna Hallén for the first time during the final phase of their writing process. They are given a brief introduction to illustration and the illustrator’s ways of working. During the autumn, Hanna met with all the pupils on three separate occasions. The pupils are all working with the same format, but using different techniques. They go through all the different tools, Hanna tells them about her methods and ways of working and they discuss different attitudes and ways of approaching the written word. What are the images supposed to tell the reader that the text doesn’t already depict? How can images and text help one another? What sentiment do you want the reader to feel and what is the best way of conveying that?
Hanna Hallén says “It is all about summarising the story in a few scenes or characters, to zoom in, not create entire landscapes in minute detail and to simplify”.
The aim of the project is to reach parts of the national curriculum targets in Swedish and Arts, in a exciting and inspiring way. The aim is also to let the pupils meet and work with an illustrator and an author, both of which are professionally active.
