Ideas Need Refinement.

photo:Jean de Brunhoff (1899–1937), Histoire de Babar, le petit éléphant (The Story of Babar), preliminary design and layout, cover, ca. 1930

I was contemplating a trip to the Morgan Library and perusing upcoming exhibitions. I am always interested to see a 'creative process', especially on something I know well because often its surprising to how it came about.

I was amazed at this image of an early Barbour the Elephant book - an immensely popular series when I was a child (still is? I don't know) as I child I remember loving the illustrations - so I was surprised to see early concepts so crude. At this point would I as a publisher, see Barbor's potential? Or as a Writer/Illustrator would I just 'give up'.

Often I abandon concepts because when I look at them at this stage they don't seem as wonderfully amazing as when they were in my head. At this stage they aren't - its important to remember that dedication and refinement are just as important as the idea. Imagine if Brunhoff had given up at this point.