Tickytown
By K-Fai Steele
Tickytown, a paper circuit project that’s a play on Richard Scarry’s Busytown, and also inspired by Siennese early Renaissance painting. This overwhelmed terrier mutt has been overrun by ticks, forming the city of Tickytown on its back! Find out what these little creatures are up to by petting the dog.
Concept
“When thinking of project, I made list of all these things that light up and was thinking a lot about Richard Scary at the time. I’m always thinking about children’s books and picture books. From traveling and staying in places with great views of cities, I’ve been drawing a lot of cities and thinking about life in cities. I was reminded of a Far Side cartoon of a landscape painting where the trees turn out to be fur. So came the idea of a dog so plagued by ticks that they grew a city on its back.”
“I was also inspired by the dandelion painting and how magic happens in the interaction. How can I have a simple interaction enhance a complex story? I don’t want you to see it, then get it and move on. The content is the thing that will get someone to stay in front of it. I want something to have a lot of stuff for you to look at. The story element does this.”
Image Gallery
About the Artist
K-Fai Steele is a San Francisco-based educator and children’s book illustrator. She specializes in humorous and whimsical illustrations done with ink and watercolor.
Artist Website: https://www.k-faisteele.com/