Trial and Error

The phrase "trial and error" refers to the creative process of trying out an idea, learning what doesn't work, and then trying again after making changes to the original idea. Like any engineering project, crafting a picture book means developing and testing many ideas. Some of these ideas are tried again and again until they are perfect. Others are left behind or entirely re-imagined. In this section, you can see two examples of trial and error from the development of Melissa Sweet's Balloons Over Broadway.

1. The elephant, a balloon that makes an important appearance in the final book.
2. An idea for a page about humor that ended up taking a completely different form in the final book.