Illustrate a Quote, Ransom-Note Style

Find a great quote and illustrate it like a ransom note.

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I like to have some kind of a plan when it comes to these challenges, but this one went a long way from what I had planned for today.

Which is great, because I love it.

Today I want you to start by thinking about some of your favorite books and authors, the words and works and people you go running to when you just need to read something good and true.

For me that’s John Irving, J.D. Salinger, Donald Harington, Maya Angelou. There are others, but these authors’ books are a constant presence in my house.Find a great quote and illustrate it like a ransom note.

I couldn’t find my copy of A Prayer for Owen Meany. I picked up The Bridge of San Luis Rey, another book I love, but couldn’t find a quote that was right.

So of course there’s Maya Angelou.

If you’ve been around for long you know of my deep love for her (and part of the quote in that piece, “The woman who survives intact and happy must be at once tender and tough,” would have been good for this project, too).

I pulled down my little box set and pulled out I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.

There at the end, I found her mom talking to her about knowing what to do with her new baby, but it speaks to all of us when she says:

If you’re for the right thing, then you do it without thinking.

Illustrate a Quote On a Bookmark

I decided I wanted to illustrate the quote ransom-note style, so I gathered some magazines out of the recycling (The Atlantic in particular was quite useful for this) and started cutting out words with a X-ACTO. finding words ransom note quote

I was surprised to find all the words I needed in reasonably large type, except for you’re and thing. I ended up composing thing from letters that were all in the same ad, while the you’re came from an ad that said you really, and I added the apostrophe. ransom note words

Once I laid the words out I thought it would make a cool bookmark, so I cut out a bit of card stock about two inches wide by six inches long and glued the words down.

I love it. It’s a great reminder and a cool little literary craft that would be great with the gift of a book.illustrate a quote like a ransom note

If you try this one, I’d love to hear what quote you choose or see your creation tagged with #ourdailycraft.

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