An accessible children’s book invites to reflect on the essence of colours
Carita Lehtniemi’s debut book Sutinen valitsee värin is available in Finnish bookstores and libraries. The book can also be purchased from the author using the form at the bottom of this page. Photo by Jarkko Mikkonen, www.jarkkomikkonen.com.
“The overalls and hats are ingenious, you just can’t stop touching them.”
“Sutinen valitsee värin works on three different levels, and the stylish and peaceful colours are a delight also for the sighted readers. The book gives an aesthetic and playful impression.”
Carita Lehtniemi’s debut book Sutinen valitsee värin (Brushy chooses a colour), which was published on the 1st of November 2021, opens up the essence of colours to visually impaired children and encourages them to think what colours look, feel and sound like. The reading experience is accessible and shared for both visually impaired and sighted readers. The tactile picture book has large text, braille, audio description integrated into the story, as well as tactile embossments, and it is suitable for practicing finger tact and studying braille. Sutinen valitsee värin is one of Finland's candidates for the International Competition of Tactile Illustrated Books, Typhlo & Tactus, which will be held at the end of March 2022.
In Lehtniemi’s hands, the story unfolds on various levels and, in places, offers slightly different content depending on whether it’s read with fingers or eyes. The embossments made with special varnishes make it possible to read the pictures and colours tactually. The braille gives tips on how to read the pictures and it’s written to be easy to read for a child studying braille. The sighted reader, on the other hand, finds impressive structures, tones and details in the delicate illustrations made using the graphic arts technique of watercolor monotype and Chine collé. The text is descriptive, sounds delicious and is suitable for reading aloud together. The tactile implementation of the book was tested by visually impaired children and their families before printing.
Sutinen valitsee värin is a self-published book and a pilot project in which Lehtniemi explores new ways to make children's literature accessible to visually impaired readers. As an audio described tactile book, it is the first of its kind in Finland.
ABOUT
Carita Lehtniemi is a Helsinki-based Art Director, illustrator and audio describer. Her education entails a degree in graphic design at Pekka Halonen academy in 1999 and a degree in illustration at Haute école des arts du Rhin, Strasbourg, in 2003. Lehtniemi is a trained audio describer and has worked with audio descriptions since 2010. Her interest in audio description stems from the desire to share art experiences and to study how pictures can be experienced through language. Lehtniemi has audio described the film Onnelin ja Annelin talvi (Jill and Joy’s Winter) which is the first children’s film audio described for cinema distribution in Finland. In addition, she has audio described parts of the film and TV series Tuntematon sotilas (Unknown Soldier) and TV series Muumilaakso (Moomin Valley), to name some examples.
What is audio description?
Audio describer transforms visual information into words in order to make visual culture and art accessible to the visually impaired and blind people. Audio description is used for example for describing cinema, visual arts and theater as well as route, space or landscape. Thanks to audio description visually impaired people may have an equal access to visual culture and knowledge. Sighted persons may also benefit from accessible and multi-sensory services as audio description guides us to focus on essential information.
