live, love, design

I have been feeling nostalgic recently. For inspiration on how to write and illustrate a childrens book for class, I dug out some of my old books. Gazing at the illustrations brings me back to my childhood and the hours I would spend reading and re-reading If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and The Frog Prince, among many others. I now see the impact that those books had on me as a designer and illustrator. I would gaze adoringly at the detailed, realistic illustrations that would bring me into the world of the story and simple cartoon drawings wouid make me wonder what I would look like as a cartoon. For some reason, I would look critically at those “simple drawings ” and wonder why the illustrator even bothered. If they could not draw realistically, then what was the point in trying. These thoughts shaped the way I strived for my idea of perfectionism in my illlustrations.  Everything had to look just so and the colours had to blend just so. I found that fun and challenging to try and emulate realism. Now I find it challenging and fun to try and find a different illustrative style for my childrens book.